Similan Islands, the area around North Point

Similan Islands · Thailand · Reef · Drift · Channel & pass

North Point

Granite arches and swim-throughs at the top of the chain

Area photo: KOSIN SUKHUM · CC BY-SA 4.0

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

Depth profile of North Point: typical dive 10–25 m (33–82 ft), deepest point 40 m (130 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit10 m25 m40 m maxtypical dive
Depths on a shared scale to 50 m (164 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

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
Month-by-month season rating for North Point
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PrimePrimePrimeGoodOff-seasonOff-seasonOff-seasonOff-seasonOff-seasonOff-seasonGoodPrime

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.

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

  1. North Point — Divezone
  2. North Point — Scubago
  3. Similan Islands — Wikivoyage

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