Similan Island 8 (Koh Similan): Donald Duck Bay, Access & Tips

Featured image: Roma Neus, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

What Is Similan Island 8?

Thailand's Department of National Parks numbers the park's 11 islands for convenience. Island 8 is Ko Similan, the largest of the group. Island 11 is Ko Tachai in the north, and Island 1 is Ko Huyong in the south. The group lies about 43 miles (70 km) off the Phang Nga coast. Ko Miang, Island 4, holds the park headquarters, and our guide to Ko Miang shows how it differs from Island 8. Use the table below to decode the numbers you will see on boat itineraries.

Best Things To Do On Island 8

Island 8 works for people who want a beach, a short climb and easy water in one stop. Most visits center on the northwest bay, where you can go ashore. Boats of all kinds anchor here during the day, so snorkelers, day trippers and divers share the same sand.

• Walk the white-sand beach at Donald Duck Bay.
• Climb to the Sail Rock viewpoint for the classic view over the bay.
• Snorkel the sheltered bay, where turtles are regularly seen.
• Dive shallow sites of roughly 5–15 m (about 16–49 ft), which suit beginners.
• Join a night dive if your liveaboard moors in the bay overnight.
• Watch for land wildlife: Nicobar pigeons, Bengal monitor lizards and hermit crabs.

Donald Duck Bay and Sail Rock Explained

Donald Duck Bay sits at the northern end of Island 8, along the northwest coast. It takes its name from a large rock on the west side of the bay that resembles the cartoon duck's head. Our detailed bay guide covers the site further. Sail Rock stands near the bay on a small hill. It is a diamond-shaped boulder balanced at an angle that looks ready to tip. The short climb to it gives the postcard view over the bay and across to Ko Ba-ngu, Island 9. Wear shoes with grip, because the route is rock rather than paved path.

Diving and Snorkeling at Island 8: What to Expect

Expect scenic and gentle water, not big-animal diving. Depths are mostly 5–15 m (about 16–49 ft). Large boulders at the bay entrance shelter the site from currents. That makes it a sound choice for beginner divers and for snorkelers. Hawksbill and green turtles are the main draw. On night dives, a sleeping turtle is often found under a rock at around 5 m (about 16 ft). Leave it alone, because a woken turtle can become disoriented. Other night life includes shrimp, crabs, lionfish, scorpionfish and giant morays. Dive operators list six named sites around Island 8: Elephant Head Rock, Beacon Point, Atlantis X, Donald Duck Bay, Turtle Rock and Waterfall Bay. Divers can read about the dive site at Elephant Head Rock before booking. For a wider comparison, use our Similan dive-site overview. Divers chasing more drama should look at diving around Ko Bon or the Christmas Point dive site. Check Ko Tachai's current access status before building a trip around it.

How to Get There and When to Go

Boats leave from Tab Lamu Port, just south of Khao Lak in Phang Nga Province. The park headquarters at Tab Lamu is about 8 miles (13 km) from Bang La On in Khao Lak. Regular boat services run from mid-October to mid-May. A standard boat takes around 3 hours each way. A speedboat takes about 70 minutes. The park closes from 16 May to 15 October for the rainy season. Liveaboards also depart from Ko Lanta, Phuket and Ranong. Book a mid-October to mid-May window and you avoid the closure entirely. Official dates are published on Thailand's national parks department site.

Day Trip vs Liveaboard: Which Fits You?

The choice comes down to time on the island and how you handle the sea. A speedboat cuts the 3-hour standard crossing to about 70 minutes. That helps if you tend to get seasick. A liveaboard or a short 2D1N trip lets you reach Island 8 outside the midday rush. It also opens the door to night dives. Non-swimmers who want deep marine life should skip Island 8, because its strengths are shallow and sheltered.

Costs, Park Fees and Booking Tips

No single fee covers a trip, so budget by the cost drivers. Park entry is set by the park authority, and the DNP website is the place to check current rates. Boat type matters next: a speedboat usually costs more than a standard boat. Gear rental, dive count and meals add to a day trip. A liveaboard costs more than a day trip because you pay for nights aboard, and price rises with trip length. A cap of 3,850 visitors per day applies, so book ahead for peak season between mid-October and mid-May. Ask any operator what is included in the quoted price before paying a deposit.

Rules, Visitor Cap and Wildlife Protection

Park managers introduced a limit of 3,850 visitors per day when the islands reopened on 15 October 2018. Before that, the average was about 7,000 a day. Islands 1, 2 and 3 are closed to the public to protect turtle hatching and reef recovery. Ko Tachai has been reported closed to tourists since 15 October 2016. Follow these rules at Island 8:

• Do not feed turtles. Rice and bananas are not their natural diet.
• Keep your distance from sleeping turtles on night dives.
• Do not touch or stand on coral.
• Stay off the restricted islands.
• Swim away from the rocks when ending a dive so the dinghy can collect you.

Where to Stay Before and After

Khao Lak is the closest base to Tab Lamu Port, so it suits an early speedboat departure. Phuket works better if your liveaboard leaves from there. Sources disagree about whether any overnight accommodation or camping remains on the islands. Reports say lodging was removed during rehabilitation, yet one dive operator mentions a camping area. Read the park's official page before planning to sleep ashore, and assume you will sleep on the mainland or on a boat.