This is 1 0f those places where bringing your ain hammock is a existent adept idea.Ko Surin is 1 of the N Andaman islands betwixt Phuket too Ranong - the expanse is N of the Similans, Khao Lak too Takua Pa. The mainland base of operations is almost 1 hr N of Takua Pa inwards the town of Kuraburi.
I pinched this map off Bolesav's Trip Report elsewhere on this site - icon Thaiforest Booking 
Modified Google world icon of same - mightiness go worth clicking to enlarge.
A flake to a greater extent than item of the master copy visitor areas - definitely needs clicking.
Check-in is at the National Park role at the mainland pier almost 17km WNW of Kuraburi town. If you lot receive got non booked your bungalow online you lot tin exercise it here. You can't volume tents or tent spaces online. For campers the master copy concern of the NP people hither seems to go checking your carry ticket (and I gauge making certain in that location are tent vacancies at busy times) - you lot pay your 400baht NP fee (5 days) along with camping ground fees when leaving the island.If you lot receive got booked with 1 of the move agents inwards town you lot volition teach costless carry downward to the pier. Tom too Am Tour (email: tom_am01@hotmail.com) which has a counter at the motorbus halt (closed when I arrived on a Sunday, as was the other counter of Barracuda Diving) too whose master copy street role tin go seen as you lot walk downward the brusk access route from the motorbus station, went a measuring or ii farther - picked me upwardly from my accommodation too provided a elementary breakfast at their office. Their cutting seems to come upwardly from selling you lot a boat ticket - although I also stayed at their riverside bungalows nearby - 300b at nowadays dropped to 250 when I jokingly asked if 300 came with dancing girls. Bungalows non flash - worth almost 250 past times North Andaman standards although you lot would pay twice this inwards central-south Andaman. Located at N halt of shopping strip simply across the master copy route river span - brusk walk to all services. 7/11 24h store inwards service station adjacent door (not noisy - bungalows are laid 250m dorsum from road) but non alcohol! Another 7/11 selling booze is 5 minutes walk away inwards fundamental master copy street, but won't sell this before 5pm inwards the afternoon - local constabulary strictly observed.
Kuraburi has several other traveller type places summation the to a greater extent than midrange Greenview Resort almost 10km S of town inwards existent scenic countryside unopen to the highway. I think Greenview arranges Surin carry thru Barracuda Diving.
Arriving at the Surins. Speedboats moor beside 1 of those floating piers - but campers going to expanse #2 (as nosotros all were) are loaded into longtails which motion amongst speedboats.The websites volition tell you lot the selection is betwixt slowboats too speedboats from the mainland, but such had been the decrease inwards visitors since the coral bleaching episode began that the dull boats were alone running on weekends inwards March '11.
I'm non whelmed past times speedboats, having suffered some horrifically petroleum too moisture trips, but fortunately conditions both across too dorsum were pretty calm. Trip takes maybe 50-60 minutes - highlights are Ko Ra, a mountainous isle with adept beaches unopen to the coast (and alone 1 eco resort which I didn't receive got fourth dimension to see this trip) too Richelieu Rock, a submerged reef almost 75% into the journeying with simply about 10 dive-boats (most live-aboard) moored higher upwardly what is supposed to go the best diving inwards Thailand.
Approaching the back-beach at camping ground expanse #2 - longtail trip takes maybe 10 minutes too is included inwards the toll of your speedboat ticket. From the back-beach it's a apartment 250m walk thru the rainforest across the isthmus to the campsite expanse too improve beach at Ao Mai Ngam.
Ao Mai Ngam is a pretty overnice beach - adept plenty to brand my listing of Thailand's best beaches. Maybe 500m long, book-ended past times mountainous headlands, clear water, white sand, lots of overnice tree shade inwards dorsum of the beach, plenty of sand left at total high tide. Campers got a kicking 1 morning time with a small-scale (approx 300cm) shark cruising like shooting fish in a barrel at high tide unopen to the beach. It took off similar a rocket when a gung ho dude decided to exercise a Steve Irwin too grab the lilliputian thing.Unlike the arrivals beaches inwards area#1 too dorsum beach at this area#2, it is possible to exercise reasonably adept snorkelling from the beach - although whatever decent coral is a fair way out. Mai Ngam does endure from the depression tide blues, but create clean sand rather than ugly stone is exposed too swimming is nevertheless possible past times wading out some other 50m. Negatives include cheek-by-jowel tents nether the beachfront trees for maybe 40% its length, but you lot could combat they are partly hidden past times the trees too less intrusive than a bungalow articulation or two.
