It’s common to think that in a country as touristy as Thailand, everything is overcrowded and overrun by international brands. While this doesn’t detract from the undeniable beauty of places like Phuket or Koh Samui, on those islands, it’s typical to enjoy a more holiday-like atmosphere. But if you’re seeking nature and remote locations, those exist too. This guide to Koh Surin aims to reveal a paradise far from the tourist industry.
Koh Surin isn’t easy to reach, which is one of the reasons it remains uncrowded. Another reason is that it’s a protected national park, with a seabed considered by some to be one of the top ten in the world.
You can visit the island on an organized day tour, but that’s just a taste of what it offers. Ideally, you should spend at least one night on Koh Surin, though accommodation is limited to tents and there’s only a small canteen for meals. Phone reception is sparse, and electricity is only available during the night. And, of course, there’s no hot water.
In exchange for these basic conditions— which add to the charm of the place— the beaches are mostly deserted during the day, there’s no pollution, and you can explore the sea like in very few other places.
While we refer to Koh Surin in the singular, it’s actually a small archipelago made up of two main islands and three islets. It’s located about 60 kilometers from the Andaman Sea, much further north than Phuket, with the nearest tourist spot being Khao Lak.
It’s a protected area, as it is part of a national park with strict rules, such as the prohibition of alcohol consumption and sales across the entire area.
The only permanent residents are the Moken, or sea gypsies, who have a designated area and whose way of life has become a tourist attraction—although this does help keep their traditions alive.
Besides the Moken, park rangers also live on the islands, and there’s very limited accommodation run by the national park.
Many tourists visit Koh Surin on organized day tours, traveling long distances to see one of its less remarkable beaches before snorkeling in the area. However, we recommend spending at least one night to fully experience the beauty of this almost deserted, stunning island.
As a restricted area, Koh Surin is only open to visitors from October 15 to May 15. The rest of the year, it’s closed to the public. These dates roughly coincide with the best weather in the Andaman Sea, but with some considerations.
We recommend visiting Koh Surin National Park from mid-December to mid-March. By April, the heat becomes unbearable, and in May, the skies can be cloudy with occasional storms. The worst time to visit is from mid-October to early December, as the rainy season still affects the Andaman during that period.
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While many hotels, guesthouses, and restaurants in Thailand offer free Wi-Fi, some travelers prefer or need a constant connection. We’ve included details on obtaining a eSIM Thailand card with unlimited data (from Holafly) or with fixed data but cheaper (from Saily).
If you want to get it directly, here’s the link (with a discount) for both companies:
The most important, and challenging, part of visiting Koh Surin is actually getting there. The best way is to hire a tour operator that handles both land and sea transportation, as well as accommodation, and the leader in this is Seastar.
Almost all the agencies you’ll find online resell their services. They speak English and are reliable.
The downside? They are very expensive and will likely charge around 5,000 baht per person for a day trip with a return the following day.
We opted for a local family-run agency located in the closest town to Koh Surin by sea, Khura Buri. The agency is called Sabina Tours. Although they typically speak Thai, you can communicate with them via email. They can arrange everything for you, but you also have the option to manage part of the trip on your own, which we’ll explain here.
The first step is getting to Khura Buri port (map). We recommend traveling from either Phuket or Khao Lak. From Phuket International Airport, the journey takes almost three hours, and a taxi will cost around 2,000 baht. If you’re in Khao Lak, the trip takes about an hour and a half and costs a little less.
Our suggestion is to share one of the vans that travel to the area, but you won’t be able to book this service online—it’s all done by phone. Therefore, if you’re traveling with Sabina Tours, we recommend asking them to arrange a shared van.
If departing from Phuket airport, the price is 500 baht, and from Khao Lak, it’s 400 baht. They will also coordinate the schedule with their boats.
From Khura Buri port, there’s only one boat per day to Koh Surin, operated by Sabina Tours, whose office is located at the port. The boat departs in the morning, around 10 a.m. The round-trip costs 1,500 baht and is shared with those who opt for an organized tour.
The boat ride to Koh Surin can take up to two hours. When you arrive on the island, usually around noon, you’ll be taken to the national park reception where you’ll need to pay a fee of 500 baht. This is also where your accommodation will be assigned.
