East of Eden

East of Eden sits on the sheltered southeast side of Similan Island 7 (Koh Payu), Similan Islands National Park, Phang Nga Province, Thailand. Widely described by dive operators as the “showpiece” reef of the Similans — but as of the most recent reports available, it is currently closed to diving for conservation reasons.

Overview

Current status: closed. Multiple 2025–2026 sources (thailanddiveandsail.com, divehappy.com) report East of Eden as temporarily closed for coral conservation/bleaching recovery, with an indefinite timeline and no confirmed reopening date. Divers should verify current access with their operator rather than assume this site is available.

When open, the site is described as a massive sloping hard coral reef on Koh Payu’s southeast side, dense with coral bommies and known for excellent color and visibility (similandivingtours.com). It is considered one of the calmer, more accessible reef dives in the archipelago compared to the current-swept west-coast boulder sites on the same islands.

Site Information

• Location: Southeast side of Similan Island 7 (Koh Payu), Similan Islands National Park, Phang Nga Province, Thailand
• Entry Type: liveaboard
• Site Type: Reef
• Difficulty Level: Intermediate
• Maximum Depth: 40 meters
• Typical Visibility: 15–35 meters
• Current: Light to moderate; generally gentler than the west side
• Best Time: November to May (site currently closed — confirm access before planning a visit)

Marine Life

Available sources describe turtles, reef sharks, and diverse reef fish generally at this site, without listing specific species reliably attributed to East of Eden by name (similandivingtours.com). Rather than reproduce the previous detailed species list (Napoleon wrasse, bumphead parrotfish, blue-spotted stingrays, etc.), which could not be independently corroborated for this specific site in this pass, this entry states plainly: the destination’s regional reef fauna (turtles, reef sharks, and typical Indo-Pacific reef fish) applies, but no site-specific marine-life report beyond this general description was found.

Dive Profile

When open, the site is dived as a sloping reef profile, working across the extensive coral bommie field on the southeast side of the island.

Entry and Exit

Liveaboard access, when the site is open. The sheltered southeast aspect has historically made for straightforward zodiac operations.

Tips and Recommendations

• Confirm current site access with your liveaboard operator — this site has been reported closed through the 2025–2026 season for coral conservation
• If reopened, this is considered one of the calmer, more scenic reef dives in the Similans

Safety Considerations

No site-specific hazard information beyond general Similan reef conditions was found. If the site reopens, standard safety practices (SMB, dive computer monitoring on the sloping profile) apply.

Photography

The extensive coral bommie field is the site’s signature subject when accessible. No further site-specific photography guidance was found in available sources.

Sources: Similan Diving Tours, Thailand Dive and Sail, Dive Happy. Last updated 2026-07-05.