Dive Happy

Similan Islands Liveaboard 21 – 25 February 2024

Underwater pictures from a Similan Islands diving liveaboard trip 21 – 25 February 2024 on the Blue Dolphin liveaboard

Huge school of rainbow runners, jacks and trevally circling the top of Richelieu Rock
Huge school of rainbow runners, jacks and trevally circling the top of Richelieu Rock © [email protected]

One week after a somewhat murky Similans trip, the next one was a total contrast – spectacular visibility, sun-drenched dive sites and Richelieu Rock absolutely on fire with the hundreds of fish constantly racing across the dive site.

Last trip the barracuda had dominated the site at Richelieu. This trip the jacks, rainbow runners, giant trevally and emperorfish took centre stage, with hundreds-strong schools making repeated runs across and over the rock – like being in the middle of a fish stampede and silently praying you won’t get bitch slapped by a giant trevally. Those guys are chonky.

Here’s some highlights from some of the dives:

West Of Eden

Fan corals, West Of Eden
Fan corals, West Of Eden © [email protected]

Fusiliers running, West Of Eden
Fusiliers running, West Of Eden © [email protected]

Elephant’s Head Pinnacle

Lionfish and fans, Elephant's Head Pinnacle
Lionfish and fans, Elephant’s Head Pinnacle” © [email protected]

Three Trees

Running fusiliers, Three Trees
Running fusiliers, Three Trees © [email protected]

Soft corals, Three Trees
Soft corals, Three Trees © [email protected]

The chonky barrel sponge, Three Trees
The chonky barrel sponge, Three Trees © [email protected]

Recommended Similan Liveaboards October 2025 to May 2026

Blue Dolphin Liveaboard

Blue Dolphin Liveaboard A mid-range liveaboard with 7 cabins for 16 people. Check availability and pricing

The Phinisi Liveaboard

The Phinisi Liveaboard A Similan mid-range liveaboard with 7 cabins for 18 people.Check availability and pricing

Smiling Seahorse Liveaboard

Smiling Seahorse Liveaboard A mid-range liveaboard with 8 cabins for 16 people. Check availability and pricing

The Junk Liveaboard

The Junk Liveaboard A mid-range liveaboard with 6 cabins for 18 people. Check availability and pricing
 

Christmas Point

Fan and curved rock, Christmas Point
Fan and curved rock, Christmas Point © [email protected]

Barracuda circling, Christmas Point
Barracuda circling, Christmas Point © [email protected]

Koh Tachai

Humpback snapper, Koh Tachai
Humpback snapper, Koh Tachai © [email protected]

Line of batfish, Koh Tachai
Line of batfish, Koh Tachai © [email protected]

School of sturgeonfish, Koh Tachai
School of sturgeonfish, Koh Tachai © [email protected]

Aow Suthep

Staghorn sphere, Aow Suthep, Surin Islands
Staghorn sphere, Aow Suthep, Surin Islands © [email protected]

Staghorn and anthias, Aow Suthep, Surin Islands
Staghorn and anthias, Aow Suthep, Surin Islands © [email protected]

Sunlight over the reef, Aow Suthep, Surin Islands
Sunlight over the reef, Aow Suthep, Surin Islands © [email protected]

If you're interested in doing a Similan liveboard yourself, see Diving The Similan Islands: A Quick Guide for a breakdown of how a liveaboard trip works and why the Similans are so special for diving.

Richelieu Rock

Anenomes and glassfish at the top of Richelieu Rock
Anenomes and glassfish at the top of Richelieu Rock © [email protected]

In the school of jacks and rainbow runners
In the school of jacks and rainbow runners © [email protected]

Emperor Fishbomb
Emperor Fishbomb © [email protected]

Batfish school, Richelieu Rock
Batfish school, Richelieu Rock © [email protected]

Glassfish curve over the soft corals of Richelieu Rock
Glassfish curve over the soft corals of Richelieu Rock © [email protected]

Glassfish around the fan corals
Glassfish around the fan corals © [email protected]

Big school of jacks and rainbow runners running across Richelieu Rock
Big school of jacks and rainbow runners running across Richelieu Rock © [email protected]

Emperorfish running down the side of Richelieu Rock
Emperorfish running down the side of Richelieu Rock © [email protected]

Jacks and travally circling over Richelieu Rock
Jacks and travally circling over Richelieu Rock © [email protected]

Emperorfish and jacks over the glassfish and soft corals, Richelieu Rock
Emperorfish and jacks over the glassfish and soft corals, Richelieu Rock © [email protected]

Glassfish swirling over the anenomes, Richelieu Rock
Glassfish swirling over the anenomes, Richelieu Rock © [email protected]

Rabbitfish at the surface, Richelieu Rock
Rabbitfish at the surface, Richelieu Rock © [email protected]

Another epic trip on the Blue Dolphin liveaboard – thanks to all the crew for making it happen.

