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Diving Season

The yearly dive season spans from November to April where the sea is calm with clear blue sky. The Southwest monsoon season begins in May and lasts till October. In addition, the Surins and Similans Marine National Parks are off limit to divers and closed to visitors during this monsoon period.

Overview of Dive Sites in Similan Islands National Park

The Similan Islands Marine National Park, located in Tambol Koh Pra Thong, covers a total of 80,000 rais. This jewel of the Andaman Sea was bestowed with the national marine park status on 1st September 1982. Similan means "nine" in Malay, referring to the nine small islands, which forms the Similan "cluster of islands". The islands are designated as follows; beginning with southernmost Koh Huyong (# 1), follows by Koh Payong (# 2), Koh Payan (# 3), Koh Miang (# 4), Koh Ha (#5), Koh Hok (#6), Koh Payu (# 7), Hin Hua Kra Loak or Hin Pusar, Koh Similan (# 8) and the southernmost Koh Bangu (# 9). In 2001, the Ministry of Agriculture includes Koh Bon and Koh Tachai, which lie northward to the Similan cluster of islands, to the original group and form the Similan Islands Marine National Park. The national park office is located on Koh Miang or Island # 4.

The Similans is blessed with majestic beauty on land and diverse marine ecological system in its water. A variety of colorful soft and hard corals beautify the underwater reef landscape which is home to some of the most admirable marine life such as manta ray, whale, dolphin and moray eel.

Tourists and divers can visit the Similan Islands Marine National Park from November to April every year. Traveling to the marine park during the monsoon season (May to October) is restricted due to unfavorable sea condition. In addition, the marine park is sealed off to visitors to revitalize the marine ecological system during the monsoon season.

Interesting Dive Sites

North of the Similans lies Koh Bon, Koh Tachai, the Surin Islands, and Richelieu's Rock. All of these areas offer world-class diving that differs from the Similans

Dive Site: Koh Tachai

Koh Tachai lies on the northern tip of the Similan Islands Marine National Park. The more popular dive site at Koh Tachai is a submerged rock, with depth of 20-40 meters, and reachable from the southern shore. The rock is covered with a variety of colorful soft coral and seafans. Marine life in the area includes barracuda, batfish, and parrotfish. Manta ray and whale shark are frequently visitors too.

- GPS Coordinate: (Outer) Lat. 09 03 439 N. Long. 097 48 888 E.
(Inner) Lat. 09 03 552 N. Long. 097 48 850 E.
- U/W environment: Scattered huge submerged rocks, covered with coral and soft coral near the current. Sometimes, divers may face the strong current.
- Maximum depth: 30 meters at sandy seabed; average depth 18-25 meters
- Marine lives: School of barracudas and travellies, batfish, whale shark and manta ray
- Underwater visibility: 15 meters

Dive Site: Koh Bon

Koh Bon is located about 20 kilometers on the northeastern edge of Island No.9 of Similan Islans Marine National Park. It features one of the only vertical walls in Thailand. The dive site is on the southwestern point and consists of a 33-meter wall facing the small cove, and a step-down ridge that carries on to depths of over 45 meters. Although the soft corals are not as high-profile as they are in the Similans, the colors of the corals are radically different and include shades of turquoise, yellow and blue, besides the more common pinks and purples. Koh Bon is one of the better places to see manta rays

- GPS Coordinate: Lat. 08 49 660 N. Long. 097 47 881 E.
- U/W environment: Interesting dive site is at the south west pointed with small open bay, composing of bommie coral, brain coral and other hard corals with colorful soft corals.
- Maximum depth: 35 meters, sloping from rock line to the sand; average depth 12-20 meters
- Marine lives: Whale shark, manta ray, moray eel, giant grouper, leopard shark common on the ridges and on the sandy flats below the wall.
- Underwater visibility: 12-15 meters

Similan Islans Marine National Parks

Similan Islands, designated as a national park in 1982, comprise the group of nine remote islands located 95 km northwest of Phuket. The Similans are some the worlds most beautiful and unspoiled islands and together with the splendor of the rich and varied marine life, and stunning coral reefs they offer a world class underwater paradise for scuba divers. Underwater, the surface the Similans offer a wide variety of underwater scenery and marine life. You can draw a line roughly down the middle of each island in the chain separating them into two parts, with each offering totally different diving environments. On the western side of the islands, huge granite boulders are stacked on top of one another creating magnificent archways, and plunging drop-offs. Most of these granite boulders are so completely covered in colorful soft corals that the rock is no longer visible.

