The Similan Islands, located about 50 Kilometers west of Khao Lak, Thailand. Similan is a Yawi or Malay word, which means nine. The Similans aren't as dramatically scenic as the limestone islands , which many people have come to associate with the Andaman Sea. Instead, you find low-lying formations covered with thick forest. Ironwood and gum trees are among the larger trees, while jackfruit, rattan and bamboo form part of the denser undergrowth. The islands are home to crab-eating monkeys, dusky langurs, squirrels, bats, lizards and a good variety of birds though the monkeys are shy and rarely seen by the casual observer. But the most striking feature of these islands, at first glance, are the huge boulders that litter the western and southern shores on several of the islands. Another highlight, as the visitor soon discovers, are the white coral-sand beaches, splendidly picturesque and often deserted.