It’s almost Similan Season and we’re getting ready to go – who’s going to join us?
The Similan season starts again on October 15th this year, and we are really looking forward to seeing what’s around this year. Last year we were greeted by hugely increased numbers of fish, because the Thai Navy had taken action against illegal fishing during the closed season.
We’re hoping for the same again this year!
The Similan Islands are lovely as islands with several gorgeous white sand beaches open to the public, and even more that are pristine and protected. Underwater there are beautiful hard corals, colourful soft corals, gorgonian fans and masses of tropical fish.
The Similan Islands National Park includes Koh Bon and Koh Tachai. Koh Bon is known for Manta Rays. Koh Tachai is known for it’s underwater pinnacle, with huge schools of fish and challenging currents. While Koh Tachai is closed to land-based tourists and snorkelers in order to protect the coral, the dive sites are very much open (Yippee!)
Just inside the Surin Islands National Park is Richelieu Rock – my personal favourite dive site, and one that never ceases to amaze. I love the fact that no matter where you look, there is always something to see from the almost microscopic to the huge schools of fish. The Similans are about 60km off the west coast of Thailand so they’re reachable on a day trip, but if you’ve got the money and the time, a liveaboard gives you so much more bang for your buck.
What are the best ways to dive the Similans?
A liveaboard will get you to some of the more remote sites (such as Koh Tachai, Richelieu Rock, or maybe even the Surin Islands) that day trip boats don’t go to so much.
Day Trip Options
Big boat
There are a couple of these running from Khao Lak. They leave Tap Lamu port at around 8am, take approximately 3 hours to get to the dive site, give you 2 dives, lunch on board, and 3 hours steaming back.
If a 3 hour trip each way sounds terrible – it isn’t! On the way out you get breakfast on the boat, plenty of time to set up your equipment, lots of time to chat to your dive guide, and it’s quite leisurely and relaxed. By the time you reach the dive site you are kitted up and on the back of the boat, ready to go. On the way back you’ve got time to sunbathe, fill out your log-books, have a beer or a soda, chat to your new-found dive buddies, or sleep.
It’s a great option for families, groups that include a non-diver / snorkeler, those wanting a chilled day, or people with back problems / less than optimum mobility.
Speed Boat
There are again a few companies running speed boats and catamarans to the dive sites. These generally leave the pier (either from Tap Lamu or further north at Bang Sak) at around 8.30am. They take between 1 hour 15 minutes and 1 hour 25 minutes to reach the dive-site. Just as with the slow boats, they give you 2 dives, lunch in between, and then return home. They are usually home before 5pm, meaning it’s a much shorter day. That’s great news if you have left family or friends on the beach while you go out for the day.
They can be a bit a bumpy but that’s a small trade off for having 3 hours more at your hotel – a great move if you’re at an ‘all-inclusive’! They go to the same sites as the slow boats, and it’s very much personal preference as to which type of day boat you pick.
*If you have back or mobility problems, choose the slow boats
Liveaboard Options
There are lots of liveaboards going to the Similans. They range in price significantly. From the really budget ‘backpacker’ boat where you all sleep on the roof (yeah, it’s for real!) to the high end, high price luxury boats with en-suite cabins and large air-conditioned lounges.
There are flexible boats where you can stay just one night (6 dives) up to 7-night trips with 26 dives. Most boats go for 3 or 4 nights, with 11 – 15 dives. They all have their own itineraries, but on a 3 or 4 day trip you would expect to get to Koh Bon, Koh Tachai, the Similans and Richelieu Rock. Some go to the Surin islands instead of the Similans. Each trip leader will have their preferred sites, so no two trips are the same.
We offer a range of trips on different boats, and we’re pretty good at matching people to the right boat and the right budget. Feel free to contact us to find your perfect trip.
Local Dive Sites
There are a 3 great wrecks just off the coast that offer a great ‘half-day’ diving option. These generally leave around 9am and back by around 2pm. The most popular is the Boonsung wreck, locally known as ‘fish soup’ because of the huge numbers of fish to be found. This is in a depth of 17-19 metres, depending on the tide, and so is accessible to all divers from Open Water level upwards.
The Premchai wreck is a bit deeper at 24 metres and so is open to divers who have done their Advanced Open Water Course or Deep Adventure Dive.
The Sea Chart is in 40+ metres with the top of the wreck at 27 metres, so we only recommend this for divers with both their Deep Specialty and their Nitrox Specialty. However, it’s a great place to do your Deep Specialty Course because of it’s depth. The Sea Chart is usually offered as part of a 2-wreck trip with the Premchai being the second dive of the day. Our website is an evolving thing with a life of it’s own, but at the moment we’ve got details about our favourite liveaboard Oktavia.We’ve also listed the beautiful Hallelujah and the Manta Queen fleet that covers a big range of budgets, itineraries and schedules. If you can’t see what you’re looking for then please contact us and we can help you put together exactly the right trip(s) for you.