Dive Sites at the Similan National Park

The Similan Islands

The nine islands building the Similan Archipelago are only a few hours by boat away and stretch in a straight line from south to north like tropical jewels in the crystal clear blue of the Andaman Sea. The largest one is the northern island number 8, featuring the safest harbor with a beautiful lagoon and sandy beach. Here you will also find the so often photographed landmark of the Similan Islands – an easy to climb pile of huge granite boulders from which you will have an excellent panorama view over the picturesque bays of island number 8 and 9.

The impressive boulder formations also continue below the water line. They form - covered with coral in beautiful colors - a breathtaking underwater architecture which at some places reminds of sunken cities. Although all dive sites vary much in appearance, Christmas Point and Elephant Head Rock are the ones with the most impressive underwater boulder formations. Here you can find swimthroughs, small caves and caverns with visibility often around 40 meters, making these reefs certainly the best spots for wide angle photography.

Sharks and other bigger pelagics can be encountered frequently at the Similan Islands. The best spots for big fish are Shark Fin Reef, and Deep Six. The most attractive coral formations, featuring huge sea fans and sponges, can be found at the dive site romantically named East of Eden.

Koh Bon and Koh Tachai

The islands Koh Bon and Koh Tachai are part of the Similan National Park, whereof the bizarre and rocky island Koh Bon lies a mere hour by boat away from the Similan Islands. Koh Bon, with its steep cliffs is mainly covered in grass. It is possible to look straight through the island as a circular tunnel runs through the western tip. The main reef consists of a steep wall that runs down to a depth of over 45 meters. The wall is covered almost completely in pastel-colored soft coral. The deeper sandy parts are a sure spot to find blue spotted rays and leopard sharks. The chance for manta ray encounters is very high between November and April.

Koh Tachai is located further up north and impresses with an abundance of marine life. The reef is divided into three parts with a dominant rock formation in the center. Here you can find several swimthroughs and smaller caves. The two deeper outer reefs are vast coral gardens - always good for a surprise and a change of scenery when doing multiple dives here. Besides all kind of reef fish, Koh Tachai accommodates big schools of barracuda and curious bat fish which approach the divers to arm length distance. The visibility at Koh Tachai and Koh Bon ranges from 15 to 40 meters.

Richelieu Rock

Located an hour east of the Surin Island National Park, Richleue Rock is an open ocean pinnacle that starts at 40 meters and extends to the surface. Frequent visits by migrating Whale Sharks and Manta Rays have made this site a world famous dive destination. Large schools of Great Barracuda, Jacks and Bat-fish are native inhabitants of the pinnacle.

The site boasts a number of diversities from brilliantly colored soft-corals and anemones in the shallows to frog fish and harlequin shrimp along the steep walls. At depth, around the base of the site divers often spot large groupers, lion-fish and reef sharks. As an open ocean site with no protection from the elements we limit this trip to experienced divers only.

Bonsoong Wreck info:

This vessel lies at 18 meters of depth and is located just off the cost of the mainland not far from Khaolak. The wreck is an easy dive for beginning wreck diviers.