They exercise pack them in, but Mai Ngam is nowhere nigh as congested as the camping ground beach inwards the arrivals area. Coral bleaching crisis saw way fewer visitors (an expat March regular told me a 3rd of normal week-day March visitors) so that I managed a beachfront tent - far right of shot. Tents hither went dorsum several rows - futher along the beach they were beachfront only.Tents front end left are National Park "small" versions - 300b a dark although I paid 180b single. My tent was pretty adept - sufficient room for ii people too gear although non quite high plenty to stand upwardly in, too really waterproof - it poured on ii nights. The larger 450-300 NP tents looked maybe 20% bigger. National Park provides bedding for 60b a dark - a really sparse sleeping mat which is truly a yoga mat, a adept sleeping pocketbook which is unnecessary too a small-scale pillow. I establish the mat so sparse I hired ii sets of bedding. Still a flake sparse on the padding although combined pillow thickness became simply right.
Quite a few people including my neighbours had brought their ain tents too bedding.
Very unopen proximity of neighbours may worry some people, but I establish my French neighbours friendly too helpful. Not so some of their countrymen who decided they were the campsite gendarmes too acted inwards a rude, arrogant mode which unfortunately confirmed the stereotype of their nationality. "We rest hither 4 weeks for the past times 5 years!" Whoa - tres impressive!!! Move over Moken, nosotros got a novel mob claiming traditional ownership.
Layout of Ao Mai Ngam National Park Canteen/Administration expanse right too camping ground expanse left. Camping expanse has been extended farther to the left - in that location are at nowadays 10 sub-zones too each tin receive got at to the lowest degree 25 tents, non the three the icon suggests. Back zones virtually empty when I visited but plainly NP tin haul upwardly extra tents inwards busy times quickly. To its credit NP keeps the expanse really create clean of leafage litter etc too the toilets too showers were ever presentable. With crowds downward I never had to hold off at these. They too routes to them were lit 24 hours. This icon from Ko Surin Diving expands nicely when clicked.
These tents were at the front end of a dorsum zone behind my beachfront one. Nicely decorated - the dwellers seemed to go permanent locals, but I couldn't go out if they were NP workers or carry fellowship staff. Worryingly, 1 dude seemed to play music all dark - it was going 3am 1 night, 5am the adjacent (I picked upwardly a põrnikas too had to brand sleep-time wc runs: btw I am non blaming the terrible NP eating spot food, I think I picked this upwardly on the mainland) - music was the dire Thai dearest vocal stuff, non besides loud but non soft either. The lapping of the wavelets covered this vibrations from my tent but I would abhor to go inwards his zone which could occur when things were busy.
National Park restaurant. Big opened upwardly sided articulation nigh beachfront with to a greater extent than alfresco seating outside. Which created volume migration when precipitous tempest hit.Food absolutely dire. I'm on tape proverb I've never not enjoyed Thai nutrient - fifty-fifty that materials inwards highway nutrient stalls been stewing for 5 years which you lot downward when the motorbus stops for fifteen minutes tastes adept to me, but the NP eating spot grub was terrible - tasteless, greasy, relatively expensive too express inwards selection ("no beef, no squid alone chicken!"). I got so dismayed with the ultra-greasy offerings I opted for a fruit plate ("only pineapple!") too ii boiled eggs for my terminal three meals. Couple this with tardy, surly too rude counter service. Hey too NP restaurants no longer serve alcohol.
Boss lady Am dorsum at the move agency inwards Kuraburi did tell me to raid a 7/11 too receive got as much nutrient as possible summation coffee/tea. Well I took java but non much food. I did smuggle inwards a bottle of rum.
