Beacon Reef

Beacon Reef runs along the eastern side of Similan Island 8 (Koh Similan), with Beacon Point marking its southern tip, in the Similan Islands National Park, Phang Nga Province, Thailand. Sources describe it as the longest reef in the Similans and one of the most beginner-accessible sites in the archipelago — and, notably, the resting place of a wooden liveaboard wreck.

Overview

The reef stretches the length of Island 8’s east coast, offering an easy, moderate-current dive over hard coral and rocky terrain that suits nearly all diver levels (similandivecenter.com, idcphuket.com). Beacon Point, at the reef’s southern end, is deeper and more sheltered from weather than most of the Similans’ western sites, and is favoured for multilevel dive plans down toward 40 meters.

The site’s most distinctive feature is a wreck at its centre: a wooden liveaboard vessel, referred to in sources as the Rareung-Chon (also called Atlantis X), which sank in August 2002. Accounts agree the boat was taking on water and the captain attempted to run it aground rather than let it sink in open water, striking the reef before going down — sources differ on whether the underlying cause was a bilge pump malfunction or rough weather, and that discrepancy is not resolved here. The wreck’s bow rests at around 15 meters and its stern at around 30 meters. According to idcphuket.com, the wreck itself was closed to divers and snorkelers in 2011, though the surrounding reef remains diveable.

Site Information

• Location: Eastern side of Similan Island 8, with Beacon Point at the southern tip, Similan Islands National Park, Phang Nga Province, Thailand
• Entry Type: liveaboard
• Site Type: Reef
• Difficulty Level: Beginner
• Maximum Depth: 30 meters
• Typical Visibility: 15–30 meters
• Current: Minimal to moderate — generally sheltered from western swell
• Best Time: November to May

Marine Life

Sources describing Beacon Reef/Beacon Point report manta rays, eagle rays, leopard sharks, reef sharks, and stingrays around the site, along with angelfish, butterflyfish, and moray eels on the reef itself (similandivingtours.com, idcphuket.com). No source specifically documents sea turtles or clownfish at this exact site; those are omitted here rather than assumed from regional defaults.

Dive Profile

A straightforward reef dive along the length of Island 8’s east coast, with divers typically able to plan a multilevel profile that visits the wreck area near the reef’s center before working back across the shallower coral sections.

Entry and Exit

Liveaboard access with zodiac. The eastern, sheltered aspect keeps entry and exit straightforward in most conditions.

Tips and Recommendations

• The wreck section is reported closed to direct access since 2011 — do not attempt to enter or approach closely; observe the site’s condition rules from your dive guide
• Beacon Point, at the reef’s southern end, offers a deeper multilevel option for divers wanting more depth than the main reef provides
• This is a commonly used check-out or first-dive site — take advantage of the calmer conditions to work on buoyancy

Safety Considerations

Beacon Reef/Beacon Point is reported as one of the more sheltered, lower-current Similan sites. The wreck area’s closure since 2011 should be respected. Beyond that, standard Similan precautions apply: monitor depth on the reef slope and always carry an SMB.

Photography

No site-specific photography guidance beyond general reef and wreck-adjacent subjects was found in available sources.

Sources: IDC Phuket, Similan Dive Center, Similan Diving Tours, Rushkult. Last updated 2026-07-05.