The national park of the Similan
Islands[1] is in southern Thailand, 50 kilometers
west of Khao Lak. It is considered the best
place in Thailand for divers.
The park covers 140 square kilometers in
total, 14 of those being land in the shape
of an archipelago consisting of nine islands.
They are Ko Bon, Ko Bayu, Ko Similan, Ko
Payu, Ko Miang (two adjoining islands),
Ko Payan, Ko Payang, and Ko Huyong. For
simplicity they are often referred to by
their number instead - 1 through 9 starting
from the south. Recently, the park was expanded
to include the two remote islands Ko Bon
and Ko Tachai, but since "Sembilan"
is Malay for "nine" this doesn't
seem to stick in people's minds and those
are not visited as often as the original
nine.
History
The islands were created by upwellings of
hot magma during the Tertiary-Cretaceous
period some 65 million years ago, then smoothed
by glacial ice and the erosion by the sea.
The coral reefs are about 5000 years old
and hence the oldest in Thailand. In 1982,
the national park was established and now
it is scheduled to become a World Heritage.
The 2004 tsunami left the islands and the
underwater landscape almost unharmed, since
the waters are very deep around the islands.
Landscape
The nine granite islands are postcard perfect
images of paradise, covered in tropical
jungle and equipped with beaches of chalk-white
sand. As if this was not enough, the views
under the water surface are even more impressive
- this is the best dive site in Thailand.
Skin-Diver Magazine has acclaimed the Similans
to be one of the ten most beautiful places
in the world.
Flora and fauna
There is an enormous diversity in species
- both in fish and corals. The visibility
is the best you will find in Thailand. You
will see plenty of colorful fish such as
lionfish and clownfish (Nemo), and if you're
lucky you may spot a bigger one like a manta
or even a whale shark.
On Ko Huyong Thai Marines run a turtle
breeding facility, but access to the island
is limited.
Climate
High season in the Similans is from December
until April, when the monsoon stays far
away. The best period to visit is March,
when the winds are calm and the water clear.
The national park is closed from May 16
to November 15.
How to get here
There are several dive trips going to the
Similan from Phuket and some from Khao Lak.
Both day trips and live aboard cruises are
available.
Jonathan Cruiser[2], +66 76 281529, is
based in Phuket. They offer four-day live
aboard dive cruises to the Similan from
USD700 plus fees per person.
Lanta Diving Safaris[3], +66 87 88 96 802,
is the one and only Liveaboard with is based
in Ko Lanta offer two-, four- and seven-day
live aboard dive cruises from the south
andaman sea to the similans. 2d/1n 8.500
ß, 4d/3n 15,900 ß and 7d/6n
29,900 ß plus fees per person.
Similan Diving Safaris[4], +66 76 485470,
is a PADI Divecenter in Khao Lak offering
four-day live aboard dive cruises from 17,800
ß plus fees per person.
Non-divers need not feel sorry. They can
get pretty much the same Similan experience
as the divers do with Similan Tour[5], +66
76 443 258. This Thai-Swedish agency based
in Khao Lak offers a highly recommended
live aboard snorkeling tour of the islands.
The three-day tour is 6,900 ß all
inclusive.
Similan Scuba Adventures[6] is another
Khao Lak-based operator. They mainly focus
on divers but have a day trip where divers
and snorkelers go to different sites to
get the most out of the experience. The
day trip is 52 Euro for snorkelers and 76
Euro for divers (2 dives).
About Koh Similan Thailand
