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Manta Rays at Koh Bon, March 2022

Close encounters with not one but two previously unseen manta rays at Koh Bon in Thailand’s Similan Islands in late March 2022

Manta ray approaching, Koh Bon, Thailand
Manta ray approaching, Koh Bon, Thailand © Chris Mitchell

The island of Koh Bon is Thailand’s main hotspot for seeing manta rays. It’s definitely not a given you’ll see them – I’ve dived here plenty of times when the mantas have not been around – but this is the place where you have the best chance of seeing a manta ray.

There’s a long limestone ridge – like the back of a sleeping Godzilla – that runs from Koh Bon’s shoreline down underwater and out into the depths. There’s a particular spot on the ridge about 26 metres deep where the mantas historically like to visit so most dive groups head for there.

Manta Ray with ramoras, Koh Bon, Thailand
Manta Ray and ramoras, Koh Bon, Thailand © Chris Mitchell

We got super lucky and saw not one but two manta rays, a different one each day on the two days we were there. On both occasions the manta silently glided in from out of the hazy, plankton rich gloom of the water and gracefully cruised past our group of divers, coming within a metre of us and checking us out.

Manta Ray flyover, Koh Bon, Thailand
Manta Ray flyover (nickname Jumbo), Koh Bon, Thailand © Chris Mitchell

That moment when a manta decides to approach a group is really special. If you make direct eye contact with a three metre wide manta ray as it passes by you, it’s not something you’re likely to ever forget.

As all the divers in our group did the right thing and stayed still, the manta swept by out into the blue and disappeared from view only to come back and loop around the group a couple more times, clearly still curious about us.

Manta Ray at Koh Bon - nickname Wunderbar
Manta Ray at Koh Bon – nickname Wunderbar © Chris Mitchell

The following morning we went back in the water at Koh Bon at 7 am. After twenty minutes of waiting and scanning the blue, thinking our luck has run out, another manta came to check us out, coming even closer than the one we saw the previous day. This one stayed with us for over half an hour, and was still visible wheeling around the reef as we broke water returning to the surface.

Recommended Similan Liveaboards October 2025 to May 2026

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The Phinisi Liveaboard

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

Smiling Seahorse Liveaboard

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As our group had taken numerous photos of the mantas, we were able to tell from the markings on the mantas’ underbellies that we had seen two different manta rays over the two days. Each manta has its own specific pattern of markings which act as an unique identifier.

Manta Ray - nickname Jumbo - over the ridge, Koh Bon, Thailand
Manta Ray – nickname Jumbo – over the ridge, Koh Bon, Thailand © Chris Mitchell

As there’s some phone signal at Koh Bon, we also sent identification pictures to Manta Trust’s manta ray ID database. The researchers there ran their software to see if the new photos matched the markings of any of the thousands of Thailand manta ray pictures already in there. They didn’t, so that means the two mantas we saw have not been spotted before (or at least photographed and sent to the database). If a previously unseen manta ray is added to the database, whoever sent in the image can give the manta a nickname. So welcome “Jumbo” and “Wunderbar” to Koh Bon – please come back soon!

Koh Tachai fan corals
Koh Tachai fan corals © Chris Mitchell

Our visit to Koh Bon was part of a 4 day liveaboard trip on MV Smiling Seahorse at the end of March 2022 where we also visited Koh Tachai, Richelieu Rock and the Surin Islands.

After a murky start in the Surin islands we got some fantastic conditions on subsequent days at Tachai and Richelieu. Richelieu in particular was dizzying with the amount of fish gathered together, a huge school of jacks circling just off the rock the highlight. It felt like anything might show up at both Tachai and Richelieu, the water full of life and action.

School of Jacks with James, Richelieu Rock, Thailand
School of Jacks with James, Richelieu Rock, Thailand © Chris Mitchell

Big thanks to James for being a great dive guide and patient model. And thanks to Franck and the team on Smiling Seahorse for another great trip. Franck got some fantastic photos of the second manta ray at Koh Bon which you can see in his own trip report.

Update: another epic manta ray encounter at Koh Bon in February 2025

Richelieu Rock soft corals suffused with glassfish
Richelieu Rock soft corals suffused with glassfish © Chris Mitchell



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Similan Liveaboard Reports 2024

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Similan Liveaboard Reports 2023

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Similan Liveaboard Reports 2022

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  • Similan Islands Liveaboard February 2020
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Similan Islands DIve Sites

