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Andaman Sea
Similan Islands
A protected marine park of granite islands, powder-white beaches and some of Thailand's clearest water and finest dive sites.
📅 1–3 nightsDivingSnorkelingNatureBeach
A protected marine park of granite islands, powder-white beaches and some of Thailand's clearest water and finest dive sites.
Why Similan Islands? A protected marine park of granite islands, powder-white beaches and some of Thailand's clearest water and finest dive sites.
The Similan Islands are a chain of granite islands about 70 km off the coast of Phang Nga, protected as Mu Ko Similan National Park. Giant boulders, white sand as fine as flour and water that is often clear to 20-30 metres make it one of the most beautiful places in Thailand and one of the best dive destinations in Southeast Asia. It is a must for divers and snorkellers and a spectacular day out for anyone who loves the sea.
Visit on a day trip from Khao Lak, or spend one to three nights on a liveaboard for the full underwater experience. The park is only open from mid-October to mid-May.
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Boats leave from Thap Lamu Pier, just south of Khao Lak, and the speedboat crossing takes roughly 1-1.5 hours. Most people base themselves in Khao Lak, about 1-1.5 hours by road from Phuket International Airport; tours from Phuket include a road transfer and a very early start. Liveaboards depart from Thap Lamu or Phuket and usually run for two to five nights. There are no roads on the islands: you move between them by boat, and overnight stays on the islands themselves are no longer permitted, so accommodation is either on the mainland or aboard.
Day trips typically visit three or four islands. The highlight is Donald Duck Bay on Koh Similan, where a short scramble up to Sail Rock gives the park's most famous view. Koh Miang, home to the park headquarters, has two gorgeous beaches and a short forest trail, while the shallow reefs around Koh Payu and Koh Miang are ideal for snorkelling with reef fish and the occasional turtle. Expect crowds at the main beaches in peak season, especially around midday.
Diving here is world-class, with two contrasting sides: the west coasts have dramatic granite boulders, swim-throughs and currents, while the east coasts slope gently with hard and soft corals. Favourite sites include Elephant Head Rock, Christmas Point and East of Eden. Liveaboards add Koh Bon and Koh Tachai, where manta rays are seen, and Richelieu Rock in the nearby Surin park, famous for whale sharks, especially between February and April. Beginners can take an open-water course in Khao Lak first, and snorkellers are welcome on most liveaboards, which offer a relaxed way to see the islands at dawn and dusk.
The Similans are a strictly protected national park. Foreign adults pay a park entrance fee of around 500 THB, usually added to the tour price, and daily visitor numbers are capped, so book ahead in peak season. Wearing a life jacket while snorkelling is required, touching or standing on coral is forbidden, and sunscreens containing reef-damaging chemicals are banned in Thai marine parks, so bring a reef-safe sunscreen. Take all rubbish back with you, and never feed fish or chase turtles.
The park opens on 15 October and closes on 15 May each year to protect the reefs and because the southwest monsoon makes the open sea too rough. Early in the season conditions can still be a little unsettled, while December to April usually brings the calmest seas and the best visibility. March and April are often the best months for whale sharks and mantas. Weekday trips and departures outside Thai holidays are noticeably quieter.
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All hotels in Similan Islands →1-3 nights on a liveaboard dive trip, or a day trip from a Khao Lak base.
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