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The
Surin Islands (Thai: อุทยานแห่งชาติหมู่เกาะสุรินทร์) are five
islands located 55 km from the Thai mainland named Koh Surin Nua,
Koh Surin Tai, Koh Ri, Koh Kai and Koh Klang.
The two main islands in the group are Koh Surin Nua and Koh Surin Tai.
The inhabitants belong to a special
kind of sea gypsies which refer to themselves as
Moken (Thai:ชาวน้ำ also spelled Mawken or Morgan), an
Austronesian ethnic group with about 2,000 to 3,000 members who
maintain a nomadic, sea-based culture and inhabit the coast and
islands in the Andaman Sea on the west coast of Thailand. They speak
their own language which belongs to the Austronesian language family.
Access to the Surin Islands Marine
National Park is easiest from
Phang Nga Province. Travel to the Surin Islands is only safe
from November to May.
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