If you are considering a Thailand excursion or snorkeling tour, then you MUST add a Similan Islands tour to your list! A Similan Islands snorkeling tour was the highlight of our Thailand vacation, and an absolute must do excursion for visitors to Thailand.
The Similan Islands are a group of 11 islands located in a protected national park in Thailand’s Andaman Sea. These islands are located within a protected national marine park, where you’ll fine soft sand beaches, crystal clear blue waters, and amazing snorkeling and dive sites.
Several tour providers offer full-day excursions to the Similan Islands, which are easily accessible from the Phuket area. Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about the Similan Islands!
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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 typically will 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.
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 right in Khao Lak.
- Phuket to Similan Islands – To get to the Similan Islands from Phuket, you will need to drive 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.
The Similan Islands are only open for visits from mid-October to mid-May, so make sure your Thailand trip falls during these dates!
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. Our full-day excursion, which included transportation and lunch, cost us 3,781 THB ($107 USD) per person.
Overall, most Similan Islands tours range from $80 – $140 USD per person.
It is also the norm to tip your tour guide team at the end of the trip in Thai Baht. We tipped the crew of three 1000 THB ($28 USD).
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 avoid the crowds.
Our tour with Siam Adventure World included complimentary round-trip transportation via a shared van with direct pick up at our resort in the north end of Phuket to their private pier in Khao Lak. It also included some small breakfast items as well as a very delicious and filling picnic lunch, plus soft drinks and water.
We were lucky enough to be in the tour group of an amazing operator named Nurse. Nurse was one of the nicest people we have met and absolutely hilarious. 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 would 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 as you are sailing in.
Due to the location this is usually the first stop for most tours. 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.
Sail Rock View Point
The Sail Rock view point is also located at Donald Duck Bay, on Island #8. To reach the view point, you will hike up a series of stairs and rocks. It is not difficult, but it will get your heart pumping – especially in the humidity and heat.
You do need to be very careful as there are no fences. 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 head down. We saw many tourists that were going the wrong way. This made it quite difficult to easily make the hike.
Once at the top, you will be treated to a stunning 180 degree views of the Bay. There are multiple photo op spots, including large boulders you can sit on and a flat standing area at the very top of the hike.
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.
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 are plenty of picnic tables as well as restroom facilities. We had a delicious and extremely filling lunch.
We chose to spend our time on this island swimming in the gorgeous blue water. For those who are more active you have the option of walking about ten minutes across the island to visit Princess Bay and see the area where she stayed.
Similan Island Snorkeling
Our tour provided two snorkeling stops on our tour of the Similan Islands. They provided snorkels, masks, and fins. Life jackets were available if needed, though many find snorkeling to be very easy without one, even if you are not a strong swimmer.
During our trip we were very lucky to have calm, clear waters due to excellent weather. We had great visibility and saw many finish, including Nemos aka Clownfish.
I will note that the snorkeling at Similan Islands is probably more exciting for beginner or casual snorkelers. There is quite a bit of dead coral and there wasn’t an insane array of sea-life. The Similan Islands are beginning to see the effects of 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, and we saw many during our snorkel stops.
Similan Islands Diving
While we are not certified divers, diving is an extremely popular activity in the islands. 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 whaleshark season, February to April.
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!
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 highly recommend a GoPro dome, which assists in taking those iconic half in, half out shots 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.
Have you been snorkeling in Thailand or want to add it to your bucket list? Leave a comment below! And don’t miss our other Thailand resources.
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