Liveaboard Diving in Surin Islands

What To Expect on A Surin Islands Liveaboard

A liveaboard dive tour to the Surin Islands in Thailand will take divers to some of the best diving available in the Andaman Sea. Situated in the picturesque Thai province of Phang Nga, the Surin Islands archipelago is about 60km (37 miles) away from the west coast of Thailand in the Andaman Sea. Designated a National Marine Park in 1981, the Mu Koh Surin National Park comprises 2 large islands, North and South. The islands are covered in granite outcrops ringed with pristine coral reefs that provide an underwater spectacle of life and color. Still relatively untouched, liveaboard diving is the best way to experience diving on these islands and enjoy nature's finest. Due to its remoteness, some liveaboards only offer a short 4 days schedule.

Surin Islands Underwater

The abundance of marine life in these waters is staggering, with regular sightings of cruising white tip reef sharks, barracuda, batfish, ghost pipefish, bump head parrotfish, napoleon wrasse, octopus, mantis shrimp, blue-spotted jawfish, and the rarer sightings of seahorses, frogfish, manta rays, and whale shark. Look closely; you may spot black and blue ribbon eels hiding amongst the crevices.

Be wary of the sometimes aggressive titan triggerfish, especially if nesting and protecting their young. Depths range from 5 to 30 meters with warm, clear waters; the coral formations in these waters act as a good barrier, with fields of staghorn corals dominating the shallows. These reefs gently slope down to a sandy bottom, and if you look into the blue, you may see the occasional passing eagle rays.

Dive Sites Of Surin Islands

Liveaboard dive cruises to the Surin Islands usually include diving at Koh Tachai, Koh Bon, and the famous Richelieu Rock:

Koh Tachai is teeming with marine life and is known for many leopard sharks. With a coral plateau sloping from 12 - 35 m, this site can be challenging with strong currents. Usually done as a drift dive, these currents bring high plankton levels during February – May and, in turn, the larger pelagics feeding on them, such as the Manta Ray and Whale Shark.

Koh Bon, south of Surin Island, is known as the perforated island, classified as a deep dive due to a fantastic wall dive that goes down to 42m on the southwest side. Also frequented by many leopard sharks, the usual suspects such as the morays and white tip reef sharks cohabit these waters. Also, a popular cave diving spot should only be attempted with the right certifications.

Richelieu Rock, southeast of the Surin Islands, is renowned for whale shark sightings and other pelagics like the Manta Ray, barracuda, giant trevallies, and dogtooth tuna. For the avid macro lover or photographer, this site also provides a plethora of critters, porcelain crabs, tiger tail sea horses, pipefish, harlequin shrimp, nudibranchs, and more. The current here is mild to strong.

Other dive sites include: Bon Soong Wreck, Ko Torinla, Koh Chi, Hing Gong

Top Tips For Divers

Liveaboard trips to the Surin Islands run from November to May. February to April season often sees an increase in currents attracting the larger marine creatures like whale sharks and manta rays. Visibility ranges from 25-30m during this period, and water temperatures range between 26-29c, so a 3mm neoprene wetsuit should be enough. Some dive sites can be more challenging and are best reserved for the more experienced diver.

Getting To Surin Islands

Some International flights fly directly to Phuket, or you can get a connecting flight from Bangkok, with low-cost carriers such as Air Asia also available. Before arranging your international flights, you should check your departure port with your liveaboard operator. Most Thailand liveaboards leave from Phuket or Khao Lak. Some may also leave from one port and return to another. Diving in Thailand is accessible to all, and liveaboards are suitable for all budgets.


Surin Islands Diving Reviews

  • 9.3 Superb
  • 147 Verified Reviews
  • 9.2 Superb
  • Fred Louis G
  • United States United States

Surin is good..best diving point in Thailand

Diving Surin Islands in December on the The Junk

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • Melih O
  • United States United States

Alive marine life. Some current, beautiful landscape.

Diving Surin Islands in April on the Pawara

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • iouri M
  • United States United States

Strong current, but very good experiance

Diving Surin Islands in December on the Sawasdee Fasai

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • Grant G
  • United States United States

Nice warm water and beautiful fish!,Unreal! Breathtaking!

Diving Surin Islands in January on the The Phinisi

  • 9.2 Superb
  • Myles M
  • United States United States

Colorful and loaded with fish.

Diving Surin Islands in March on the Pawara

  • 8.8 Fabulous
  • Allee E
  • United States United States

The was first stop and was a great intro as to what was to come.

