Similan Islands · Thailand · Reef · Drift · Channel & pass
North Point
Granite arches and swim-throughs at the top of the chain
Area photo: Reinhard Link · CC BY-SA 2.0
North Point is the northernmost site in the Similans, not far from Christmas Point, and it is dived for its terrain rather than its reef: large granite blocks overlapping into walls, channels, swim-throughs and rock arches. The current is usually light but can turn strong, and that variability, more than the depth, is what makes it a site for experienced divers.
Where it is and how deep
8.6830° N, 97.6470° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The normal working depth is 10 to 25 m, with the bottom falling to about 40 m below the route, so depth is set by which level of the boulder field you follow rather than by the site itself. The blocks lean on one another to form arches and channels you can swim through, and the dive is a series of those gaps rather than a line along a reef. Check the current from the boat first, because the channels concentrate whatever is running.
Blacktip and whitetip reef sharks and leopard sharks work the boulder field, blue-spotted stingrays sit on the sand patches between the blocks, and ribbon eels and mantis shrimp are the macro finds for anyone stopping to look. Manta rays are possible here, though nothing about the site guarantees them, and the terrain is the reason most groups ask for it.
Marine life and season
- Reef sharks
- Stingrays
- Manta rays
- Macro critters
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Fair | Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Fair | Good | Prime |
Season follows Similan Islands: The park is closed by law from mid-May to mid-October; December to April is the calm high season.
Know before you go
- Current can turn strong through the channels between the boulders even when the surface looks calm; check conditions before entry and keep to the sheltered side of the blocks.
Sources
- North Point — Divezone
- North Point — Scubago
- Similan Islands — Wikivoyage
More dive sites in Similan Islands
Reef
Shallow bay under the duck-shaped rock, with no current
Reef
Huge schools of snapper over large hard-coral tables
Coral garden
Morning light on a shallow coral garden off Ko Bangu
Reef
Morning light on the reef and leopard sharks resting on the sand
Granite arches at the exposed north end of the chain
Reef
Granite boulder maze of swim-throughs, caverns and morays
Reef
Boulder run with gorgonians and a large swim-through
Reef
Big granite blocks with reef sharks and Napoleon wrasse
Similar dives elsewhere
An open-water-friendly pass with turtles and eagle rays
Lighthouse drop-off to 25 m, sand running on to 40
A channel drift at 1 to 3 knots between two wrecks
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Stingrays in numbers at Sting Ray Alley, the deepest site here