Similan island tours
Exploring Similan Islands: A Guide to Day Trip Diving Adventures
TL;DRCan you dive the Similans in a day? Yes. Similan Islands day trip diving means two dives from Khao Lak or Phuket for about ฿4,900–5,600, plus a ฿700 park fee for divers and ฿500–750 if you rent gear. Snorkellers ride the same boats for about ฿3,600 plus ฿500.
Similan Islands day trip diving means two guided dives in Mu Ko Similan National Park, or out at Koh Bon or Koh Tachai, and you're back at your hotel the same evening. From Khao Lak or Phuket it runs about ฿4,900–5,600, plus a ฿700 park fee for divers and ฿500–750 if you rent gear. You'll need an Open Water card. Snorkellers can hop on most dive boats for about ฿3,600 plus ฿500.
The usual setup is clever, honestly. A fast speedboat gets you out there in 80–90 minutes, and you dive from a bigger, steadier boat that sits moored at the site all day. Below: costs, logistics, sites, operators, and when a liveaboard makes more sense.
| Subject | Relation | Object |
|---|---|---|
| Similan Islands day trip diving | includes | two dives, lunch, transfers and a dive guide |
| A dive day trip | costs | about ฿4,900–5,600 per diver |
| Divers | pay a park fee of | ฿700 per day (non-divers ฿500) |
| Full equipment rental | costs | about ฿500–750 per day |
| Sunrise Divers | collects divers from | Patong, Karon, Kata and south Khao Lak |
| Dive day trips | run | roughly late October to early May |
Introduction to Similan Islands Day Trip Diving
What to Expect on a Similan Islands Day Trip
The Similan Islands are a prime diving destination. Granite boulders, swim-throughs, soft corals, visibility that often hits 20–40 metres. Here's a typical day, from Khao Lak Explorer's published schedule:
| Time | What happens |
|---|---|
| 06:45–07:45 | Pickup from your hotel in Khao Lak |
| 08:15 | Speedboat leaves Thap Lamu Pier |
| 09:40 | Transfer to the dive boat, safety briefing |
| 11:00 | Dive 1 (snorkellers go to a reef nearby) |
| 12:00 | Buffet lunch, long surface interval |
| 14:00 | Dive 2 |
| 15:00 | Speedboat back |
| 16:30–17:30 | Pier, then hotel |
Underwater highlights: turtles, blue-spotted stingrays, moray eels, schools of snapper and barracuda, reef sharks, and on the right day at Koh Bon, manta rays. The scenery's the other half. House-sized boulders, arches, gorgonian sea fans.
Cost of Similan Islands Day Trip Diving
What Similan Islands day trip diving costs, 2026–27:
| Operator | Departs | Price (2 dives) | Extras |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunrise Divers | Phuket or south Khao Lak | ฿4,900 | Rental ฿500, computer ฿250, insurance ฿150/day, park fee ฿700 cash |
| Similan Seven Sea Club | Khao Lak (Thap Lamu) | from ฿5,300 | Rental ฿500, park fee ฿700 |
| Amity Diving Club (MV Koon 9) | Khao Lak (Seastar Pier) | ฿5,400 | Rental ฿500, computer ฿300, park fee ฿700; Phuket transfer ฿500 |
| Sea Bees (MC Stingray catamaran) | Khao Lak | ฿5,600 | Rental ฿750, park fee ฿700 |
What changes the cost? The boat, how many divers per guide, nitrox (about ฿300 a tank where they have it), the season, and whether rental and fees are in. Khao Lak Explorer quotes all-inclusive with full equipment. All told, a certified diver without gear should budget about ฿6,000–7,000 for the day; a snorkelling companion, about ฿3,600 plus ฿500.
Logistics of Traveling to the Similan Islands
Getting to the Similan Islands from Khao Lak
From Khao Lak, Similans day trips are short and painless. Pickup falls between 06:00 and 07:45, depending on your area and the dive centre. It's about 20 minutes' drive to Thap Lamu or Seastar Pier, then the speedboat needs 80–90 minutes to reach the dive boat; Similan Seven Sea Club says 80 minutes, Amity about 1.5 hours.
