Marine Life

The complex ecosystem found underwater around the Similan Islands is often referred to as the rainforest of the sea. The list of marine life that divers have the chance of seeing is exhaustive and there are several books dedicate to it. You can find these books on the liveaboards heading to the islands.

Just some of the countless marine animals you can spot in the Similan Islands include manta rays, whale sharks, black-tip sharks, white-tip sharks, leopard sharks, Hawksbill turtles, giant barracudas, shovelnose rays, eagle rays, seahorses, various species of sweetlips of triggerfish, giant jellyfish, Napoleon wrasses, octopus, cuttlefish, giant groupers, snappers, lionfish, and the list could go on and on.

Corals

Divers taking a plunge at the Similan Islands can feast their eyes on a plethora of both hard and soft coral, as well as sea anemones. The Andaman Sea provides the ideal conditions for coral reefs to grow and flourish. The reefs in the Similan Islands grow down to a depth of about 30 meters (98 feet).

The hard corals here are mostly deep-water staghorn types but there are also some varieties of brain-shaped coral. They co-exist with other species of underwater flora such as Gorgonian sea fans. Richelieu Rock, part of the Mu Koh Surin marine park, is the most colorful dive site in the area. The horseshoe-shaped reef is known for its beautiful red and purple soft corals.