Many adventurous visitors to Thailand who has ever strapped on an aqualung knows that the islands of the Andaman Sea, near Phuket, exert a magnetic pull on diving enthusiasts and that the diving sites of the Similan National Park offer some of the best and colorful dives in Asia.
But there are many lesser-known, yet very spectacular diving areas along Thailand's stretching coastline of the Andaman Sea. To find a real jewel for divers, you have to go 100 kilometers north of the Similan Islands to find Mu Koh Surin National Park, close to the Burmese border on the southern coast of Phang-nga's Kuraburi district in Thailand.
The Mu Koh Surin islands resembles 5 dots of tropical rain forest in the middle of the ocean, each with an intoxicating "Paradise Fund" quality. Mu Koh Surin has been a National Marine Park since the year 1981, ensuring that the wonderful underwater life and corals are protected by the Thai government.
Dr Thon Thamrongnawasawat from the Kasetsart University, calls the 135 square kilometers Mu Koh Surin islands formation one of Thailand's most abundant and well-protected aquatic National Marine Park's in the world where it's preserved natural underwater treasures are noted for their uniqueness and high research potential.
Most tourists, visitors and diving enthusiasts stay at Koh Surin Nua, while Koh Surin Tai is home to the Moken, better known as the "Sea Gypsies", three smaller islands, named Koh Ree (or Koh Stork), Koh Glang (or Koh Pachumba) and Koh Khai (or Koh Torinla) are very popular with divers from all over the world.
Between Koh Surin Nua (North Surin Island), where the National Park Office is located, and Koh Surin Tai, with its small communities of Sea Gypsies or Moken, is a 200-metre channel that can be easily waded across during low tide.
The Sea Gypsies families still live in primitive dwellings and make their daily living from fishing, using centuries-old methods. Each year in the month of April, Sea Gypsy tribes from all over the region, coming from as far away as Burma and Malaysia, assemble here to pay respects to their Moken ancestors in a festival they call Loi Rua.
Though Thailand welcomed about 25,000 visitors to Koh Surin last year, overnight stays are very limited. National Park officials Park restrict the number of bungalows and tents on the white sandy beaches of this beautiful National Marine Park.
Mu Koh Surin National Marine Park director, Narit Smitinand, says that they only allow about 50 people to stay overnight on the islands, although there are plans to open more campsites in north of Koh Surin Nua at a small remote bay called Ao Mai-Ngam where you will be able to swim in the amazingly transparent azure waters, within a stone's throw of your tent.
Marine biologist's in their conservation efforts have resulted in a creating a display of marine-life photographs at the park's exhibition centre and the underwater trail in Chong Kad Bay. Ao Chong Kad is a simple stroll southward from the National park Office, through a surf that's only 1 to 3 meters deep. Snorkelers gawk at the shallow coral formations, anemone, clown fish, parrotfish, sea feathers, giant clams and other colorful sea habitants.
At Ao Pak Kad and Ao Tao, divers and Snorkelers can see rare Hawksbill turtles, beautiful soft corals and even sharks. For more excitement, divers take a boat to Ao Suthep, northwest of Koh Surin Tai (or Ao Jak), to the northeast of Koh Surin Nua where underwater reefs here are more offshore and virtually untouched.
Marine biologist Surapon Sudara says that all the islands are covered with healthy forest that protects against shore erosion. The clean, clear water stimulates healthy coral formation growth, especially in the sheltered bays on the Eastern sides of the islands. Great underwater life for diving enthusiasts and first time divers with visibility up to 30 meters.
Rocky cliffs adjacent to virgin strips of bleached sand, enclose azure-blue waters with beneath the surface fields colorfully soft an hard coral formations on shallow flat reefs. Many of the dive sites follow fringing underwater reefs which slope gently to the seafloor all packed with a dazzling underwater life full of tropical fish.