Koh Bangu or Island # 9

Koh Bangu is a small island decorated with layers of rocks of different shapes and sizes along the surrounding shoreline. Christmas Point is made up of submerged huge rocky ridge covered with scenic coral reefs, majestic seafans and populated with Groupers, Silvertip Sharks, Mantis Shrimp and the strikingly beautiful Ribbon Eels.

Dive Site: Christmas Point, Island No.9

Off the western tip of the Island # 9 is Christmas Point, the most popular site among enthusiastic divers in the Similan islands. There are many swim-through caverns scattered all over this underwater ridge waiting to be explored. Cavern walls are decorated with vivid red, yellow and green corals like 'Christmas Tree' with flatworm and other tiny fascinating marine creatures and floras. Colorful reef fishes such as Emperor angelfished, lovely butterflyfishes, schooling of Banner fishes and hundreds of yellowish oriental sweetlips go about their daily meal on this plentiful underwater feeding ground.

- Geographical characteristic: a small bay, located at the north west of island #9. It has a number of hollows as from the collapse of huge stones, in which the divers can dive under such hollows.

- U/W environment: 50 meters away from Island #9, large pinnacles are covered with soft corals and seafans.
- Maximum depth: 25 meters
- Marine lives: Ribbon eels, silver-tip sharks, groupers, mantis shrimps, nudibranches, and fire goby
- Underwater visibility: 10-15 meters

Dive Site: New Year Point, Island #9

New Year Point, a small bay, is located at the north of Island #9.

- U/W environment: Large rocks with soft coral and coral growths
- Maximum depth: 20 meter; average depth 10-12 meters
- Marine lives: reef fish, nudibranch, moray eel
- Underwater visibility: 10 meters

Dive Site: The Mooring, Island # 9

Locating 300 meters far from the southern shore of Island # 9, there is another well-known dive site called "the Mooring" named after the two orange floating moors planted just above this dive site.

- Geographical characteristic: Two layers of outstanding reefs, one at 18 meters and another at 12 meters.
- U/W environment: The deeper reef resembles a huge basin packed with hard corals and colorful soft corals while the shallower reef is overgrown with gigantic seafans. A variety of reef fishes are also commonly found at this dive site.
- Maximum depth: 25 meters; average depth 14 meters
- Marine lives: Reef fishes
- Underwater visibility: 12 meters

Dive Site: Snapper Alley, Island # 9

Snapper Alley lies just 300 meters to the east of "the Mooring".

- Geographical characteristic The topside is distinguishably covered with layers of piling rocks reaching out into the sea. The most advisable approach to Snapper Alley is from the East. From 12 meter depth, hard coral reef covers the gentle slope all the way to 18 meter seafloor.
- U/W environment: There are two huge underwater mountain-like rocks decorated with sea sponges, seafans, hard corals and feather stars. In addition, small caverns provide natural shelters for a variety of marine fishes. Not only is Snapper Alley admired by divers during the day, but it is also a popular site for night diving.
- Maximum depth: 20 meters; average depth 12 meters
- Marine lives: Reef fishes, moray eel, blue-spotted ray
- Underwater visibility: 10 meters

Dive Site: Gorilla Bay, Island No.9
The Gorilla bay, situated at the east of Island #9, composes of huge rocks, it looks like a gorilla.

- Geographical characteristic: The sea ground is white sand line sloping into a deepwater channel from the east and the south. It has clearly blue water with wide area of soft and hard coral reefs. This dive site is also popular among skin diving.
- U/W environment: On the top of the rock at 8 meter depth, there are forest of corals and schooling of reef fishes. Its sand line ends at 13 meters, then inclining into a deepwater channel at 25 meters blocked with coral line.
- Maximum depth: 25 meters; average 12 meters
- Marine lives: Long-nose butterflyfish, schooling of goatfishes and yellow fusiliers
- Underwater visibility: 15 meters.

Koh Similan or Island # 8

Koh Similan is the largest island among its siblings in the Similan Islands Marine National Park. The oval horseshoe-shaped island has a long stretch of pearl-white sandy beaches interrupted by gigantic pile of rocks. On top is the iconic "sail rock", a popular scenic spot giving visitors a bird-eye view of the ocean. In addition to its unique topside beauty, Koh Similan offers divers with fascinating coral reefs and marine life.