Diving Surin Islands in November on the Manta Queen 7

  • 9.6 Exceptional
  • Karly S
  • United States United States

The most marine life I have ever seen!

Diving Surin Islands in November on the The Phinisi

  • 9.2 Superb
  • Christine J
  • United States United States

Very good, tough currents, not recommended for newbies.

Diving Surin Islands in February on the The Phinisi

  • 9.2 Superb
  • Chris W
  • United States United States

Excellent, the vis was very bad but that’s nature!!

Diving Surin Islands in February on the The Phinisi

  • 9.6 Exceptional
  • Adam B
  • United States United States

Beautiful dive sites! Varying visibility but plentiful sea life

Diving Surin Islands in February on the The Phinisi

  • 9.6 Exceptional
  • Jeffrey L
  • United States United States

Also good visibility, great reef health, but no big things.

Diving Surin Islands in December on the The Phinisi

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • Philip S
  • United States United States

Was was warm and vis was good

Diving Surin Islands in January on the Pawara

  • 9.2 Superb
  • Danielle F
  • United States United States

Great first few dives. Saw octopus and eagle rays.

Diving Surin Islands in February on the Bavaria

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • Dan P
  • United States United States

Surin was where we saw several turtles and noted

Diving Surin Islands in March on the The Junk

  • 8.8 Fabulous
  • Nita P
  • United States United States

Nice beach, warm waters, visibility murky, saw blue spotted stingrays, morays, hard corals

Diving Surin Islands in November on the Peterpan

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • John K
  • United States United States

Abundant sea life; both micro and macro.

Diving Surin Islands in December on the Bavaria

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • Cory S
  • United States United States

Really busy. Boats overhead the whole time.

Diving Surin Islands in December on the Sawasdee Fasai

  • 9.2 Superb
  • Cameron S
  • United States United States

We were unlucky on our dives and didn't see any large marine life. Unfortunately, most of the reefs in this area of Thailand are bleached, so without sea life the dives are a little disappointing. We know of other divers that have seen a lot more and that would have made our dives better - we may have just been unlucky.

Diving Surin Islands in January on the Andaman

  • 8.0 Very good
  • RAVI T
  • United States United States

Great! A huge wreck we were able to cover in our last dive here.

Diving Surin Islands in February on the Bavaria

  • 8.0 Very good
  • Karen A
  • United States United States

Some strong currents but the diversity was amazing

Diving Surin Islands in March on the Smiling Seahorse

  • 8.0 Very good
  • Andrew F
  • United States United States

Very nice - beautiful coral, lots of “fish nurseries” close to shore where beautiful juvenile fish swim about in dappled afternoon light. Also, great micro-life like nudibranchs, shrimp, etc.

Diving Surin Islands in December on the Sawasdee Fasai

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • Bianca G
  • United States United States

Beautiful dives! For me it was better than Similan, so dives just kept getting better!

Diving Surin Islands in January on the Pawara

  • 8.0 Very good
  • Ursula C
  • Germany Germany

was good and bad, depending from the dives

Diving Surin Islands in March on the The Junk

  • 8.0 Very good
  • Marcel Fernando S
  • Germany Germany

Visibilities were not super good, but a nice variety of animals.

Diving Surin Islands in November on the Similan Explorer

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • Ian T
  • United Kingdom United Kingdom

Stunning, Some cold currents but great diving

Diving Surin Islands in January on the Similan Explorer

  • 7.6 Good
  • Amish S
  • India India

No words to describe the experience. Highlight was my first night dive and the ship wreck an. Richelue rock

Diving Surin Islands in February on the Similan Explorer

  • 9.6 Exceptional
  • JAYEON C
  • South Korea South Korea

Interesting to see unique geography.

Diving Surin Islands in February on the The Junk

  • 8.8 Fabulous
  • pablo E
  • Chile Chile

Really beautifull, great life and night dives, nothing to complain.

Diving Surin Islands in February on the Similan Explorer

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • Natalie R
  • New Zealand New Zealand

A lot more diverse fish, change in topography with more limestone formations. Beautiful pink and red corals

Diving Surin Islands in March on the Similan Explorer

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • Evan R
  • New Zealand New Zealand

Many enjoyable dives seeing many new species.

Diving Surin Islands in April on the Sawasdee Fasai

  • 9.2 Superb
  • Martin R
  • Germany Germany

Even better visibility the further north we got and the sandy patches are just beautiful

Diving Surin Islands in October on the Pawara

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • Bastien M
  • France France

Nice place to dive, especially because we were alone on the diving sites.

