This is the breathtaking moment a pod of false killer whales swam close to tourists.

Tananan Ruannark and her sister spotted the group of sea creatures while sailing through the ocean off the coast of Surat Thani, Thailand.

Underwater footage shows the pod diving in unison on August 30.

Tananan said: 'We thought they were dolphins, but to our surprise, it was a pod of false killer whales—dozens of them swimming majestically through the water.

'That initial feeling of ‘it's just dolphins' completely vanished, replaced by an overwhelming sense of luck and excitement. It was, without a doubt, one of the most rewarding last-minute decisions of my life.'

False killer whales are a species of oceanic dolphin that resembles killer whales in appearance. They are highly social animals, often forming pods of up to 50 members. They can also form pods with other dolphin species, such as the common bottlenose dolphin.

The false killer whale is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List and is protected under various international agreements.