Adventure Wedding Locations: Similan Islands

 

The Similan Islands are a remote set of 11 islands in Southeast Asia, specifically off the southwest coast of Thailand.  Each island holds holds a lot of mystery, beauty, and are an incredible snorkeling and scuba diving wedding locations!  After all, had you even heard of them before this adventure wedding blog post?  If you love watching marine life by snorkeling or scuba diving, beautiful beaches, and visiting a place not many have been then the Similan Islands may be the ideal adventurous wedding location for you!  So come along with us today as we feature some fantastic adventure wedding locations within the Similan Islands!

Thailand Wedding Planner Tip:  You can only reach these islands by boat and as of October 2018 they are now limiting the amount of visitors to ensure sustainability, so plan early!  The trip to get to the closest island, takes about three hours one way around 70 minutes via speedboat.  Best time to visit the Similan Islands, is between the middle of October and the middle of May.  Our favorite time to visit is from mid February to mid March as that is when we found to be the best time for scuba diving conditions in the Similan Islands.

So you’re likely wondering more about the islands themselves, eh?  As we mentioned there are 11 to see.  But unfortunately, you are physically only allowed to go on land (step foot on) on only two of them being: Koh Similan -Island #8 and Ko Miang -Island#4.

The Similan Islands Wedding Locations:

Island 1: Ko Huyong, also known as Ko Hu Yong
Island 2: Ko Payang, also known as Ko Pa Yang
Island 3: Ko Payan, also known as Ko Pa Yan
Island 4: Ko Miang, also known as Ko Meang (The Park HQ is here)
Island 5: Ko Ha
Island 6: Ko Payu, also known as Ko Pa Yu
Island 7: Ko Hin Pousar
Island 8: Ko Similan
Island 9: Ko Ba-ngu, also known as Ko Bayu
Island 10: Ko Bon, also known as Ko Talu
Island 11: Ko Tachai

So how do you get to the Similan Islands for your adventurous destination wedding?

Most times your journey begins from Phuket.  You are typically taken in a minibus 100 km to Taplamu Pier.  Thailand Adventure Wedding Tip: Stay in Khao Lak the night before and after.  Our favorite luxury hotel to stay at is JW Marriott Khao Lak Resort and Spa, they have gorgeous locations onsite for a wedding ceremony, fantastic pools and views.  Once at the pier you should have already booked either a day trip going to one of the islands or a room on one of the many Live Aboard Boats that circumference the islands.

Imagine having all of the people you love and adore on a private live aboard with you embarking on an adventurous Thailand wedding?  Most the live aboard boats in the Similan Islands hold at least 12 people.  Many have 6 private rooms and additional “bunk rooms” that can be shared between couples or singles.  The rooms are typically air conditioned and the cost includes meals and snacks.  If you wish for additional creature comforts like alcohol and sodas they are usually available for purchase.

Similan Islands Scuba Diving Wedding: Richelieu Rock 

We suggest booking a live aboard for 3-5 days if you want to be able to scuba dive the famed Richelieu Rock dive site (or hold your Similan Islands wedding adventure there at low tide (on the boat)!  There you will find an abundance of marine life tlhat will pleasantly surprise you!  Our favorite was seeing sharks, colorful fish and the allusive seahorses!  The live aboard offer 2 different types of rates for scuba divers and non, which is perfect if you have less adventurous friends or family who only snorkel or do not want to get in the water.  The package on board usually includes dives outside of the room and food, typically you get a choice of 3 dives out of 4 (including 1 night dive).

Richelieu Rock is a stunning horseshoe-shaped reef first explored by Jacques Cousteau.  A small part of the top can be seen only at low tide.  But the area as we eluded to is rich with diverse marine life and amazing orange corals.  Special Note: Richelieu Rock is not specifically part of the Similan Islands system, but it is nearby in another park called: Surin National Marine Park.  It is one of Thailand’s iconic scuba diving sites so we encourage you to seek it out and not miss it!

Ko Similan Island #8 Wedding Locations:

Ko Similan is one of the most beautiful beaches we have stepped foot on.  A word of warning… It is a highly populated beach during the hours of 10:30-3pm because of all of the “day trippers” coming in from Phuket or Khao Lak Pier.  If you are interested in visiting or holding your Similan Islands wedding ceremony there, we suggest holding a 9am wedding ceremony.

There are several points around the 5 square km island that we would suggest to hold your Thailand adventure wedding ceremony such as the following: The right hand side of the beach (photos below); inside the jungle; up at  “Sail Rock” with a 360 view of Ao Kueak (note this comes with a steep hike); at Turtle Rock or under a tree near the wooden swing.  All spots are dreamy and oh-so romantic for an adventurous elopement in Thailand!

Scuba Diving Wedding Locations: Similan Islands

Are you adventurous enough to choose to do a scuba diving wedding?  If so, the Similan Islands is a stunning place within Thailand to choose a scuba diving wedding location!  Whether you need to be on land because of un-certified family members attending or can go the 30 meters underwater there are an endless amount of wedding locations to choose from.  We would encourage you to hire a private dive master to find out what areas are overflowing of your favorite aquatic life and scout.

Throughout the Similan Island dive sites, we found  the locations to be very different than our favorite place to dive, The Maldives.   There was definitely more rocky dynamics in the Similan Islands versus an endless supply of corals and vibrance as seen in the Maldives.  Not saying that is worse or better, just different.  It was super fun to scuba dive through the rocks that created “caves” and the marine life adhering to the items lost by ships.

Choosing to have an adventure wedding in Similan Islands on land or underwater, there is no bad location choice!  Bu do know scuba diving wedding ceremonies are not legal, so if choosing to go this route, you will need to make it legal on land before or after!  Excited to start planning your Southeast Asia adventure wedding in the Similan Islands?  Contact us for more information!

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