Excursion to the Similan Islands - photo, map and my review
Arriving in Khao Lak, I quite spontaneously decided to go to the Similan Islands, because it is from Khao Lak that boats usually go there. It would be foolish to be close to the pier and not sail to Similan. If not now, then when, right? So many times I have already advised other travelers on sea excursions to the islands, including Similan, but I myself have never gone. Therefore, it was necessary to urgently correct this omission..
The content of the article
Excursion to the Similan Islands
I don't know what I expected from the excursion, but now, sitting in cool and gray Moscow, I remember those places as a piece of paradise, as a place with an indescribable riot of colors. Yes, I didn't like the crowds of people who «spoil» all kinds (and I am part of that crowd, of course), but the beauty hasn't really gone anywhere. The national park of islands looks just as beautiful as it did 100,500 years ago: azure water, white sand, huge smooth stones.
So for those who are not bothered by a large number of people, I highly recommend going to Similan. If you, like me, love to enjoy nature alone, then you will need to go with an overnight stay. All excursion groups arrive at about 9-10 am and sail back at 3-4 pm. Thus, you will get the opportunity early in the morning and at sunset to be, even if not alone (with an overnight stay, usually 20-30 people come), but in a very small company..
The way there
I wrote all the informational details below, and now I will tell you how the excursion itself went. First, all minibuses bring tourists from hotels to the pier. We sat there for about an hour, during which we managed to have breakfast and receive instructions. During breakfast, the guide walked through and handed out pills for motion sickness, later I realized why. The speedboat bounces on the waves so that sometimes it seems that the spine will fall into his pants. Sitting on the bow is, of course, more interesting, but it shakes quite strongly, so to minimize shaking it is better to sit closer to the end of the boat, this is how I went back. And I didn't want to shake, and burned out badly, because I forgot the sun cream.
Breakfast on the pier
The beginning of the excursion to the Similan Islands
Island 4
The first one we sailed to island 4. It is stunningly beautiful! And the color of the water ... It must be seen. I can't even believe that this happens. But there were as many people as I was delighted with the views. It is assumed that you will want to swim on this island, but little time is given. Since it was more interesting for me to walk, I walked through the forest first, where there are tents, bungalows and other buildings of the national park, and then climbed a stone embankment from the edge of the beach. By the way, it is on this island that they most often stay with an overnight stay, since it is more adapted for this, there is more space. There is a walking trail to another beach, where excursions sometimes come, but I did not have time to go.
We are sailing to island 4, pay attention to the color of the water!
There are quite a lot of people on the beach
Some are photographed, some are bathed
Actually, all the sights of the island
Island Map 4
In addition to bungalows, you can live in such tents.
Very beautiful Similan beach
Here you can sit and watch, watch ...
Snorkeling
After that there was the first snorkeling. Usually they sail somewhere to a specific place near one of the islands not far from the coast, such as it is there that there is a suitable place for snorkelling. Since I don't have a waterproof case for my camera or phone, I didn't shoot underwater. I will not say that there is a lot to watch there. After the Red Sea, Egypt is somehow scarce. But fish, all kinds of sea cucumbers, corals, tridacnas, stone crevices are present.
Snorkeling on Similan looks like this
The whole group is snorkeling, and the team is resting at this time
Lush tropical nature around
Plot of uninhabited paradise beach
Once again I draw attention to the color of the water
Snorkeling second
Then we sailed to island 8, the most famous of the entire group of Similan islands, to drop food and leave a few people from the team to cook lunch. Then we went for another snorkeling and returned to the island for lunch. The second snorkeling was the same as the previous one. Another bottom, more interesting in terms of relief, but the same in terms of the richness of the fauna.
Island 8
Photos from this particular island were seen by many on the net: a huge boulder that fell from the sky onto an observation deck overlooking the beach. When you visit the viewpoint of the island, you feel all the delights of the tourism industry - the queues! The fact is that the road to the stone is passable in places only for one stream, so the oncoming stream has to wait. Because of this, along the path, along which you walk for 5 minutes, you go all 15-20. And, to be honest, the stone itself was not impressed. It would be cool to sit beside him in splendid isolation at sunset, but it’s just a sight that is essentially sucked out of your finger, near which you cannot push your way. There are too many people on a small platform, you see, someone will accidentally push and fly down. By the way, the shoes are still on the pier on the mainland, so during the whole tour only barefoot. So, the stone observation deck is so hot that it seems to me that you can get burned.