BTW I've establish NP eating spot nutrient at Tarutao, Khao Lak, Khao Sok too Adang tasty too cheap. Why so bad too expensive here? I got the impression the place's cachet as the prime number snorkelling isle inwards Thailand has bred complacency - the crowds come upwardly anyway too are a captive market. NP staff inwards the reception expanse were pretty slack too surly too.
BTW Boleslav who stayed at the expanse #1 - the arrivals beach expanse - inwards the bungalows says inwards the Trip Reports department that the nutrient was pretty adept inwards the canteen there. I had 1 repast in that location - it was a measuring up, but non that great. Maybe NP Surins has a novel caterer.
Positives: Free fresh mutual frigidness H2O too boiling H2O were available on that tabular array mid-restaurant inwards shot. Table service was quick too the boys kept the house tidy. Bread was availably at 5b a piece too a toasting rack was laid upwardly exterior at breakfast with comp jam. The ordering expanse had a really express gain of noodle-cups, snacks, juices too soft drinks for a flake of variety. If the women could halt yaking to serve you.
THE ARRIVALS BEACH
This is the beach at the arrivals pier - pretty small, non that attractive (I saw no-one swimming). Visitors data shack at the inland halt of the pier too this area's National Park eating spot simply behind those trees inwards dorsum of beach at left. Short rail leads away from photographic tv set camera to bungalow-tent expanse on the overnice dorsum beach.
Ao Chong Kaad, the dorsum bungalow/camping beach inwards the arrivals expanse was pretty nice, but non a touching on Mgai Ngam. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 sign behind photographic tv set camera said DANGER - NO SWIMMING HERE. So naturally I had to run across why. There was a pretty adept tidal electrical current ripping thru (this beach is on the narrowish passage betwixt North Surin too South Surin) which at the fourth dimension was carting a fair flake of natural junk similar lumps of jelly-like stuff, twigs etc. Note no problems with currents mid beach or farther from camera. The Nature Track betwixt the arrivals expanse too the Mai Ngam expanse starts from the far halt of the beach - in that location was a overnice small-scale patch of sheltered sand almost three minutes into the rail in all likelihood also accessible from this beach at lower tide levels. About one-half way along the rail is a beach similar to the 1 inwards shot which is the Thai Navy Surins Base site.
The tent expanse behind the beach is way to a greater extent than congested. They seemed to receive got crammed almost the same issue of tents into a quarter of the expanse of Mai Ngam - too because it's so confined, they don't bother taking tents downward when it's non busy. As far as I could run across in that location were alone 1 or ii tents occupied hither on a weekday March '11. It seems that inwards unbusy times, unless you lot inquire for this expanse you lot are automatically taken to the much to a greater extent than attractive Mai Ngam site.
The National Park Bungalows are mainly located on steep slopes behind the beach. As far as I could run across these 2000baht ones mainly had really express body of body of water too beach views thru the heavy tree canopy. The 3000 baht ones inwards a separate expanse were improve inwards this respect.I receive got to say that 2000baht for a bungalow without aircon is an inquire (the 3000 ones exercise receive got this too looked to go able to theatre families easily) - I stayed inwards similar NP bungalows inwards the S Andaman non besides long agone for a 3rd these prices.
An English linguistic communication duet I talked to on the render speedboat said yep - value non bully fifty-fifty at the 1400 they paid online for the 2000 jobbies. Now I receive got checked the NP website - tin run across no yell of 1400 too the guy inwards the Book-In department nigh the pier quoted me 2000. But in that location is some other website people wishing to volume from overseas tin utilization - peradventure it has managed to screw a decent discount out of NP inwards these tranquility coral bleaching times. Booking from overseas on the official NP website is existent difficult because they want your deposit paid into whatever branch a nominated Thai banking concern or a regional NP Office inside 36 hours or similar. The other website tin exercise this - for a fee - which makes that 1400 fifty-fifty improve value if this is how it was done.