Tips for a smooth ride:
- Eat something light before pickup. Breakfast at the pier is often just toast and coffee.
- Take seasickness medicine before the speedboat, not after.
- Bring your certification card, logbook and a copy of your passport.
- Book 2–3 days ahead. The park limits diver numbers, and popular days fill.
Traveling from Phuket to the Similan Islands
From Phuket it's the same idea, just a longer drive. Sunrise Divers collects from Patong, Karon and Kata at 06:00–06:30, and the minibus takes about 2 hours to Thap Lamu. Then roughly 1 hour 30 minutes on the speedboat. With Sunrise the transfer's free; Amity charges ฿500 return from Phuket.
Compared with Khao Lak, that's roughly two extra hours each way for the same two dives. Sunrise Divers doesn't sugar-coat it: "quite a long tiring trip for just 2 dives". Advice for international tourists? If diving's the main goal, spend a night or two in Khao Lak. Don't fly within 18–24 hours of your last dive. And Phuket's airport is about 70 km from the pier, so plan the flight around that.
Diving Conditions and Sites at the Similan Islands
Diving Conditions in the Similan Islands
Water conditions in season:
- Temperature: 27–30 °C. A 3 mm shorty or full suit is plenty.
- Visibility: 20–40 m, dropping to 15–20 m when plankton blooms. Plankton is what brings the mantas and whale sharks.
- Currents: mild on the east coasts, moderate to strong on the west sides and at Koh Bon and Koh Tachai.
- Depths: most day-trip sites suit 12–30 m; Sea Bees lists maximum depths of 25–32 m for its regular sites.
For diving, the best months are December to April: calm sea, peak visibility. February to April gives you the best odds of big pelagics. Safety and regulations? The park is open only from 15 October to 15 May, boats work within 08:00–16:00, and dive groups go with a guide. Dive centres like Sea Dragon and Khao Lak Explorer keep it to 4–5 divers per guide.
Popular Dive Sites in the Similan Islands
Dive centres rotate sites through the week. Similan Seven Sea Club's weekly plan, for example, puts Richelieu Rock on Fridays and Koh Bon on Mondays and Thursdays. So pick your day carefully. The top dive sites:
| Site | Level | Why go |
|---|---|---|
| Anita's Reef / Honeymoon Bay | Beginner | Easy boulders, garden eels, good first dive |
| East of Eden | All levels | Soft coral and sea fans from 6 to 35 m, turtles |
| West of Eden | Beginner–intermediate | Boulders with gorgonians, reef sharks deeper down |
| Christmas Point | Intermediate | Arches and swim-throughs on Island No. 9 |
| Elephant Head Rock | Intermediate–advanced | The biggest pinnacle, tunnels, surge and currents |
| Koh Bon | Intermediate–advanced | Ridge and pinnacles; manta rays, best January–April |
| Koh Tachai Pinnacle | Advanced | Strong currents, big schools, whale sharks at times |
| Richelieu Rock | All levels with a guide | Purple soft coral, seahorses, harlequin shrimp, whale sharks |
The selling point is marine biodiversity. Thai National Parks lists manta rays, whale sharks, four species of turtle, leopard and reef sharks, giant morays and humphead wrasse in the park. New to diving? Ask for east-coast sites like Anita's Reef and East of Eden. Advanced? Hunt for Koh Bon, Koh Tachai and Richelieu Rock days.
Choosing Dive Operators and Understanding Requirements
Selecting Reputable Dive Operators
Signs of a reliable dive operator:
- Small groups: four divers per guide is the standard to look for.
- Oxygen and a medical kit on board. Sea Dragon Dive Center lists both.
- Well-serviced rental gear, and a dive computer for everyone (Sea Dragon includes one free).
- A PADI or SSI centre with recent reviews from divers, not only snorkellers.
- A clear plan for snorkelling companions, if you're travelling with one.