Similan Liveaboards Overview

Upcoming Similan Liveaboard Availability and Pricing

Check availability and pricing for all Similan Islands liveaboards departing in

(The Similan National Park is closed from mid May to mid October each year)

Similan Liveaboards Trip Reports

Photos from each of the Similan liveaboard trips I've been on over the years.

Similan Dive Sites

Richelieu Rock

Soft corals at Richelieu Rock, Thailand Thailand’s best dive site, bar none. A stunning array of soft corals and spectacular stampeding marine life. Read More

Koh Bon

Manta Ray at Koh Bon ridge, Thailand Thailand’s manta ray hotspot, with plenty of other things to see if the mantas don’t show up. Read More

Koh Tachai

Barracuda ball at Koh Tachai, Similan Islands Koh Tachai is one of the Similan Islands’ best dive sites but also one of the most volatile. Massive fans, huge schools of fish, maybe manta rays – it’s all to play for. Read More

Boulder City

Diver with boulder and fan corals, Boulder City, Similan Islands A dramatic deep water Similan dive site, Boulder City needs the right conditions to explore as it’s exposed to wind and wave from all sides. Read More

Shark’s Fin Reef

Big boulder split in half, Shark’s Fin Reef, Similan Islands A dramatic block of rock rising out of the sand, Shark’s Fin Reef is one of the Similan Islands’ most exciting sites. Read More

Hideaway Bay

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

North Point

Fan corals on big boulders at North Point North Point is another of the Similans’ signature big boulder sites, with huge great rocks rising out of the white sand. Read More

Koh Bon Pinnacle

Yellow corals at Koh Bon Pinnacle Koh Bon Pinnacle is a deep dive site that feels utterly remote – and where anything could show up out of the blue. Read More

West Of Eden

Giant fan corals, West Of Eden, Similan Islands A big boulder site with spectacular outsize fan corals, beautiful soft corals and the promise of full fish activity, West Of Eden is an archetypal Similan Islands dive site. Read More

Ao Suthep, Surin Islands

Hard coral garden, Ao Suthep, Surin Islands Ao Suthep is beautiful hard coral garden in the Surin Islands, often visited by Similan island diving liveaboards and accessible by snorkellers visiting the Surin Islands too. Read More

Three Trees

Giant barrel sponge, Three Trees Three Trees, named after the three trees directly above the dive site on Similan Island 9, is a big wide white sand channel with some awesome corals and fish encounters. Read More

Christmas Point

Fan corals and curved rocks, Christmas Point One of the signature Similan Islands big boulder dive sites, Christmas Point’s huge rocks have been shaped by the tides over hundreds of years. Read More


Diving And Travel Insurance

Considering travel insurance for your trip? World Nomads offers coverage for more than 150 adventure activities including scuba diving, as well as emergency medical, lost luggage, trip cancellation and more.

Start Planning Your Thailand Dive Trip Now!

:: Check the availability and pricing of liveaboards in Thailand and book online.


:: Find the cheapest flights to Thailand - Phuket (airport code: HKT) is the nearest airport for diving the Similan Islands. You can get direct international flights to Phuket or go via one of Bangkok's two airports - Suvarnabhumi (BKK), the main airport, or Don Mueang (DMK), the low cost carrier terminal.


:: Make sure you don't forget to bring any of the essentials for your scuba diving trip with our comprehensive Liveaboard Packing List


:: World Nomads offers simple and flexible travel insurance. Buy at home or while traveling and claim online from anywhere in the world.


:: Find available places to stay in Phuket for before and after your liveaboard on Booking.com - usually you can reserve a room with no upfront payment. Pay when you check out. Free cancellations too.


:: Need inspiration? See our Best Places To Dive In Thailand for ideas of where to go and what to do.


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