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Barracuda Tornado, Three Threes, Similan Islands, Thailand

Watching the endless circular motion of a barracuda tornado at Three Trees dive site in Thailand’s Similan Islands

Barracuda circling into a tornado formation, Three Trees dive site, Similan Islands, Thailand
Barracuda Tornado 20, Three Trees, Similan Islands, Thailand, December 2024 © chris@divehappy.com

A sequence of shots of a barracuda tornado taken in December 2024 at Three Trees in the Similan Islands while on a liveaboard with Blue Dolphin:

Barracuda circling into a tornado formation, Three Trees dive site, Similan Islands, Thailand
Barracuda Tornado 1, Three Trees, Similan Islands, Thailand, December 2024 © chris@divehappy.com

Hard to overstate how amazing it is to see this, especially when you’ve no idea it might happen before you enter the water.

Barracuda circling into a tornado formation, Three Trees dive site, Similan Islands, Thailand
Barracuda Tornado 3, Three Trees, Similan Islands, Thailand, December 2024 © chris@divehappy.com

We’d dropped in at Three Trees in the early morning, the sun already on full blast and the visibility a full 30 metres. Three Trees follows the rocky slope of the island which flattens out into white sand. But the sandy area is also a major channel for current, so boats have to time it carefully when divers go in.

Barracuda circling into a tornado formation, Three Trees dive site, Similan Islands, Thailand
Barracuda Tornado 4, Three Trees, Similan Islands, Thailand, December 2024 © chris@divehappy.com

On this particular morning, it was almost zero. We proceeded finning out across the white sand, heading for the huge barrel sponge that lies down in the middle of the channel, wanting to get there before the conditions changed.

Barracuda circling into a tornado formation, Three Trees dive site, Similan Islands, Thailand
Barracuda Tornado 5, Three Trees, Similan Islands, Thailand, December 2024 © chris@divehappy.com

And then, out the corner of my eye, I saw it. We were already down at 20 metres and in the distance up in mid water, there was the huge, fast moving object coming straight towards us down the channel.

Barracuda circling into a tornado formation, Three Trees dive site, Similan Islands, Thailand
Barracuda Tornado 6, Three Trees, Similan Islands, Thailand, December 2024 © chris@divehappy.com

As it got nearer it became obvious what it was – hundreds of barracuda circling in unison while also propelling the circle together along the channel. All individuals moving as one. All in complete silence, except for the sound of my increasingly rapid breathing. It was essentially a Barracuda Borg.

Barracuda circling into a tornado formation, Three Trees dive site, Similan Islands, Thailand
Barracuda Tornado 7, Three Trees, Similan Islands, Thailand, December 2024 © chris@divehappy.com

Thinking it couldn’t get any better, it then promptly got better. The barracuda tornado stopped almost right above us, circling in place. I’d already begun to gently ascend to get nearer to it, mindful of my profile and also getting too near and spooking the barracuda into breaking formation.

Barracuda circling into a tornado formation, Three Trees dive site, Similan Islands, Thailand
Barracuda Tornado 8, Three Trees, Similan Islands, Thailand, December 2024 © chris@divehappy.com

Luckily they completely ignored me and my strobes as I started firing off shots and gently moving nearer and nearer. The tornado circling behaviour is supposedly a defensive measure against predators or for feeding en masse and I’d guess as they ignored me it they were too focussed on food.

Barracuda circling into a tornado formation, Three Trees dive site, Similan Islands, Thailand
Barracuda Tornado 9, Three Trees, Similan Islands, Thailand, December 2024 © chris@divehappy.com

They continued on like this for several minutes more, silver skin glinting from the sun pouring in from the surface only a few metres above the top of the tornado.

Barracuda circling into a tornado formation, Three Trees dive site, Similan Islands, Thailand
Barracuda Tornado 10, Three Trees, Similan Islands, Thailand, December 2024 © chris@divehappy.com

Eventually they weighed anchor from their stationary position and continued down the channel, soon disappearing out of view into the blue.

