Similan Islands |
The Similan islands are a string of nine granite islands, providing a breathtaking scenery above and below the water. The Similans are more famous for their rocky dive sites. Enormous granite bolder formations form numerous swim throughs, gullies and canyons.
The islands are fringed by extensive coral reefs and home to a multitude of tropical fish, with frequent sightings of turtles, rays and sharks. Visibility year round averages 30 metres with a sea temperature of 27 - 29oC. All this makes the Similans attractive for both divers and snorkellers alike.
The most popular Similan dive sites are: Elephant Head Rock, Christmas Point, East of Eden, The Ridge, Breakfast Bend, Three Trees, Boulder City, Shark Fin Reef and Anita's Reef. |
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North Point |
Situated on the far northerly tip of island number 9 are these submerged boulder pinnacles that rise from 40 metres up to 15. There are some impressive coral canyons and swimthroughs here and you may spot a shark or two at the bottom. |
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Batfish Bend |
This site is less visited by Similan liveaboard operators which is one of the attractions. Another is the large school of longfin batfish that to congregate here. There are also some large healthy hard coral formations here and its a good place for spotting sweetlips, emperors and cleaner wrasse. |
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Elephant Head Rock and Christmas Point |
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These sites feature mazes of huge granite boulders lying on top of each other, creating exciting swimthroughs and small caves. Here you can see giant moray eels, lionfish, huge groupers, rays and white tip reef sharks. Soft and stone coral, mixed with sea fans add color to these impressive stone gardens.
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Donald Duck Bay |
A rock resembling the popular cartoon character's head is perched on the north side of the bay. It is a popular spot for snorklers, day trippers and campers and has camping facilities here and so food and other material makes its way into the ocean which then attracts molluscs, gastropods and crustaceans and so makes Donald Duck Bay an excellent night dive spot. |
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Snapper Alley |
A gently sloping hard coral reef makes for an ideal day or night dive when the the reef comes alive with the sound of nocturnal critters feeding. By day thousands of snappers, damselfish and anthias can be seen schooling here. There are also swimthroughs and caves to be found at the mid-point of the dive. Featherstars, spiny lobsters and sleeping bubble encased parrotfish can be seen. |
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Turtle Rock |
An impressive series of submerged boulders and swimthroughs in typical Similan fashion. Surrounded by coral and marine life this is one of the better places to spot turtles, big pelagics and eagle rays. There is also a 3 metre wide canyon to swim through Northeast of this site. |
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Fantasy Reef |
A popular dive site due to the abundance of marine life here. With grand boulder formations, gullies and pinnacles and the most approachable fish in the archipelago this site is worth many a visit. Seeing blue surgeonfish, masked unicornfish and moorish idols are just some of the highlights here. Great sweeping shoals of bannerfish will surround you and there may even be a glimpse of the usually shy clown triggerfish here. Currents can be very strong here. |
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Beacon Beach |
This spot has recently become popular due to the sinking of the Similan liveaboard charter vessel, the Atlantis X, in August 2002. She began taking on water, breached on the hard coral and gradually began sinking backwards. The bow now lies in 16 metres of water with the stern at 30, an ideal wreck dive for the inexperienced diver. Although coral hasn't had time to form she still attracts curious batfish and lionfish. The rest of Beacon Beach offers a nice relaxing dive with plenty of schooling fish. |
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| East of Eden is a very healthy soft and hard coral sloping reef, starting at around 5 metres and reaching up to 30 metres. Here you will find the biggest coral head in the whole of the Similans. Completely covered in soft corals with a huge variety of marine life, it's possible to see ghost pipefish, nudibranches and anglerfish. You may even be lucky enough to see the friendly resident giant moray.
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The Ridge or Stonehenge |
| The Ridge a huge granite rock formation extends down from the healthy hard coral reef to depths of 30 metres plus. The ridge itself is completely covered in gorgonian sea fans, whip corals and barrel sponges. In the shallows we can find a crazy resident Hawksbill turtle who likes to come and say hello! A good spot to see anglerfish, mantis shrimp, rock mover wrasse and reef sharks.
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Breakfast Bend and Three Trees |
Breakfast Bend and Three Trees are a mix of rocky and reef dive sites. A long stretch of hard coral reef runs along the western part of the island with big boulders in the deep sections. A good place to see leopard sharks, reef sharks, turtles, batfish and barracuda.
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Hideaway Bay |
Also known as Honeymoon Bay this site offers some isolated boulders at depth where whitetip reef sharks may be spotted. Not much coral growth down here only the occasional blue spotted ray burrowing into the sand. Slowly ascending as the topography changes and more hard coral is abundant the fish life will increase where anthias, fusiliers, emperors and butterflyfish are present.
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Anita's Reef |
Anita's Reef is close by and is the perfect example of the white sand of the Similans mixed with colourful reef and coral heads. A coral head called 'whole roll of film rock' can be the hiding place for nudibranches, pipefish and stonefish. In the sandy patches look for garden eels, flounders and sea moths. Although very easy to dive, this site will satisfy beginners and advanced divers equally. |
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Bird Rock |
Also known as Chinese Wall this site is one of the better places to spot giant moray eels hiding in the rock crevaces. Coral gardens can be found in 12 metres of water to the west of the wall and further on are a series of boulders, overhangs and swimthroughs. This site is less frequently visited by Similan liveaboards. |
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Boulder City and Shark Fin Reef |
| Boulder City and Shark Fin Reef are rocky dive sites made up of granite canyons with amazing gorgonian sea fans in between. The topography of these dive sites is a sight to behold. Look out for leopard sharks, reef sharks, napolean wrasses, humphead parrotfish, blue spotted stingrays and, due to the location of these dive sites, manta rays have been seen regularly.
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Coral Gardens |
Gently sloping hard coral plateau in a sheltered bay ideal for the first dive at the Similans or for inexperienced divers. Abundant hard corals including staghorn, plate and brain varieties teeming with smaller reef fish such as anthias, fusiliers, damsels and gobys. An excellent introduction to the Similans. |
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