We moor to the shore of the island 8
There are many people, but how beautiful it is on Similan
The same famous boulder
Lesser known Donald Duck stone
The path to the top is interesting, but ...
But the island is just overcrowded with tourist groups, because of this queue
From above there is a beautiful view of the beach
The observation deck is small and without fencing
You can take beautiful photos against the background of tropical beauties
Traditionally, you need to put a support stick
Seized the moment when there is almost no one
The lunch was surprisingly varied and quite tasty. And in general, it seemed to me that food on this excursion was not given the last attention, they were fed already 3 times. This is not bad, I do not argue, but I would rather look at something else, because you can eat later.
Almost a buffet
Quite a good lunch
Similan islands
Local staff live in simple houses
Electricity is obtained from solar panels
After all the groups there are mountains of garbage, but garbage is even sorted
The toilet is not for the squeamish, can you imagine how many feet were rinsed here
This mass flowed out of the tree
Small but very popular crab, almost a star
White fine sand, like flour. The dream of many?
On the way back, most of the team slept in the hallway.
Information to visit
First of all, you need to know that you don't need to go to Khao Lak just for the sake of Similan! It will be easier and cheaper to buy an excursion directly in Phuket. Perhaps it is strange, but excursions in Khao Lak itself cost the same as in Phuket. This is the kind of logistics. From Phuket you will be brought by minibus, on the way about 2 hours.
Constantly asked for advice from a trusted local agency that I used myself. I advise: Alpha Travel. It is convenient that you can write to them through the messenger and place an order directly on the website.
+66622100091 (Whatsapp, Viber, Line, Telegram)
View excursion prices>
A mask with a snorkel and fins are given free of charge (for professional snorkellers, it would be better to have their own mask). You can also rent a waterproof soap dish (1200 baht), swimming goggles (280 baht), an individual mouthpiece for a snorkel (100 baht). The price list will depend on the company through which you travel.
Picked up from the hotel at 7:30. We sailed from the pier at 9:30. 15 hours ago. We were given 45 minutes to swim on the first beach, 30 minutes for each of the two snorkellers, and 1 hour 40 minutes for lunch on the last island. That is, everything is pretty fast and at a gallop, but most people are satisfied with such a program.
It is better not to sit on the nose of the speedboat, it jumps very strongly, even if the waves are small. The speed is high, swims 65 km in 1 hour 10 minutes. It makes sense to sit in the middle to end of the speed bot and take a motion sickness pill, even if you usually don't get motion sickness..
There are 9 islands, but only 4 are shown, since 1-2-3 are for turtles only, 5-6 islands are either under water, or something else is wrong with them. Show: beach on island 4, snorkeling near island 7, beach on island 8 and again snorkeling off island 9. Due to weather conditions, the snorkeling site may change.
They were fed 3 times in total. First breakfast on the pier on land before sailing: coffee, tea, muesli, sweet rice, toast. Lunch on the island, almost a buffet: tom yam, rice, pasta, fried chicken and fish, hot tomato sauce, pineapple and watermelon. Snack on the pier after the tour: coffee, tea, water, papaya salad, rice with mango, ice cream, etc. Water and soda were constantly handed out during the boat trip.
The national park is only open for six months from October 15 to April 15, but some say they carry it until May 15.
On the map
Below you can estimate where the Similan Islands are on the map. Distance about 65 km from the mainland, opposite Khao Lak resort. Here are the coordinates of one of the popular piers: 8.568336, 98.224186. Usually, tourists are taken from Phuket to Khao Lak by minibuses and there they are transferred to boats, but I read that there are boat excursions directly from Phuket (sail for 3 hours).
Similan Islands on the map
Similan Archipelago National Park
Similan Archipelago National Park
National park «Similan archipelago» in the province of Phang Nga (Mu Ko Similan National Park) - one of the best diving spots in the world. More about Similans.
National park «Similan archipelago» in the province of Phang Nga (Mu Ko Similan National Park) - one of the best diving spots in the world. More about Similans.
P.S. It may seem that I did not really like the trip, but this is not so, I regret nothing. What to do if there are so many who want to see a piece of paradise :) Only perhaps to visit lesser-known islands, such as Tachai Island. Although, I think, and he is already known to many, too.