Arriving at Khao Lak, I quite spontaneously decided to go on Similan Islands, because it is from Khao Laka that they usually go. the boats go there. It would be foolish to be near the pier and not float on Similan. If not now, when, right? So many times already advised other travelers sea excursions on islands, including Similan, and he has never traveled. Therefore, it was urgently necessary to correct this omission.
The content of the article
- 1 Excursion to the Similan Islands
- 1.1 The road there
- 1.2 Island 4
- 1.3 Snorkeling
- 1.4 Snorkeling second
- 1.5 Island 8
- 2 Information to visit
- 3 On the map
Contents
Excursion to the Similan Islands
I do not know what I expected from the tour, but now, sitting in cool and gray Moscow, I remember those places like a piece of paradise as a place with an indescribable riot of colors. Yes, I did not like crowds of people who “spoil” all kinds (and I, as part of this crowd, Of course), but in reality the beauty has not gone away. The National Park of the islands looks just as beautiful as 100,500 years ago: azure water, white sand, huge smooth stones
So those who are not bothered by a large number of people are very I recommend a trip to Similan. If you, like me, love enjoy nature alone, you will need to go overnight. Everything excursion groups sail around 9-10 am and float back to 3-4 hours of the day. So you get the opportunity early in the morning and be at sunset even if not alone (with an overnight stay usually 20-30 people come), but in a very small company.
Road there
I wrote all the informational details below, and now I’ll tell you how the tour itself took place. At first all minibuses bring tourists from hotels to the pier. We sat there for about an hour, for which they managed to have breakfast and receive instruction. During breakfast guide went and handed out pills for motion sickness, I later realized what for. Speedbot bounces on the waves so that it sometimes seems that spine in the pants sprinkled. On the nose to sit, of course, more interesting, but it shakes pretty hard, so to minimize shaking it’s better to sit near the end of the boat, this is how I rode back. And shake I did not want to, and burned badly, because I forgot the sun cream.
Breakfast on the pier
The beginning of the excursion to the Similan Islands
Island 4
We first sailed to the island 4. It is amazingly beautiful! And the color water – He must see. I can not believe that it happens. But people It turned out as much as I admire the species. It is assumed that on this island will want to swim, but time is given a little. Since it was more interesting for me to walk, I walked through the forest first, where there are tents, bungalows and others buildings nat park, and then climbed to the stone mound from the edge of the beach. By the way, it is on this island that most often stay with overnight, as it is more adapted for this, more space. There is a walking trail to another beach, where they also sometimes sail. excursions, but I did not have time to go.
Swim up to the island 4, pay attention to the color of the water!
There are a lot of people on the beach
Part is photographed, part is bathed
Actually, all the attractions of the island
Island Map 4
In addition to the bungalow, you can live in such here tents
Very beautiful Similan beach
Here you can sit and watch, watch—
Snorkeling
After was the first snorkeling. Usually sail somewhere in a particular place near one of the islands off the coast, such as this is where a suitable place for snorkeling is. Since i have there is no water permeable cover for the camera or phone, then under water I did not take off. Not to say that there is a lot to look at. After the Red Sea in Egypt is somehow a little bit poor. But fish, every various sea cucumbers, corals, tridacnas, stone crevices are present.
Snorkel on Similans looks like this
The whole group snorkel, and the team at this time resting
Around lush tropical nature
Plot of desert paradise beach
Once again pay attention to the color of water
Snorkeling second
Then we sailed to island 8, the most famous of the whole group. Similan Islands to throw food and leave a few man from the cooking team. Then we floated to another snorkeling and returned to dinner on the island. The second snorkel was such same as previous. Another bottom, more interesting in terms of topography, but the same for the richness of the fauna.
Island 8
Photos from this island, many have seen on the net: a huge a boulder fallen from the sky to a viewing platform, which opens view of the beach. When visiting the island’s viewpoint, you feel all the charms tourism industry – turn! The fact is that the road to the stone in some places it is passable only for one stream, therefore the opposite the stream has to wait. Because of this, along the path by which to go 5 minutes, you go all 15-20. And frankly, the stone itself is not impressed. Sitting beside him in proud solitude at sunset was would be cool and so just a landmark in fact sucked out a finger about which not to push over. On a small platform too many people that you look will push somebody inadvertently and will fly down. By the way, the shoes remain on the pier on the mainland, therefore, throughout the tour only barefoot. So, stone the observation deck is so hot that it seems to me you can burn receive.
