When East of Eden became too crowded, some divers looked for a new dive site nearby.

They went to the west side of Koh-Pa-Yu (Similan island 7) and discovered that the Garden of Eden is not only located on the eastern side.


Like other western dive sites in the Similan islands, West of Eden basically comprises giant granite boulders that create nice canyons, with walls covered with colourful soft corals and giant sea fans.
 
Some areas are characterized by rubble and sand slope falling to a depth of 30 to 35 meters.

The shallows are home to many reef fish, and have stacked granite boulders covered with hard corals, soft corals, gorgonians and feather stars.

Moderate to strong, running from south to north at high tide and vice versa.

At high tide, the current can split to the south and the north at some points of the reef.

The wall and small rocks are encrusted with soft corals, gorgonians, sponges and algae.

This area is a nice place to look for macro subjects like nudibranchs and frogfish.

Keep an eye out for cleaner pipefish (Janss’s pipefish) and many banded pipefish in small crevices, as well long-nose hawkfish perched in black coral bushes.

The rubble and sand slopes are a good place to search for banded pipefish, dragonets and red fire gobies.

Back at the reef, moray eels are quite common, as well as turtles and schools of angelfish.

Occasionally, white tip reef sharks cruise by. In strong currents, bluefin trevally, giant trevally, and fusiliers become more active.

The most beautiful areas of this site cover a limited area.

If you go too far north or south, you’ll see mostly rubble and sand, swim slowly and enjoy the wall and exquisite canyon.

If the current is heading north you can start from the southern part, but if it’s the other way around, you should start from the northern part.