Similan Islands — Attraction in Ko Similan (No. 8)

AVOID this Island trip, not worth it!

If you happened to read my review, here I am sharing my experience for the tour to Similan Island. Please do not hesitate to do more research before you buy any Similan tour. But personally I am strongly suggest not to take any tour to Similan and is not worth any money and extremely dangerous and not safe:

Different Tour Package with different pricing but end up all the same There is so many tour package at tour centre, tour kiosk, hotel, road side and many places you can obtain the leaflet for Similan Island tour. Many different leaflet and many different package indicated economic package, luxury package and super luxury package with cost from as low as B2000 to B7000 per person. Me and my partner decided to get get a luxury tour indicate at the leaflet and we bought the tour from one of the tour counter at Phuket town. The price indicate B4500 but as usual all the counter will offer discount as part of their business tactic. We end up paying B2600 per person and thought it is good price but, until the day of travelling all nightmare happened. On the day of the travel I just realised that no matter which package you purchased, everyone end up to the same pier of departure. The package indicate you can have your own private pier and have a nice breakfast, lunch and dinner all end up at the same pier with everybody else no matter which package you bought. I knowing this by talking to other tourists and we all paying different price with different company but end up with sat at the same pier, same tour, same food and same speed boat. I spoke to another couple and they just paying B2400 but another family paying B3800 per person in our tour. Everybody just feel being cheated and corned.

Food All package indicated that you will be serving a nice Thai food but the breakfast if a self service very basic ready cook breakfast and toast and not to mentioned about the flies all over the food counter. The lunch at one of the beach full of tourist where everybody queuing the get the lunch box and to me it feels like you are the prisoner and being feed the food from the local people. Everybody just eat their lunch box by sitting on the bench table and sharing with everybody else. And the dinner serve at the pier also a ready cooked meal and everybody queuing like prisoner again with taking your own plate go round the food counter and the staff dish out the food for you.

Safety They have a quick briefing before depart and just let you know basic safety information on the speed boat but never mentioned about how dangerous in one of the beach. Before board to the speed boat everybody need to take off their shoes at the pier (this never been told when they do briefing). So basically you are in the bare foot all the time at the boat and at the beach. One of the beach (Ko Similan) and this is so called the most beautiful beach amongst Similan island are extremely dangerous and rocky conditions. Because of the rocky condition and the beach, all the speed boat have to park further away from the shore and when you getting off the boat the water literally above your waistline. Non of the staff have warned you that there is very rocky conditions which nearly impossible to walk with your bare foot and once you off the boat and that it, you have to find your own way slowly walk to the beach. And on the way back to the boat and due to the heavily wave, so many of us just fall and impossible to walk back to the speed boat and my partner just fall into the water and all our camera and phone soak into sea water. The staff didn’t warned any of us before you get off the boat and many tourist has cut their feet by the sharp rock under the water.

This is the long comment I have wrote and there is more thing i like to share but I think here is enough to warned anyone if you plan to visit Similan island. All the different leaflet from different company are actually run by same operator…..especially SEA MASTER TOUR, AVOID!

Due to the limitation review characters, I have to remove my...

Visiting the Similan Islands was one of the most breathtaking experiences of my time in Thailand. Located about 70 km off the coast of Phang Nga, this group of islands is truly a paradise for nature lovers, divers, and anyone looking to experience untouched tropical beauty.

The boat ride out was an adventure in itself, but once we arrived, the view was absolutely stunning—crystal-clear turquoise waters, powdery white sand, and dramatic granite boulders that make the scenery unique. The beaches are postcard-perfect, and the water is so clear that you can see the fish swimming around even before diving in.

Snorkeling was unforgettable. The coral reefs are vibrant and full of life, with colorful fish, sea turtles, and other marine creatures. Even if you’re not a diver, the snorkeling alone is worth the trip. For those who enjoy hiking, some of the islands also have short trails leading to viewpoints where you can admire panoramic views of the sea and the surrounding islands.

What impressed me most was the balance between tourism and conservation. The number of visitors is controlled, and the islands are closed during certain months to allow nature to recover. This shows the importance of protecting this fragile ecosystem.

Overall, the Similan Islands are a must-visit for anyone staying in Phuket, Khao Lak, or Phang Nga. It’s a day trip that feels like stepping into another world—peaceful, pristine, and absolutely...

The long boat ride and the crowds, combined with the dead corals, don't make this a place I would go back to. In fact, if I had read a similar review as mine, I would've saved my money and time by visiting the beaches on the main islands instead. The island is full of Tourists to a point where it's impossible to get a spot on the sand. I'm not exaggerating. See my pics. Overcrowded with hoardes people and boats. If for some reason you are like me, where you believe it's better to go see and judge for yourself, then to appreciate the beauty of this island, stay overnight in the tents. You will have the beach to yourself, after all the day visitors and the boats the came in, leave. For an amazing sunset, climb upto Sail Rock, but take a good flashlight for the descent down in the dark. There are tons of hermit crabs that venture out when the crowds die at night. The tents were hot when I stayed, with little to no air flow, in spite of all the flaps being opened. I didn't sleep very well at all. I enjoyed the snorkeling, but you have to be a strong swimmer to get past the first 15m past the beach, to truly enjoy what's left of this beautiful island. There is a distinct line between some live corals/fish and dead corals and no fish. The sheer number of boats and tourists have all but obliterated the life underwater. Sadly, I also contributed to their demise by just visiting...