Similan Islands Tour: Everything You Need to Know {Thailand}
If you are considering a Thailand excursion or snorkeling tour, then you MUST add a Similan Islands tour to your list!
Our Similan Islands snorkeling tour was the highlight of our Thailand vacation, and an absolute must do excursion for visitors to Thailand.
Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about the Similan Islands!
What Are the Similan Islands?
The Similan Islands are a group of 11 islands located in Thailand’s Andaman Sea.
These islands are located within a protected national marine park, where you’ll fine soft sand beaches, a unique natural landscape, crystal clear blue waters, and amazing snorkeling and dive sites.
A day trip to this incredible destinations is one of Thailand’s more hidden gems. While the majority of tourists tend to visit the popular Phi Phi Islands or James Bond island, not as many know of the Similan Islands.
In our opinion, the crystal blue waters and less-touristed location make for a far superior Thailand excursion experience.
It is important to note that the Similan Islands are not open year round. The islands are currently only open to visitors and tours from mid-October to mid-May.
This limited schedule is to protect the fragile ecosystem from overtourism and to give the natural environment time to recover.
How to Get to Similan Islands
Wondering how to get to Similan Islands? The only way to visit the Similan Islands is through a Similan Islands day trip tour. You will not be able to visit the national park unless you are part of a tour group.
Your Similan Islands excursion will typically include transportation from your hotel to a ferry dock in the Khao Lak area, which is about an hour and a half north of Phuket.
From the pier, it is about an hour and a half long speedboat ride to reach the Similan Islands.
Tip: Make sure you pack anti-nausea medicine if you are prone to seasickness. The hour and a half long speed boat ride is through open ocean and conditions can vary daily.
How to Get to Similan Islands:
- Khao Lak to Similan Islands – The Similan Islands are very convienent from Khao Lak. You will depart from a pier located in the heart of Khao Lak.
- Phuket to Similan Islands – To get to the Similan Islands from Phuket, you will need to drive approximately an hour and a half north to get to the Khao Lak area.
- Krabi to Similan Islands – The Similan Islands is not a recommended day trip from Krabi due to the 3+ hour distance. If you are staying in Krabi, check out a Phi Phi Islands day trip instead.
- Koh Samui to Similan Islands – The Similan Islands is not a recommended day trip from Koh Samui due to the 3.5+ hour distance plus ferry ride. If you are staying in Koh Samui, check out a these Ko Samui day trips instead.
Similan Islands Day Tour Price
How much does a Similan Islands tour cost? A Similan Islands day tour price will vary based on which tour operator you use.
Several tour providers offer full-day excursions to the Similan Islands, which is easily accessible from the Phuket area.
Our full-day excursion, which included transportation and lunch, cost us 3,781 THB ($107 USD) per person.
It is the norm to tip your tour guide team at the end of your trip. We tipped the crew of three 1000 THB ($28 USD).
Overall, most Similan Islands tours range from $80 – $140 USD per person.
Which Is The Best Similan Islands Tour?
We booked the Early Bird Similan Islands Snorkel Tour with Siam Adventure World.
This is a full-day Similan Islands tour that departs in the early morning in order to beat the crowds.
Our tour with Siam Adventure World included complimentary round-trip transportation to their Khao Lak departure pier via a shared van. They picked us up directly at our resort located in the north end of Phuket near the airport.
The tour’s price also included soft drinks and water, light breakfast items, and a very delicious and filling picnic lunch.
We were lucky enough to have a the hilarious and charming woman named Nurse as our tour guide. We had seen many positive reviews of Nurse online before booking and we felt very lucky to be part of her group.
Overall, Siam Adventure World’s Similan Islands tours receive excellent ratings and reviews online and we highly recommend them.
Donald Duck Bay
The iconic “Donald Duck Bay” is located on the largest of the Similan Islands, Similan Island #8.
This island gets its nickname from a large pile of rocks that resemble Donald Duck’s head. You can see these rocks as you approach the island by boat.
There are so many amazing photo ops among the massive natural bolders at Donald Duck Bay. Don’t miss on out on some awesome photos here.
While you can spend time here swimming and enjoying the water, we recommend using this stop to hike to the view point at Sail Rock instead. There will be a another beach and time for swimming later in the tour.
Sail Rock View Point
The Sail Rock view point is also located at Donald Duck Bay, on Island #8. This view point is located at the very top of the largest rock formations. If you look closely in the photo below, you can see a group of people at the view point next to the highest rock.
To reach the view point, you will need to walk just past the beach and to your left. Here you will find a bridge surrounded by nature. This is the starting point of the hike.
The hike requires you to climb natural steps and make your way through gaps in boulder formations. It is not difficult, and we saw many families making the hike. It will, however, get your heart pumping a bit due to the heat and humidity.
