Similan Dive Sites – Beacon Reef

Beacon Reef is a large site featuring one of the Similans wrecks, in addition to coral encrusted slopes, Turtles and great drift diving. This site is located on the South Eastern Side of Similan 8, so is protected from the monsoons.

This site is often overlooked as their are no specific highlights beyond the wreck itself. Sadly that’s missing out on the huge numbers of Garden eels at the base of the reef and the extraordinary number of Kuhl’s Rays. We also frequently see Leopard Sharks and Turtles.

As we drift along in the currents, it’s great to see the extant of life. Hundreds of species of coral pass beneath us, hundreds of different species of fish going about their daily lives as we, the invaders, pass overhead. It feels like being on a slow bus passing through a fascinating neighborhood that you can’t stop at!

The wreck is often the highlight and while a fascinating story, is still not all the decayed, so not that much fish life. There are schools of Batfish around, and as the wreck is still in good shape, there are plenty of good pictures to be head.

If you follow the drift Southwards, you’ll end in up in some large boulders that have interesting light but not much else.

We dive this site with all levels of divers. The Wreck itself is deeper and reserved for Advanced divers.

The currents here are weak and useful. They make for a lovely drift dive.

The depths range from 35m to the surface! Most time is spent in the 15m range