Similan Islands · Thailand · Reef · Drift · Pinnacle
West of Eden
Three huge rocks with coral slopes, quieter than East of Eden
Area photo: KOSIN SUKHUM · CC BY-SA 4.0
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 | 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
- West of Eden — Divezone
- West of Eden — Scubago
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
Longest reef in the Similans, over 300 coral species
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
Similar dives elsewhere
Giant coral pinnacles cut with caves, tunnels and caverns
Stingrays in numbers at Sting Ray Alley, the deepest site here
Manta cleaning stations on an amphitheatre of rock at 21-26 m
A 40 m drop-off on the west side, with 20 to 30 m of visibility