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Similan Dive Sites
Description of the dive sites
Similan Islands:
The Similans are a group of nine islands, which are located about 90 km northwest of Phuket and about 60 km west of Tab Lamu (near Khao Lak). The Similan Islands not only belong to the best diving places of Thailand, but also range on top of the world’s famous and most favoured diving destinations. The Andaman Sea is inhabited by a wide range of marine life, which enjoys the underwater photographer and the game fisher as well.
The Similan Islands can be divided into two different parts:
The East Coast: This coast is bordered by white sandy beaches, which reach up to a beautiful hard coral reef, which is sheltered against strong currents and breakers, thus being the ideal place for good diving. Here the diver will enjoy the rich and colourful world of corals, fish and other marine life. Especially the underwater photographers will appreciate the wide variety of coral species, all filigree, intact and in good condition.
The West Coast:
This coast is quite different. The coastline has to resist the high tide and strong current and breakers, especially during the monsoon. This coast is rough, stone covered and formed by giant cliffs, which extend far and deep into the sea, a spectacular, breathtaking marine world. Diving here is adventurous and demands some experience.
Chimneys, gorges and grottos make this site a real adventure, even for the advanced diver. The chance to see big fish is high. Some of the best and most important diving places have been given imaginative names like Elephant Head, Fantasy Reef, Christmas Point or Deep Six. Of course these places, once seen, will stay in your mind forever. Generally the corals do not display the richness and variety as at the East Coast, but the gorgons surely belong to the largest and most beautiful you have ever seen. Manta Rays, Eagle Rays, different kinds of sharks as the Leopard Sharks are living here. The sea supplies them with sufficient food as the water is rich of plankton and huge shoals of fish.
Similan – Elephant Rock:
Diving here gives you the feeling of flying through the skyline of a big city. Giant towers, deep gorges and tight chimneys create a bizarre, breathtaking underwater world, an extraordinary diving site with a very high visual range. Above the water surface, the rocks seem to form an elephant head, after which this place was named.
Depth: 10 – 35m.
Similan – Fantasy Reef:
This reef is situated right in front of Island Nr. 8 and presumably shows the best and richest marine life in the Similans. In a depth of about 8 m the diver will reach a plateau from where he can dive through a chimney and several gorges, passing an underwater mountain range, until he reaches the deepest point of the Fantasy Reef.
Breathtaking rock formations and lots of fish make this dive site a natural highlight. It is necessary to dive for several times to explore the whole reef. Usually there are strong currents, coming from different directions.
Depth: 8 – 40 m
Similan – Christmas Point
Giant rocks with beautiful gorgons make this diving place a "must” for every enthusiastic diver. The middle of this place looks like a wonderful garden of corals, where fish are protected from strong currents. Here you may see rare Ray species.
Depth: 12 – 35 m
Similan – Stingray City
Diving down to 30 m you slowly approach like a paraglider "Stingray City”. Between giant rocks, towering up from the white sandy ground, hundreds of small stingrays are playing around. There are not so many corals here, but just the spectacular view on this "City” which you will enjoy while diving, is it worth to visit this place. Near the beach, all friends of corals will be enchanted by the colourful speciesof this reef.
Depth: 7 – 30 m
Similan – East of Eden
A festival of colours awaits you! From about 6 m the reef falls down to about 28 m. Plenty of hard and soft corals, many different species of coral fish and colourful snails make this site an El Dorado for every underwater photographer.
Depth: 6 – 28 m
Similan – Deep Six
A steep cliff with plenty of fish. In about 40 m you will find the presumably largest gorgons of Thailand. Often there is a strong current, but just then you may see white tip reef sharks.
Depth: 8 - 45 m
Similan – Boulder City
A spectacular diving adventure about 3 km off Island Nr.1 in the open ocean. You start from the dive boat down along the mooring line to a natural castle built up from giant granite rocks. Between the rocks you will find many gorgons and single hard coral colonies. The exposed position in the open sea makes this site a paradise for many different species of fish and even big fish are not rare.
Depth: 12 – 30 m
Bonsoong Wreck (local dive site near Khao Lak)
Only a few minutes by boat off the coast of Khao Lak you can visit a wreck, an old tin excavator, which was placed there to create an artificial reef. This site rewards you with breathtaking aspects.
You can reach the wreck easily. It lies in a depth of about 18 m and is famous for its richness of fish. Here you can not only find different colourful snails, but also masses of Lion Fish as well as the nearly related Scorpion fish, which hides itself by a most effective camouflage.
Koh Bon Pinnacle
Here you dive deep at a steep cliff with lots of corals and plenty of fish. Grey Reef Sharks and big rays are not rare. The site looks bizarre, but because of its exposed position you can dive only when there is no or little current. A first class place for the experienced diver.
Depth: 16 – 48 m
Koh Bon Ridge
The narrow ridge of the island falls steep into the sea down to a depth of about 35 m.
One side of the ridge goes down nearly vertically and displays an astonishing richness of corals and fish. This place is well known for its clear water and high visual range. From the end of January until March, Mantas will be met regularly. At the end of the ridge in a depth of about 35 m you may see White Tip Reef Sharks.
Depth: 18 -35 m
Koh Tachai
This is a plateau which arises from about 35 m up to about 12 m. Beautiful corals are represented by a nearly incredible number of different colourful hard and soft corals. Many kinds of coral fish can be seen as well. Near the water surface Baracudas and Bat Fish will swim around and sometimes even a Whale Shark may appear.
Depth: 12 – 35 m
Richelieu Rock
World famous as the "Whale Shark Site” of the Andaman Sea, this extraordinary dive site offers much more than only big fish. The rock rises up from a depth of about 35 m to nearly the water surface, it can be seen during low tide. The underwater world of this place shows an enormous richness of marine life, starting with Sea Horses and Scorpion Fish up to large Baracuda shoals, which can be watched in the blue surface waters. At certain seasons, mostly between January and April, you have a good chance to see Whale Sharks, the gentle giants of the sea.
Depth: 6 – 35 m