Thailand – Similan & Surin
Mu Ko Similan National Park lies about 70 km off Khao Lak in the Andaman Sea. Its nine numbered granite islands are lined with sheltered coral slopes on the east side and huge boulder fields with swim-throughs on the west. Koh Bon and Koh Tachai, added to the park in 1998, are the area's manta spots. Further north, Mu Ko Surin National Park has some of Thailand's richest hard-coral reefs and includes Richelieu Rock, a horseshoe-shaped pinnacle best known for whale sharks and macro life. Most diving is done from liveaboards out of Khao Lak, Thap Lamu, Khuraburi and Phuket, with speedboat day trips from Khao Lak. Both parks close every year during the south-west monsoon.
Dive sites
- Anita's Reef
- Ao Mae Yai
- Beacon Reef
- Boonsung Wreck
- Boulder City
- Breakfast Bend
- Chinese Wall
- Christmas Point
- Deep Six
- Donald Duck Bay
- East of Eden
- Elephant Head Rock
- Hideaway
- Hin Kong
- Koh Bon Pinnacle
- Koh Bon West Ridge
- Koh Chi
- Koh Pachumba
- Koh Torinla
- North Point
- Premchai Wreck
- Richelieu Rock
- Sea Chart 1
- Sharkfin Reef
- South East Point
- Tachai Pinnacle
- Three Trees
- Tuna Wreck
- Turtle Ledge
- Turtle Rock
- West of Eden