As part of our ongoing series of Similan Island Dive sites, Wicked Diving presents:
Starting on the southern tip of Island # 8, or Koh Similan, this dive site encompasses two environments in one; granite boulders in the deep southern area and a sloping reef to the north. The dive is most effective when the current is south to north, so that you can explore the massiveness of the deep boulders at depths greater than 30m at the beginning of the dive.
The sandy depths littered with boulders are a good hide out for Kuhl’s stingrays, Leopard sharks and huge Titan triggerfish guarding the gullies. The boulders then gradually give way to a hard coral reef that levels off at 10-5m, with coral heads emerging from the sandy expanse, providing a beautiful and colorful shallow area. The sloping reef is made up of mainly hard coral with small patches of the soft variety.
The reef provides shelter for many juveniles as well as Spiny lobsters, anemone fish, parrotfish and carpets of Christmas tree worms. Since the reef is located at the tip of the island, it is often exposed to hard currents and therefore only dived when conditions can be good.
Snorkeling: Beacon Point is a good snorkeling site, especially in the northern end, but sometimes exposed to strong surface currents.
Diving depths range from 5-35 meters (15-120 feet) and most of our time is spent at 10-20 meters (30-70 feet)
Currents are actually to be expected and accounted for in dive planning.
Visibility is usually 20 meters (70 feet).
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