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My Recent Dive Trips

  • November 2024: Similan Islands liveaboard, Thailand
  • October 2024: Forgotten Islands and Banda Sea liveaboard, Indonesia
  • August 2024: Komodo and Saleh Bay liveaboard, Indonesia
  • May 2024: Similan Islands liveaboard, Thailand
  • April 2024: Sogod Bay, Philippines
  • February 2024: Similan Islands liveaboard, Thailand
  • January 2024:Gangga Island Resort, Indonesia
  • December 2023: Similan Islands liveaboard, Thailand
  • Mejangan Island, Bali
  • October 2023: Similan Islands liveaboard, Thailand
  • June 2023: Raja Ampat liveaboard, Indonesia
  • April 2023: Maldives liveaboard
  • April 2023: Similan Islands liveaboard, Thailand
  • February 2023: Similan Islands liveaboard, Thailand
  • December 2022: Raja Ampat liveaboard, Indonesia
  • December 2022: Similan Islands liveaboard, Thailand
  • August 2022: Komodo liveaboard, Indonesia
  • June 2022: USAT Liberty shipwreck, Bali, Indonesia
  • April 2022: Stonehenge, Koh Lipe, Thailand
  • March 2022: Manta Rays at Koh Bon, Thailand
  • January 2022: Richelieu Rock liveaboard, Thailand
  • March 2021: HTMS Chang and Alahambra Rock liveaboard, Thailand
  • February 2020: Similan Islands liveaboard, Thailand
  • December 2019: Raja Ampat liveaboard, Indonesia
  • October 2019: Malapascua, Philippines
  • June 2019: Sogod Bay, Philippines
  • April 2019: Tulamben, Bali
  • December 2018: Sogod Bay, Philippines
  • December 2018: Anilao, Philippines
  • October 2018: Moalboal, Philippines
  • October 2018: Malapascua, Philippines
  • July 2018: Tulamben, Bali
  • May 2018: Raja Ampat, Indonesia
  • April 2018: Sogod Bay, Philippines

My Less Recent Dive Trips

  • May 2017: Apo Island and Dumaguete, Philippines
  • April 2017: Tubbataha Reef, Philippines
  • April 2017: Sogod Bay, Philippines
  • March 2017: Triton Bay, Indonesia
  • March 2017: Raja Ampat, Indonesia
  • September 2016: Tulamben, Bali at Alba Dive Resort
  • August 2016: Cenderawasih Bay on Damai 1
  • April 2016: Sogod Bay at Sogod Bay Scuba Resort
  • February 2016: Raja Ampat and Banda Islands on Damai 1
  • April 2015: Anilao at Crystal Dive Resort
  • March 2015: Myanmar and Similan Islands on Thailand Aggressor
  • May 2013: Similan Islands on Thailand Aggressor
  • April 2013: Tubbataha Reef on Discovery Palawan
  • January 2013: Komodo, Indonesia on MSY Damai
  • August 2012: Cenderawasih Bay, Indonesia
  • April 2012: Similan Islands and Southern Thailand liveaboard
  • January 2012: Similan Islands liveaboard, Thailand
  • August 2011: Hanifaru, Maldives
  • June 2011: Tubbataha Liveaboard Hans Christian Andersen
  • April 2011: Similan Islands and Southern Thailand liveaboard
  • April 2011: Carpe Vita Liveaboard, Maldives
  • March 2011: Lembeh Strait, Indonesia
  • December 2010: Menjangan, Bali
  • July 2010: Tofo, Mozambique
  • July 2010: Sardine Run, South Africa
  • May 2010: Sangalaki / Derawan, Tambora
  • March 2010: MV Flying Seahorse, Similan Islands
  • March 2010: MV Orion, Southern Maldives
  • January 2010: Big Blue Explorer, Palau
  • November 2009: MSY Damai, Banda Sea Liveaboard, Indonesia
  • October 2009: MSY Damai, Komodo Liveaboard, Indonesia
  • October 2009: MV Orion, Maldives Liveaboard
  • September 2009: MV Scubanet, Koh Losin, Thailand
  • May 2009: MSY Seahorse, Banda Sea liveaboard, Indonesia
  • March 2009: Sachika Liveaboard, Maldives
  • February 2009: Daytrips, Koh Lanta, Thailand
  • January 2009: MV Jazz, Burma (Myanmar) Liveaboard

Back In The Day Bragging Rights Dive Trips

  • November 2008: Borneo Explorer, Visayas Liveaboard
  • September 2008: S/Y Siren, Komodo Liveaboard
  • August 2008: Ocean Rover, Sulawesi Liveaboard
  • August 2008: NAD Lembeh Resort, Indonesia
  • June 2008: Koh Tao
  • March 2008: Maldives, Bandos Island
  • February 2008: MSY Seahorse, Raja Ampat Liveaboard
  • January 2008: MV Jazz, Burma Liveaboard
  • October 2007: Bali Dive Safari
  • September 2007: Davao, Philippines
  • July 2007: Great White Sharks, Rodney Fox Liveaboard
  • June 2007: Big Blue, Palau Liveaboard
  • May 2007: Whale Sharks at Exmouth, Australia
  • April 2007: Borneo Explorer, Tubbataha Reef Liveaboard
  • December 2006: Komodo Dancer, Komodo Liveaboard

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  • Diving The Similan Islands 2025: A Quick Guide
  • Similan Liveaboard Trip Report 9-13 February 2025
  • Barracuda Tornado, Koh Tachai, Similan Islands February 2025
  • Manta Ray at Koh Bon, Similan Islands, February 2025
  • Jacks Tornado, Richelieu Rock, February 2025