Surin Islands Travel Guide

The reefs are why people come. More than 260 kinds of reef fish and 68 of coral have been recorded in the park, and most of the reef is shallow, so you see it without a dive certificate. The sheltered east-coast bays are calm and easy for beginners and children, while the north and south coasts have stronger currents and bigger fish. Blacktip reef sharks, turtles and big schools of fish are common, and the park calls itself the best place in Thailand to see sea turtles.

From the beach, Ao Mai Ngam on the west side of Koh Surin Nuea has the calmest, shallowest water to swim out from. The channel between the two main islands, around Ao Chong Khad, is the classic stop, Ao Suthep on Koh Surin Tai has Thailand's first marked underwater snorkel trail, Turtle Ridge off Surin Tai's southeast is where hawksbill turtles turn up, and little Koh Khai has a long reef of staghorn coral. Day boats stop at three or so of these, and from the campsite you can rent a longtail with a boatman for the rest. The park rents masks, snorkels and life jackets at ฿40 a day each.

The reefs have been knocked back before. Bleaching killed most of the coral here in 1998 and 2010, the park said they'd nearly recovered by 2019, and the 2024 marine heatwave bleached the Andaman reefs again, Surin's among them. It's still the best shallow-water snorkeling in Thailand, but expect some white and broken patches. Wear reef-safe sunscreen, don't stand on or touch the coral, and stay with your boat's guide in the current.

The Moken are sea nomads whose home waters are the Mergui Archipelago, the 800 islands running north from here along the Myanmar coast. They have their own Austronesian language, and they traditionally spent the calm dry season living on kabang, wooden houseboats, moving between islands to fish and dive, and went ashore in the monsoon to build boats and forage. Moken children are famous for seeing clearly underwater, which a study traced to their eyes adapting to the water. The Moken settled in Thailand hold Thai citizenship, and the Surin community keeps more of the old ways than those on the mainland.

The village is at Ao Bon Yai, on the east side of Koh Surin Tai, and about 330 people lived there at the last count, in 2019. The 2004 tsunami destroyed their two villages, but no one died, because when they saw the sea drawing back they knew what was coming and climbed to high ground, and the community rebuilt as one village. In February 2019 a boat-engine fire spread through the tightly packed houses and burned 65 of them. Carved poles in the village honor their ancestors, and in April they hold a ceremony of ancestor worship. The last kabang on Surin was built in 2006, though there's been an effort to revive the craft.

Most day trips stop for half an hour or so, and the park runs short visits from the campsite. Treat it as somebody's home. Keep your shirt on, ask before you photograph anyone, especially children, and don't hand out sweets. Buying the handicrafts, like woven pandanus bracelets and handmade jewelry, is the most useful thing you can do, so bring small notes.

All the beds belong to the national park, on Koh Surin Nuea. There are two campsites, used at different times of the season, Ao Chong Khad from 15 October to 30 November and the bigger Ao Mai Ngam from 1 December to 15 May. The park rents 70 tents, ฿300 a night for two people and ฿450 for three, plus ฿60 a person for a sleeping mat, bag and pillow, and if you bring your own tent it's ฿80 a person a night. There are toilets and showers, and a restaurant at each campsite serves Thai food from 07:00 to 20:30. Three bungalows for four people cost ฿3,000 a night, with ฿900 off from Monday to Thursday.

Booking is the hard part. The parks department's online booking system was down through the 2026 season, so book through a tour operator's overnight package, ask a Thai speaker to call the park on 076 472 145, or ask on arrival whether tents are free. Expect a phone signal at the campsites and the bungalows on AIS, True and DTAC, and bring a flashlight, cash, insect repellent and something for the evening, because there's nothing else to buy.

Richelieu Rock is a horseshoe-shaped pinnacle 18 km southeast of the islands, rising from 30–35 m to just below the surface, and it's covered in purple soft coral and anemones. Snappers, bannerfish, lionfish, triggerfish and cuttlefish crowd it, with the chance of a whale shark or manta, which are rare but likelier from February to April. Liveaboards from Khao Lak and Phuket combine it with the Similan Islands over four or five days, and some Khao Lak shops run long day trips. Around the islands themselves, Ko Khai and Turtle Ridge are good, easy dives. For dive costs and other sites, see our diving guide.

The Similan Islands, 100 km to the south, are closer to Khao Lak, busier and better known for their boulders and diving, and you can't stay overnight. The Surin Islands are a longer ride, with shallower reefs that are better for snorkeling, the Moken village, and tents and bungalows on the beach. Choose the Similans for the famous scenery and diving on a shorter day, and Surin for snorkeling, culture and a night on the island.

The park opens on 15 October and closes on 15 May, and closes early if a storm comes in. December to April has the calmest sea and the clearest water, and February to April is the best time for mantas and whale sharks at Richelieu Rock. Late October and November can bring rough days. From mid-May to mid-October the park is closed for the southwest monsoon, and the boats stop.