# How to Book a Similan Islands Tour from Phuket

**Short answer:** The Similan season opens on 15 October and runs to mid-May, while the national park is open; a seat on your exact date is confirmed only when we reply to your booking. Send us the trip (the classic day or the early departure), the date, your hotel and everyone's ages in WhatsApp. We confirm the total and the pickup time, and payment by card online is agreed in the chat after that.

## Tours and prices in Thai baht

- [Similan islands: the classic day trip](https://phukeo.com/en/tours/similan-islands) · [md](https://phukeo.com/en/tours/similan-islands.md) — About twelve hours · Adult 2,600 THB · Child 4–9 2,400 THB
- [Similan islands, early departure](https://phukeo.com/en/tours/similan-islands-early) · [md](https://phukeo.com/en/tours/similan-islands-early.md) — One day, 04:00–17:00 · Adult 2,800 THB · Child 4–9 2,500 THB

Prices come straight from our booking system. Children under four join free on most trips — each tour page says so.

## First, the season

The national park closes for the monsoon from mid-May to mid-October, and both our Similan cards say so. Outside that window the trips run, weather permitting. So before anything else, look at your dates. If you land on Phuket in early October, the Similans may simply not be open yet; [are the Similan islands open](https://phukeo.com/en/faq/are-similan-islands-open) goes into that.

Inside the season, put the Similan day early in your stay if you can. It's a long open-water trip, and if the sea is closed on your date you want a spare day to move it to rather than losing it.

## Classic day or early departure

The classic day is the easier one to live with. The minivan comes between half past five and half past six, it's roughly an hour and a half to the pier, and the boat goes at 07:30. You snorkel at island 9, climb to Sail Rock on island 8 and swim off its beach, eat a Thai buffet on board, snorkel again at island 7 and end the day on island 4. The park fees are already paid. Count on about twelve hours.

The early departure is for people who came for the reef. You're collected between four and five in the morning, have breakfast at the pier, and the speedboat leaves at six, reaching Miang island at eight, before the main groups. After that there's an open-water snorkel where turtles are often seen, then Sail Rock, then home from 14:00 with ice cream and a glass of wine. Fins, beach towels and Wi-Fi are part of it. If you're stuck between the two, [is the early bird Similan tour worth the extra cost](https://phukeo.com/en/excursions/similan-early-departure-worth-it) helps.

- Snorkelling is the reason you're going — Similan islands, early departure
- Beaches and the view, no 03:30 alarm — Similan islands: the classic day trip
- Travelling with a child under four — the classic day

## What to send, and what you get back

The trip, the date (a second date helps), your hotel, and the adults and children with ages. Both trips collect from hotels on Phuket and in Khao Lak. Children under four travel free, without a separate seat or meals; from 4 to 9 they pay the child price and from ten the adult price. The early boat isn't recommended for children under four, because of the half-past-three wake-up.

Our confirmation gives the trip, the date, the total for your group and your pickup time. If your area carries a transfer surcharge, we say so before you pay. Every tour in our catalogue runs with an English-speaking guide. [Khao Lak from Phuket](https://phukeo.com/en/guide/khao-lak) has more on that side of the coast.

## Paying, cancelling, and the passport

You pay by card online after we've confirmed the booking in the chat, so the driver at pickup won't ask you for anything. Weather is the usual worry with the Similans. If the authorities close the sea, the trip moves to another date or you get the payment back. Cancelling yourself is different: under 24 hours before departure, a missed transfer or a no-show means the payment stays with us.

On the classic day bring your passport, or a clear copy. The park registers everyone at the pier, and the card asks for it for exactly that reason.

## What to pack

Swimwear and a towel, a change of clothes, reef-safe sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses, a waterproof case for the phone, a bit of cash. A warm layer is worth the space: both cards warn that the boat can be cold, and before sunrise on the early run it really is. Motion sickness tablets too, if boats get to you.

Facilities on the islands are limited, so pack the day's water and the snacks you like before you get off. If you were looking at Surin, [Similan or Surin Islands](https://phukeo.com/en/excursions/similan-or-surin-islands) explains the difference. Pickup times and breakfast at the pier are on [Tab Lamu pier](https://phukeo.com/en/guide/tab-lamu-pier).

## Worth knowing

Facilities on the Similan islands are limited. Pack what you need for the day before you step off the boat.

## FAQ

### How do I book a Similan islands tour from Phuket?

Send the trip, the date, your hotel and everyone's ages in WhatsApp. We confirm the total and your pickup time, and payment by card online is agreed in the chat after that.

### When can I book a Similan day trip?

For dates from mid-October to mid-May. The national park closes for the monsoon from mid-May to mid-October.

### Do I need my passport for the Similans?

Yes, on the classic day: bring your passport or a clear copy, because the national park registers visitors at the pier.

### Can I pay the driver at pickup?

No. The tour is paid by card online, agreed in the chat after the booking is confirmed. Cash is only for extras.

### Can I join the Similan tour from Khao Lak?

Yes. Both our Similan trips include transfer from hotels on Phuket and in Khao Lak.

### Do children go free on Similan tours?

Children under four travel free, without a separate seat or meals; 4 to 9 pay the child price. The early boat isn't recommended for children under four.

## Compare with

- [Similan Islands Tour from Phuket: Early Boat or Classic Day](https://phukeo.com/en/excursions/similan-islands-tours) · [md](https://phukeo.com/en/excursions/similan-islands-tours.md)
- [Is the Early Bird Similan Tour from Phuket Worth the Extra Cost?](https://phukeo.com/en/excursions/similan-early-departure-worth-it) · [md](https://phukeo.com/en/excursions/similan-early-departure-worth-it.md)
- [Khao Lak from Phuket: What to Expect on a Tour](https://phukeo.com/en/guide/khao-lak) · [md](https://phukeo.com/en/guide/khao-lak.md)
- [Similan or Surin Islands from Phuket: Which for Snorkelling?](https://phukeo.com/en/excursions/similan-or-surin-islands) · [md](https://phukeo.com/en/excursions/similan-or-surin-islands.md)
- [Are the Similan Islands Worth the Long Trip from Phuket?](https://phukeo.com/en/excursions/similan-islands-worth-the-trip) · [md](https://phukeo.com/en/excursions/similan-islands-worth-the-trip.md)
- [How Much Is a Similan Islands Tour from Phuket for a Family?](https://phukeo.com/en/faq/similan-islands-tour-price) · [md](https://phukeo.com/en/faq/similan-islands-tour-price.md)
- [Similan Islands from Phuket or Khao Lak: Where to Start the Day](https://phukeo.com/en/excursions/similan-islands-from-phuket-or-khao-lak) · [md](https://phukeo.com/en/excursions/similan-islands-from-phuket-or-khao-lak.md)
- [All tours](https://phukeo.com/en/tours)

## How to book

[Ask about dates on WhatsApp](https://wa.me/66619490349?text=Hello!%20I%20found%20you%20on%20phukeo.com%20and%20I'd%20like%20to%20book%20%22Book%20the%20Similans%22.%20My%20dates%3A%20)

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Canonical: https://phukeo.com/en/faq/how-to-book-similan-islands-tour