Hideaway Bay and Tuna Wreck - Thailand Dive Sites

Two Similan Islands dive sites in one location, Hideaway Bay and Tuna Wreck can be experienced in a single dive

Tuna Wreck, Hideaway Bay, Similan Islands © chris@divehappy.com

A perfect little natural harbour that ensures calm waters, Hideaway Bay is often used as the location of the first dive on a Similans liveaboard trip. It’s actually two quite different locations right next to each other that you can visit in one dive. It’s located off the south of Island 5 in the Similans.

Octopus and fish, Hideaway Bay © chris@divehappy.com

The bay itself has a bright white steep sandy slope which is covered in beautiful hard corals and has usually has lots of glass fish and several schools of yellow snapper hanging around. Stingrays, moray eels and octopus can also be found here – it’s a big reef garden with countless places for marine creatures to hide and hunt.

Octopus and Jai, Hideaway Bay © chris@divehappy.com

Less experienced divers can go straight over to the reef as it’s sheltered and calm to get comfortable with their scuba gear.

Tuna Wreck and Pook, Similan Islands © chris@divehappy.com

More experienced divers usually opt to enter the water at the Tuna Wreck. It’s an old tuna trawler that was deliberately sunk by the Thai authorities back in 2003 to create an artificial reef. It sits on its side at the bottom of Hideaway Bay’s slope at around 40 meters, with the top side at 28 metres. Divers descend a rope line to the wreck, explore the top area and then cross over to the nearby reef, which is usually visible from the wreck. Obviously, you need to watch your depth and NDLs here.

Pook and the tsunami memorial February 2023 © chris@divehappy.com

Once divers have moved away from the wreck along Hideaway Bay reef, typically towards the end of the dive they will encounter the 2004 Tsunami Memorial. The memorial is a collection of 12 metal sculptures depicting the signs of the Thai Zodiac in the shallows. There is also a horizontal sculpture of a reclining mermaid, and all of the sculptures have become encrusted with corals in the 20 years since the tsunami.

Sudesh and the Tuna wreck February 2023 © chris@divehappy.com

All photos taken during Similan diving seasons 2022-2023 and 2023-2024. I’ll probably add more during the 2024-2025 season too. The Similan dive season runs from October to May each year. The Similan Marine National Park is closed from mid May to mid October each year, so don’t plan a liveaboard trip then!