Diving Surin Islands in December on the Similan Explorer

  • 9.6 Exceptional
  • ILGUK J
  • South Korea South Korea

Beautiful. Saw many shrimp, lobstar, turtle, rays etc.

Diving Surin Islands in April on the Manta Queen 7

  • 8.4 Very good
  • Michael H
  • United Kingdom United Kingdom

We particularly liked Torinda Original dive site - very colourful ref dwellers, several morays, sea horse...

Diving Surin Islands in January on the Similan Explorer

  • 8.8 Fabulous
  • rory J
  • United Kingdom United Kingdom

Really good lots of schools of fish

Diving Surin Islands in February on the Sawasdee Fasai

  • 8.0 Very good
  • Manfred Z
  • Germany Germany

sehr gute Vielfalt an Korallen und Fische

Diving Surin Islands in April on the Sawasdee Fasai

  • 9.2 Superb
  • Ben A
  • Israel Israel

The Barracudas school was awsome.Much like the Simillan, very strong currents but lots of fish and marine life

Diving Surin Islands in April on the Sawasdee Fasai

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • Irina O
  • Norway Norway

Challenging current and surge but so much fun,Challenging current and surge but so much fun And beautiful reef

Diving Surin Islands in April on the The Phinisi

  • 9.6 Exceptional
  • FERNANDO J
  • Brazil Brazil

Very good dive, water was very warm in Thailand, 32 Celsius. Many fishes and corals.

Diving Surin Islands in April on the Sawasdee Fasai

  • 9.6 Exceptional
  • Kathryn C
  • New Zealand New Zealand

Beautiful reefs and the islands were idyllic. As with the Similan Islands, there was plenty of healthy reef life there and the diving was similar but with yet more life.

Diving Surin Islands in December on the The Junk

  • 9.6 Exceptional
  • Simon V
  • Belgium Belgium

Great diving, some thermoclines and green water. Overall beautfiful underwater life

Diving Surin Islands in December on the The Junk

  • 8.0 Very good
  • EVI N
  • Cyprus Cyprus

Beautiful .. Huge school of Barracuda's

Diving Surin Islands in December on the Bavaria

  • 9.6 Exceptional
  • Krasimir S
  • Bulgaria Bulgaria

That was fantastic place to dive. Defenitely plenty to see under the water. Clear waters. There was very nice gesture by the crew to organise visit of the islands during the trip.

Diving Surin Islands in December on the The Junk

  • 9.2 Superb
  • Guy W
  • Australia Australia

Great. More diversity that Similan Islands. Saw some species I had not seen previously

Diving Surin Islands in January on the Manta Queen 7

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • Myeongjin K
  • South Korea South Korea

다양한 생물들이 살아서 좋지만 시야가 그리 좋지 않다

Diving Surin Islands in January on the Sawasdee Fasai

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • Tomaz J
  • Slovenia Slovenia

Many sea turtles, sting rays, moray eels, … great diving spots.

Diving Surin Islands in January on the The Junk

  • 8.4 Very good
  • Suk Kyoung S
  • Canada Canada

Cold water 24-25 not good visibility Great marin life

Diving Surin Islands in February on the Sawasdee Fasai

  • 9.6 Exceptional
  • Brett B
  • Australia Australia

Great. Recommend AOW as a minimum.

Diving Surin Islands in February on the Manta Queen 7

  • 8.4 Very good
  • dawn M
  • United Kingdom United Kingdom

Via was an issue but if you want to see many as and whalesharks it's what you expect.

Diving Surin Islands in February on the The Phinisi

  • 9.6 Exceptional
  • Pierre B
  • France France

Easy dive, perfect to get warm for the Richelieu rock

Diving Surin Islands in February on the The Junk

  • 8.8 Fabulous
  • Eric L
  • Canada Canada

Great abundance and variety of Sea Life. Hin Luang dive site will likely be best diving I will ever see.

Diving Surin Islands in March on the Manta Queen 7

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • Rod B
  • United Kingdom United Kingdom

Almost a relief to get here after the West Ridge and Koh Tachai which certainly raise the blood pressure. Fabulous drift dives over verdant reefs.

Diving Surin Islands in March on the The Junk

  • 9.2 Superb
  • Garry D
  • United Kingdom United Kingdom

Manta's, Manta's and more Manta's, need I say more

Diving Surin Islands in March on the Marco Polo

  • 8.0 Very good
  • Alba R
  • Spain Spain

Good diving. Good macro photographers.

