In the heart of the Andaman Sea, off the coast of Phang Nga province, lies an archipelago straight out of a dream: the Similan Islands.
A world-renowned marine national park. Here, monks bless boats before they set sail, fishermen still believe in sea guardian spirits, and divers… find paradise.
Why Dive in the Similan Islands?
The Similans are a marine national park made up of 9 main islands (plus 2 more), protected for their incredible biodiversity. This corner of the world is famous for its gigantic granite boulders, colorful corals, challenging currents, and visibility that can reach up to 40 meters.
The best part? The variety: from calm dives on coral slopes to adventurous swims through tunnels and canyons that look straight out of a movie. Every dive is different, and there’s always something—or someone—that will surprise you.
Marine Life & Flora
While diving, you might encounter:
- Reef sharks (blacktip and whitetip)
- Blue-spotted rays and oceanic mantas
- Green and hawksbill turtles
- Giant moray eels and napoleon wrasse
- Schools of barracuda, trevally, and fusiliers
- Nudibranchs, seahorses, harlequin shrimp, and ghost pipefish
- And with a bit of luck… leopard sharks and whale sharks
All of this among healthy reefs filled with hard and soft corals, sea fans that look like floating sculptures, and anemone gardens home to clownfish. Whether you love macro life or big animals, here you’ll find a diver’s paradise.
Top Dive Sites
Elephant Head Rock
Massive rocks form tunnels and swim-throughs that challenge your orientation, creating an underwater labyrinth. Currents can be strong, attracting reef sharks, barracuda, and large schools of trevally. You’ll know you’ve arrived when you see the huge, half-submerged rock shaped like an elephant from the surface.
Christmas Point
A fascinating spot of unique shapes, where rocky reliefs and sea fans mix with vibrant soft corals. Fusiliers, napoleon wrasse, and rays swim among the cracks. If you pay attention, you might spot a leopard shark resting in the sand.
Anita’s Reef
Its slope of white sand blends with mushroom-shaped corals and small rock formations. Here you’ll find lionfish, moray eels, rays, and many nudibranch species. If you love macro, you won’t want to get out of the water.
West of Six
An underwater wall covered with coral, home to batfish, barracuda, and octopus. Perfect for relaxed sunset dives, with light filtering through the corals to create a magical atmosphere. Often visited by turtles and rays.
Sharkfin Reef
An underwater rocky ridge that looks like a shark’s fin breaking the surface. Here you’ll find big napoleon wrasse, leaf fish, scorpionfish, and, with luck, even a leopard shark. The landscape is steep and dramatic.
Fantasy Reef
This reef lives up to its name: soft corals cover the walls and slopes, creating a fairytale setting. The biodiversity here is huge—from lionfish and butterflyfish to tiny gobies living among the polyps. It’s a site with gentler currents, ideal for taking your time and exploring slowly.
Richelieu Rock
Technically outside the Similan group, but a must on any liveaboard route in the area. This isolated pinnacle, covered in purple corals, is considered Thailand’s best dive site. Here you can see it all: seahorses, ghost pipefish, harlequin shrimp, schools of barracuda, rays, mantas, and even whale sharks. If you could only do one dive in Thailand, you’d probably choose this one.
Plan Your Dive Trip with Te Moana Expeditions
At Te Moana Expeditions we organize dive trips to Thailand, with an essential stop at the Similan Islands. Board carefully selected boats, with itineraries designed to make the most of every corner of the national park. We work with trusted local operators and advise you every step of the way, from the type of dives to all technical and logistical requirements.
If you’re passionate about discovering the Andaman Sea with local experts, keep exploring our Asia section and find the perfect expedition for you.
- What’s next?
If you’re hooked, keep reading our other articles about diving in Thailand and other marine destinations in Asia.
See you soon in the blue!
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