Macro in Thailand?

Hi All.

I'm headed to Thailand in November for some (ok, well, alot of) dives in the Similans and a lot of much needed beach time afterwards. For various reasons, I don't have a good WA DSLR setup right now and am not in a position to get it put together before the trip.

I have a good macro setup though, and my little Canon P&S for so-so stills without flash, and my other Canon P&S for halfway decent video.

I was wondering if I should bother to take the whole heavy DSLR, housing, strobes, etc. What are the macro opportunities like there? This trip is more of a vacation than a photo trip, but if there are good macro opps, it might be worthing hauling the macro rig. Macro *is* my favorite style of shooting, after all!

Thanks for any input by those who have been!

Susan

Susan,

I was on the east coast of peninsular Malaysia and in Mabul for May/June this year. I only took a DSLR rig, but shot ~75% macro. I found that it didn't restrict my shooting due to visibility changes and there is so much macro to see in that area of the world. However, depending on where/when you are going, you might be kicking yourself when the whale shark swims by.

Macro is excellent there.

Due to it's Indian Sea proximity, you'll see some different critters.

Track Mark Strickland down, he lives in Santa Barbara, and talk to him - he was on the Fantasea for many years!

I'd say bring the macro DSLR setup. Lots of interesting stuff around the Similans. But don't get angry at me if a whale shark or manta goes by when you only have a 100mm macro lens on

I've just got around to uploading some of my older P&S shots from a 2005 Similan trip to flickr. Photos themselves aren't great but will give you an idea of what you'll find. We were on a liveaboard that did Hin Daeng/ Hin Muang, Similans, and Richelieu Rock.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41725931@N00/...57602186792112/

Manta was from Hin Daeng (near Lanta/ Pi Pi).

Hi Susan

I work on a liveaboard in the Similans and in November I think it is still to early in the season for the rare small stuff to appear, like Ornate Ghost Pipefish, Harlequin shrimp, they normally appear around Dec/Jan. But if you are heading on your trip to Richelieu rock then you will still have lots of macro stuff, like Tigertail seahorses, various nudi's, flatworms, cleaner pipefish, banded pipefish, spindle/tiger cowries, loads of shrimps, frogfish, anemone and porcelain crabs etc etc. But there is also loats of other good macro to be found around Similans, Koh Bon and Koh Tachai.

I will be up in Similans from end of this month, keep a look out for a guy with not much hair lugging around an big Ikelite and DS-125. What boat/company are you joining?

I agreed with ScubaSpen. If your trip includes Richelieu Rock then it is definitely worth taking the kit for Macro. To add to the list harlequin shrimp, spotted trunkfish, ribbon eel are also known residents. Elephant head rock and Koh Tachai are ok for Macro photography.

In general, the macro opportunity is quite good. The diversity is far better than redsea but, of course, not as good as Indonesia.

Thanks everybody! That clinches it, I'm def taking the macro stuff. I am going to Richelieu rock, so yippee! I'll make sure to take the macro on those dives, thus guarantying us seeing an (out of season - lost maybe?) whale shark. :-)