Operators we'd recommend, and why:
- Khao Lak Explorer: all-inclusive day trips on a big boat with showers, rated 5/5 across 292 reviews on its site, Discover Scuba for beginners.
- Sea Bees: a purpose-built dive catamaran, Similan and Koh Bon trips daily from November to April.
- Similan Seven Sea Club: a fixed weekly site plan on MV Lapat.
- Sunrise Divers: the obvious pick if you're staying in Phuket.
The same centres run liveaboards too; see our Similan liveaboard guide.
Requirements and Fees for Diving
The mandatory park fee: ฿700 per diver per day, which is the ฿500 entrance fee plus a diving charge. Snorkellers and non-divers pay ฿500, Thai divers ฿300. Most centres collect it in cash on the day. Sea Bees takes card or cash, for what it's worth.
What does a dive guide actually do? Plans the dive around current and depth. Finds the turtles, and the ghost pipefish. Keeps the group together at sites where the current can sweep you off the rock. Out here they matter more than on some sheltered house reef.
Permits and certifications:
- Open Water (or equivalent) is the minimum for day trips.
- Advanced Open Water is recommended for Koh Bon, Koh Tachai and the deeper west-side sites.
- Some boats restrict Open Water divers with fewer than 10 logged dives. Sunrise Divers flags this.
- No card? Khao Lak Explorer runs Discover Scuba at the Similans.
- Dive insurance is recommended. The recompression chamber is in Phuket.
Comparing Day Trips and Liveaboard Diving
Day Trips vs. Liveaboard Diving
| Similans day trip | Liveaboard diving | |
|---|---|---|
| Dives | 2 per day | 3–4 per day, including night dives |
| Price | about ฿4,900–5,600 + ฿700 fee | from about ฿13,900 for a short trip |
| Sites | Similans, Koh Bon, sometimes Tachai or Richelieu | All of them, in sequence |
| Sleep | Your hotel | A cabin on board |
| Transit | About 3 hours by road and boat per day | Mostly overnight while you sleep |
| Best for | Divers with one or two free days, mixed groups with snorkellers | Keen divers, photographers, manta and whale shark hunters |
Pros and cons, one line each. A day trip is flexible and cheap per day, but tiring per dive. A liveaboard is better value per dive and reaches the best sites, but it needs three or more days, and a non-diving partner may get bored. Our take? One day trip makes a fine taster. Diving two days or more? Book a short liveaboard instead. The full comparison is on day trip or liveaboard.
FAQ
Is it possible to dive in the Similan Islands?
Yes, it is possible to dive in the Similan Islands, between 15 October and 15 May. Certified divers can join two-dive day trips from Khao Lak or Phuket, or liveaboards of 2–7 days. From mid-May to mid-October the park's closed to diving.
Can I take a day trip to the Similan Islands?
Yes, you can take a day trip to the Similan Islands from Khao Lak or Phuket, either to snorkel (about ฿2,500–4,100) or to dive twice (about ฿4,900–5,600 plus fees). They run daily in the open season. Back the same evening.
Is Similan Islands worth diving?
Yes, the Similan Islands are worth diving. Granite topography, 20–40 m visibility, turtles, and a shot at manta rays at Koh Bon: it's one of Thailand's top dive areas. Add Richelieu Rock if you possibly can.
What is the 120 rule in diving?
The 120 rule in diving is a rule of thumb for no-decompression limits: depth in feet plus bottom time in minutes shouldn't go over 120. So at 60 ft (18 m) you'd get about 60 minutes, and at 100 ft (30 m) about 20. It's a rough guide, nothing more. Your dive computer and your guide set the real limits.
Sources checked October 2026: Sea Bees: Similan day trip, 2 dives, Sunrise Divers: Similan day trips, Similan Seven Sea Club: day trips, Amity Diving Club: Similan Islands, Thai National Parks: Mu Ko Similan, LiveAboard.com: Similan Islands. Prices change; confirm with the operator before you pay.