Bolesav has some pix of the 2000 bungalows' exterior/interior inwards the TRIP REPORT department Surins page.
Map of arrivals expanse - the floating pier is non shown but is roughly where "Island" is printed bottom right. Once in 1 lawsuit again the expanse has been expanded - this shows alone 1 row of 2000 bungalows at xix instead of two. half-dozen tent symbols for at to the lowest degree 150 tents. Click to expand.SNORKELLING
I didn't become to the Surins to snorkel. For a start I knew that fifty-fifty inwards best times the coral/fish are roughly equal to an expanse I receive got snorkelled extensively inwards adept times -the Similans - maybe a flake better, maybe a flake worse, but close. That is, some of the best inwards Thailand but non mind-blowing compared to world's best. And secondly I knew the good publicised coral bleaching of tardily 2010 into 2011 had badly affected the situation.
How badly? Well 1 LP Thorntree poster was claiming all the coral was dead - hur hur hur, dude's been popping the hyperbole pills - non fifty-fifty close. But yep, in that location was a hell of a lot of dead coral although strangely I saw really lilliputian of the startlingly white bleached coral. Maybe nosotros receive got passed start phase. Less coral equals fewer fish - in that location were some almost but hardly exciting although people on my snorkelling trip did run across a few harmless black-tip reef sharks at Ko Rae (and 1 turtle).
I gotta say the afternoon snorkelling trip was underwhelming - H2O was besides deep for adept visibility past times surface snorkellers too for like shooting fish in a barrel dives to the bottom past times blokes similar me done our ears inwards from besides much lobster-chasing etc inwards days past. And the boat guys seemed to receive got no English linguistic communication or fifty-fifty manus directions for where the adept materials was in 1 lawsuit the longtail was moored. In all, the materials I saw was maybe fifth charge per unit of measurement past times world standards too I had no want to exercise adjacent morning's snorkel trip to other areas (if they can't present you lot at to the lowest degree 1 adept expanse inwards the afternoon it suggests they don't receive got much improve on the other trip).
But hey, when I discussed all the higher upwardly with the English linguistic communication duet from the bungalows they said agree on, they were nevertheless really impressed - beats the North Sea hands down. Good point.
Ao Mai Ngam is adept inwards that you lot tin snorkel ordinarily okay materials off the beach - non possible inwards the Arrivals Area or at the accommodation beaches inwards the Similans as far as I know.Stuff unopen to the beach was pretty dead but out in that location where the boats are moored is the reef drop-off too it seemed as adept to me there, especially to the left, as at my snorkelling trip locations. It is a hell of a long way out to this zone but at depression tide you lot tin wade most of the way.
Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 bloke told me it was also adept nigh a small-scale beach simply about a tiny headland to the right of the boats (not the large far headland you lot tin run across top right) but I swam no fins, no snorkel way out to the mooring zone drop-off at high tide too I was blowed if I was going to swim some other 500m to this beach area.
DIVING
I didn't run across whatever evidence of dive outfits located on the islands. Heaps of daytrip too overnight diveboats go over the expanse from Khao Lak, Phuket, Kuraburi too to a greater extent than local islands similar Ko Kho Khao too Ko Phra Thong.
At the fourth dimension of writing government had closed ii Surins expanse dive sites because of the bleaching crisis but there's a heap of others.
THE NATURE TRAIL
This joins the Arrivals expanse 1 to Area 2 starting from the far N halt of Ao Chong Kaad too arriving at the southern halt of the dorsum beach across from Ao Mai Ngam inwards Area 2 - run across the 2nd Google Earth icon above. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 leisurely walk 1 way took me almost 50 minutes. It is relatively apartment with with no sustained killer slopes, sticking fairly unopen to simply higher upwardly the stone platform. When you lot come upwardly to the Navy beach, become straight out onto the sand too walk to the really far halt where the rail moves upwardly into the bush again. There is pretty overnice rainforest too body of body of water glimpses along the rail summation the common NP educational panels almost flora/fauna/landscape etc, inwards the common misfortunate condition.
