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Koh Surin

The Surin Islands are a group of islands just south of the Burmese border in the Andaman Sea 60 km off the Phang Nga coast and about 100 km north of Koh Similan. The area has been turned into Mu Ko Surin National Park. The Surin Islands are another top dive spots in the world due to their spectacular sea life, shallow reefs, scenery and isolation. There is a ferry service from Khuraburi which runs from November to May and takes 4 hours.

Diving and Snorkelling: The Koh Surin has the largest, and some say, the most beautiful shallow water coral reef in Thailand making it a great place to go for a few days on a liveaboard dive trip. Trips leave from Phuket and Khao Lak and can be booked for vavious lengths. There are some wonderful dive sites especially Richelieu Rock, a coral covered spike which has become famous for the number of whale sharks it attracts. There are some great bays and reefs to snorkel around.

Chao Ley: The Koh Surin Islands are home to a couple of small Moken group of Chao Ley or sea gypsy communities who have settled here on a semi-permanent basis. The Chao Ley are scattered along the whole eastern Andaman sea coast. They spend most of the year on their kabangs (houseboats) which are hand built and a great source of pride. They group together in the Monsoon season and find shelter in a protected bay. They mostly gather shellfish from the reefs shallows. Talk to the park officials before looking for them. Treat them with respect and feel free to buy the handcrafts that they sell but try not to buy the shells and other items from the reefs as this encourages them to pilfer more from the reefs.

Mu Koh Surin National Park: This National Park attracts a wide variety of nature lovers. The Island is a great spot for bird watching, hiking and snorkelling. The main island of Surin Nuea is where the National Park's office is found, as well as a 2 km walking path. There's good snorkelling and swimming nearby. The park has land and underwater nature trails that identify and expound on local species. The park is only open from mid November to mid May. There is a restaurant at the park headquarters that is open 8-8. Accommodations on site. Phone +66 2562 0760 to reserve.