Ko
Similan
 Ko
Similan
Ko Similan or
Similan
Island
is the most beautiful
beaches of Thailand and best top ten dive site
for scuba diving in the world.
Ko Similan is situated
in the Andaman sea approximately 60 km from the
Coast of Phang-Nga Province in the southern
peninsula region,
835 kilometres from Bangkok to the south, and
60 kilometres from Kura Buri Pier
.
The location
is 8º39'27"
N - 97º38'45" E
Ko Similan is the National
Park is called Similan National Park comprises
11 main islands , Ko Bangu, Ko Similan, Hin
Huwagralok, Ko Payu, Ko Ha, Ko Hok, Ko Miang, Ko
Payan, Ko Payang, Ko Huyong , ko bon, ko
tachai , the park area becomes 140 square
kilometers.
Ko Similan is consists of
numerous islands with high and steep granite
mountain, beaches and rocks formation of many
shapes. The shoreline of each islands are of
inconsistent curves since they are situated in
the outer part of the sea and are worn away
directly by waves. Part of the water lies in the
Andaman Sea and eastern side of the Indian Ocean
while the shoulder of the continent borders the
western shoreline of Phang Nga province and
Union of Myanmar, paralleling the Nikobar
Islands of India. There is no mud at all along
the beaches, so the sands are very clean, white
and very fine. Some islands do have hills in the
area, which are usually quite tall with the
highest top of 244 meters above mean sea level,
while some islands are of flat area surrounded
by sand dunes and coral reefs.
Ko Similan lies a complex
ecosystem commonly called the rainforest of the
sea, the coral reef. The major residents of the
reef are coral and the closely related sea
anemones of the Phylum Cnidaria, Class Anthozoa,
which contains all radially symmetrical
invertebrate animals. Corals and sea anemones
exist as individual polyps living in either
solitary or mostly colonial forms.
The polyps of hard corals
construct communal limestone homes which are
built up into a multitude of shapes and sizes
eventually giving rise to a coral reef. Soft
corals have soft bodies made of large numbers of
identical polyps connected by fleshy tissue
(Zooxanthallae). These soft corals contain small
algae within their tissues which are able to
convert the sun's energy into food.
This cooperative relationship
is known as symbiosis and also exists in hard
corals, clams and other marine organisms. There
are several factors that support good
environment for the reef i.e. temperature,
salinity, light, wave and tide, sedimentation
and nutrient. Therefore, healthy coral reef can
be found easily in the Andaman Sea comparing to
the Gulf of Thailand. In Andaman Sea, coral
reefs are able to classified as deep water and
medium water. For the deep water coral reef grow
down to 30 m. Of course, in this case water
allows enough light for the algae. This reef
type is mostly found in Similan and Surin
islands. For the rest area, medium water coral
reef grow between 8-15 m beneath the surface.
Coral can also be classified to fall into these
structural categories: massive, columnar,
encrusting, branching, foliceaous, laminar and
free-living coral. The hard corals found in Mu
Ko Similian National Park are deep water species
of mostly staghorn coral types (Acropora
echinata) and the smaller cauliflower shaped
types (Seriatopora histrix). Many other
species of marine life co-exist within the coral
reef: Gorgonian sea fans, flower-like soft
coral, several species of crabs, spiny painted
lobsters, squid, sponges, sea cucumbers and
giant clams.
Highlight
of Ko Similan
The
best beautiful
sandy beaches of Thailand , Beautiful coral reefs , Best
dive site for Scuba
Diving.
How
to Get To Ko Ra Wi
By
Car
10
hours by bus from Bangkok
's Southern Bus Terminal to Ampher ThabLaMu, (
Thap-la-mu Pier
)
From Thap
Lamu Port to Ko Similan, you can take a private
tour boat which controlled by the national park
and serves tourists everyday. This tour boat
departs from Thap Lamu Port at 08.30 am. in
everyday. From the port to this islands is about
70 kilometers which takes about 3.5 - 4 hours of
journey. The return boat from Ko Similan
to Thap Lamu Port departs at 13.00 pm. and 15.00
pm. in everyday. However, this service would be
closed at May 16 every year because entering of
raining season. Once reached Ko Similan,
motorboats are available for tourist to get to
different islands per the following fare
By
Airplane
Flights
from Bangkok-Phuket operate daily. From Phuket,
take a bus to Thap Lamu Pier, Phang Nga province
then take a ferry to Ko Similan.
Accommodation in Tarutao National Park
Accommodations
are available on Ko Similan and Ko Miang, they have
bang-galow for tourist,
.
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