When you reach the top, you do need to be very careful. There are no fences and often crowds of people gathering. One wrong move could lead to a terrible fall. I absolutely would not recommend doing this climb if it is rainy or muddy.
Also note that there is a clearly marked path up and a separate path to go back down. We saw many tourists that were going the wrong way. This made the fairly easy hike more challenging.
Once at the top, you will be treated to a stunning 180 degree views of the Bay. There are multiple photo op spots, including a large boulders you can sit on as well as a flat standing area at the very top.
We were glad that we wore water shoes, as they were invaluable on the climb. The vast majority of the tourists were climbing in bare feet and I can’t imagine how uncomfortable that must have been.
Need water shoes for you trip? Here are some of my favorite! The best part is they also look and function like sneakers, so you can wear them while exploring and traveling as well.
Honeymoon Bay Similan Islands
One of the other island stops on our tour was Honeymoon Bay on Similan Island #4. Honeymoon Bay has an gorgeous stretch of beach and warm, clear water to swim in.
Our tour operator provided a picnic lunch at this island. There were plenty of picnic tables as well as restroom facilities available. We had a delicious and extremely filling lunch.
We chose to spend our time on this island floating and swimming in the gorgeous blue water. The water was warm, clear, and fairly shallow. There were some small coral formations and fish to check out.
For those who are more active, you have the option of walking about ten minutes across the island to visit Princess Bay. Here you can see the area where Thailand’s Princess stayed during her visits to the island.
Similan Island Snorkeling
Our tour had two separate stops for snorkeling. They provided snorkels, masks, and fins. Life jackets were available if needed.
During our trip, we were very lucky to have calm, clear waters due to excellent weather. We had great visibility and saw many fish, including Nemos aka Clownfish.
The snorkeling at the Similan Islands is best suited for beginner or casual snorkelers. Advanced snorkelers may be disappointed by quite a bit of dead coral, and the array of sea life wasn’t huge.
Unfortunately, the Similan Islands is beginning to suffer from over-tourism and you can see that in the condition of the reefs.
Either way, we enjoyed every moment out snorkeling in sea, and felt we had ample snorkel time during our trip.
Watch out for trigger fish! These large fish are very territorial and can serve a painful bite if you get too close. Trigger fish are very common here, and we saw many during our snorkel stops.
Similan Islands Diving
The Similan Islands has some of Thailand’s very best dive sites, including Koh Tachai, Koh Bon, and Richelieu Rock. Diving is also very popular during whale shark season, February to April.
While we are not certified divers and did not experience this part of the islands, diving is an extremely popular activity here.
It can be difficult to find organized tours for diving online, as most day excursions focus on visiting the islands and snorkeling the shallow reefs.
Serious divers may want to consider a multi-day liveaboard diving excursion.
What to Pack for a Similan Islands Excursion
If you are wondering what to pack for a Similan Islands excursion, look no further. Here are some travel essentials recommend packing for your day trip.
Similan Islands Packing List
Reef Safe Sunscreen: Sunscreen in a high SPF is a must due to the intense sun in Thailand. Make sure you choose a reef friendly sunscreen to help protect the delicate marine environment.
Motion Sickness Relief: Conditions will vary during your hour plus speedboat ride to the Similan Islands, and sea sickness is a real possibility! Even if you aren’t prone to motion sickness, you may want to pack a remedy just in case.
Sun Hat: Most Similan Islands excursions are full day adventures. That is a lot of time in the sun! I recommend a sun hat to keep your face protected. Bonus points for packable hats the fold up into your suitcase.
Water Shoes: Water shoes are a must! They look and feel just like sneakers, but are designed for wearing in the water. We were so glad we had water shoes when we hiked up to the top of the Donald Duck Bay look out point. We felt so bad for the people hiking barefooted!
Dry Bag: Instead of bringing a beach bag on your tour, bring a dry bag. Dry bags are waterproof and will keep your belongings safe both on the boat and when you disembark and go on shore.
Fast Dry Towel: You will need to pack your own towel for this excursion. A small quick dry towel is perfect for drying yourself off quickly once you get back on the boat. Plus, it takes up very little space in your luggage compared to a traditional beach towel.
Go Pro: You will definitely want to capture videos and photos of the amazing underwater sights with a Go Pro! We love the value of the slightly older model GoPro Hero 9.
We also recommend a GoPro dome, which assists in taking those iconic half in, half out shots you’ll find on Instagram.
Similan Islands Vlog
Don’t miss our Similan Islands vlog to get a better sense of what this Thailand day trip excursion is like. And make sure to subscribe on YouTube for more travel vlogs and videos.
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