The Boon sung Wreck Is A Fine Send Off To Your Thailand Liveaboard Adventure
The Boonsung wreck was formerly one of many vessels that were used in Thailand’s former booming tin mining trade. Allegedly it sank due to a faulty toilet and came to rest on the sandy bottom at 18m. It’s located just outside the port at Tablamu near Khao Lak. Originally it was a hazard to shipping and the Thai navy dropped a couple of bombs to level it out a bit. Add that to the damage created by the 2004 tsunami and we’re left with something that’s hardly recognisable as a boat.
Although not a part of the Similan Islands. The Boonsung Wreck is the final two dives of many liveaboard safaris’ due to its close proximity to Khao Lak. Its location on an extensive flat, sandy and featureless underwater plain makes it a haven for fish and attracts wildlife from miles around. The schools of fish are simply huge and consist of many different species. Forsters barracuda, snapper, fusilier and batfish to name a few. Even puffer and porcupine fish congregate in large numbers here, something we don’t see on any other Thailand diving site.
fish of every kind surround the boonsung wreck
It’s location does have one significant disadvantage. Visibility is rarely more than 10m so descending on one of the buoy lines is a must. Very often you can’t see the wreck from the surface. Once you’ve reached the wreck navigation is easy. Simply move in a clockwise or anticlockwise direction moving from one section of this broken up wreck to the next. Hopefully you’ll end the dive on the buoy line that you descended on. Don’t stray away from the wreck and you won’t get lost…
Lots of Great macro Life On The Boonsung Wreck
You’ll probably get two dives on the Boonsung Wreck so make sure you take it really slow. Give yourself plenty of time to search for all the great macro life. Ornate ghost pipefish, frogfish and many species of nudi’s are common. One particular area of the dive site attracts lots of different species of nudi’s and has been given the apt name of nudi hotel. Another special find is the honeycomb moray. Rare on other dive sites but this beautiful eel is a guaranteed sighting here. Adults and juveniles can be found anywhere on the wreck.
Nudibranch At BoonSung Wreck
Although the Boonsung Wreck is a fairly straight forward dive with rarely any significant current, you do have to be careful. As well as the obvious hazard of sharp rusty metal, bearded scorpionfish, devil scorpionfish, reef stonefish, lionfish and black sea urchins are here in numbers so be very sure of your buoyancy and avoid making contact with any part of the wreck.
packs of lionfish on the boonsung wreck
Finish your dive hanging out in the ‘fish soup’ on the buoy line and you may also be rewarded with a literally massive bonus – whale sharks are regular visitors. If you hear a cacophony of tank bangers you’ll know who’s made an appearance.