The educational panels weren't the alone things inwards misfortunate repair. At to the lowest degree 4 wooden stairways or bridges along the way were inwards similar disrepair too looked similar they had been that way for some time. What does NP exercise with our 400baht entry fees?
Aint gonna laid upwardly this 1 existent quick. Looked to receive got come upwardly downward terminal moisture flavor - I'm wondering if to a greater extent than slumped inwards the unusually heavy rains which caused unseasonal flooding inwards southern Thailand inwards tardily March/early July 2011 simply afterward I left.Note the lack of whatever other walking tracks inwards the Surins. Any other isle of similar size would receive got some to to a greater extent than distant beaches, viewpoints etc.
THE MOKEN VILLAGE
The alone other attraction at the Surins is a see to the Moken (sea gypsy) "traditional village" on the S island.
Now I know I should exercise this for you lot guys if I'm going to spot out a SURINS page - but I gave the see a miss. First I'm non existent large on cultural stuff. Second, Am dorsum inwards Kuraburi told me the Moken receive got traditional things similar color big-screen TVs these days. Third I was nether the impression that truthful Moken are nomadic - never rest inwards 1 house long plenty to construct to a greater extent than than make-shitft dwellings. Not the south-sea isle type bungalows I saw from the speedboat as nosotros passed on arrival.
UNDERWHELMED.
Some of you lot dudes may receive got correctly read betwixt the lines to realise I was less than gruntled almost the Surins. I'm non blaming the coral. But the cost of accessing the place, the high National Park fees, the discomfort of their joke for a sleeping mattress, the dire dire dire not-cheap food, the disrepair of some facilities, the rudeness too slackness of eating spot counter too NP book-in staff, the overpriced bungalows, too the lack of walking tracks to other beaches or whatever viewpoints left me less than whelmed.
People run across overhead photos of the landscape similar the 1 higher upwardly from the National Parks website too teach blown away, yet the Surins can't agree a candle to Phi Phi Ley, Phang Nga Bay or Railay inwards the landscape stakes. I reckon its comparable to Ko Tao - non shabby but non oh-wow! from ground/sea level.Don't teach me wrong, I didn't dislike the place. But high toll of access had stopped my visiting it until afterward almost ii dozen other islands - which is plumbing equipment because that's almost where I charge per unit of measurement it. Most of those other places I regret leaving afterward my besides brusk visits (forced past times trying to gibe besides many places into the three weeks that theatre unit of measurement commitments restrain me to each LOS visit) but afterward three days on the Surins I wasn't upset go heading elsewhere. I'll go back, but non some fourth dimension presently - partly to cheque the coral when it recovers but mainly to run across if National Parks has lifted its game, especially with the food.
UPDATE JAN 2012 - MV who has several trip reports inwards that department of the weblog contacted me with the following:
"Back from 35 days on Surin. Coral bleak, fish non much better. Reef really broken exposing lobster too octopus. Morays all gone, fifty-fifty starfish.
Highlights: three eagle ray inwards formation, turtles too a bumphead parrot as good as three octopus too lobsters."
K says things were really tranquility on the isle too promises a Surins Trip Report with some pix whan he gets the chance, but he is to a greater extent than or less on the route constantly (lucky man). I volition spot upwardly a link hither when it comes in.
GOOD AS THE SIMILANS?
I dunno because I receive got never stayed on the Similans. I've seen all Similan islands, many of the snorkel sites too called inwards at both accommodation sites on Poseidon's live-aboard snorkelling trip but that was completely dissimilar too three of the best days I've spent inwards Thailand. I'm going to attempt to exercise three nights at the Similan National Park campsite site #1 some fourth dimension soon. Camp site #2 would go unfair - Donald Duck Bay's beach blows Mai Ngam out of the water. And simply almost whatever other beach inwards Thailand.
WHEN TO GO
National Parks shuts downward inwards the moisture season. The website below volition give the dates of closing/opening. Thais receive got a affair for isle national parks on weekends too populace holidays so if arriving too then you lot may give away bungalows booked out too all tent spaces taken. At to the lowest degree inwards times of good for you lot coral.
