Conditions referenceSeason, water and visibilityBest Dec–Apr · Moderate current · 26–33°C (coldest Jan, warmest May)
- Current
- Moderate
- Water temperature
- 26–33°C (coldest Jan, warmest May)
- Visibility
- 10–30m: Typically 10-20m, dropping to around 5-10m on plankton-rich or windy days; can reach 30m on the clearest dry-season days (December-April).
- Experience
- The sheltered channel, Turtle Ledge and shallow bays suit Open Water divers.
01 · Marine life
What you may see
Sightings are never guaranteed. The bars show typical likelihood by month.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | commonly seen |
| February | commonly seen |
| March | commonly seen |
| April | commonly seen |
| May | commonly seen |
| June | destination closed |
| July | destination closed |
| August | destination closed |
| September | destination closed |
| October | commonly seen |
| November | commonly seen |
| December | commonly seen |
Reliably seen on the reef sites, including Turtle Ledge, feeding and resting on the coral.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | commonly seen |
| February | commonly seen |
| March | commonly seen |
| April | commonly seen |
| May | commonly seen |
| June | destination closed |
| July | destination closed |
| August | destination closed |
| September | destination closed |
| October | commonly seen |
| November | commonly seen |
| December | commonly seen |
Resident in anemones across the shallow reefs, including the HQ Channel and Ao Mai Ngam.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | commonly seen |
| February | commonly seen |
| March | commonly seen |
| April | commonly seen |
| May | commonly seen |
| June | destination closed |
| July | destination closed |
| August | destination closed |
| September | destination closed |
| October | commonly seen |
| November | commonly seen |
| December | commonly seen |
Regular on the shallow reefs and at Turtle Ledge, often grazing on the reef flat.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | occasional |
| February | occasional |
| March | occasional |
| April | occasional |
| May | occasional |
| June | destination closed |
| July | destination closed |
| August | destination closed |
| September | destination closed |
| October | occasional |
| November | occasional |
| December | occasional |
Occasional at exposed sites such as Hin Kong, most likely in the February-April pelagic window; never reliable at the Surin island reefs.
02 · Dive sites
Dive sites worth knowing
A starting point, not a ranking. Conditions decide what works on the day.
Ao Mai Ngam
A sheltered bay on Surin Nuea that once held one of Thailand's largest staghorn-coral reefs.
3–20m · Mild current
HQ Channel
The shallow channel between Surin Nuea and Surin Tai, near the national-park headquarters.
3–15m · Mild current
Koh Chi
A northern islet with granite boulders and caverns at its north end.
5–22m · Moderate current
See all 6 dive sites
03 · LogisticsGetting there and costsModerate. Fly to HKT. Typical trip $–$$.
Route overview
Moderate
Reachable but with some friction: a 3h overland transfer, a 2h boat crossing.
Airport options
HKT
Phuket International Airport
Nearest international airport; about 3.5-4 hours by road north to Khuraburi pier, then a boat crossing to the islands
UNN
Ranong Airport
Closer to Khuraburi (about 1.5 hours by road) but served by only limited domestic flights via Bangkok
Typical trip cost
$–$$
under $2,000 to $2,000–4,000
Per person, excluding international flights.
- Budget-friendly by regional standards.
- Andaman liveaboards visiting Surin (often combined with Similan and northern sites) commonly run roughly $150-250 per day, so a 4-6 night trip is about $700-1,500 per person excluding flights.
- Day trips from Khuraburi run roughly $100-170.
Permit or park fee
What you pay
National-park entry 500 baht per foreign adult, 250-300 baht per foreign child (3-14
sources vary). Some bays, such as Ao Mai Ngam, are managed reef-rehabilitation zones with diving restricted or closed.
How it works
All visitors pay the Mu Ko Surin National Park entry fee, collected on arrival. Diving and overnight stays are only possible while the park is open (roughly 15 October to 15 May).