Similan Islands

The Similan Islands are an archipelago of nine granite islands in the Andaman Sea, approximately 84 kilometres northwest of Khao Lak in Phang Nga Province, forming part of the Mu Ko Similan National Park. The islands are numbered one through nine (plus the satellite islands Ko Bon and Ko Tachai to the north), with Ko Miang (island 4) serving as the main administrative and visitor base. The Similans are consistently ranked among the world's top ten diving destinations, celebrated for their combination of features unusual in a single location: clear water with visibility regularly exceeding 30 metres, diverse topographies including submerged boulders, steep walls, sloping coral gardens, and sandy seabeds, and a marine community encompassing whale sharks, manta rays, leopard sharks, sea turtles, and more than 500 fish species. The west-facing beaches — particularly Fantasy Beach on island 4 and the beach on island 8 — feature soft white sand backed by smooth granite boulders sculpted into dramatic formations with names like Sail Rock and Donald Duck Rock. Snorkelling is rewarding in the shallow bays around Ko Miang. The park strictly limits visitor numbers and forbids camping except in designated areas; overnight liveaboard dive vessels are the primary means of multi-day access. Day-tour speedboats depart from Tab Lamu pier near Khao Lak from approximately 8:30 am and take one hour to reach the islands. The park is open only from mid-October to mid-May; it closes during the monsoon to allow recovery.