Very good snorkel trip, in my opinion, the best trip from Phuket/Khoa Lak. Very healthy, diverse coral reefs with fish and other marine life. The crystal clear waters and stunning islands are a fantastic experience. There also aren’t too many tourists and worth the boat ride there and back.
Pros
Cons
Snorkel Video
Favourite Snorkel Snaps
Snorkel Review
Highlights
Pristine Coral present
2-4 Meters Average Depth
Very Good Visibility
East to medium difficulty
Cafe at Island
Tours approx $80-$100 USD
Sea Urchins Present
Unlikely
When:
Who:
Tour Cost:
Star Rating:
Cost:
The Surin Islands are located off the West coast of South Thailand, off of the popular Khao Lak and Phuket. The National Park is a popular tourist attraction for its crystal clear waters, picturesque islands, and incredible coral reefs. I went on a snorkel trip that ran from Khoa Lak to the Surin Islands. I was staying in Kata, so it was an early morning start and transfer to Khoa Lak. The snorkel trip was a full day 9:00-16:00pm, stopping at three snorkel spots, beach time, and visiting the Moken Village, with breakfast and lunch included.
Chong Kad Channel
The first snorkel spot on my trip was Chong Kad Channel, which is located in Northern Surin Island. The contrast of the light blue shoreline with the coral-filled dark blue water was exceptional. Two boats that stopped at this site, but it was very large so it wasn’t too busy.
The water visibility was pristine and perfect for exploring the coral reef which ran along the coastline. It was mainly made up of Boulder coral with patches of Branch coral, Stoney coral, etc. This was one of the healthiest coral reefs I’ve seen in Thailand, with incredible coral diversity, vibrant colours, and marine life.
Coral Reef
Top Tip:
When booking a trip to the Surin Islands, check how many snorkel spots there are, as some trips visit the islands with a focus on the beaches, whereas others are more focussed on snorkeling. I booked a trip that advertised 2-3 snorkels.
One of the best parts of the snorkel at the first spot was finding clownfish swimming amongst the Anemone tentacles. From my experience snorkeling in Thailand, Anemones are normally tucked away within the reef, protected from waves and currents. However, these Anemone structures were visible near the surface of the coral reef with several clownfish swimming within the tentacles.
There was also other marine life including Blackeyed Rabbitfish, Crown of Thorns Starfish, Three-Spotted Damselfish, Titan Triggerfish, Parrotfish, Moorish Idol, Blackedge Thicklipped Wrasse, Orangespined Surgeonfish, and many more.
Mae Yai Bay
Mae Yai Bay is located in the South of the Northern Surin Island, the large Bay has a coral reef that runs through the center and rises almost to the ocean surface.
Snorkel Spot
The coral was only 1.5-2.0 meters from the surface of the water. There were times when I had to be cautious swimming above the coral. But the corridors within the coral reef were great fun to explore.
The coral reef at this snorkel spot was probably one of the best coral reefs I’ve snorkeled in Thailand. The diversity of coral, colours, and contours of the reef was stunning and a fantastic experience to explore. There isn’t anything too big to see here, with Clownfish and Giant Moray Eels being the main unusual creatures to spot.
Coral Reef
Some of my favourite marine life I spotted on this snorkel included Oscellaris Clownfish, Variegated Lizardfish, and many vibrant Golden Gregory Damsel’s and Blue-Green Chromis.
Marine Life
Safety Tip:
The coral reef is very close to the surface of the water, so be careful whilst swimming over the coral reef not to hit the coral or get trapped.
I would say the main stand out of snorkeling at Surin Islands was the pristine corals, which were well established corals, unusual coral species, and intricate, delicate structures.
Surin Islands Corals
Chong Khat Bay Beach
We stopped off at Chong Khat Bay to have lunch at the Mu Ko Surin Islands National Park restaurant. We had time to relax and explore the stunning, crystal-clear beach, which made for the perfect photo opportunity.
Local Moken Village
During the trip to the Surin Islands, we visited the local Moken Village where the people live within the islands. The houses were made out of Bamboo and we walked through the village. This was a great experience to visit the village and meet the locals who were selling homemade jewellery and bracelets.