It’s crucial to have booked your stay in advance due to the limited availability—don’t even think about staying overnight without prior arrangements!
If you chose to travel on your own with Sabina Tours (which is the only option), they’ll inform you of the departure time for your return, either the next day or whenever you decide to leave, which will be at 1:00 p.m.
There isn’t much to do on Koh Surin, yet paradoxically, there’s more than enough. These are almost untouched islands where you can explore, relax, and marvel. The best way to do this is by visiting its main beaches, located on the larger northern island, known as Koh Surin Nuea.
The most stunning beach is Mai Gnam, where the tent accommodations are located, and more importantly, no boats dock here. This beach is also not part of the organized day tours, so it’s a typical postcard-perfect beach—peaceful, surrounded by islands and lush vegetation, with plenty of mangroves.
The other main beach is Chong Khat Bay, which is beautiful but slightly more touristy. The most common way to get there is by sea, as the only land route is a medium-difficulty trek that can take a couple of hours, despite being no more than six kilometers long. Locals can guide you on how to get there.
Chong Khat Bay is where the organized tour boats arrive after snorkeling, so there are a few tourist facilities, such as a café that feels a bit opportunistic, and the typical plastic barriers marking the swimming areas. This is also where you’ll find the only bungalows, an alternative to the tents, which we’ll discuss later.
There are other beaches on the island, but they are much smaller and quite deserted. These can only be reached by boat or swimming, though swimming is definitely not recommended.
A final tip if you plan to travel between beaches by sea: be very careful with the coral. Not only can you injure yourself by stepping on it, but you would also be damaging a crucial marine ecosystem.
The crown jewel of Koh Surin is undoubtedly its underwater world, considered by many to be one of the ten best snorkeling sites in the world. While the nearby Similan Islands are perfect for diving, Koh Surin is ideal for those who don’t want to dive too deep.
Although you can rent a pair of goggles for a few euros at the campsite and snorkel around Mai Gnam beach, it’s worth booking a boat trip to Richelieu Rock, regarded as the most beautiful rock formation in the area, along with other spots for snorkeling around Koh Surin.
On the southern island of Koh Surin lies the village of the sea gypsies, known as the Moken. It’s possible to visit the village to observe the customs of these sea tribes who live in houses facing the beach and have their own school and clinic.
The Moken typically never leave the island, living there from birth to death, making their society quite fascinating. This is in contrast to the tourist impact they experience, as they now depend on welcoming visitors to Koh Surin.
There’s nothing wrong with visiting, but it’s important to recognize that tourism has significantly transformed their way of life. To visit their village, you’ll need to hire a boat tour.
If you decide to visit Koh Surin as a day trip without staying overnight, there are several tours available from Phuket or Khao Lak. Some of them are:
Accommodation options on Koh Surin are limited since it’s a national park. The number of visitors is strictly controlled, and accommodations are managed by the park authorities. The most common option is to stay in tents facing the beach at Mai Gnam. These cost 400 baht per night and are quite basic.
The alternative is to stay in one of the few bungalows at Chong Khat Bay, though we found these less appealing due to their location. Another option is to stay in one of the five large, air-conditioned tents at Mai Gnam, designed for families with children. Both the bungalows and the larger tents cost around 2,000 baht per night.
There’s only one restaurant near the tents at Mai Gnam and another near the bungalows. The food is mediocre and expensive. Power outlets are limited to these areas, and electricity is available only between 6 p.m. and 8 a.m. Showers are cold, but in such a warm climate, this won’t be much of an issue.
Our recommendation is that if you want to fully experience Koh Surin, you should plan to stay for a couple of nights. There’s plenty of snorkeling to do, and enjoying such a quiet, pristine paradise is well worth it. Koh Surin is one of the Thai islands we enjoyed the most.
Exploring the underwater world is a fascinating yet sometimes daunting activity. Simply putting on a diving mask and peering beneath the surface reveals a whole new world of colors and unfamiliar life forms.
However, this world needs to be cared for and respected. If you’re planning to include snorkeling in your trip and want to ensure your presence doesn’t negatively impact the ecosystem, consider learning about responsible diving practices (whether with or without a tank).
Click on the image and it will take you to a new Google Maps window with all the points of interest to travel around Koh Surin.