Dive Site: Sail Rock, Island # 8

- Geographical characteristic: a huge bay with a beautiful underwater environment. In the north of this bay, there are 3-4 pinnacles with peaks emerged above water.
- GPS Coordinate: Lat. 08 39 913 N. Long. 097 38 644 E.
- U/W environment: Growth of huge corals. Divers can dive to the north passing through rock lines.
- Maximum depth: 25 meters; average depth 20 meters.
- Marine lives: Yellow fusiliers and many kinds of nudibranches
- Underwater visibility: 10 meters

Dive Site: Turtle Rock, Island # 8

Turtle Rock is situated in a small bay next to the end of the Sail Rock bay.
- U/W environment: Hard coral reefs cover the sand with many interesting macro creatures.
- Maximum depth: 20 meters, average depth 10-15 meters.
- Marine lives: small anemone shrimp and crab, sea pen. Occasionally divers can see a turtle waiting to lay its eggs on the beach of Island #8.
- Underwater visibility: 7 meters

Dive Site: Fantasy Reef, Island #8

Fantasy Reefs is the playground of the marine animals among the corals and seafans, and one of the best coral reefs in the Similans.
- Geographical characteristic: Large pinnacles locating 150 meters west of Island #8 and 300 meters southwest of the Turtle Rock. The pinnacles are at the depth of 9-12 m, stretched downwards to deeper than 40 meters
- U/W environment: With caverns between rocks where many kinds of reef fishes are found. Brightly colored yellow Seafans found around this site make this site more special than others.
- Maximum depth: 30 meters; average depth 15 meters
- Marine lives: Thousands of Moorish Idols and a large variety of reef fishes.
- Underwater visibility: 12-14 meters

*** Remarks: Resulting from the La Nina in 1997, the prolonged decreased of sea water temperature caused the death of the soft corals around this site. It has been prohibited to have any recreational diving for 2 years.

Dive Site: Waterfall Bay, Island #8

Waterfall Bay is located at the west of Island #8. The name of the bay was originated from the gentle flowing of a small river, down from the top of the hill on the island.
- U/W environment: Hard corals - brain and staghorn corals are found all around the bay.
- Maximum depth: 12-15 meters; average depth 10 meters
- Marine lives: Reef fishes
- Underwater visibility: 10 meters

Dive Site: Hin Hua Kra Lok or Hin Pusar or Elephant Rock, Island # 8

A mile off the southwestern shore of Island # 8 is another popular dive site called the Elephant Rock named after its the gigantic "elephant head" shaped rock protruding from the water surface. There are several underwater caverns and walls, beautified with colorful corals and reef fishes which make the site popular among underwater photographers and divers alike.
- GPS Coordinate: Lat. 08 37 130 N. Long. 097 38 516 E.
- U/W environment: Hilly like a valley. Holes and underwater paths are divers' favorites. The growth of hard and soft corals, seafans of many colors, a large variety of reef fishes make this site very memorable to dive at.
- Maximum depth: 30 meters; average depth 20 meters
- Marine lives: Oriental sweetlip, fire goby, occasionally manta ray and false killer whale are reported found here.
- Underwater visibility: 15-20 meters

Dive Site: Beacon Beach, Island #8

- Geographical characteristic: White sand stretches out 100 m into the sea, from the depth of 6-9 meters to 30-34 meters, east of Similan Island (Island # 8).
- GPS Coordinate: Lat. 08 38 388 N. Long. 097 39 246 E.
- U/W environment: Hard corals growth at from the depth of 3-5 meters
- Maximum depth: 30 meters, average depth 12 meters
- Marine lives: Reef fishes, leopard shark, and other macro species
- Underwater visibility: 10-12 meters

Dive Site: Turtle Gully Reefs, Island #8

The coral reefs lie 2.4 kilometers north of Beacon Beach

- U/W environment: Many kinds of hard corals, sponges, soft corals.
- Maximum depth: 20 meters; average depth 14 meters
- Marine lives: Reef fish and turtle
- Underwater visibility: 100 meters

Dive Site: Deep Six, Island # 7

Deep Six, locating at the north of the Island #7, is a landscape of gigantic underwater rocks covered with a variety of seafans, sea sponges, sea whips, hard and soft corals.