GETTING THERE
From what I tin gather, National Parks does non run boats. These are left to the move agents too dive outfits inwards Kuraburi who tin sell you lot a ticket too shuttle you lot to the pier. These people combine customers to teach a total boat inwards slower times.
You could become to the pier independently but in that location is no guarantee in that location volition go seats left - too a motorbike taxi may accuse you lot the 200 I heard a traveller quote (a fairer toll is the lxx I paid to an equal-distance to a greater extent than southern Kuraburi “pier” for Ko Phratong - organised past times the helpful Am - March 2011).
From retention the Surins speedboat too pier shuttle cost me 1650 return. The boats leave of absence simply about 0900-0930 too receive got almost an hr (speedboats). My render speedboat too shuttle van got me dorsum to Kuraburi town almost 1515. Time plenty to brand the banking concern which closes 1600 but has ATMs exterior other times.
FROM PHUKET, KHAO LAK, RANONG too CHUMPON - regular buses to Kuraburi run betwixt Phuket too Ranong - roughly hourly. Some proceed on to Chumpon for KO TAO. Phuket is almost 3.5 hours Lak 1.7 Ranong 2 too Chumpon 4.
Note if you lot are coming from KO PHAYAM or LITTLE KO CHANG in that location is a SURINS ISLAND TRIP boat which does 2 twenty-four hr menstruation snorkelling tours, staying inwards NP tents overnight.
This boat volition also receive got you lot downward 1 way. Cost seems high at 2000 but you lot teach to exercise all the start twenty-four hr menstruation activities including snorkelling some spots along the way too meals. I don’t know if your start night's NP too tent costs are included. It’s the alone way you lot tin leave of absence Phayam too Chang too go on the Surins the same day, unless you lot are prepared to charter your ain boat from Kuraburi which volition cost you lot way to a greater extent than than 2000.
Thia boat tends to moor inwards Buffalo Bay Phayam too in that location are posters upwardly simply about both islands advertising it. Major work - it may non go departing the same twenty-four hr menstruation you lot want to leave.
Not besides that quite a few Surins trips originate out of KHAO LAK - accommodation places too move agents organise boat tickets too pier shuttles. Simply agency starting an hr or so before than from Kuraburi.
FROM BANGKOK - some but non all Bangkok-Phuket buses run thru Kuraburi via Ranong. There could also go separate Bangkok to Takua Pa buses but these may become along the Surathani-Takua Pa route (route 401) rather than via Rangong too Kuraburi. Anyway, the ticket offices at Bangkok's southern motorbus terminal volition spot you lot on the right bus.
I think you lot would go looking at something simply about eleven hours to Kuraburi. For people wanting to outpouring straight off the motorbus too onto carry to the Surins I reckon an overnight motorbus starting before 2100 would exercise the job.
Even though the turn-off to the pier is aboout 6km on the Ranong/Bangkol side of Kuraburi town I’d become right into town too hoof it to 1 of the move agents at/near the motorbus stop. They truly run the boats too spot on carry to the pier.
FROM TAKUA PA - all the higher upwardly buses volition exercise the 1 hr trip, but in that location are also local rattlers which maybe receive got a flake longer.
FROM SAMUI/PHANGAN too KHAO SOK. Jump on a route 401 motorbus at Surathani motorbus station too outpouring off at Takua Pa. Then receive got 1 of the buses above.
FROM KRABI and PHANG NGA- in that location are a few daily buses Krabi to Kuraburi too to a greater extent than Krabi to Takua Pa. As far as I know these all transcend thru Phang Nga motorbus station, but I receive got also seen Phang Nga to Takua Pa rattlers.
WHICH IS THE BETTER – THE SIMILANS OR THE SURINS?
Coral too fish conditions seemed almost the same although I don’t think lots of medium sized fish nigh the beach at the Surins’ Ao Mai Ngam. I did run across a overnice babe shark.
When the coral recovers it volition go possible to snorkel a pretty adept reef drop-off at Ao Mai Ngam. You demand a boat trip for the same type of materials inwards the Similans.
