Richelieu Rock

Richelieu Rock is an isolated horseshoe-shaped pinnacle about 18 km east of the Surin Islands, inside Mu Ko Surin National Park. It rises from 35 m to just below the surface and is covered in purple soft corals, anemones, sea fans and sponges. It is Thailand's most reliable whale-shark site, mainly February to April, and also has chevron barracuda, groupers and visiting mantas. The macro life is just as famous: harlequin shrimps, seahorses, ornate ghost pipefish and frogfish.

Facts

• Region: Thailand – Similan & Surin
• Area: Richelieu Rock & Surin Islands
• Depth: 3–35 m
• Level: intermediate
• Current: moderate
• Type: pinnacle, reef
• Coordinates: 9.3651, 98.0222
• Highlights: whale shark, manta ray, harlequin shrimp, seahorse, ghost pipefish, frogfish, chevron barracuda, soft coral, anemonefish, cuttlefish, octopus, grouper
• Tips: Too big for one dive — most trips spend a full day here. Enter at the mooring, choose the side by the current and use a surface marker when ascending away from the rock.

Sources

• https://www.dive-the-world.com/diving-sites-thailand-richelieu-rock.php
• https://www.mantaqueen.com/liveaboards/4-days-4-nights/manta-queen-eight
• https://thejunk.com/liveaboard-dive-site-directory/
• https://www.seadragondivecenter.com/islands-and-dive-sites/
• https://www.thainationalparks.com/mu-ko-surin-national-park