Yachts Asia

The individual islands themselves are named simply : No. 1, No. 2, No.3 and so up to No.9! The islands are uninhabited except for two of the islands which each have a small resort and a restaurant. Also please note: island no.1 is a turtle sanctuary where turtles lay their eggs in the beach. It is protected by park rangers so that baby turtles hatch and return to the sea.

The eastern coast of the Similan has powdery beaches, and features hard coral gardens that slope dramatically from the surface down to approximately 30-40 meters. Here, the most popular activity is drift diving above hard coral gardens while watching the reef inhabitants go about their business. At several sites, large coral rocks covered with soft coral and sea fans rise dramatically from the bottom.

The west coast site of the Similan Islands is slightly more challenging due to their depths and variable currents. Here you find the most incredible submarine rock formations, with huge boulders, swim-throughs and big fan corals.

The high season is from October until May, and the water tends to be the clearest in March to April. The visibility is usually good all year round in the Similan, averaging approximately 18-25 meters, sometimes exceeding 40 meters in March and April.

In Similan Islands you do have the rare opportunity at the right time of the year to dive with the harmless giant whale sharks and the graceful giant manta rays. However don't expect big fish action every dive!

If scuba diving is your priority the best option is to go by scuba liveaboard, but if you like to take a leisurely cruise try one our charter yachts.

SAMPLE ITINERARY: SIMILAN AND SURIN

Embarkation: Phuket
Disembarkation: Phuket
Duration: 7 days
Note: Phuket, Phang Nga Bay, Similan/Surin, and Mergui can all be combined on a single cruise (minimum 10 days in duration)
Recommended Yachts: Silolona, Moecca, Lady Anita, Raja Laut, Chom Tawan II, Meditation, Meroja, Seraph

Day 1: Embarkation aboard the yacht in Phuket. Set sail for the Similan islands, arriving at island no.5 for lunch. Spend the afternoon snorkeling, diving and swimming on Anita's Reef. Anita's Reef is also a nice easy dive with gentle currents that allow you to drift all the way through lovely underwater pinnacles and other rock formations and into the reef shallows at the northern most point on the dive. The variety and abundance of fish life is like diving in an aquarium.

Day 2: Sailing from island no.5 to Honeymoon Bay where the yacht can anchor and we can go ashore and explore the beaches or simply have fun kayaking, swimming and snorkeling. In the early evening enjoy sundowners while watching the sunset. For keen divers we can head up north instead to East of Eden which is a gentle drift with lots of coral bomies. Moray eels and blue spotted stingrays are frequent here. Probably the best reefs and most variety of any site in the Similan Islands.

Day 3: At island no.8 the yacht can find another stunning anchorage. Here one can enjoy a short jungle walk up to a high look out point with fantastic views of the Andaman sea. For scuba enthusiasts Elephant Head Rock is located just south of island no.8 and has some incredible granite topography and swim throughs characteristic of the Similans. Keep your eyes peeled for the small but beautiful black-tip and white-tip sharks!

Day 4: Sailing further north up to the Surin islands we will have the chance to visit the Sea Gypsy Village, explore the rocky inlets, snorkel, kayak and enjoy a picnic lunch ashore on one of the islands.

Day 5: Set sail south back to the Similan islands and stop on the way at Kon Bon, where you will have the best chance to see manta rays (the during the right season the Similans attract both mantas and whale sharks!). Also common are octopus, cuttlefish, snakes and scorpion fish. In the afternoon arrive and anchor in the narrow channel between islands No.9 and No.8.

Day 6: An early morning dive at Breakfast Bend. Unsurprisingly it was named after the time it is best dived! Leopard sharks and napoleon wrasse are rather common here, hard coral bommies are great for exploring. Christmas Point, another of the Similan's best sites is just round the corner.

Day 7: In the morning set sail back to Ao Chalong and disembark.

BEST TIME TO GO: Between December and April.

PORTS OF EMBARKATION/DISEMBARKATION: Phuket

HOW TO GET THERE: Fly direct to Phuket from Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, or Singapore, and many more international airports in Asia and around the world.