Similan Islands from Khao Lak: tour, price, season and snorkelling
The Similan tour from Khao Lak costs ฿4,100 (children ฿3,100), park fees and lunch included, season 15 October to 15 May. Pickup at 5:00, three snorkelling stops, back at 16:00 — everything to know beforehand.
The Similan Islands lie about 70 kilometres off the coast of Khao Lak, and this is the quickest way to reach them: hotel pickup at 5:00, a light breakfast at the pier in Ban Nam Khem, then a good hour by speedboat. The Similan "Early Bird" tour costs ฿4,100 per adult and ฿3,100 for children aged 4 to 12 — national park fees, snorkelling gear, lunch and insurance included. The park is open from 15 October to 15 May.
At a glance
- ·Price: ฿4,100, children (4–12) ฿3,100 — from Phuket +฿400 transfer
- ·Season: 15 October to 15 May, daily in season
- ·Pickup: Khao Lak 5:00, Phuket 4:00 · back at the pier at 16:00
- ·Included: hotel transfer, breakfast, park fees, guide (English, German, French), snorkelling gear, lunch, water, soft drinks, fruit, insurance
- ·Not included: beach towel, tips
- ·Boat: speedboat with at most 32 guests · minimum age 4 · not for pregnant guests
When are the Similan Islands open?
Mu Ko Similan National Park opens every year on 15 October and closes on 15 May; during the monsoon in between no boat goes out. The best time is November to April: calm sea, underwater visibility often 20 metres and more. In October and May there can still — or already — be swell; the operator then decides in the morning whether the trip runs. Overnight stays on the islands are not allowed; the Similans are a day trip.
How the day goes
At 5:00 the minibus collects you at the hotel. At the pier there is coffee, tea and a light breakfast, then the speedboat heads out. The first stop is Donald Duck Bay on Koh Similan, island no. 8 — beach time before the boats from Phuket arrive, and the short scramble up to the Sail Rock viewpoint, the islands' postcard view. Then the first snorkelling stop, a picnic lunch and beach at Honeymoon Bay on Koh Miang, a nature trail to Princess Bay and two more snorkelling stops. Around 16:00 the boat is back at the pier, then transfer to the hotel.
Snorkelling: what you see
The Similans are granite islands with hard and soft corals on their slopes, schools of fusiliers and butterflyfish, parrotfish, moray eels and — with some luck — a sea turtle. The snorkelling stops are in sheltered bays with little current; weaker swimmers get a life vest and stay near the guide. Mask, snorkel and vest are on board; fins are not on every boat — bring your own if you have them.
Why "Early Bird"?
Because the Similan Islands are crowded in high season. The early pickup gets you to Donald Duck Bay while it is still empty, and to the viewpoint before the queue forms. By midday the beaches are full — and you are already in the next bay. The price of that quiet is the 4:30 alarm.
Who the tour suits — and who it doesn't
The day lasts about nine hours, two and a half of them on the speedboat. In a calm sea that is pleasant; in swell it gets bumpy — anyone prone to seasickness takes a tablet beforehand. Not suitable for pregnant guests, children under 4 or anyone with back problems. If the pickup time or the speedboat puts you off, the Surin Islands offer equally good snorkelling, and Phang Nga Bay a day by longtail and canoe.
What to bring
Swimwear under your clothes, a towel, sunscreen (waterproof, reef-safe if possible), a hat, a light jacket for the morning crossing, a camera in a waterproof pouch, a little cash for tips. Valuables stay in the hotel safe. All tour conditions are in Thailand from A to Z.
Frequently asked questions
How far are the Similan Islands from Khao Lak?
About 70 kilometres offshore. From the hotel it is around 30 minutes to the pier in Ban Nam Khem and from there a good hour by speedboat — Khao Lak is the closest departure point; from Phuket the journey is two hours longer.
Can you stay overnight on the Similan Islands?
No. Overnight stays in the national park have not been allowed since 2018; the islands are visited on day trips only. For several days on the water, book a liveaboard dive trip — we arrange those on request.
Is the Similan tour suitable for children?
From age 4, at the child price of ฿3,100 (ages 4–12). Child-size life vests are on board. The challenge is the 5:00 start and the long crossing — for children under 6 we would rather suggest the Phang Nga Bay canoe trip by big boat.
Similan or Surin — which tour is better?
Similan for the beaches, the Sail Rock viewpoint and the postcard pictures; Surin for the snorkelling (shallower, denser reefs) and the Moken village. Both leave Khao Lak at 5:00, both last nine hours. If you do both, leave a rest day in between.
What happens in bad weather?
The operator decides on the day's weather and safety conditions — route and departure time can be adjusted; on a storm warning the trip is cancelled. We then inform you as early as possible and find a new date with you.