- U/W environment: A large pinnacle covered with the growths of seafan, sea whip, hard coral, sponge and feather star.
- Maximum depth: 40 meters; average depth 22 meters. Peak of this pinnacle stands at the depth of 16 meters
- Marine lives: Marine pelagic
- Underwater visibility: 15 meters

Dive Site: Morning Edge, Island # 7

- Geographical characteristic: Forest reefs surrounds the sandy sea bed within a few hundred meters from Island #7 at the depth of 9-12 meters
- U/W environment: Hard corals, soft corals, green corals, seafans and seaweeds.
- Maximum depth: 35 meters; average depth 25 meters
- Marine lives: Reef fishes, blue spotted rays and eagle rays are reported to be found at this site.
- Underwater visibility: 15 meters

Dive Site: Three Rocks, Island # 7

Three peaks of the emerged rock is where its name, Three Rocks, was derived. This dive site is situated in the northernmost of Island #7.

- U/W environment: Wall dive with soft and bommie corals, seafans and sea whips.
- Maximum depth: 45 meters; average depth 13 meters
- Marine lives: Reef fishes around the coral reef, and silvertip shark, shovelnose ray, eagle ray and manta ray are found further at the north and east of the rocks.
- Underwater visibility: 10 meters

Dive Site: East of Eden, Island #7

- Geographical characteristic: The overlapped corals created one of the most famous dive sites of the Similans.
- U/W environment: Large coral reefs set on the sand bed at the depth of 10 meter. Soft corals and seafans form a long stretch not far away from the staghorn coral band.
- Maximum depth: 12 meters; average depth 8 meters
- Marine lives: Reef fish, goby and blenny
- Underwater visibility: 10 meters

Dive site: Modeling Rock, Island #5
- U/W environment: Seafans and soft corals form beautiful underwater landscape
- Maximum depth: 24 meters; average depth 20-22 meters
- Marine lives: Reef fishes and garden eels
- Underwater visibility: 10 meters

Dive Site: Eastern Front, Island #5
The dive site is located at the southeast of Island #5
- U/W environment: Bommie corals alternate with rocks, with growths of seafans and sea whips. Deeper is where hard corals are found, sited with schools of glass sweepers
- Maximum depth: 15 meters, average depth 12 meters
- Marine lives: Small reef fishes, and lopsters during night dives
- Underwater visibility: 8 meters

Dive Site: Batfish Bend
- Geographical characteristic: Less than 200 meters northwest of Island #5
- U/W environment: Hard corals starting from the depth of 9-15 meters, with feather stars, bright red sponges, multi-colored starfish and sea anemones
- Maximum depth: 20 meters; average depth 10-12 meters
- Marine lives: Reef fishes and garden eel
- Underwater visibility: 10 meter

Dive Site : Koh Miang Cape
This dive site is located at the north of Island #4

- GPS Coordinate: Lat. 08 33 705 N. Long. 097 38 733 E.
- U/W environment: Rocky beach and the gradual sand bed into the depth of the channel between Island #4 and #5
- Maximum depth: 25 meters; average depth 18 meters
- Marine lives: Large seafans, shovel-nose ray, guitarfish, large marbled ray
- Underwater visibility: 5-8 meters

Dive Site : Stonehenge
- Geographical characteristic: Underwater cliffs with large stone pillars
- U/W environment: The highlight at the depth of 18-40 meters are the growths of seafans, soft corals, sea whips and sponges. Hard corals, featherstars and a large variety of reef fishes are found.
- Maximum depth: 40 meters, average depth 22 meters
- Marine lives: Large schooling of barracudas, trevallies
- Underwater visibility: 8-10 meters

Dive Site - Bird Rock, Island #4

- Geographical characteristic: South of Island #4, the underwater cliff leads into the depth of 40 meters
- GPS Coordinate: Lat. 08 33 521 N. Long. 097 38 233 E.
- U/W environment: Wall dive, with seafans growing all around this dive site.
- Maximum depth: 40 meters, average depth 25 meters
- Marine lives: Schooling fishes, turtles, and leopard sharks at the depth of 30-40 m

Dive Site : Great Wall, Island #4

- Geographical characteristic: Southernmost of Island #4, accompanied with a beach of 50 meters as a landmark
- U/W environment: A row of underwater rocks, as its name implies, are naturally laid to the depth of 45 m. Soft corals and seafans are commonly found here.
- Maximum depth: 45 meters, average depth 26 meters
- Marine lives: Large lopsters, leopard sharks, shovelnose ray and guitarfish
- Underwater visibility: 6-8 meters

Huyong Island or Island #1
Set 8 kilometers south of Island #4, Huyong Island is a large island with the longest sandy beach among the nine islands. The seabed in this area is filled with shallowed water coral reefs. Turtles lay their eggs from November until February, and trails of their movements are often found on the beach. The island is now reserved as the sea turtle conservation ground.

