ANITA’S REEF
Similan Islands dive site
Location: Close to Koh Miang (Similan Island # 4)
Depth: 5-26 m
Type: Fringing coral reef
Level: Easy dive site suitable for all levels of diver
Description:
The white sandy seabed at Anita’s Reef is interspersed with patches of staghorn coral and table corals. There are also some large coral bommies covered with soft corals, sponges and sea fans.
On the hard coral reef look for oriental sweetlips, yellow lined snapper, schooling bannerfish, moorish idols, fusiliers, fairy basslets, lionfish and well disguised scorpionfish. Titan triggerfish and clown trigger fish will both be busy on the reef. The Titan triggers are angry fish and may try to chase you away from their territory. The Clown triggers are far less bold and usually keep a distance. Roundhead parrotfish munch away on the coral seemingly oblivious to passing divers. Goatfish are usually nearby to sweep up what the parrotfish leave behind.
On the coral bommies watch the multitude of smaller reef fish, dart in and out of shelter as bluefin trevally sweep in to attack in fast hunting raids. Brush away the thousands of glassfish that cover sections of the bommies to get a look inside coral cracks before the space is filled again by a wall of fish. Inside those cracks look for hingebeak shrimps and banded boxer shrimps among others. These sheltered spaces are also a refuge for juvenile fish. If you are lucky you may get to see the beautiful juvenile Emperor Angelfish.
On the top of the bommies anemones host anemone fish as well as porcelain crabs. Hermit crabs are also in abundance. Banded sea snakes also like to hunt on the bommies. In the sandy patches blue spotted Kuhl’s stingrays can be found buried with just their eyes and the tip of their tail visible. Patches of garden eels are numerous and divers can get pretty close before they retreat into their holes. Shrimp gobies can seen working their hole with the help of their snapping shrimp partners.
How to dive the Similan Islands
You can dive the Similan Islands by day trip from Phuket or Khao Lak, or by liveaboard. Liveaboards are ideal given the size of the area, the variety of dive sites, and the distance from the mainland.
A typical Similan liveaboard itinerary is 4 days 4 nights and also includes Koh Bon, Koh Tachai and Richelieu Rock. Shorter 2d1n or 3d2n trips are also available.
If you don’t mind longish transfers then Similan diving day trips with 2 dives run five days per week from Phuket.
The Similan Islands diving season is from 15 October to 15 May.
Reference: http://thailandliveaboards.com/thailand-dive-sites/similan-islands/anitas-reef/
Comments