The Similan Islands offer some of the most picturesque diving spots in all of Thailand. This national park offers about 20 dive sites that are full of marine life and exceptional rock and coral formations. Keep reading for a list of the best spots to check out.
East of Eden
East of Eden is one of the most popular dive spots in the Similan Islands. One of the biggest draws is the diversity of fish species the reef has to offer, which includes a large majority of the fish native to the Andaman Sea.
Because of the strong currents, East of Eden is better suited to experienced divers. Located on the east side of Similan Island Number 7, its popularity is obvious by how crowded it can sometimes get.
The diversity of marine life is also a plus for underwater photographers hoping to grab great shots of a large variety of species.
Christmas Point
If you’re looking for soft corals, arches, and boulders, check out Christmas Point on the west end of Island Number 9. With a depth of 35 metres, there is a lot to see, such as white tip sharks, frog fish, and ribbon eels.
If you like to drift dive, the currents here can be strong occasionally, but the drop-off is one of the most scenic in all of the Similan Islands.
Chinese Wall
Island Number 4’s south point is home to the Chinese Wall. With boulders that start above the water and stretch down to nearly 30 metres, these rock formations create amazing underwater caves, valleys, swim-throughs, and caverns for divers to explore.
Inside some of the crevices throughout this dive site, you can find giant moray eels, fimbriated and yellow moray eels, and the petite white-eyed moray, typically being groomed by clear shrimp.
Because of the depth of this particular site, it’s a good idea to bring a light source to better see the details and colours of rocks and to find any hiding fish that you’d otherwise miss.
Sharkfin Reef
Sharkfin Reef gets its name from the way it breaks the surface of the water at low tide and resembles a shark fin. Covered mostly by hard corals and gorgonian seafans, the reef is a series of large granite boulders.
There is a large swim-through that connects the drop-off on the southwest end with the stacked boulders on the northeast side.
If you’re in search of sharks, though, be sure to check out the deeper end of this dive site, where you might come across both sharks and rays.
How To See It All
With so many incredible dive spots, most of which offer so much that multiple dives are necessary to take it all in, the best way to see everything that the Similan Islands have to offer is by participating in a liveaboard tour. Khao Lak Explorer Liveaboards is one such tour that leaves from either Khao Lak or Phuket and specializes in dive trips to some of the best sites throughout the Similan Islands.
Once you get a taste for diving the Similan Islands, it’s likely that you’ll be planning your next trip back to this majestic area as soon as possible.