Ao Mai Ngam is a sweetness beach, 1 of Thailand’s improve ones, but the master copy beach at the Similans HQ isle is some other measuring upwardly – no depression tide blues for a start too the H2O seemed clearer too bluer. Donald Duck Bay at Similans isle #8 is improve again.
EXCEPT – both Similans beaches teach heaps to a greater extent than daytrippers. For people-watchers similar me this is a plus, but maybe non for
Landscape/seascape at both Surins too Similans are every bit attractive.
I think the Surins’ camping ground expanse at Ao Mai Ngam is improve than at HQ Beach inwards the Similans (although the alternative Surins’ arrivals beach camping ground expanse at Ao Chong Kaad is truly cramped too crammed). Ao Mai Ngam is divided into neat lilliputian sections, has a greater issue of can blocks which ever seemed create clean too has the possibility of beachfront camping ground sites although alone for a express %. Then in 1 lawsuit again it had to a greater extent than pains inwards the bum long-term campers who thought they owned the house when I visited.
I didn’t think the bungalows were superior at either site but the Similans has more. I think camping ground enthusiasts volition savour the Surins' Ao Mai Ngam more.
Restaurants were dire at both locations but the Similans’ HQ beach 1 was slightly better.
National Park staff were every bit rude.
The Similans has considerably improve walks too viewpoints.
Overall I’d give it to the Similans.
KURABURI
Kuraburi is the mainland base of operations town for the Surins too islands similar Ko Phra Thong too Ko Raya - it's almost an hr past times motorbus N of Takua Pa too 2 hours S of Ranong. Distance betwixt the ii white arrows is 750m.The town is a strung along the master copy highway with a master copy street shopping expanse almost 1 one-half the length of Khao Lak's master copy centre. It's a pretty tranquility house with adept multifariousness of stores, a duet of 711s, 1 banking concern with ATM, several trip booking places too a few places to stay. There is a dark nutrient marketplace position runs simply right of the L for TOM AND AM TRAVEL.
Accommodation
If heading from S to north, 1 alternative would go to ride thru the shopping street on the master copy route too as presently as you lot attain the span at the far halt cheque the ii bungalow places on the inland side (the farther of the ii you lot receive got to become downward a 200m rail from the road). I stayed inwards the farther 1 terminal month, forget its yell - it's associated with Tom too Am Travel who receive got a shopfront left side heading N inwards the middle of town contrary the route into the motorbus station, too also a desk at the motorbus station. It had basic rooms with bath for 300 asked - I got 250. Very quiet.
Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 guy tenting adjacent to me inwards the Surins stayed at the articulation the other side of the span - said existent overnice bungalow for 400 odd including basic breakfast.
If you lot exit at the motorbus station the start of these places is lilliputian to a greater extent than than 5 minutes walk.
There are some other places dorsum behind businesses inwards the fundamental town - I think a sign showing bungalows inwards dorsum nigh Barracuda Dive's shop. Barracuda also has a desk at the motorbus station. BTW in that location is a mum too popular trip booking agent on left side of the lane leading downward from the motorbus station - seemed to receive got adept contacts but misfortunate English.
If you lot want flashpacker-lower midrange accommodation expect for the signs amongst the master copy route almost 8-10km S of town inwards twisty hilly jungle province for Kuraburi Green View Resort. If on a bus, inquire the conductor/driver to halt the motorbus when there. They are really reliable.
I also copied this information when doing inquiry for my trip - I don't know who the poster was:
In Kura Bury in that location is a really adept house to rest my married adult man too I receive got stayed in that location several times Boon Piya resort,
179-180 M1 T Kura is on the master copy route inwards Kura Buri tel 01-7525457 . It is really elementary but really create clean with you lot ain shower too loo , lilliputian bungalows too the possessor Panich who runs it is a really overnice human . It is used to go almost 800 bath the dark too in that location is a overnice house adjacent door for breakfast inwards the morning.
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Boleslav has an concern human relationship of a Surins see when the coral was adept inwards the TRIP REPORT SECTION here which includes staying at the bungalows, a critique of snorkelling spots inwards adept times too some underwater shots similar the 1 below.
