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The Similan Islands
2008-09-17 14:16:00 In 1999, I came to Thailand as a PADI Dive Instructor looking for work and thinking of spending a year here, maybe 2 if the diving was good. Certainly no thoughts of staying for ever or getting married or raising a family. No, first and foremost, I wanted to dive the Similan Islands. I'd already been teaching scuba diving for a year and had this romantic notion of working on a liveaboard dive boat, cruising the islands, diving every day and getting paid for it too!It took a couple of months before I got to the Similans, first doing some local diving and teaching courses and even joining a dive boat in Burma for a couple of weeks. There was not that much freelance work and I did think of leaving for greener pastures when finally that first Similan Islands trip was offered. 4 days on a liveaboard, 14 dives. Yes! Now, the local dive sites around Phuket and Phi Phi are good, there's lots of variety, masses of marine life, but... these sites do lack crystal clear waters. I had come fro...
By: Jamie's Phuket
Similan Islands
2008-01-18 15:25:00 The Similan Islands (Thai: ???????????) is a group of islands located in the Andaman Sea, off the coast of Phang Nga Province. "Similan" is a Yawi word, which simply means "nine". This region is also a National Park, which was established in 1982. The National Park is a archipelago, made up of 9 islands.Counting in order, beginning from the North; Ko Ba-Ngu (Number 9), Ko Similan (Number 8), Ko Payu (Number 7), Ko Miang Sam (Number 6), Ko Miang Song (Number 5), Ko Miang (Number 4), Ko Payan (Number 3), Ko Payang (Number 2) and Ko Hu Yong (Number 1).Additionally, there is a small rock outcrop, situated between number 7 and number 8. This area is known as Elephant Head Rock.The Similan Islands, are home to the largest variety and numbers of Reef Fish, in Thailand. Here you will also find at least 200 species of hard coral. The Islands are renown for their stunning mass of coral, the natural beaches and the crystal-clear blue waters. This is a wonderfully idyllic place to relax aboar...
Similan Islands
2007-11-21 00:47:00 The Similan Islands (Thai: เกาะสิมิลั-) is a group of islands in the Andaman Sea off the coast of Phang Nga Province, southern Thailand. It is a national park which was established in 1982.Similan Islands National Park was established after the one-year exploration by the Foresty department. The park is the archipelago consisting of nine islands which are Ko Bon, Ko Bayu, Ko Similan, Ko Payu, Ko Miang (two adjoining islands), Ko Payan, Ko Payang, and Ko Huyong. Recently, the park was expanded to included two remoted islands which are Ko Bon and Ko Tachai. The Similans are situated 70 kilometres from Phang Nga town. "Similan" is a Yawi word which means "nine". Similan is one of the most famous diving sites in Thailand.Similan Island is the largest island. It has the average depth of 60 feet. Underwater is full of rock formations and coral reefs in several shapes and forms such as deer, leaf, brain, and mushroom.Ko Huyong has the longest and widest beach in the p...
Similan Islands
2007-09-22 14:33:00 This group of rocks and islands lies 90 minutes by speedboat off the coast of Phang-Nga, or eight or more hours by slow boat from Phuket. The area was declared a marine national park in 1982 and consequently remains largely undeveloped. Derived from the Malay term sembilan, meaning 'nine', Similan refers to the nine main islands in the group.The waters surrounding the Similans are teeming with tropical fish, colourful coral, and offer exceptional underwater visibility. As a result, the diving is generally considered to be the best in the region, and compares favourably with some of the best in the world. (see more about diving here). Part of the reason for this is the very interesting submarine topography, due in part to the huge granite boulders which not only litter the shorelines, but also lie in jumbled heaps beneath the waves to depths of 35 metres and beyond. On surface the boulders, together with the lush rainforest and white sand beaches, provide a peaceful refuge. ... |
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