News

Parts of Similans closed due to Royal Visit between 23rd and 30th December 2015

royal thai navy at similans

Every year around end of December / beginning of January members of the Thai Royal Family pay a visit to the Similan Islands. During the royal visit parts of the islands are closed for the public for security reasons. The Royal Thai Navy is already present with one warship and ...

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New Rules & Regulations for 2015/16 Travel Season

Similan rules Oct 2015

On 6th of October the Similan National Park Head Office in Thap Lamu has announced the new rules & operating regulations for the upcoming 2015/17 season. Also new strict operating and monitoring regulations for Similan tour operators have been introduced by the Park Authorities. The main beaches are beeing divided ...

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DNP To Tackle Park Fee Payment Situation

Visitor Center on Koh Miang

In the past the tour operators were responsible for the park fee payment of their guests. Up to now it is the responsibilty of the tour operator to collect the park fees from the tourists and pay them to the rangers on the islands once the boat arrives. This arrangement ...

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Park Authorities and Royal Thai Navy to Strictly Enforce Rules & Regulations

royal thai navy at similans

In 2014/15 the Similans were visited by an average of 1,000 guests per day. In order to control the safety of the ever increasing numbers of visitors, the Royal Thai Navy is looking into strictly controlling daytrip and overnight boats heading towards the Similans from October on. Also a new ...

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Similan National Park Entrance Fee Increases to 500,- THB on February 1st 2015

500 thb

From Febraury the 1st, 2015 the Similan Entry Fee will increase from now 400,- Thai Baht to then 500,- Thai Baht. This park fee rise was planned long ago and in November 2014 already installed for a very short period of time. At that point many Similan tour companies complained ...

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Amount of Scuba Diving Liveaboards on the Decline

A rare sight: budget liveaboards in the Similan Islands

For the first season since the Tsunami 2004, the numbers of scuba diving liveaboard trips and the overall total number of divers visiting the Similan Marine Park are on the decline. Daily observations of scuba diving vessels have indicated a total decline of about 30% compared to January 2014 in ...

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Many early-season Manta Ray & Whale Shark sightings

Manta Ray at Koh Bon

Since middle of october manta rays and whale sharks are romping in the waters around the Similan Islands. Marine megafauna sightings in october aren’t unusual, but in the past years the big fish left the similans for November and returned back in the middle of January. This November although has ...

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Reports of dying Parrotfish and Redtooth Triggerfish

parrotfish abundance similan islands

In the last couple of weeks, several reports of dead triggerfish species as well as parrotfish occured. Dive masters and snorkel guides reported several individuals dead on the beaches as well as on most of the snorkel- and dive sites. Only a few species, and all of them very abundant, ...

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Similan National Park is closed for Speedboat Traffic between 5th and 8th November

Speedboats have to stay in Thap Lamu

In the evening of the 3rd November a heavy storm hit the Similan Islands and again many Speedboat Captains ignored the weather warnings. This resulted in one speedboat beeing lost at sea for several hours in the night from the 3rd to the 4th November. The speedboat in question found ...

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Similan Opening Update – The State of the Islands October 2014

Sail Rock

The Mu Koh Similan Islands National Park has opened its gate for visitors on 15th October 2014. Every year a couple of tourguides come to inspect the islands and the reefs for a full assessment of underwater life and coral health. This year the inspectors found the reefs in better ...

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