Christmas Point is unquestionably one of the most intense dive sites in the whole of the Similan islands. It can be found at the northern point on island number nine and a little west of the more famous North Point both of which face out into the Andaman Sea. This dive site has one peak which breaks the surface; this is the top of an enormous granite stone which then drops down to twenty metres and levels a little then drops of to over fifty metres.
There are numerous enormous boulders on this site which produce a maze of exhilarating swim through’s, and the current’s here can be quite powerful particularly during high and low tides, so it can be a little interesting for the novice diver.
The bottom is sandy, with not much coral growing which the coral that does grow here tends to be of the hard variety, it is very comparable site to the sites on the west side of the Similan’s. The reason for a lack of coral growth is because the huge granite boulders are not a great habitat for corals.
That said, there are some enormous Gorgonian sea fans down there and it is well worth an inquisitive look about to see if there are any macro life living amongst them.
Below is an excerpt from my log book which will give you a better idea of what this site is about:
Christmas Point and the visibility is about fifthteen metres the current is quite testing in some areas. Christmas Point is a series of large underwater granite rocks, which is very common to the Similan’s.
Velvet surgeon fish and Circled surgeon Fish are in abundance down there today, there are numerous species of Unicorn fish which are well well-known, a Long Fin Banner fish and several Moorish Idols were also seen.
There is always a chance to see White Tip Reefs Sharks, though they do tend to be rather deep, sometimes further than forty metres down.
There was a pair of Dogtooth Tunas was out on the borders stalking in the current; we chanced upon some striped Bonitos as well, looking, without a doubt for a spot of afternoon lunch.
