March 4-6, 2014 --- If you plan to visit a beach in Thailand, but you don't want to be trapped in or want to get away from a touristy resort area like Koh Samui and Phuket or you are tired of the crazy full-moon party on Koh Pangan, Mookoh Similan National Park is perfect for you.
Mookoh Similan is a scatter of 9 islands in the Andaman Sea of Thailand. It has become a national park since 1982 and some parts have been preserved for sea turtles to lay eggs. The islands are opened to public visitors from mid October or early November to mid April and they are closed for natural regeneration from May to September. The only way to get to the islands is by joining a tour group. There are many tour companies leaving from Khao Lak and Phuket daily during the season. Prices vary based on how many days you want to stay on the islands and what type of the National Park's accommodations you want to sleep in.
I booked a 3D2N trip to Similan Islands with SeaStar. It seemed like the best company, with great boats and attentive tour guides. The package included all transportation from Khao Lak to/from the islands, tour guides, all meals/drinks/snacks, a snorkel mask and life jacket, and a tent with sleeping bag provided by the National Park. I didn't want to sleep in a tent because I brought my mom with me and it might have had a lot of mosquitoes, so I paid extra for a fan-room in the park.
My mom and I took an overnight bus from Bangkok to Khao Lak and we were picked up by SeaStar as soon as we got there. The van took us to the company's headquarter located right at the pier where we boarded a speed boat to the islands. There were so many tourists, and we each got a wrist band telling us to which tour group we were assigned and a snorkel mask to use for the entire three days of the trip. Then we headed to the boat and off we went! Three days of fun awaiting for us!
I won't describe how beautiful the islands and beaches were because pictures can do the work here, but I want to tell you how we had a fabulous time on those islands. We jumped into the clear water every time we had a chance and swam around to see coral leaves and colorful fish. We ate all the delicious, freshly-made food, fruit, and snacks they served on the big boat (Koon Boat). We enjoyed the sunset from the boat's upper deck. We hiked up to the view point on Koh Miang (#4) and saw some local crabs and bats. We walked on the soft pearly white sand beach. We sat on a swing and overlooked the crystal clear water. We had coconut ice cream.... :-)
