Similan Islands · Thailand · Reef · Drift · Pinnacle
West of Eden
Three huge rocks with coral slopes, quieter than East of Eden
Area photo: Reinhard Link · CC BY-SA 2.0
West of Eden lies just west of the better-known East of Eden and is regarded as the best of the sites on the west side of the Similans, with far fewer boats on it than its neighbour. Boulders and canyons give it its shape, centred on three huge rocks with coral slopes falling away either side. The current can be strong enough to turn the dive into a drift.
Where it is and how deep
8.5943° N, 97.6354° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The three rocks are the highlight and most groups work around them first, with the coral slopes on either side giving the rest of the ground its shape and plenty of boulders and canyons to explore between them. The normal profile is 10 to 25 m, so the level is chosen on entry and held. When the current runs it can run hard, and the dive then becomes a drift along the slopes rather than a circuit of the rocks.
Moray eels are in the boulders, reef sharks of several species pass along the slopes, and turtles are regular. Barracuda, giant trevally and dogtooth tuna come through in the moving water, and the coral holds nudibranchs, pipefish and fire gobies for anyone diving it slowly with a camera.
Marine life and season
- Reef sharks
- Sea turtles
- Barracuda
- Trevally & jacks
- Tuna
- Nudibranchs
- 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.
Sources
- West of Eden — Divezone
- West of Eden — Scubago
More dive sites in Similan Islands
Wreck
Park-scuttled fishing boat ringed by schooling batfish
Staghorn coral and garden eels on a long sandy slope
Reef
Gently sloping bay reef shared by courses and snorkellers
Pinnacle
Boulder field from 24 to 36 m with near-constant current
Drift
Strong-current ridge with soft coral gardens and big boulders
Violet and blue corals on the site's main bommie
Pinnacle
Granite tunnels and arches between islands 6 and 7
Reef
Longest reef in the Similans, over 300 coral species
Similar dives elsewhere
Giant coral pinnacles cut with caves, tunnels and caverns
A 40 m drop-off on the west side, with 20 to 30 m of visibility
Manta cleaning stations on an amphitheatre of rock at 21-26 m
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Stingrays in numbers at Sting Ray Alley, the deepest site here