Exotic Scuba Diving Site: East of Eden, Similan Islands, Thailand
The Similan Islands were designated a protected national park in 1982. In 2014, the park was expanded to include the islands Koh Bon and Koh Tachai. To protect these reefs and marine life, the Thailand government closes the islands to divers and other tourists during the monsoon season, which runs roughly from May to October.
Wayne Hasson | Aggressor Fleet
Paradise is a word that’s overused in articles on scuba diving sites, but in the case of Thailand’s Similan Islands, the description is apt. The Similan archipelago — Mu Ko Similan National Park of Thailand — is famous for its dive sites and marine life, and one of its best known and loved dive site is East of Eden, off Koh Payu, or island number 7 (there are 11 islands in the group). The islands are located off the west coast of southern Thailand.
Thailand is known as "The Land of Smiles" for its warm and friendly people. The dive sites in the Andaman Sea lie only 8 degrees north of the equator and boast a tropical climate year-round. The sea has rich biodiversity, with everything from whale sharks, manta rays and silvertip reef sharks to more than 500 species of hard and soft corals thriving here.
A lemon damselfish and schooling glassfish. Glassfish — known for their transparent bodies — cover many of the fans and coral formations at East of Eden.
Wayne Hasson | Aggressor Fleet
You can stay shallow or deep on the bommie and coral formations here. You’ll find all the species of reef fish the Andaman Sea is so renowned for, including sweetlips, anemonefish and angelfish. The north side of the site is home to a cluster of spectacular staghorn coral, and if you look closely, you may find frogfish sheltering inside sponges. Drop deeper down on the slope to find some of the largest fan corals in the Similans. On the sand bottom, look for hunting rays and garden eels in the flats. And of course, you never know when something big will grace you with its presence. The Andaman Sea is known for its whale shark and manta sightings.
Current can be strong so make sure you’re comfortable to make this as a drift dive.
The 115-foot Thailand Aggressor offers an Andaman Sea itinerary.
Courtesy Aggressor Fleet
Need to Know
Type of Dive: Reef/Drift Depth: 16 to 130 feet Visibility: Between 65 and 100-plus feet Water Temperature: 80 to 84˚ F Skill Level: Beginner to Intermediate When to Go: October to April Contact: Aggressor Fleet