Category: Similan Islands Diving

Snapper Alley Similan Islands dive site Location: South east of Koh Bangu (Similan Island #9) Depth: 5-20 m Type: Sloping hard coral reef and rocks Level: Suitable for all levels of diver Description:  Snapper Alley is an easy dive because currents are rarely strong and the maximum depth is around 20 metres. Visibility is good, up to 30 metres. The reef is made up of rocks and coral outcrops scattered around a sandy bottom. Some of the larger rocks form swim-throughs in the shallower areas near the middle of the reef. The reef includes some fine examples of table and plate corals, as well as brain coral. Christmas tree worms and crinoids add colour to the reef, as do the thousands of anthias. Sea fans protrude out from the rocks and sway in the current. Blue spotted sting rays can be seen in the sand. So too can colonies of black spot garden eels. Reef sharks and leopard sharks are occasionally seen deeper. Of course the reef is full of snapper, thousands of them. Snapper species include big schools of blue striped snapper plus smaller groups of checkered snapper and black and white snapper. Damsel fishes are everywhere and so are butterfly fish. Snapper Alley makes an excellent night dive when divers can spot free swimming moray eels free swimming, plus lionfish and sleeping parrotfish. Painted rock lobster and decorator crabs which are not often seen in the day, are usually present on night dives. Octopus are seen by day and night. So are cuttlefish, who are often together in pairs. 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

Mooring Rocks Similan Islands dive site Location: South end of Koh Bangu (Similan Island #9). Opposite Donald Duck Bay (Island #8) Depth: 5-30 m Type: Rocky reef Level: Suitable for all levels of diver Description:  Another popular night mooring location, Mooring Rocks or Mooring Bay is not the best day dive in the Similans but it is a good night dive. It's also very popular with snorkelers because turtles are almost always seen. There are two large coral bommies that are home to vast amounts of marine life and they twinkle orange as divers shine their torches over the millions of shrimp eyes. Other fish to look out for on night dives are sleeping parrotfish, lionfish and scorpionfish. Turtles are common at this dive site and are very friendly to dive boats and snorkelers because they have become accustomed to being fed scraps such as banana. 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/mooring-rocks/ More Similan Islands dive sites

Stonehenge Similan Islands dive site Location: Directly north of Koh Miang (Similan Island #4) Depth: 10-40 m Type: Rocky reef Level: Suitable for all levels of diver but currents can be strong at times. Description:  Stonehedge is named after the towering rocks that rise from depths of 25 metres and below. This is a dive site where there is more to see deep than in the shallows so air hogs may find this a short dive. The valleys between the large rocks are lined with soft corals and gorgonian seafans. Look for ornate ghost pipefish in the seafans. Large barrel sponges stretch out from the sides of rocks and are often home to lionfish and bearded scorpion fish. Anemones exist symbiotically with clown fish here. Angelfish and butterfly fish are numerous. Leopard sharks are seen in the sand at depth. Lucky divers have also seen a shovel nosed ray here. Barracuda patrol the blue water. Dog tooth tuna and bluefin trevally make darting strikes on helpless bait fish. 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/stonehenge/ More Similan Islands dive sites

North Point Similan Islands dive site Location: North side of Koh Bangu (Similan Island #9) Depth: 8-35 m Type: Big boulders Level: Intermediate. Currents can be strong. Description:  North Point is another Similan dive site that goes by several other names depending on which liveaboard boat you are diving from. Some liveaboard operators call this site Triple Arches or Golden Arches. North Point is the most apt name though as it's the most northerly Similan dive site. This is a granite boulder dive site and currents can be strong here. The maximum depth is 35 metres and the boulders come up to 8 metres below the surface. Visibility is generally excellent between 20-40 metres. There is a mooring line here that can be used for descents and safety stops if necessary. This is definitely a dive site to put the wide angle lens on your camera so that you can capture the grandeur of the boulder formations and, if you are lucky, a passing pelagic. The large boulders form swim-throughs and caverns. Soft corals and crinoids cling to the smooth rock surfaces. Sea cucumbers and black spiny sea urchins are everywhere. Blue sea stars as well as pincushion star fish also cling to the rocks. There are also some large and colourful Crown of Thorns starfish but not enough to cause a problem. Leopard sharks can be seen in the sand at the bottom of the boulders. Green and Hawksbill turtles are common. This site also gets it’s fair share of manta rays who come to use the cleaning stations here. Other interesting marine life includes large grouper and banded sea snakes. Giant barracuda can be seen circling in the blue. How to dive the Similan Islands You can dive the Similan Islands by day trip from Phuket or Khao Lak, or by