The Similan Islands were designated a protected national park in 1982. In 2014, the park was expanded to include the islands Koh Bon and Koh Tachai. To protect these reefs and marine life, the Thailand government closes the islands to divers and other tourists during the monsoon season, which runs roughly from May to October.

Paradise is a word that’s overused in articles on scuba diving sites, but in the case of Thailand’s Similan Islands, the description is apt. The Similan archipelago — Mu Ko Similan National Park of Thailand — is famous for its dive sites and marine life, and one of its best known and loved dive site is East of Eden, off Koh Payu, or island number 7 (there are 11 islands in the group). The islands are located off the west coast of southern Thailand.

Thailand is known as "The Land of Smiles" for its warm and friendly people. The dive sites in the Andaman Sea lie only 8 degrees north of the equator and boast a tropical climate year-round. The sea has rich biodiversity, with everything from whale sharks, manta rays and silvertip reef sharks to more than 500 species of hard and soft corals thriving here.