THE SIMILAN ISLANDS
“The marine life encounters are among the best in Asia, and the world, with dive sites ranging from gentle sloping reefs to wild current-swept rocky landscapes.”
GETTING THERE
The most economical and convenient way of reaching the Similan Islands is either from Phuket or Bangkok. From Phuket, take a boat from Chalong or Patong directly to the Similan Islands. Alternatively, you can book a day trip through accredited tour operators and liveaboards. From Bangkok, the quickest way is either by seaplane or speedboat, but this can be relatively costly, and a cheaper alternative is via Ranong or Khao Lak by night bus and taxi boat. From there, catch a boat to the Similan Islands. However, this route may take an entire day of travel.
MARINE LIFE
Leopard sharks, whitetip and blacktip reef sharks, batfish, moray eels, snappers, barracuda, surgeonfish, moray eels, cuttlefish The Similan Islands offers the very best scuba diving opportunities in Thailand. The marine life encounters are among the best in Asia, and the world, with dive sites ranging from gentle sloping reefs to wild current-swept rocky landscapes. No matter your dive level, the Similan Islands has a dive site suited to you. It should be noted that the Similan Islands does not offer overnight accommodation, so diving here can only be done via day boats or liveaboards.
Otherwise known as the Mu Koh Similan National Park, the Similan Islands is a group of nine islands found in the Andaman Sea off the west coast of Thailand, just 50 kilometres west of Khao Lak, and is home to some of the country’s richest waters – making it the best place to scuba dive in Thailand, with over 25 different dive sites.
The pristine reefs are teeming with marine life, including countless species of reef fish, and blacktip and whitetip sharks.
It is alsoa popular destination for underwater photographers, as the clear water, healthy coral, and diverse marine life offer once-in-alifetime photo opportunities.
While day boats are an option, the best way to explore the Similans is by liveaboard, which allows you to visit all the popular dive sites for the full experience.
Elephant Head (Hin Pusar)
This spectacular site is made up of giant granite boulders, forming a complex maze of swim-throughs, channels and gorges reaching a depth of over 40 metres. From the surface, the rocks resemble an elephant’s head – hence the name. With many small caves, arches and swim-throughs, this is also a popular cave diving spot, so if you have the required certification, this should definitely be on your to-dive list. Marine life encounters include whitetip, blacktip and leopard sharks, as well as giant trevallies and barracudas hiding amongst the boulders. Elephant Head is considered a deep dive – as deep as 70 metres – and with the unpredictable currents, it is only recommended for intermediate and experienced divers.
Christmas Point
A cluster of submerged boulders, Christmas Point is one of the Similan Islands’ best dive sites. Featuring arches, passages, and walls adorned with soft corals, this site can be found on the west side of island number nine – Koh Ba Ngu. The arrangement of the boulders creates arch-like swimthroughs at a depth of around 24 metres covered in colourful soft corals and sea fans. Among the marine life you are likely to encounter are blacktip reef sharks, leopard sharks, and giant barracudas. The dive site is quite deep and the current can be rather unpredictable, so it is important to stay near the rocks. The dive should only be undertaken by experienced divers.