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LATEST INFORMATION
Trip reporter ACK visited the Surins inwards early on Dec 2012. He emailed me this info:
Returned from 5 days Surins. Was to go 10 but commons non opened upwardly until Dec5. Coral is absolutely toast. Worse than terminal twelvemonth if possible. Fish are gone as well. Wife too friend did daytrip to Koh Tachai. Same story.
On both beaches inwards park, huge amounts of sand receive got washed ashore. In the water, sand (dead coral) has washed over everything at shallow depth killing all inwards its path. Beaches are markedly higher. Much erosion, at nowadays easier for H2O to penetrate deeper into camp. Many large trees at risk. Mangrove on the small-scale beach facing Chankot (entrance to Mai Ngak camp) has thinned immensely too looks unhealthy. Mangrove on Mai Ngam on also suffering.
No fish or marine life. 10+ hours inwards the water. No shark, no turtle, 1 lobster, 1 octopus. Only few grouper too they were all off Koh Torlinda. Many, many mutual too hearty reef fish at nowadays gone. No tuna or trevally as well. As I stated years agone too was brushed off, the entire ecosystem has collapsed. The alone affair Thailand volition go line-fishing is squid.
It is no longer worthwhile to rent gear or receive got a snorkel boat. It is DEAD. Boat times receive got also been cutting to 2hrs. Tolinda is at nowadays said to go no longer visited (too far besides run across nothing) but np boats were running on our trips.
The conditions was good, appears nosotros wedged ourselves betwixt ii storms. Was worried almost your trip as nosotros had a really odd tempest front end scroll inwards on the Andaman side, too then stalled out over gulf.
Have a friend on Phayam now. Says its lovely. Friend returned from Khood but simply says it was overnice too has non sent me photos for you.
The (caretaker) bungalow on Ao Mai Ngam is in 1 lawsuit again available this twelvemonth for b2000. (above). No prebooking. Also a dorsum theatre that has 7-8 beds at b3000.
Vegetation inwards campground looks improve with the hordes gone, no 1 is breaking it. Cant swear past times this but seems in that location is much less plane vocal inwards the morning time at dawn. Odd I know but it was inwards fact something that struck me on to a greater extent than than 1 morning.
Restaurant was better. Lunch is decidedly best meal. We were fifty-fifty able to teach nutrient spicy to Thai standard.
Fees are slated to become up. Park fee to 500b for 5 days. Stevenl says rescinded, but no indication inwards the np. Jan1. Boat prices also going up. No longer recommend Sabina (transfer) too with that TomAm (never did recommend Tom). . Use Barracuda (Dive) . Hah, yell is Barracuda but no barracuda inwards the water. Sabina boat prices said to become up. Their daytrip toll was already jacked up. Wife had large discount but nosotros empathize toll was b2500 from Surin. They did non utilization their boat but piggybacked on Barracuda's trip or organized jointly.Imagine all operators are suffering hugely from the bleaching.
Please tell your fans to rent tents inwards park, tents are newish, biggish too alone b300
DEC 2013 - wonderingstar simply sent me a link to his lately completed snorkelling page on the Surins. He reports the coral is nevertheless messed up, the fish are adept too the nutrient is at nowadays okay. He has heaps of information summation literally hundreds of pix too plenty of maps. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 bully page: SURINS ISLANDS DIVE SITESKURABURI GREENVIEW RESORT
NATIONAL PARKS WEBSITE
If you run across mistakes or receive got extra information, delight burn them inwards below. If you lot receive got questions, delight inquire them on THE FORUM which I cheque most days. I alone see private isle pages occasionally.
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IF YOU VISIT THE SURINS YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN NEARBY LOCATIONS LIKE KO KHO KHAO, KO PHRA THONG, PHAYAM, LITTLE KO CHANG, KHAO LAK, KHAO SOK, PHUKET - PAGES ON EACH CAN BE ACCESSED THRU THE INDEX
You may also go interested inwards the relatively unopen SIMILAN ISLANDS
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