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Destination of the week

Similan Islands

One of the most beautiful places on earth

 
Photo: www.teawtourthai.com

Location: Southern Thailand, 50 kilometers west of Khao Lak

The national park of the Similan Island covers 140 square kilometers in total, 14 of those being land in the shape of an archipelago consisting of nine islands. They are Ko Bon, Ko Bayu, Ko Similan, Ko Payu, Ko Miang (two adjoining islands), Ko Payan, Ko Payang, and Ko Huyong. For simplicity they are often referred to by their number instead - 1 through 9 starting from the south. Recently, the park was expanded to include the two remote islands Ko Bon and Ko Tachai, but since "Sembilan" is Malay for "nine" this doesn't seem to stick in people's minds and those are not visited as often as the original nine.

The islands were created by upwellings of hot magma during the Tertiary-Cretaceous period some 65 million years ago, then smoothed by glacial ice and the erosion by the sea. The coral reefs are about 5000 years old and hence the oldest in Thailand. In 1982, the national park was established and now it is scheduled to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The 2004 tsunami left the islands and the underwater landscape almost unharmed, since the waters are very deep around the islands.

The nine granite islands are postcard perfect images of paradise, covered in tropical jungle and equipped with beaches of chalk-white sand. As if this was not enough, the views under the water surface are even more impressive - this is the best dive site in Thailand. Skin-Diver Magazine has acclaimed the Similans to be one of the ten most beautiful places in the world.

Getting there

There are several dive trips going to the Similans from Phuket and some from Khao Lak. Both day trips and live aboard cruises are available. Dedicated cruises where your boat picks your group up from your destination and cruises around usually start at 4 days and 4 nights in length. Many shorter trips are available, often with operators who have a large vessel on the islands over summer and who do regular transfers using smaller speed boats.

Note that there is a national park entry fee of 400 baht per traveller and a further daily usage fee of 200 baht per diver per day. Most boats do not include this in their quoted price. It is paid to your dive operator before the trip.

For more information, please visit www.tourismthailand.org

If you have any interesting destinations to tell us, please feel free to send us email at admin@thai-discovery.com.

7th December 2009.
Driving In Bangkok
For all the people who have been to Bangkok, you can imagine what you will face when trying to drive in Bangkok and it is much worse then it looks.
I have been driving in Bangkok since the begining of this year and for the first 2 weeks, it was a nightmare.
Read more and comment...

26th October 2009
Visa Run to Cambodia
After living in Thailand since late January this year, I have never actually done a real visa run as I flew back to Australia twice this year. For those who don’t know what it is, foreigners who obtain a 1 year visa via work/business or what ever, need to leave the Kingdom every 90 days. Read more and comment...

26th September 2009
Dog Island - Phuttamonthon
While having a discussion with some of my Thai friends about soi dogs (street dogs) as we all have a few dogs ourselves (I have 3). My friend’s said there was a dog shelter nearby (Phuttamonthon) where dogs have been abandoned and a few old ladies takes care of them all. There is about 350 dogs in the shelter, so a lot of food is needed. Read more and comment...

26th August 2009
Thai Drivers License
Been driving around Bangkok on only my international drivers license, which can get you into some issues if you have an accident as some car insurance companies may not insure you. So I thought I better just be on the safe side and get one.

The documents you need to get are Read more and comment....

20th July 2009
Mun Nork Island
In need of a quiet holiday by a quiet beach, a friend recommended Mun Nork Island. I have never heard of this place before and couldn’t find it in any guide books that I have either. But my friend insisted that it is a great place.
So trusting my friend who has lived here his whole live, I booked a 3 days 2 nights package.
Read more and comment....
 

26th June 2009
Trang
After hearing from many Thai's raving on about Trang and how the snorkeling was great, so I thought I better check it out. My wife and I went to a travel expo in Bangkok and booked a package which included 2 nights accommodation, including all meals and 2 days of snorkeling.
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10th June 2009.
Hua Hin
Wanting to go to a nice beach that is close to Bangkok, well a bit over 2 hours drive, we finally get to Hua Hin. One thing I notice about Hua Hin is how clean the roads were, compared to Bangkok it was spotless. Also on the main road I noticed there wasn't any mobile food stalls (which are all over Bangkok) and it made the streets look a lot better I have to say. The air is much cleaner and there isn't much traffic at all. Read more & comment....

23rd May 2009.
Khaosan Rd
On a nice hot night (nearly every night) a few of my friends and I decided to hit Khaosan Rd (bangkokand see what the nightlife was like. We started off by just having a few drinks in an outside bar just in front of McDonald's, just sitting back relaxing and watching everyone walking along Khaosan Rd.

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