Similan Islands · Thailand · Reef
Princess Bay
Gently sloping bay reef shared by courses and snorkellers
Area photo: Reinhard Link · CC BY-SA 2.0
Princess Bay is an easy bay dive in the Similan Islands over a slightly sloping reef that goes no deeper than about 20 m. The site is good for beginners and for training courses, and snorkellers use it as well, which makes it one of the gentler stops in the chain.
Where it is and how deep
8.5722° N, 97.6368° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The reef slopes only slightly away from the bay, so the whole dive stays over the reef rather than dropping into open water, with the deepest point at about 20 m. Its easy profile is why courses train here and why snorkellers can use the same site.
Marine life and season
The sources we used don't single out particular species here.
| 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.
Sources
- Princess Bay — ScubaGo
- Khao Lak day trips — Sea-Bees Diving
More dive sites in Similan Islands
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Wreck
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Coral garden
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Granite arches at the exposed north end of the chain
Drift
Strong-current ridge with soft coral gardens and big boulders
Similar dives elsewhere
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Brain, maze and table coral from 3 m, easy enough to snorkel
Scattered boulders on sand, with overhangs holding the fish life
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Sloping reef and island-side pinnacles, dived off a mooring