Similan Islands · Thailand · Reef · Coral garden
Beacon Point
Longest reef in the Similans, over 300 coral species
Area photo: KOSIN SUKHUM · CC BY-SA 4.0
Beacon Point runs along the south of Island 8 and is described as the longest reef in the Similans, with over 300 species of coral recorded on it, the widest range in the park. There is usually no current, which makes it one of the more relaxed dives in the island chain, and the coral holds enough small life to fill a dive without covering much ground.
Where it is and how deep
8.6432° N, 97.6532° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
Massive granite boulders stand along the reef and form swim-throughs and canyons, so the dive alternates between open coral ground and passages between blocks. The normal depth band is 10 to 25 m, and the coral runs from shallow water down to about 30 m, which leaves the working level to the group rather than to the site. With no current to fight, the route is yours to pick and the pace is unhurried.
Reef sharks, leopard sharks and stingrays are the larger animals seen along the reef, with barracuda, fusiliers and snappers over it. The small life is the other reason to dive here: nudibranchs, scorpionfish and other critters are numerous across the coral, and a slow pass over one stretch of it returns more than a long swim along the whole reef.
Marine life and season
- Reef sharks
- Stingrays
- Barracuda
- Nudibranchs
- Macro critters
- Pristine corals
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Good | Prime |
Season follows Similan Islands: Similan National Park closes mid-May to mid-October for monsoon recovery; calm seas and peak manta/whale shark sightings run December-March.
Sources
- Beacon Point — Divezone
- Beacon Point — Scubago
- Similan Islands dive sites — Dive The World
More dive sites in Similan Islands
Reef
A coral-covered rock standing alone on the sand
Wreck
The 27 m liveaboard Atlantis X, bow at 16 m
Reef
Big granite blocks with reef sharks and Napoleon wrasse
Coral garden
Morning light on a shallow coral garden off Ko Bangu
Granite arches at the exposed north end of the chain
Drift
Strong-current ridge with soft coral gardens and big boulders
Reef
Shallow bay under the duck-shaped rock, with no current
Violet and blue corals on the site's main bommie
Similar dives elsewhere
A 40 m drop-off on the west side, with 20 to 30 m of visibility
Swim-throughs behind walls of glassfish, and no current
Soft-coral outcrops and boulders, mantas in the current
Stingrays in numbers at Sting Ray Alley, the deepest site here