December 5: Similan Islands

We got picked up at the hotel at 6:30 am for our Similan Islands tour adventure.  The van was super cool with neon interior lights and reclining chairs.  It made the 1.5 hour trip to the pier more tolerable.

When we arrived at the port, we were treated with breakfast, which consisted of fried rice and cookies -- a surprisingly tasty combination.  Our speed boat left at 9:00 am and arrived at our first and only snorkeling spot of the day by 10:30 am.  We saw several colorful fish but no sea turtles -- not to sound like a snob but it definitely didn't compare to snorkeling trips at Pigeon Island in Sri Lanka; The Blue Hole in Dahab; and Coral Gardens in the Philippines.

Next, we made it to Koh Similan (#8 island), the most famous of the islands, that comprise the Similan Islands.  According to Google, the Similan Islands were “established  as a national park in 1982, Similan Islands are an archipelago of 11 islands in the Andaman Sea, 70 km off the coast in Phang Nga Province.” After a quick lunch, we headed up to the viewpoint where we took many pictures and videos.  

We made another stop at island #4 for some beach time.  We visited two beaches — the first one had rough surf, which was perfect for body surfing.

The boat ride back to the pier was a memorable and for all the wrong reasons.  The seas were rough and many people became seasick — one guy, in particular, was really out of it.  Kimchi and I avoided the seasickness but the ride was still extremely uncomfortable as "the tiny ship was tossed. If not for the courage of the fearless crew, the Minnow would be lost."