Dive Site : Shark Point
- Geographical characteristic: Coral reefs is found on the northeast of Island #1, along with two emerged rocks and a large pinnacle covering more than a square kilometer.

Overview of Dive Sites in Surin Islands Marine National Park

Surin Islands Marine National Park is located 70 kilometers from the western coastline at the tip of the Thai-Burmese border in the Andaman Sea. The marine park consists of five islands namely Koh Surin Nua (north island), Koh Surin Tai (south island), Koh Khai (Torinla Island), Koh Klang (Pachumba Island) and Koh Ree (Satok Island). Abundant and beautiful coastal reefs and colorful reef fishes populate the shallow shores of Surin Islands, especially Koh Torinla and Koh Klang, making them ideal heaven for snorkeling and shallow water diving with good visibility.

Coral growth is healthy especially in the sheltered bays on the eastern sides of the islands. With rich in marine life, islands' seabed covers with hard and soft corals, sea feathers, star fishes, spiny lobsters, giant clams and so on. Fish species found around the reefs are parrot fish, clown fish, black tip shark, lion fish, angel fish, etc.

In additional, the Surin Islands is also the habitat of sea gypsies, known as Morgan -- the name Morgan is derived from their language which is universal to all sea gypsy groups.

Travel to Surin Islands National Park
Tourists can travel to the Surins, located in the Andaman sea off shore from Phang-Nga province, from various dock jetty/piers in Kuraburi, Thab Lamu, and Kapor district. The ferry mostly takes around 4 hours to the islands from Kraburi and Thab Lamu . The Surin Islands Marine Park's office is also located at Kuraburi Pier.

Kuraburi Pier - Kuraburi district, Phang-Nga province, Distance- 60 kilometers, Traveling time- 4 hours

Thab Lamu Pier - Tai Muang district, along Highway No.4 (Phang-Nga - Takua Pa), Distance- 60 kilometers, Traveling time- 4 hours

Kapor District Pier - Ranong province, Traveling time 7 hours

Dive Site: Richelieu's Rock

The submerged Richelieu's rock is approximately 10 kilometers southwest of Surin Islands Marine National Park and widely regarded as one of Thailand's top dive destinations. For deep diving, the Richelieu's rock offers divers with unmatched marine diversity and beautiful corals. Facing with whale shark makes it very popular among keen divers.

- Geographical characteristic: Huge pinnacles
-PS Coordinate: Lat. 09 21 506 N. Long. 098 01 001 E.
- U/W environment: Peaks covered with sea anemone and multi-colored soft coral beds, rich growth of underwater lives.
- Maximum depth: Sand bed of 35 meters.
- Marine lives: Reef pelages, including school of barracudas and travellies, soft corals, seahorse, harlequin shrimp, frogfish, whale shark and manta ray.
- Underwater visibility: 15-20 meters

Dive Site: Kor Kai or Torinla Island

Torinla, the ultimate dive site of Surin Islands Marine National Park, lies towards the south of Koh Surin Tai.

- GPS Coordinate: Lat. 09 22 582 N. Long. 097 52 258 E.
- U/W environment: The eastern shore of the island houses a long stretch of festinating reef, densely covered with vividly colorful soft corals and seafans and home to a variety of marine fishes.
- Maximum depth: 20 meters with average depth of 8-15 meters
- Marine lives: Bump-head parrotfish, napoleon wrasse, and other reef fish
- Underwater visibility: 8 meters

Dive Site: Ao Phakkad Cape

The beauty of this reef is no lesser than other top dive spots in the Surin Marine National Park. It is balance of hard corals, soft corals and seafans are a rich feeding ground for large marine fishes.

- GPS Coordinate: Lat. 09 22 706 N. Long. 097 52 801 E.
- U/W environment: Various hard corals lying on its slope from shore to bottom approximately 200 meters
- Maximum depth: 20 meters
- Marine lives: Reef fish, hard coral, and reef octopus
- Underwater visibility:: 8-10 meters

dive sites information courtesy www.whalesharkthai.com