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Today the
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Similan
Koh
Tachai & Richeliue Rock
Hin
Daeng - Hin Muang |
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Just
sixty miles northwest of the bustling crowds of holiday makers on
Phuket's Kata Beach lie the Similan Islands. The Similan Marine
National Park includes nine islands running from south to north
and are numbered accordingly. The Islands are low lying granite boulder
formations, densely covered with tropical vegetation and are home
to crab-eating monkeys, dusky lingers, squirrels, bats and a large variety
of birds.
The picturesque and often deserted white coral sandy beaches and huge
boulder formations are not the only attractions however as some of the most
interesting sights are to be found beneath the waves. The most
spectacular coral growths in the world can be found here and the same
boulders that scatter the shores have turned the azure blue waters around
the Similans into an adventure playground for divers. |
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Name of Dive site |
Average Depth |
Maximum Depth |
Description |
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m |
ft |
m |
ft |
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Golden Arches |
11 |
36 |
32 |
106 |
Three rock arches
(boulder) |
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Christmas Point |
20 |
66 |
34 |
113 |
Mazes of
swimthroughs |
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Breakfast Bend |
16 |
53 |
34 |
113 |
Staghorn coral,
scattered coral heads, garden eels |
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Mooring Rocks |
11 |
36 |
27 |
90 |
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Donald Duck Bay |
8 |
16 |
14 |
46 |
Scattered coral
heads |
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Turtle Rock |
20 |
66 |
30 |
100 |
Swimthroughs |
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Fantasy Reef |
18 |
60 |
40+ |
130+ |
One of the
favorites, great photography |
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Beacon Beach |
12-18 |
39-59 |
34 |
113 |
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Beacon Point |
16 |
53 |
55 |
180 |
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Elephant Head |
24 |
80 |
70 |
235 |
Another favorite,
massive boulder formations and swimthroughs , arches, and
caverns |
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Deep Six |
18 |
60 |
40 |
130 |
Large sea fans,
turtles, Leopard sharks. |
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East of Eden |
22 |
73 |
34 |
113 |
Steep sloping hard
coral reef, Bowmouth Guitar Shark |
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Stonehenge |
28 |
93 |
40 |
130 |
Deep dive,
towering rocks, shovel nosed shark |
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Barracuda Point |
14 |
46 |
34 |
113 |
Large boulders
with sea fans and sea whips |
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Bird Rock |
18 |
60 |
40 |
130 |
Swimthroughs at 16
m (53 ft) |
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Shark Fin Reef |
16 |
53 |
40 |
130 |
Three reef
outcrops, swimthroughs |
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Boulder City |
19 |
63 |
32 |
106 |
Mountainous
boulder formations |
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Coral Gardens |
5 |
16 |
24 |
80 |
Table
corals. |
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Surgeon Rocks |
18 |
60 |
35 |
115 |
Large scattered
boulders |
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On the
western side of the islands huge granite boulders, some as big as houses,
spill in jumbled piles beneath the surface of the sea to 35 meters and
beyond. Submarine peaks, canyons, caves and passageways provide scuba
divers with some of the most interesting prospects in the world.
Dives on 'Fantasy reef', 'Christmas tree point' and 'Bird rock' provide some
exhilarating deep and drift diving where manta rays, reef sharks,
napoleon wrasses and other large pelagic are frequently encountered. On the
eastern side of the islands the boulders have been largely buried by coral
and sand and you will find a wide variety of hard and soft corals.
Most reefs consist of sloping drop-offs to approximately 35 meters and a
highlight of any east coast dive are sightings of rare bow mouth guitar
sharks and hawksbill turtles.
Between the islands, tidal currents of up to 2 knots make for some
exciting drift diving down 'Snapper Alley' to 'Hamburger Hill' and no
trip to the Similans is complete without a dive on 'Elephant Head' which
offers the best of both east and west coasts at one spectacular location.
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Amr Nour Consulting
Co,. Pte Ltd
20 Cecil Street, #14-01 Equity Plaza, Singapore 049705
Tel:+66898715124 E-Mail :
info@amrnour.com |
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