The Similan Islands

The Similan Islands are a collection of nine little land masses in the Andaman sea. The word Similan itself (IIRC) means "nine islands". A few of these islands were ravaged by the tsunami and only three of them (I am told) are inhabited by people (mostly tented accomodation put up by a handful of locals). The islands can be accessed on a day trip from Phuket and you could choose to even stay overnight if you want. During my day trip to the place, I visited Similan Islands 9, 8 and 4 via speedboat. Its usually the best way to get to the islands, given that the sea is generally quite calm and the waves are never higher than half a meter. The 70 minute ride can get bumpy at times, so hold tight and get a tablet if you're likely to be sea sick. My first stop was at a cove by Island 9 and while we didn't really get onto the island itself (apparently some really sharp rocks out there), we jumped into the sea to snorkel and explore the amazing variety of underwater life. I think we snorkeled for close to 45 minutes before we got onto the boat again to move to Similan Island 9 which is home to what tour companies call the unseen stone.



I must say this is the most beautiful beach I've seen in my whole life. Check out the panoramic shot above; notice the pristine blue waters, the smooth rock formation and the powdery white sand. Given that the tour company will usually take away your shoes before the trip, the otherwise simple trek to the top of the unseen stone can end up being quite precarious. The effort however is well worth the view from the top which is awesome to say the least.



We spent quite some time on this island before we moved to the final island on our trip itinerary - Island 4. Once again, more of the same granite rock formations, white sand beaches and clear waters. Add to that mix some really good food, and this becomes your dream destination. On this island you have tented accommodation available if you'd like to stay over and remember there are approximately 30 diving points around these islands if you'd like to take a dip. There are plenty of shallows to be explored as well, if you care to snorkel.



We spent a couple of hours at Island 4 before we hopped onto our speedboat back to Phuket. I think the day trip is well worth the cost and I'd recommend it to anyone. Our trip cost us 1700 THB ($48) which included transfers from the hotel, the speedboat ride, refreshments, snorkeling equipment and lunch. I am sure you could shop around for even better deals. That said, I'd recommend you take the tours run by Thaplamu Andaman. They're quite experienced and know the islands well, have a very good crew and generally take good care and serve decent food.