Similan Islands: how to get there and what to do in 2023? Where are they located, attractions, photos, where to spend the night?
The Similan Islands (Mu Koh Similan) is a small archipelago in Thailand, in the Andaman Sea just 70 km from the coast of Phang Nga Province. It is entirely a national park, a unique nature reserve, an excellent place for diving.
A visit to the Similan Islands National Park is paid. But if you come to the islands as part of an excursion, then the ticket price is usually already included in it.
The Similan Archipelago is located just 95 km northwest of the popular resort Phuket. And therefore, an introductory tour from here is a fairly common entertainment for wealthy vacationers. Along, by the way, with a trip to the Phi Phi archipelago.
The cost of visiting the Similan National Park:
- 500 baht for adult foreign tourists
- 300 baht for children
How to Get
Most go to the Similan Islands from Phuket – for example, directly from Patong. But you can also get there from Khao Lak, which is located on the coast. The closest pier to the islands on the coast is the town of Tablamu. Where, by the way, there are a lot of dive centers offering diving excursions.
High–speed boats depart from Taplamu Pier at about the same time – around 9 am. The boats are relatively large, designed for 30-35 people, there is a toilet.
It can be accommodated both inside under the roof and on the front deck. I advise you to take a seat in the middle, there is less shaking.
The boats rush across the sea from the mainland to the Similan Islands for a little more than an hour. On the way, even in calm weather, it can get very seasick. Therefore, when boarding, and during the journey, pills for motion sickness are distributed.
Description
The Similan Islands Park consists of 11 islands, with a total area of approximately 26 km2. They stretched in a chain from north to south along the coast.
The most remote from Phuket is Koh Tachai. The largest by area is Ko Similan.
Not all islands are open to the public, but only Miang, Similan and Tachai. Because the authorities care about the population of sea turtles.
There are tent camps and even bungalows on Miang and Similan where you can stay overnight. You need to negotiate accommodation in advance, even in Phuket.
Please note that during the rainy season, from May to October, the Thai authorities close the Similan Archipelago to restore ecology. Starting from October 15, the islands are reopened. At the same time, they intend to limit the number of tourists.
What to Do
Similan Islands can be considered literally the embodiment of Paradise on Earth. The underwater world of the archipelago is extremely colorful and diverse. Coral labyrinths off the coast abound with marine life. And it’s not for nothing that literally all guidebooks assure that diving into local waters is like an excursion to an excellent aquarium.
Diving on the Similan Islands is available for beginners. Because there are no dangers like strong underwater currents, sunken ships and particularly aggressive sharks.
The water is amazingly clear, and the variety of underwater fauna will amaze even a professional diver. Underwater visibility reaches up to 35-40 meters, and it is difficult to find the best place not only in Thailand.
If you are lucky, you can even see such large inhabitants of the seas as manta rays or even whale sharks. It is not dangerous to humans because it has no teeth. But not everyone will like a meeting with an underwater giant with a length of 15 meters!
Leave a Reply