Should I spend 1, 2, or 3 days in Similan Islands?

Should you spend 1, 2, or 3 days in Similan Islands?

Most people spend at least 4 or as many as 7 days in Similan Islands during their visit. The remote island chain offers amazing highlights such as scuba diving and snorkeling, the beaches, the gorgeous scenery, and the hiking.

The Similan Islands are a spectacular archipelago in the Andaman Sea. The islands are famous for their world renowned scuba diving sights, which attract divers from around the world. The islands are difficult to reach, and many visitors come as part of organized tours or liveaboard dive boats. The islands also close every year between the months of May and October.

Do you have one or two days to visit Similan Islands? Here's our comprehensive breakdown of how much time you might need for your trip along with some suggestions for things to do.

Is one day enough time in Similan Islands?

Similan Islands is a small island chain that is off the beaten path, but still has a handful of activities and attractions. Given only one day, you will likely find yourself rushing through the island's activities such as scuba diving and snorkeling, the beaches, and the gorgeous scenery. To really see what this island chain boasts, you'll more likely need at least 4 or as many as 7 days. However, if your schedule is tight, we have a handful of recommendations for making the most of your visit, including the undersea world.

How to spend a day in Similan Islands

Scuba diving and snorkeling around Similan Islands is world-class, and is one of the main reasons why so many visitors come here. Spend a day exploring the beauty of the surrounding underwater world. These islands offer one of the world's most famous and impressive diving spots. World class divers travel great distances to experience the undersea world here. There are liveaboard boat trips that range in length from 4 to 6 nights and leave from either Khao Lak or Phuket. These trips will take you to the many great dive spots in the area. Do take note that the islands close every year from May until October.

Similan Islands is known to be such a beautiful destination, so just exploring and taking it all in should be one of the top things to do on your list. The remote setting makes this one of the few truly pristine places left to explore. In addition to the white sand and blue water, the undersea world here is spectacular.

Is a weekend (two to three days) enough time in Similan Islands?

With only a weekend, you'll probably feel rushed to explore the island. After all, Similan Islands is a small island chain that is usually skipped over by visitors even though it is an authentic destination with some fun activities. To fully embrace Similan Islands, a longer visit is better. Most travelers tend to schedule about four to seven days to experience scuba diving and snorkeling, the beaches, the gorgeous scenery, and the hiking. Nevertheless, if your schedule is limited, we can provide some suggestions to maximize your visit.

Similan Islands, Thailand

How to spend 2 days in Similan Islands

Having a weekend (two to three days) in Similan Islands will provide you with more time to take in the best activities in the island chain.

The beautiful beaches await you in Similan Islands, so spend the day (or several, if you can) relaxing on the sand or swimming in the water. The world class beaches have white sand and stunningly blue waters. The setting is challenging enough to reach that you'll likely have few people to share the beaches with. The undersea world is also among the best and most vibrant around.

You can't miss out on tasting the fantastic cuisine at one of the best restaurants in town, so make sure you find somewhere special for lunch or dinner. Most people visit the islands as part of an organized tour, which usually provides meals as part of the package.

More Info

If you're looking for more information about Similan Islands, we have even more advice to help you plan your journey.