Discovery of whale sharks Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand

In Thailand, you will find a wide variety of seabed. The reefs of Koh Similan Islands are well known throughout the world, while the islands of Phuket, Phi Phi and Koh Tao attract more divers neophytes. But the greatest of the meetings is to find itself face to face with a whale shark.

In Thailand, there are several places where the diving whale shark is seen fairly regularly. The most famous is close Richelieu Rock Surin Islands in the Andaman Sea, but keep your eyes open wherever you diving. Hin Daeng has recently been another great place for large pelagics, the site is accessible from Phuket. A less well-known is that of Koh Racha also located in Andaman Sea. It can be also observed on sites like Shark Point and Koh Doc Mai or to Chumphon Pinnacle, accessible from Koh Tao in the Gulf of Thailand.

The best time of year to see a whale shark is in Thailand between November and May. The period from June to October period being the monsoon, water becomes fairly trouble.

The whale sharks are not common, we should not expect to see a mandatory, the event is all the more magical.

The whale shark (Rhincodon Typus) is the largest fish in the world, it can reach more than 15m in length. Despite its size, it is harmless, feeding on plankton, small fish below 10 cm, krill and jellyfish, which are swallowed in his huge mouth of two metres wide, which allows it to filter out some 3000 tonnes of water per hour. It has about 4000 tiny teeth ..

You can also meet the whale shark in the warm waters around the world, including Australia, Mexico, Honduras, Hawaii, South Africa, Mozambique. In these countries, these large sharks are treated with the respect they deserve and divers were amazed by their silent presence.
Unfortunately, in other countries, such as India and the Philippines, the whale shark is often hunted for meat, which is sold to feed the rich Taiwanese. Indeed, the meat of this fish is a delicacy and expensive.

According to many scientists their number is declining but it is difficult to identify because their migratory habits are still largely unknown. It is therefore difficult to track and count them.

In recent years, there have been initiatives, such as the conference of CITES, which had placed the whale shark and the basking on the list of endangered species, but unfortunately, a ban on fishing is not yet at 'agenda.

In addition to the whale sharks, recent seasons have been a good time to observe the manda rays and other sharks in Thailand.

If you have the chance to meet one of these gentle giants, it will be for you an unforgettable experience and very exciting. Nevertheless Resist the temptation to touch or overlap. Say yes to contemplate, they will certainly swim around you as they are curious.