Surin Islands Thailand's Surin Islands remain one of the undiscovered gems of South East Asia. Designated as national park, the group of 5 islands covers an area of 135 square km and is located about 60km from the mainland and 50km from Koh Phra Thong. The granite islands are covered in tropical evergreen forest, fringed by white sandy beaches and mangrove. There are many beautiful coral reefs, making the Surin Islands a paradise for snorkeling. Blue Guru organizes snorkeling day trips by speedboat and combined diving/snorkeling day trips by large dive boat. Both day trips include all equipment, meals and beverages. These expeditions operate when the Surin National Marine Park is open.  The authorities normally permit visitors from 15 November until 30 April, but it may be closed for special reasons such as poor weather. A trip to Surin Islands is included in all Blue Guru’s discounted activity packages. See full details here.   Getting there After breakfast our guests make their way down the main path to the secluded bay at the northern tip of our resort and board the boat and head for some of the best snorkeling in all of Thailand. On the speedboat there is a relaxing covered sitting area in the back that offers protection from the tropical sun. On the dive boat there is an air-conditioned cabin and shaded open air dining area upstairs. But the more adventurous will prefer the open fronts on both boats with amazing views and thrilling bounces as the boat cuts through the waves of the Andaman Sea. The trip from Koh Phra Thong to Koh Surin is 1 hour by speedboat and 2 hours by dive boat. Uncharted Burmese islands dot the horizon. (A recent, although “unofficial”, exploration of one of them found footprints on the beach, which were determined to be Rhino.) This part of the Andaman Sea is still very much frontier. Dolphins and the occasional whale shark are spotted among the Thai and Burmese fishing vessels. It is not until reaching Richelieu Rock that other recreational boats are more prevalent. Speedboats, diving boats and live-aboards all cluster around the submerged rock. At this point Koh Surin can be seen in the distance. What to expect For starters, you can expect some of the best snorkeling in the world. Nowhere else in Thailand is the coral so vibrant, abundant and undisturbed. A permanent moratorium on coral blasting by Surin fishermen has been enacted by the Royal Thai Government. Most boats no longer anchor but now use mooring buoys, which do not damage the reef.   Living coral in every shade of the rainbow (and some colors that glow fluorescently) overwhelm the senses as soon as your mask hits the water. Tropical fish are equally as colorful and plentiful. Giant clams weighing more than 50 kilos can be found at the seafloor only a few meters down. Octopus, moray eels and nudibranch are just a few of the more interesting creatures that inhabit the reef.     Soon after arrival the first snorkeling session begins. Throughout the day, the sites depend on weather conditions. However Surin Islands offer a variety of fringing coral reefs and protected bays, so snorkeling and diving is possible whichever way the wind blows! Guests snorkel in multiple locations around Surin Nuea and Surin Tai. Ao Mae Yai is the largest bay on Surin’s main island, Surin Nuea. Ao Tao (Turtle Bay) is on the more secluded southern island of Koh Surin Tai. Named for the once prevalent sea turtles that nested there, Ao Tao still offers great snorkeling but only the occasional turtle. One is more likely to spot a sea turtle nesting on Koh Phra Thong, including the giant leatherback.     Although supervised, we recommend that participants be confident swimmers as there are long fringing reefs and there can be currents. Life jackets are available for adults and children. Regardless of ability and age, it is always a good idea to snorkel in pairs. Each session lasts about 45 to 60 minutes. At anytime guests can relax on the boat and soak up some sunshine. A well-stocked cooler and snack bar manned by the friendly crew offer refreshments throughout the day.     Lunch is served under a covered pavilion on Koh Surin Nuea for those on the speedboat snorkeling trip. Those on the dive boat snorkeling trip will be served lunch in the shaded open air dining area aboard the boat. In both cases, there will be a buffet selection of delicious fresh foods including vegetarian options. After the lunch break, the boat heads to a different snorkeling spot for another opportunity to view the diversity of marine life and beautiful scenery.     Snorkeling, nature and abundant marine life are not all that the Surin Islands have. Surin Tai has a small community of Moken, the nomadic sea gypsy people of the Andaman Sea, who call this island home. Unlike on Koh Phra Thong where the Moken have integrated and intermarried with the Thai people, the Moken living on Koh Surin retain all of their culture including their language and religion (an ancient Animist tradition involving sprit and ancestor worship.) Every year on the night of the full moon of the third lunar month, the Moken of Koh Surin gather around their sacred idol, which stands in front of the national park station on Koh Surin Nuea. The indigenous wooden idol, carved from the trunk of a single tree, resembles a Native American totem pole. The faces on the idol also have aspects similar to the rock sculptures of Easter Island.     The Moken first settled Koh Surin after World War II, building their iconic stilt houses on the sandy beach only a few meters from the sea. For generations the Moken actually lived their entire lives on small family boats in the Andaman Sea. Even now it is not uncommon for the men of the Moken community to venture out to sea for months at a time. While the men fish, the Moken women spend most of the day preparing meals or playing cards in small groups with their children nearby. Following the afternoon snorkeling session the boat makes its way back to Golden Buddha. The speedboat arrives back about 5pm and the dive boat about 6pm. What to bring Sunblock and sunglasses are all you really need. Some guests prefer to snorkel in a T-shirt because of the intense tropical sun. Sunblock should be reapplied before and after each snorkeling session, making sure to coat the backs of your legs and neck. Where to stay The Royal Thai National Park Service offers some basic accommodations on Koh Surin. A few bungalows are occasionally available but tend to be booked up during high season when Surin is accessible by boat. Most overnight visitors rent tents and an area of camp ground from the park service. Unfortunately the camping area is high density and offers little of the privacy that most guests wish to experience at a place like Koh Surin. The campgrounds are also limited to the granite inland area rather than the soft sands of the beach. Because of Surin's close proximity to Koh Phra Thong, most of our guests prefer to take day trips and sleep in the comfort of their private island beach houses at Golden Buddha Beach Resort. Click here to see some of our accommodations.   Packages can be custom tailored with mixing and matching of diving, yoga and spa.  For details, contact Helen.