Approaching the coast of the island 8
A lot of people, but how beautiful on Similans
The very famous boulder
Donald Duck’s Less Famous Stone
The path upward is interesting, but—
But the island is just full of tourist groups, because of this queues
View from above is a beautiful view of the beach.
The observation deck is small and without fencing
You can make beautiful photos on the background of tropical beauty
Traditionally, you need to put a backup stick
I touched the moment when almost no one
Lunch was surprisingly varied and quite tasty. AND in general, it seemed to me that food on this excursion was not paid Last note, fed as much as 3 times. This is not bad, I do not argue, but I It would be better to have something else looked, because you can eat later.
Almost buffet
Quite good lunch
Similan Islands
Local staff live in simple houses.
Electricity is extracted from solar panels.
After all the groups are mountains of garbage, but the garbage is even sorted.
The toilet is not for squeamish, can you imagine how many legs are there rinsed was
This mass flowed out of the tree.
Small, but very popular crab, almost a star
White fine sand, similar to flour. The dream of many?
On the way back, most of the crew slept in the hallway.
Information to visit
First of all, you need to know that to go to Khao Lak just for the sake of Similan is not necessary! Easier and cheaper to buy a tour directly in Phuket. Perhaps it is strange, but excursions in Khao Lake itself costs as much as Phuket. Here is such here is the logistics. From Phuket you will be brought in a minibus, on the road somewhere 2 hours.
Constantly asked to advise a proven local agency, which I used myself. I advise: Alpha Travel. Convenient that you can write to them via instant messenger, and make an order directly on the site.
+66622100091 (Whatsapp, Viber, Line, Telegram)
See prices for excursion →
A snorkeling mask and flippers are given free of charge (for professional snorkeling mask would be better if your own). You can also rent waterproof soap box (1200 baht), swimming goggles (280 baht), individual nozzle in the mouth for the tube (100 baht). Price-list will depend on the firm through whom you will go.
From the hotel took at 7:30. Sailed from the pier at 9:30. At 15 o’clock backwards On the first beach they gave 45 minutes to swim, for each of the two snorkeling for 30 minutes, for lunch on the last island 1 hour 40 minutes That is pretty pretty fast and galloping, but most People like this program.
It’s better not to sit on the speedboat’s nose, it jumps very hard, even if the waves are small. The speed is big, it sails 65 km in 1 hour 10 minutes. It makes sense to sit in the middle and end of the speed bot and drink pills for motion sickness, even if you do not usually swayed.
Islands 9 pieces, but only show 4 pieces, since 1-2-3 for turtles only, 5-6 island either under water, or something else wrong with them. Show: the beach on the island 4, snorkeling near the island 7, the beach on island 8 and snorkel again on the island 9. Because of the weather conditions may change place snorkeling.
Just fed 3 times. First breakfast on the pier on land before sailing: coffee, tea, cereal, sweet rice, toast. Lunch on the island almost buffet: tom yam, rice, pasta, fried chicken and fish, spicy tomato sauce, pineapple and watermelon. Snack on the pier after tour: coffee, tea, water, papaya salad, mango rice, ice cream and so on While boating, water was constantly distributed and soda.
The national park is only open for six months from October 15 to 15 April, but some say that they carry until May 15.
On the map
Below you can figure out where the Similan Islands are located on map. Distance approximately 65 km from the mainland, opposite the resort of Khao Varnish Here are the coordinates of one of the most popular piers: 8.568336, 98.224186. Usually from Phuket take tourists to Khao Lak on Minibas and already there are transplanted to the boat, but I read that there are boat excursions directly from Phuket (sail 3 hours).
Similan Islands on the map
P.S. It may seem that I did not really like the trip, but it’s not true, I regret nothing. What to do if there are so many see a piece of paradise Only to visit less known Islands, such as Tachai Island. Although, I think, he is already known to many also.
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