Four orcas spotted playing near the Similan Islands

Killer whales, otherwise known as orcas, were spotted off the coast of the Similan Islands in Phang Nga province. A private chartered fishing trip ran into the group of four seemingly friendly orcas as the boat sailed the waters of the Andaman Sea nearby the islands.

The 35 year old local host of the trip said that he had taken five people out on a fishing expedition yesterday. They were sailing just north of the main islands off the coast of Koh Tachai when they spotted the pod of orcas. The tiny island is part of the Similan Islands National Park and is well-known for its beautiful waters and fantastic diving.

The guide, who was a resident of the Mueang district in Phang Nga, had brought the group about 8 kilometres off the island shore within the national park. While they were drifting, their boat was approached by a small group of four orcas. Each was about 3 metres in length and seem to be playing around the boat, according to The Phuket News.

The frolicking killer whales swam around while the guests delighted in their presence. The crew pulled their fishing lines from the water to ensure the safety of the orcas. The guide moved the fishing boat out of the way of the killer whales before eventually returning to shore.

The fishing guide captured some video of the orcas being playful (along with him oddly copping a feel on one of the fishermen’s butts) on his TikTok page. He said he wanted to share the unique and awe-inspiring experience with the world. His TikTok account is “Aofpna” and the video can be seen there. The video has already garnered over 60,000 likes and more than 1,000 comments since being posted yesterday.