Surin Dive Sites

Some 100 km north west of Khao Lak Beach (and 50 km off the west coast of Kuraburi) lie the Surin Islands consisting of five jungle cropped granite islands and their fringing coral reefs. Offering excellent snorkeling and great diving.

They are world-famous for their gorgeous, diverse and prolific shallow-water corals, and usually one of the highlights of anyone’s visit to Thailand. This is an island paradise with numerous beautiful coves and bays, and dense jungle. The coral colonies surrounding the islands are the most well developed in Thailand, and are also considered some of the most beautiful.

As the Surins form a protective shape from the annual monsoon storms from the West, the entire Eastern side of the islands are covered in verdant hard corals. The corals start at the lowtide mark (be careful!) and descend on gentle slopes until meeting the sandy bottom anywhere between 10 and 20 Meters down. Because of this extensive coral density, the Snorkeling is incredible.

The Surin Islands have a couple of great dive sites, but because of the location they are often overlooked by liveaboards and dive operators in the region. A real shame. These are some of the best night dives in the world, and knowledgeable Divemasters have some secret sites that really just blow people away. Nearby Richelieu Rock will often have multiple boats at the same time, while Torinla and Koh Chi will not see a dive boat for days!

The Islands are quite different geologically from the surrounding sites of the Similans. with much more gently sloping reefs and the islands themselves are more spread out and lush.

By far the two largest islands are Ko Surin Nua (north island) and Ko Surin Tai (south island) and at one point these two islands lie just across a small bay from each other. Ko Chi, Ko Pachumba and Ko Torinla are the other islands. There is also the small rock outpost of Hin Rap ( 2km north of Surin Nua) and a series of granite boulders projecting above the surface at Hin Kong ( 2km east of the southern half of Surin Tai).

The park showcases some 200 coral species, with a basic ecosystem framework of fire corals, brain corals, mushroom corals, staghorn corals, and multi-coloured soft corals and ruby-red gorgonian sea fans. The coral and environs provide habitat to over 800 species of fish such as puffer fish, lion fish, butterfly fish, angel fish, barracuda, sailfish, rock lobsters and other crustaceans, and Moray eels. Four species of turtle (the Leatherback, the Green, the Olive Ridley and the Hawksbill) are to be found (try Ao Tau on the south island). Stranger species such as the frog fish and ghost pipe fish have also been sighted around the waters of Ko Surin.

This is also a common place to site Manta Rays and Our local version of Barramundi. For the macro enthusiast we often find some unusual Nudibranchs as well as other exotic species in the corals. Juvenile Shady Batfish!

Off the Surin western shores are submerged pinnacles which are reminiscent of some of the boulder formations of the Similans, but the best developed reefs are off the eastern coasts.

The park office and visitor’s centre are at Ao Mae Yai on the north island (south west side). Basic accomodation is available in the form of park longhouses, bungalows, and camping grounds. The Park operates long-tailed boats to the main snorkelling sites and rents out equipment.

The best months to visit the Surin Islands are from December to April, when the weather is dry and pleasant, and the seas are calm, and water visibility is good. In fact it is not usually adviseable to visit the Surin Archipelago during the SW monsoons (June – September) due to adverse sea and weather conditions. (The National Park Office is closed office is closed, so it is not possible to visit)

The most economical way to reach the Surin Islands is from Ban Hin Lat, a small village pier which is 6 km north of Khura Buri, heading north from Khao Lak past Takua Pa on Route 4. The Road Time takes about 75 minutes. Speedboat only takes 45 minutes or so.

We do both Snorkeling and diving daytrips to the Surin Islands twice a week.

However access for the serious diver is almost exclusively via live-aboards. Only a few operators go there. Don’t forget that the Similans, Richelieu Rock, Koh Bon and Koh Tachai are located here too!

If you are doing day trips – then this is should be one of the trips to make. If you are doing a liveaboard, ask if this is one of the destinations before booking.

Snorkelers -This is it! Better than the Similans and only matched by Koh Lipe in the South for quality and scenery. Stay overnight for a real treat!



Khao Lak Diving
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