Diving area around the Similan Islands

The diving area (around) the Similan Islands includes the diving areas around the nine Similan Islands and is part of the Mu Ko Simlan National Park .

Diving tourism

Dive boat in an island bay

The water quality and visibility, which extends to a depth of 30 meters, as well as the flora and fauna of the islands attract numerous divers. The best time to visit is between November and April. The park is closed from May to October - on the one hand for safety reasons due to the high waves, on the other hand to allow the national park to regenerate.

According to a survey, the tsunami in 2004 also left its mark: While there were 65 diving operators in December 2004, in April 2005 there were only 42 fully operational. In the following season, the remaining 35 tour operators had to notice a decrease of 40.5 to 63.6 5% on diving days compared to an average season due to the absence of tourists. In the wake of the tsunami, the submersibles participated in rescues, care and repairs to the facilities.

The line between nature conservation in the national park and intensive diving tourism is quite narrow, with diving in coral reefs contributing to both destruction and conservation. The effects on the attitudes of divers examined in one study varied widely: the perception of the effects of diving changed after the dive, the educational influence predominated: the negative effects of the anchors and the garbage on the corals were felt by almost 30% of the divers perceived. The possible positive effects of diving were less appreciated by day tourists. If the divers saw damage themselves, they were more willing to take part in reef conservation projects. The necessity and the usefulness of educating the tourists could be confirmed. In its leaflets, the National Park Authority informs visitors about the susceptibility of the corals and their inhabitants to external influences. Studies have already been carried out that examined the willingness of tourists to contribute financially to the protection of nature and the management of the national park.

The currents around the Similans are considerable. One-day and multi-day tours are offered, and night dives are popular. There are ten designated deep diving sites. Boats usually start from the nearest port, Thap Lamu , but also from the island of Phuket, which is about 100 km south-east . The islands can be reached in about 1½ to 3½ hours. In addition to private tour operators, there are also regular ferry boats to the mainland and smaller boats for transport between the islands. Several boats also anchor overnight in the popular bays of the islands.

Most divers spend the night directly on the ships ( liveaboard with filling of the compressed air bottles). On islands four and eight, the national park administration offers showers, toilets and accommodation options, from stone bungalows with air conditioning to tents. Camping outside of these accommodations is prohibited for nature conservation reasons.

Mu Ko Similan National Park

The National Park Mu Ko Similan ( Thai : หมู่ เกาะ สิ มิ ลัน ) is a National Park in the province of Phang Nga , southern Thailand . It is named after the archipelago of the nine Similan Islands, which together with two other islands form the national park. The Marine National Park was established on September 1, 1982 as the 43rd national park in Thailand.

fauna

False clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris)

Much of the seabed around the islands is covered by coral reefs , which are inhabited and formed by corals and sea anemones. The survival of the complex ecosystem is based on the symbiotic relationship with the alga zooxanthelle , which converts sunlight into nutrients. However, certain environmental factors such as temperature, salinity, light and wave activity must be right for this. There are stony corals , sea fans Flap Fans, soft corals , lobsters , crabs , squid , sponges , sea cucumbers and giant clams . Among the vielzähligen coral reef fish include the butterfly fish , clown fish , angelfish , grunts and tilefish , even Gelblippen- sea snakes are found.

literature

JG Pattanayak: Marine sponges of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India . In: Records of the Zoological Survey of India Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata 2006, ISBN 81-8171-119-X
Parnupong Norasethkamol, Polpich Komson, Sesivie Pinyowit, Chutinun Mora, Nudee Vangsirirungruang: Pocket Divesite: Similan including Koh Bon, Koh Tachai, Richelieu Rock . Vacation in Design Verlag, 2nd edition, Bangkok 2006, ISBN 978-974-94905-6-3
DV Rao, Kamla Devi: A pictorial guide to butterfly and anemone fishes of Andaman & Nicobar islands . Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata 2004, ISBN 81-8171-027-4
Similan Islands In: Monty Halls: Diving Worldwide . BrunoMedia Buchverlag, Cologne 2004, ISBN 3-9809607-0-6 .
DV Rao, Kamla Devi: Studies on the soft corals (Octocorallia: Alcyonacea) of Andaman Islands, Bay of Bengal In: Records of the Zoological Survey of India 206, Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata 2003, ISBN 81-85874-91-3
Denis Gray (inter alia): National Parks of Thailand . Communications Resources Ltd., Bangkok 1991, ISBN 974-88670-9-9
Moo Ko Similan National Park . In: Sue Wells, Charles RC Sheppard, Martin Jenkins (Eds.): Coral Reefs of the World: Indian Ocean, Red Sea, and Gulf . United Nations Environment Program, IUCN Conservation Monitoring Center, International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, 1988, ISBN 2-88032-944-2 , p. 380

Web links

National Parks of Thailand: Mu Ko Similan National Park. Retrieved September 28, 2011 (in English).
Dive site maps and dive site information Ko Similan National Park. Retrieved November 20, 2016 (in English).

Individual evidence

↑ Opening times of the Thai national parks ( Memento of the original from September 13, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The @1@ 2 archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , accessed September 28, 2011.

^ Closure helps parks revive . In: Bangkok Post , May 19, 2009, accessed May 19, 2009

↑ Michiru A. Main, Philip Dearden: Tsunami Impacts on Phuket's Diving Industry: Geographical Implications for Marine Conservation . In: Coastal Management . tape 35 , no. 4 . Taylor & Francis, 2007, p. 481 , col. 467 , doi : 10.1080 / 08920750701525784 .

↑ Philip Dearden, Michelle Bennett, Rick Rollins: Perceptions of Diving Impacts and Implications for Reef Conservation . In: Coastal Management . tape 35 , no. 2 . Taylor & Francis, 2007, p. 317 , col. 305 , doi : 10.1080 / 08920750601169584 .

↑ S. Tapsuwan: Valuing the willingness to pay for environmental conservation and management: A case study of scuba diving Levies in Moo Koh Similan Islands Marine National Park, Thailand . In: Economic Society of Australia (Ed.): Proceedings of the Australian Conference of Economists . 2005, p. 1–28 ( editorialexpress.com [accessed March 6, 2008]).

[1] Opening times of the Thai national parks ( Memento of the original from September 13, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The @1@ 2 archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , accessed September 28, 2011.

[2] Closure helps parks revive . In: Bangkok Post , May 19, 2009, accessed May 19, 2009

[3] Michiru A. Main, Philip Dearden: Tsunami Impacts on Phuket's Diving Industry: Geographical Implications for Marine Conservation . In: Coastal Management . tape 35 , no. 4 . Taylor & Francis, 2007, p. 481 , col. 467 , doi : 10.1080 / 08920750701525784 .

[4] Philip Dearden, Michelle Bennett, Rick Rollins: Perceptions of Diving Impacts and Implications for Reef Conservation . In: Coastal Management . tape 35 , no. 2 . Taylor & Francis, 2007, p. 317 , col. 305 , doi : 10.1080 / 08920750601169584 .

[5] S. Tapsuwan: Valuing the willingness to pay for environmental conservation and management: A case study of scuba diving Levies in Moo Koh Similan Islands Marine National Park, Thailand . In: Economic Society of Australia (Ed.): Proceedings of the Australian Conference of Economists . 2005, p. 1–28 ( editorialexpress.com [accessed March 6, 2008]).