Not just the great shopping, restaurants, beaches, nightlife, local tours and hundreds of places to explore. But just off the west coats lies the similan island national park.

The similans are one of the best diving and snorkel locations in the world. Rated by national Geographic in the top 10 locations. Plus just to the north of the similan islands lies Richelieu Rock which was in Jaques Cousteau's top ten as well. If anyone should know all the worlds great dive sites then its will be him. Similan Thailand and diving have been linked together for many years now as the quality of scuba diving Thailand is in a class of its own.

The most common way to see these awesome and almost isolated islands is on a similan islands liveaboard. These can be selected from any good phuket diving shop as the boats leave everyday of the season from a short over night trip to a massive eight trip letting you experience the similan islands Thailand, the Surin islands and then right up in to the Burma banks on a truly awesome trip.

You will see many places all offering different trips, prices, experiences and all will tell you different information. So how do you decide? Well the best option is to talk with the dive centre in person either by live chat or popping in. But how can you confirm their information? Easy use a website thats not a dive shop site. A great site for this as it covers diving, snorkel tours and day trips to explore the islands is Similan islands as its basic style makes it it clear and simple and does not try to sell you anything. Then what about all the boats?? Again easy look for someone that is just not selling their boat. I like this one Similan Islands Amazing Liveabaords. It does not have hundreds of trips. It just has a few good ones. These trips are from over night to 8 days which is plenty. They are from several companies and they have trip to suit all dates and price ranges. Again nice and simple without over complication.

All Similan islands trips will pick you up from your Patong Beach hotel or Patong guest house and take you on the trips of your choice and then bring you back to your Patong hotel at the end of the trip too. Nice and simple. Once you have been on a Phuket scuba diving trip to the similans you will find it hard to find anywhere else that can match it. Not certified? No problem. You can even do the PADI open water course similans too. Yes you can really learn to dive in Phuket on a similan islands liveaboard trip. Phuket Thailand really is a place where dreams can come true.