Mu Koh Surin and Environs
Mu Koh Surin Marine National Park is located about 88 kilometers due west of Ranong Province on the west coast of Thailand.
The five granite islands sit in 135 squire kilometers of water. The largest, Koh Surin Nua, has an area of 19 squire kilometers and a highest point 240 meters above sea level. To its immediate southwest lies Koh Surin Tai; between the two is a strait only 200 meters wide which can be crossed on foot during low water. Koh Surin Tai is slightly smaller, 12 squire kilometers, but has a highest point of 350 meters above sea level.
Both of these islands are covered with verdant primary evergreen forest. The supporting canopies average 32 meters in height. Amid the forest are a few fruit trees and a collection of deciduous trees rich in epiphytes. Some 10 to 20% of Koh Surin Nua has a coverage of secondary growth, the primary forest having suffered from not only harsh monsoon conditions but also, during the '60s, logging. The only residents on Koh Surin Nua are the National Park officials. Koh Surin Tai has a small community of Chao Ley Sea Gypsies on some of its eastern beaches.
Diving around Mu Koh Surin
The Mu Koh Surin sites are visited by
live-aboard excursions from
Koh Phuket. The sites within the Park's boundaries follow fringing reefs which slope gently to the sea-bed. Other dive sites take you around small islets and along the walls of sheer submerged pinnacles.
The local sights are as diverse as they are interesting. Koh Tachai features a series of multi-reefs, each one different in both formation and its resident marine life. Further south, the rocky outcrop of Koh Bon features one of the area's less picturesque reefs but does have visits from mantas and whale sharks.
The coral and marine life of Muh Koh Surin are now, thankfully, under protection, but there is still evidence of damage caused by a range of different fishing techniques. Even after so long dynamite fishing has certainly left its mark.
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