Similan Archipelago National Park In Thailand
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Similan Archipelago National Park in Thailand offers underwater views that are worth seeing. You can go sightseeing at depths ranging from 2 meters to 30 meters, and the archipelago also has beautiful and exotic sandy beaches along with granite rock formations which plunge into the sea to form reefs and diving troughs. |
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Similan Archipelago National Park is made up of 9 small islands. It covers an area of 130 square kilometers. It is situated 50 kilometers off the west coast of Phangnga in the Andaman Sea. The archipelago was named a national park in 1982.
Similan is a corruption of the Malay word “Sembilan”, which means nine. All the nine islands are uninhabited. However, one does find the park officials and tourists groups who know about these islands. From north to south, the archipelago is made up of Ko Bon, Ko Ba Ngu, Ko Similan, Ko Payu, Ko Miang, Ko Payan, Ko Payang and Ko Ku Yong. Ko Miang is actually two islands together.
The Similan Archipelago is quite popular for deep sea diving and it has been adjudged among the top ten most beautiful diving places in the world by Skin Diving Magazine of the United States.
The archipelago is completely unspoiled by development and one can only marvel at the beautiful and colorful coral gardens and abundant marine life. A wide variety of fish, crustaceans and other marine life flourish in the waters of the archipelago.
The Similan Archipelago National Park is also home to thirty two species of birds. Many birds are migratory but you will also find the resident Brahminy Kite and White-breasted Waterhen. Among the migratory birds that come to the archipelago to nest are Pintail Snipe, Gray Wagtail, Cattle Egret, Watercock and Roseate Tern.
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