Summary
Overall, snorkeling the Surin Islands was a fabulous experience and one of my favourites in Thailand. I’d book a Surin Islands snorkeling trip again if I was to visit Phuket, or Khoa Lak again. Stunning islands, crystal clear waters, and healthy, diverse coral reefs where you can spot Nemo.
Tour Guide Options
Snorkel trips from Phuket to the Surin Islands range from $70.00-$100.00. Snorkel trips from Khao Lak to the Surin Islands range from $60.00-$80.00. If you’re staying in Phuket, there is a transfer to Khao Lak pier, where the tours set off to the National Park.
Best Snorkel Spot
In my opinion, the best snorkel spot was Mae Yai Bay, where I snorkeled two spots during the trip. The reef was in fantastic condition and well protected from the currents/waves even though it was in the middle of the bay. There were many tourists, but because the reef was so large you weren’t bumping into other people. There was a variety of different corals and I spotted two different sets of Oscellaris Clownfish.
Best Time Of Year
If you are visiting the Surin Islands, Thailand’s dry season will give you the best weather for snorkeling which is October-May.
Popular Marine Life
Parrotfish
Moorish Idol
Oscellaris Clownfish
Butterflyfish
Damselfish
Golden Gregory & Chromis
Giant Clam
Rare Marine Life
Giant Moray Eel
Titan Triggerfish
Scribbled Pipefish
Christmas tree Worm
Crown of Thorns Star Fish
Coral Reef
Boulder Coral
Table Coral
Brain Coral
Acroporidae Coral
Staghorn Branch Coral
Lettuce Coral
Boulder Star Coral
Mushroom Coral
Slipper Coral
What I Saw
(Seen on April, 2023)
| Ocellaris Clownfish | Crown Of Thorns Star Fish |
| Blackedge Thicklip Wrasse | Parrotfish |
| Titan Triggerfish | Giant Clam |
| Seargent Major Damselfish | Oval Butterflyfish |
| Blackeyed Rabbitfish | Orangespine Surgeonfish |
| Moorish Idol | Lettuce Coral |
| Table Coral | Acroporidae Coral |
| Boulder Coral | Mushroom Coral |
| Boulder Star Coral | Staghorn Branch Coral |
| Ocellaris Clownfish | Redfin Butterflyfish |
| Variegated Lizardfish | Christmas Tree Worm |
| Magnificent Rabbitfish | Randalls Rabbitfish |
| Green-Blue Chromis | Crown Of Thorns Star Fish |
| Lemon Damselfish | Golden Gregory Damselfish |
| Scribbled Pipefish | Boulder Coral |
| Brain Coral | Staghorn Branch Coral |
| Mushroom Coral | Lettuce Coral |
| Ocellaris Clownfish | Redfin Butterflyfish |
| Powder-Blue Surgeonfish | Blue Spot Butterflyfish |
| Blackeyed Rabbitfish | Moorish Idol |
| Green-Blue Chromis | Crown Of Thorns Star Fish |
| Giant Clam | Golden Gregory Damselfish |
| Sergeant Major Damselfish | Striped Triplefin Gobyfish |
| Scribbled Pipefish | Boulder Coral |
| Singular Bannerfish | Chinese Demoiselle |
| Boulder Coral | Stoney Acroporidae Coral |
| Brain Coral | Staghorn Branch Coral |
| Table Coral | Honeycomb Coral |
| Boulder Star Coral | Slipper Coral |
| Mushroom Coral | Lettuce Coral |
Where is the Surin Islands?
The Surin islands are off the West coast of Khoa Lak, which is just North of Phuket.
Surin Islands
Chong Kad Channel
Mae Yai Bay
Frequently Asked Questions
The only way to get to the Surin Islands is by boat. There is a range of tours running from Khoa Lak, and Phuket with a transfer to Khoa Lak.
Snorkel trips from Khao Lak to the Surin Islands range from $70.00-$100.00. Trips vary with the number of snorkel spots and specific spots.
I booked a snorkel tour with a tour company to visit and snorkel 3x snorkel spots, which also included lunch and beach time. The trip cost approximately $80.00, which is ฿3,300 Thai Baht.
Luke
FOUNDER
Luke is a passionate snorkeler who started Snorkelverse and live his dream of combining his passions for snorkeling, marine life, protecting marine ecosystems, and helping others.
Phuket Snorkel Reviews