Barracuda circling into a tornado formation, Three Trees dive site, Similan Islands, Thailand
Barracuda Tornado 11, Three Trees, Similan Islands, Thailand, December 2024 © chris@divehappy.com

We were the only divers on our entire boat to have seen the tornado. Everyone else had gone ahead of us. It felt like a spaceship had just passed by.

Barracuda circling into a tornado formation, Three Trees dive site, Similan Islands, Thailand
Barracuda Tornado 12, Three Trees, Similan Islands, Thailand, December 2024 © chris@divehappy.com

Back on the boat, no one believed us. When I showed them the photos, I was told it looked like it was generated by AI. Kids these days.

Barracuda circling into a tornado formation, Three Trees dive site, Similan Islands, Thailand
Barracuda Tornado 14, Three Trees, Similan Islands, Thailand, December 2024 © chris@divehappy.com

A couple of months later, lightning struck twice and I saw another barracuda tornado at Koh Tachai on a February Similans liveaboard trip. That was possibly even more epic than this one as the tornado was even bigger and got even closer to us, but this one was special as it was just four of us looking at it.

Barracuda circling into a tornado formation, Three Trees dive site, Similan Islands, Thailand
Barracuda Tornado 15, Three Trees, Similan Islands, Thailand, December 2024 © chris@divehappy.com

Barracuda circling into a tornado formation, Three Trees dive site, Similan Islands, Thailand
Barracuda Tornado 16, Three Trees, Similan Islands, Thailand, December 2024 © chris@divehappy.com

Barracuda circling into a tornado formation, Three Trees dive site, Similan Islands, Thailand
Barracuda Tornado 17, Three Trees, Similan Islands, Thailand, December 2024 © chris@divehappy.com

Barracuda circling into a tornado formation, Three Trees dive site, Similan Islands, Thailand
Barracuda Tornado 18, Three Trees, Similan Islands, Thailand, December 2024 © chris@divehappy.com

Barracuda circling into a tornado formation, Three Trees dive site, Similan Islands, Thailand
Barracuda Tornado 21, Three Trees, Similan Islands, Thailand, December 2024 © chris@divehappy.com

Barracuda circling into a tornado formation, Three Trees dive site, Similan Islands, Thailand
Barracuda Tornado 22, Three Trees, Similan Islands, Thailand, December 2024 © chris@divehappy.com

Barracuda circling into a tornado formation, Three Trees dive site, Similan Islands, Thailand
Barracuda Tornado 23, Three Trees, Similan Islands, Thailand, December 2024 © chris@divehappy.com

Barracuda circling into a tornado formation, Three Trees dive site, Similan Islands, Thailand
Barracuda Tornado 24, Three Trees, Similan Islands, Thailand, December 2024 © chris@divehappy.com

This was part of a Similan liveaboard trip in December 2024. See the full trip report for the what else we saw during the our four days of diving.

Recommended Similan Liveaboards October 2025 to May 2026

Blue Dolphin Liveaboard

Blue Dolphin Liveaboard A mid-range liveaboard with 7 cabins for 16 people. Check availability and pricing

The Phinisi Liveaboard

The Phinisi Liveaboard A Similan mid-range liveaboard with 7 cabins for 18 people.Check availability and pricing

Smiling Seahorse Liveaboard

Smiling Seahorse Liveaboard A mid-range liveaboard with 8 cabins for 16 people. Check availability and pricing

The Junk Liveaboard

The Junk Liveaboard A mid-range liveaboard with 6 cabins for 18 people. Check availability and pricing
 

2025 Thailand Last Minute Liveaboard Deals

Similan Islands Dive Sites List

Similan Liveaboards Overview

Upcoming Similan Liveaboard Availability and Pricing

Check availability and pricing for all Similan Islands liveaboards departing in

(The Similan National Park is closed from mid May to mid October each year)

Similan Liveaboards Trip Reports

Photos from each of the Similan liveaboard trips I've been on over the years.



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