Go Scuba Diving at the Richelieu Rock, Andaman Sea Thailand.

Richelieu Rock is a dive site in Thailand in the Andaman Sea about 200 km northwest of Phuket³. It is part of the Mu Koh Surin marine park although being about 18 km east of Surin Island³. It is an isolated pinnacle that is horseshoe-shaped and consists of several groups of rocks, pinnacles, overhangs and small caves². It is one of the best dive sites in Thailand and Asia, and is famous for its rich marine life and frequent sightings of whale sharks and manta rays.

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Richelieu Rock was discovered by the French scuba diving explorer Jacques Cousteau, who named it after the purple soft corals that reminded him of a cardinal robe, Cardinal Richelieu⁴¹. Another theory says that it was named after a French nautical chart surveyor who worked to protect this underwater jewel from being blown up as an obstacle to shipping³.

The dive site can be reached by day trips from Khao Lak or by liveaboards from Phuket or Khao Lak²¹⁴. The dive conditions vary depending on the season and the currents, but it is suitable for divers with some experience and a minimum level of PADI Open Water Diver with at least 8 dives²¹. The depth ranges from 12 meters on the inside to 35 meters on the outside². The water temperature is usually around 28°C.

Richelieu Rock offers a great variety of life to be discovered, from small critters such as seahorses, ghost pipefish, harlequin shrimp or frogfish, to large pelagic fish such as trevally, barracuda, snappers or fusiliers²¹. The rare tomato clownfish lives here and mating octopus are often spotted². The highlight of diving at Richelieu Rock is the chance to see the giants of the ocean – whale sharks and manta rays – that are attracted by the plankton-rich waters²¹.

If you are interested in diving at Richelieu Rock, you can find more information and book your trip on these websites:

- [Dive Richelieu Rock](#1)
- [Sunrise Divers](#2)
- [Khao Lak Explorer](#4)
- [Similan Seven Sea Club](#5)

Source: Conversation with Bing, 01/05/2023
(1) Richelieu Rock - Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richelieu_Rock.
(2) Richelieu Rock - One of the best dive sites in Asia - Sunrise Divers. https://www.sunrise-divers.com/dive-sites/richelieu-rock/.
(3) Richelieu Rock diving - Dive Richelieu Rock, Khao Lak, Thailand. https://www.diverichelieurock.com/en/.
(4) Richelieu Rock Diving Daytrip | Richelieu Rock from Khao Lak. https://www.khaolakexplorer.com/diving-daytrips/richelieu-rock-diving/.
(5) Richelieu Rock – Similan Seven Sea Club. https://similansevenseaclub.com/dive-sites/richelieu-rock/.