Dive Similan Islands, Thailand - 22nd to 30th April 2023

THIS IS ONE OUR FAVOURITE LIVEABOARD TRIPS IN THAILAND.

DIVE THE SIMILAN ISLANDS, THAILAND

$4195.00 per diver quad share

SY The Junk is a unique historical vessel offering year-round diving in Thailand. She caters to 18 divers in 6 double/twin, triple or quad cabins. All cabins are located on the lower deck and are complete with individually controlled AC and private en-suite bathrooms. The air-conditioned saloon is fully kitted out with an entertainment system and is a great place to relax. Alternatively, there is the spacious outdoor shaded deck or the loungers and bean bags on the top sundeck, which offers amazing views. Aboard The Junk, the chefs serve up delicious meals and snacks 5 times per day, including 2x breakfast, ensuring you will never feel hungry. Enjoy your meals either in the saloon or outside on the spacious shaded deck. This 33m authentic wooden sailing vessel has her own claim to fame and has been used in several films, including James Bond’s ‘The Man With The Golden Gun’ and the ‘Swiss Family Robinson’.

The landscape of the Similan Islands is a feast for the eyes both above and underwater. From the tropical white sandy beaches and clear blue waters to the granite boulders on land and underwater, it is a paradise difficult to surpass and understandably one of the most popular dive locations in the world. It is becoming ever more popular to take a dive safari on a liveaboard due to easy access to these remote islands. An abundant marine life roams the subterranean landscape of these islands. It is common to see leopard sharks, guitar rays, whitetip sharks, blue-spotted stingrays, clown triggerfish, rabbitfish, scorpionfish, snappers, emperor fish, giant trevally and angelfish. Turtles and giant bump head parrotfish make their appearances and the sharp-eyed diver may find tiny ghost pipefish, mantis shrimps, porcelain crabs or cleaner shrimp. To dive amongst the boulder formations and see their impressive size underwater is truly wondrous.

Dive Sites Of Similan Islands

Similan Liveaboard itineraries may vary but some popular dive sites include:

Anita's Reef on the east coast, just off Similan Island No.4 boasts impressive coral formations, boulders this subterranean landscape provides a sanctuary for a very diverse marine life. From hunting Bluefin trevally, yellowfin goatfish, blue damsels to the very common shrimp gobies, the easy currents allow for a great first dive option for most dive trips.

West of Eden, also known as West of Six for its location to the north-west corner of Island number 6, enjoys a healthy hard coral reef and massive granite boulders. Batfish, Turtles and Octopus are common residents to the reef. Through the rocky channels, frogfish, ribbon eels, giant morays and barracudas can also be seen. Keep an eye out in the blue for passing larger pelagics.

Elephant Head Rock, named after a rock that jets out of the water visible from the surface, this is the biggest pinnacle in the Similans and has some fantastic swim-throughs. A more challenging dive site due to strong currents, you may see white tip reef sharks, batfish, trevally and barracuda can often be seen on the perimeter of the boulders and the avid macro photographer can look out for smashing mantis shrimp, fire gobies, porcelain crabs and cleaner shrimps.

Donald Duck Bay, is a popular night dive spot on the north-west corner of Island no.8. Named after a rock resembling the cartoon character, this site is great for macro lovers. The boulders are home to emperor shrimps, red round crabs, decorator crabs, triton shells and cone shells, bull crabs, red octopus and cuttlefish and green turtles

Boulder City, is a large submerged granite outcropping, about 1km off the east coast of island no.3 with jumbles of boulders scattered around a flat sandy bottom. A slightly more advanced dive site, the current can sometimes bring the whale sharks and manta rays.

Shark Fin Reef - As is prevalent in the Similans, this dive site consists of another series of granite boulders covered in gorgonians and hard corals with a great diversity of marine life including the Napoleon wrasse, turtles, boxfish, clown triggerfish, schools of batfish, yellow goatfish, palette surgeonfish, blue-faced angelfish and bannerfish amongst others.

Honeymoon Bay lies to the northwest of Island 5. Its sheltered location, it is a popular place for boats to moor and include a night dive. This is when the Reef crabs, shrimps, lobsters, cuttlefish and nurse sharks all come out, leaving their crevices looking for food. With an average depth of 15-20 meters, the reef is decorated with hard corals, keep an eye out for shy garden eels on the sandy bottom.

Christmas Point, true to its name, is one of the most colourful, scenic dives in the islands on the far west side of Similan Island 9. This outcropping is home to several giant archways which provide superb topography and forms some of the best swim-throughs in the Similans.

Trip details