The nine islands of the Mu Koh Similan Marine National Park, located 52 miles northeast of Phuket, are a diver's dream, offering superb visibility and a huge variety of underwater scenery. They are also reputed to be among the world's top ten dive sites. Above sea level, the islands, which are covered in lush rain forest, are equally impressive.
	You also will have ample opportunity to visit secluded beaches, go snorkeling and take walks among the rocks and into the jungle, looking for animals such as iguanas and fish eagles.

The exposed western dive sites of the Similan Islands are the more dramatic ones, with huge boulders, swim-throughs, overhanging rocks and exotic soft coral gardens. The eastern sites are more sheltered and here you find gentle sloping reefs and a myriad of colourful reef fish.

During southern Thailand's hot season in March and April, the rising sea temperature causes an increase in plankton levels. This in turn attracts sharks and manta rays, drawn to Similan to feed there. You will have the chance to spot whale sharks, manta and eagle rays and many others.

The eastern Similan dive sites feature gently sloping reefs and drop-offs with impressive gardens of sea anemones, soft and hard corals and teeming and colourful reef fish populations. Seas are calm, currents are negligible and dives are at moderate depths, suitable for divers of all levels and also very good for snorkellers.

The western dive sites feature enormous granite boulders, descending to a depth of 40 metres (135 ft).

With swim-throughs, caves and tunnels, here the diving is more challenging. Strong currents keep the gaps between the boulders free from build-ups of sand, leading to the development of a network of tunnels, archways and caverns which provide exciting swim-throughs.

These currents also provide nutrients for masses of gorgonians, crinoids, sea fans and lush soft corals.

The dive sites in the Similan Islands are:

North & South Beacon Reef: Steeply descending reefs Shark Fin Reef: Resembles a 'moonscape'; soft and hard corals East of Eden: Has some of the most beautiful coral gardens, which lie in depths of between 12 and 21 meters

Honeymoon Bay & Bathfish Bend:
Depths until 22 metres; good viewing conditions

Koh Huyang:
On the east side; depths until 40 metres. Granite blocks, horn and stone corals, stingrays

Elephant Head Rock:
The best known dive area of the Similans; yellow sea barbs, fire fish, several species of sea turtles

Eagle Ray Rock & Bird Rock:
Steep decline with soft and hard corals, gorgonians, doctor fish; often sharks and barracudas