Elephant Head Rock

Elephant Head Rock is one of the signature dive sites of the Similan Islands, located between islands 7 and 8 in the national park. The site consists of enormous granite boulders piled on top of each other, creating a complex three-dimensional playground of swim-throughs, archways, overhangs, and caverns. The rock formation vaguely resembles an elephant's head when viewed from certain angles above water. Underwater, the boulders extend from just below the surface to approximately 30 meters on the sandy seabed. The channels and passages between the rocks are the main attraction — divers weave through narrow gaps, emerge into open chambers, and navigate cathedral-like spaces where light filters through from multiple angles. The granite surfaces are covered in colourful encrusting organisms, sponges, and small soft corals. In the sheltered nooks, divers find leopard sharks resting on sand, whitetip reef sharks patrolling the deeper channels, and lobsters tucked into crevices. Moray eels and octopuses inhabit the countless holes in the rock. Scorpionfish are perfectly camouflaged on the boulder surfaces. On the exposed outer faces, schools of snapper and fusiliers stream past in current. The site's topography means every dive is different — there are multiple routes through the boulder maze, and guides familiar with the site can always show new passages. Elephant Head Rock is a standard stop on all Similan liveaboard itineraries and is particularly popular as a second or third dive after deeper sites.

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