Ranked one of the world's ten most beautiful-deep-water diving spots, the Similan group.of islands is paradise found for world divers, thanks to its wealth of cdral reefs,_ and a colorful myriad of marine
Phang-Nga, once dubbed 'Phang-Nga Fah Daeng', was a hardship town void of easy road access until it was discovered by Hollywood in 1984 when it was featured in the ninth James Bond movie 'The Man with the Golden Gun'. PhangNga Bay - Set in the Similan Islands, with its pristine forests, and wildlife - has indeed seen many changes. The movie certainly steered this beautiful and peaceful province into the limelight of tourism.Today Phang-Nga Bay, in particular the area around the Similan Islands where the Andaman joins the international waters of the Indian Ocean, is well-known for the beauty not only of its landscape but also-of its underwater world. It has been named by the American Skin-Diving Magazine as one of the world's ten most beautiful islands
Located approximately 60 kilometers from Phang-Nga Bay, the Similan Islands have been spared the dregs that plague the mainland. Hence, the sea water around the islands is so clear that the sun could shine through the water for long stretches along the shorelines. The waters are also blessed with rich coral reefs and marine vegetation and are home to a wide range of big and small marine life.It is not surprising therefore that world divers consider the Similan Islands a must to visit for the dive of a lifetime.
The period between the end of December and the middle of April is the best time for diving although March offers the best monsoon-free weather when the water is at its clearest.