Similan Islands
Similan Islands
The Similan Islands, Surin Islands, Mergui Archipelago & Burma as well as the Andaman Islands offer divers some fantastic liveaboard diving holidays. Diving trips here are from three to over 7 days and offer you a wide variety of dive sites. The Surin Islands, Mergui Archipelago and the Burma are solely the domain of liveaboard operators due to their distance from the main tourist spots. The Similan Islands are dived both by day trip and liveaboard vessels. Some of the best diving in Thailand can be found at these destinations.
The Similan Islands are by far the most spectacular group of dive sites that Thailand has to offer and are on par with some of the best diving destinations worldwide.
The Similans are a huge scuba diving destination popular with liveaboard diving operators based in Phuket & Khao Lak. Being situated on the coast north of Phuket The Khao Lak 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 of course.
Located about one hundred kilometres northwest of Phuket, the Similans consist of nine granite islands covered in lush, tropical, jungle foliage, surrounded by sparkling clear blue oceans.Similans Map The beaches are made up of the finest white powdery sand and literally melt into the warm tropical waters.
The east coast, with its white powdery beaches, feature hard coral gardens which slope down to 40m. Drift diving is the name of the game here as divers use the current to propel them along the vibrantly rich reefs teeming with unusual and interesting marine life.
The west coast of the marine park, facing out towards the Andaman Islands, offers pace and exhilaration as divers soar through and around Huge granite boulders. Dramatic rock formations abound including: holes, overhangs, swimthroughs and canyons. There is an amazing variety of colourful soft corals and enormous sea fans that span metres across. There are truly very few places on earth like this.
The length of dive safari trips vary from three to five days, often longer if the dive liveaboard includes the Similans as just one stop on the itinerary. Other destinations that are often visited are Koh Bon, Koh Tachai, Richelieu Rock and the Surin Islands as these are just north of the Similans.
Koh Bon
Located 20 km north of the Similans Koh Bon is famous for the natural perforation carved through the island. The southwest dive site is a sheer wall 35m deep followed by a stepped ridge descending to 45m. Leopard sharks are sited on the ridge and sandy flats below. Koh Bon is noted as one of the better places to experience the majesty of diving with manta rays.
Koh Tachai
• Horseshoe Shaped Pinnacle
• Hard & Soft Corals
• Whale Sharks, Numerous Tropicals, Barracuda
• Moderate Currents
• 10 to 30 Meters Visibility
• Advanced Divers
Schooling Chevron Barracuda, numerous types of Moray Eels, abundant LionFish and Scorpion Fish. 5 types of Anemone Fish, Juvenile Emperor Angel Fish, Sea Horses, Ornate Ghost PipeFish and Harlequin Shrimps can all be found. This site is also a prime location for sighting Whalesharks, occasional Manta Rays and ShovelNose Rays.
Richelieu Rock should be a must on every divers list. Regardless if you're a macro enthusiast or passionate about bigger creatures it has something for everyone.
Diving Insurance
Diving Safety
Diving is statistically a very safe sport. You are far less likely to have an accident or sustain an injury compared to many other activities. However in the unlikely event of an incident Thailand has professionally operated recompression chambers as well as many excellent medical facilities.
