These east side dive sites are relatively easy dives with gentle currents to drift along with and very clear water. Schools of tropical fish are everywhere and the fish in the Similan islands are that bit bigger than in other Thailand dive sites. They also seem less afraid of divers and won't swim away quite as quickly when you point your camera lens in their direction.  West coast Similan dive sites as well as the north and south tips of the islands offer a different type of diving which is more challenging and, at certain times of the month when currents are strong, may not be suitable for inexperienced divers.
Huge granite boulders lie heaped on top of each other forming stunning seascapes and creating numerous swim-throughs, tunnels and caverns. Giant seafans grip to the edge of the boulders, feeding off the currents that swirl around the rocks. Soft corals grow around the boulders. Pelagic fish prefer the currents on the west coast dive sites. Manta Rays and Eagle rays are often seen as are Leopard sharks, black tip reef sharks and white tip reef sharks.
The Similan Islands can be dived by daytrip or liveaboard dive safari. The liveaboard trips are really the way to go. Daytrips by speedboat are long days for a couple of dives and really don't give you the time to appreciate the beauty of the area. A liveaboard trip gets you to all the best dive sites. There are boats departing on different schedules most days throughout the high season. A typical trip is 4 days and 4 nights duration and includes diving further north at Koh Bon, Koh Tachai and Richelieu Rock. Longer trips also dive Surin national park, Burma or the southern Thai islands of Hin Daeng, Hin Muang or Phi Phi. |
