Mu Koh Surin National Park: How to Get There, Facilities, and Lodgings

Ko Surin Preparation and Planning | Chong Khat Bay Station | Lodging

Covered Seastar longtail boat navigating the sparkling emerald waters of the narrow straight between Ko Surin's Nuea and Tai islands

Koh Surin is a true tropical paradise. Wild, untamed jungle vegetation cover the towering limestone hills and cliffs of the islands, while marine life flourishes in the shallow waters of the coral reefs that surround them. The visual experience is unparalleled- white beaches of miniscule fragments of broken coral and shells set against sparkling emerald waters, vivid sunsets as the fiery star gently melts into the sea. Surprisingly, however, is that this particular national park is better-known for what lies under the water: what many call the best snorkeling and diving sites in Thailand. Avid snorkelers, Tiger and Bird planned to visit these islands and found November 2020 to be the perfect time for an ocean adventure. Our personal preparation for the trip began several months prior and included increased gym time and a daily four reps of two-minute planks so we could adequately tackle the three-hour-per-day snorkeling sessions in the currents of the open ocean.

The Powdery White Sand Beaches, Sparkling Azure Waters, and Coral Reefs of Lipe Island in Thailand

Koh Lipe | General Information | Photojourney

Koh Lipe in the sparkling azure waters of the Andaman. In the distance, larger Koh Adang and Koh Ra Wi are uninhabited islands that are part of Tarutao Marine Park

Koh Lipe is a remote tropical island nestled in the sparkling azure waters of the Andaman Sea near Thailand's border with Malaysia. As a tropical paradise the island is without equal. Powdery white sand beaches line shores mere meters (yards) from coral reefs teeming with all kinds of aquatic life. Every moment of every day, from morning until night, the surrounding beauty is such that it feels as if the visitor has stepped into an Instagram photograph or tourism brochure. The island is low-lying, relatively developed, and fully walkable. Longtail boats transport visitors to numerous additional snorkeling sites as well as the nearby uninhabited paradises of Koh Adang and Koh Ra Wi. And the scuba diving is majestic! A friend visiting the island in November sent back enviable underwater photos taken with whale sharks feeding nearby. Note that Lipe is also a very popular tourist destination; we avoided the crowds and found the island almost deserted in late 2020 near the end of the travel lockdowns.