This richness of untouched underwater life is reflected in the many species of fish inhabiting the reefs. Whale sharks, the world's largest fish, manta rays, silvertip sharks and sea turtles are all rare marine species can be found along with ghost pipefish, humpback parrotfish, spiny lobsters and a huge variety of other rays.
300 Moken or Sea Gypsies live here year-round, living on their boats during the rainy season. But during the Monsoon season, from June to October, when 5-meter high waves bars tourists from the islands, they live on the beach shores. As a consequence of the Monsoon, the islands are spanking clean after those stormy days and became all the more fascinating.
With a boat it takes just over 5-minutes to get to the diving sites at Koh Mangkon (Dragon Island). It's a fine site for both snorkelers and scuba divers to gaze at tall mushroom-shaped rocks that colorful lobsters call their home. It's an exciting encounter to see lobsters of the size you normally only see in luxurious Bangkok seafood restaurants.
At the south of Laem Mae Yai is a dive site where you can see a 6-metre wide giant sea fan. A even bigger one, it is said, is far to deep to admire with snorkeling gear. This giant is at more than 30 meters depth, surrounded by resident schools of batfish. To the west of Koh Surin Tai another long line of giant sea fans can be admired, with each at least three meters in width, surrounded by big schools of groupers.
Back on the surface after an exiting dive, the boat will races you homeward under the watchful eyes of wheeling sea eagles, past tropical rainforest, white beaches and untamed bush areas, as the dive leader chats about other and even more spectacular diving sites in the area. Koh Surin has the most stunning underwater assets in Thailand.
There are still no dive operators on any of the islands of Mu Koh Surin, but a few dive operators have opened a business in Kuraburi district on Thailand's mainland late last year, offering dive excursions to a dozen nearby sites, including the famous Richelieu Rock.
Since divers only spend 10 or 15 minutes getting to their locations, the bay itself is secure from human damage and still very easy to find "Paradise Found" alike sheltered spots along the way to take a nap before the afternoon dive. Many visitors say this makes scuba diving here even more adventurous and relaxing.
Nearly every evening, divers who live aboard their vessels, coming on a Live-Aboard diving cruise out of Phuket, feed the eagles in Ao Suthep bay by throwing small pieces of meat into the sky for the eagles to catch. Exploring along the shorelines turn up interesting birds like kingfishers, house swifts, Asian koles and even hornbills.
Visitors to Mu Koh Surin gather at night at the open-air canteen where dinner is cooked by the National Park officials, snapper, grilled squid and fried eggs with rice, simple but delicious enough to enhance the tropical feeling of a magic evening on the beach of Koh Surin island.
Travel Information
The most convenient way to reach Mu Koh Surin National Park is from Kuraburi Pier at Ban Hin Lard, which is located at Km 110 on the Ranong-Takua Pa Highway on the southern coast of Phang-nga province. From the pier to the Koh Surin islands takes about 5-hours by boat.
This remoteness is the key reason why the Koh Surin islands are still so pristine. There is no regular boat service. Most boats from Kuraburi Pier are booked by tour groups at 8,000 to 15,000 Baht (US$ 200 to 375) for the whole boat.
Accommodation on Koh Surin is very basic with no air-conditioned rooms available. There are 8 bungalows for 6 to 8 people with fans and private restrooms and a row of 5 rooms for 3 persons with shared restrooms plus some limited camping sites. Accommodation must be booked in advance.
Entrance fees to the National Park is 40 Bath for adults, 20 Baht for children and 200 Baht (US$ 5) for foreigners. Food at the canteen is reasonably priced at 80 to 180 Baht (US$ 2 to 4.50).
For more details, contact the Marine National Park Division
at Bangkok: +66 2 5612918, 5612921
or the Mu Koh Surin National Park at: +66 76 491378 or 491582.
Or check with the dive operators at Kuraburi.
Dive Leader Scuba Centre: +66 1 7375801 or +66 76 491867
Blue Sharks Dive Centre: +66 9 8741561
Kuraburi Greenview Travel: +66 76 401401 or +66 1 9581543.