Diving Surin Islands in November on the Bavaria

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • Sherri L
  • Canada Canada

Ran into rough current but still good.

Diving Surin Islands in February on the Sawasdee Fasai

  • 9.6 Exceptional
  • Maurice V
  • Netherlands Netherlands

Because of big waves we did not end up at Surin, but only dived Similan, Richelieu,... Which was I think a good, safe dicision.

Diving Surin Islands in February on the Sawasdee Fasai

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • Stefano T
  • Australia Australia

Great visibility and variety of life

Diving Surin Islands in March on the Manta Queen 1

  • 8.0 Very good
  • Adam F
  • Canada Canada

Good. Somewhat difficult conditions.

Diving Surin Islands in March on the Sawasdee Fasai

  • 7.6 Good
  • Finn P
  • Singapore Singapore

School of Baracuda is sick

Diving Surin Islands in May on the Pawara

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • Antonio H
  • Spain Spain

Good condition of the reef and a lot life everywhere. Richelieu Rock amazing.

Diving Surin Islands in November on the Dolphin Queen

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • Eldon P
  • Canada Canada

Diving was decent on the Surrin aislands. Lots of fish.

Diving Surin Islands in November on the Sawasdee Fasai

  • 9.6 Exceptional
  • Edward W
  • United Kingdom United Kingdom

Here's where we saw the black tip shark, which made my day

Diving Surin Islands in December on the Dolphin Queen

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • YOUKYOUNG J
  • South Korea South Korea

The best dive sports for me! The visibility was not that good, but it was so amazing.

Diving Surin Islands in December on the Pawara

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • Nicolas C
  • Italy Italy

My favorite. Richelieu rock is the most famous dive site but it’s usually crowded and this time visibility was not the best. But there are other sites that are as good as Richelieu.

Diving Surin Islands in January on the The Phinisi

  • 9.6 Exceptional
  • DIANE J
  • United Kingdom United Kingdom

reefs had good coral and sea life, no pelagics

Diving Surin Islands in February on the Bavaria

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • David T
  • United Kingdom United Kingdom

Lovely dive site, easy shallow dive with amazing and healthy corals.

Diving Surin Islands in February on the Sawasdee Fasai

  • 9.6 Exceptional
  • Anthony G
  • Australia Australia

Surin visibility was great

Diving Surin Islands in March on the Manta Queen 1

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • Sin Man Carol H
  • Hong Kong Hong Kong

Exceptional. Interesting underwater landscape.

Diving Surin Islands in April on the Andaman

  • 9.6 Exceptional
  • Karan S
  • Australia Australia

Lots of large granite boulders which makes for really cool underwater seascape with really cool swimthroughs. Less marine and coral life than later dives.

Diving Surin Islands in April on the Manta Queen 3

  • 9.6 Exceptional
  • Lai Shan L
  • Hong Kong Hong Kong

Good. Easy morning dive with lots of stingray and hard corals

Diving Surin Islands in April on the Pawara

  • 9.2 Superb
  • Gary C
  • Hong Kong Hong Kong

Surin Islands are well preserved. The water quality was good and many various marine lives can be found.

Diving Surin Islands in October on the Sawasdee Fasai

  • 9.2 Superb
  • Scott H
  • Switzerland Switzerland

Really good diving, sometimes visibility not so good - such is nature, plenty to see. Richelieu Rock was dramatic. Very few big animals seen this trip.

Diving Surin Islands in December on the Giamani

  • 8.4 Very good
  • Kai S
  • Germany Germany

lots of fish, nice sites, poor visibility but met Mantas 🤟

Diving Surin Islands in December on the Explorer

  • 6.4 Review score
  • Kiyoshi N
  • Japan Japan

Very night sites with a great variety of corols and corol fishes.

Diving Surin Islands in January on the Sawasdee Fasai

  • 8.8 Fabulous
  • Sandy N
  • Singapore Singapore

Below expectations due to poor visibility and currents.

Diving Surin Islands in January on the Sawasdee Fasai

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • Jasper P
  • United Kingdom United Kingdom

Very nice, lovely fish great coral

Diving Surin Islands in February on the Andaman

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • peggy M
  • Germany Germany

Lots of small stuff to see, a good place for macro photographers.

Diving Surin Islands in February on the Explorer

  • 8.0 Very good
  • Marco C
  • United Kingdom United Kingdom

Great abundance of fish and marine life, shame we didn’t see sharks

Diving Surin Islands in February on the The Junk