Similan Islands

Similan Islands

Located in Pha-nga province, only 50 km directly west of Khao Lak, the Similan Islands are home to most of Thailand’s most famous diving sites and can lay claim to having one of the best dive sites in Asia. The Similans are a huge scuba diving and snorkeling destination popular with liveaboard diving operators based in Khao Lak. Khao Lak tour operators are also close enough to run day trips by speedboat to this group of spectacular diving sites. None of this picturesque group of nine islands are inhabited - other than by the abundant marine life.

The Similans consist of 9 islands (Sembilan means 9 in Malay language) The islands are famed for their thriving reefs and abundance of delicate coral and variety of exciting marine life. It is possible to see chevron barracuda, giant trevally, manta rays, leopard sharks and rainbow runners. Easily visited by Daytrips from Khao Lak - to really enjoy your time on the islands you should truly visit on a Similan Liveaboard.

Among the most popular sites are Koh Bon and Elephant Head Rock. Both feature dramatic diving and great marine life. Often cited as a national resource - The Similan Islands are being considered as a World Heritage site.

Other popular diving sites in Similans include:

Stonehenge: This is a large towering rock formation with a variety of marine life. Divers can spot barrel sponges, lionfish, gorgonian sea fans, barracuda, wrasse, ghost pipefish and long nose butterfly fish.

Snapper Alley: This site is popular for night dives. Its solid healthy table and sheet provides marine life places to hide and sleep.

Sharkfin Reef: This is a dive site for experienced divers. It is possible to spot clown trigger fish, half-moon trigger fish, bat fish and surgeon fish.

East of Eden: Here is the most spectacular bommie in the Similans and the violet and blue corals can be seen.

Donald Duck Bay: This rock was named after the cartoon character it resembles and it is another great site for marine life where one can also see crabs, octopus and cuttlefish running across the sea bed.

The eastern coast of the Similan Islands with white sandy beaches, feature hard coral gardens which can slope down to 40m. Drift diving is how most diving is done on this coast - as divers use the current to propel them along the vibrantly rich reefs teeming with exotic marine life.

The western coast of the Similan marine park, facing out towards the Andaman Islands and India, offers very dynamic and scenic sites as divers soar through and around massive granite boulders. Dramatic rock formations abound including: overhangs, swim-thrus and canyons. There is an amazing variety of colorful soft corals and enormous sea fans that can span several meters across. There are very few places on earth like this.

The length of Similan Diving safari trips vary from three to five days, often longer if the diving liveaboard includes the Similans as just one stop on the itinerary