There are five islands that make up the Surin Islands 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 (Northern Surin Island) and Koh Surin Tai (Southern Surin Island). The islands are about 55 kilometres away from the Thai coastline heading towards Burma and are famed for being one of Thailand’s most relaxed and beautiful travel destinations. They are also renowned for having some of the best diving and snorkelling opportunities in the kingdom – particularly in the waters between the two islands. Between the two islands there are ten bays of which Ao Mae Yai is probably the best known and Ao Luk the most visited.

Mu Koh Surin National Park, found some 60 km off the west coast of Phang Nga province, and 100 km north of the Similans, is an archipelago of 5 islands: Koh Surin Nuea, Koh Surin Tai, Koh Ri, Koh Khai, and Koh Klang. The excellent diving, snorkelling, hiking and game fishing are what most visitors come for, and those hoping to find a quiet refuge from the tourist traps and urban centres will be delighted with the islands’ lack of “development”. Those seeking convenience, comfort and 5-star service had best choose another destination – or travel there on a luxury liveaboard cruise.

The main island of Surin Nuea has several bays, the largest being Ao Mae Yai on the southwest, which features calm waters and safe anchorage. On the southeast side is Ao Luek, which has shallow corals and an abundance of marine life. Ao Mai Ngam is where the National Park’s office is found, as well as a 2-kilometre walking path. There’s good snorkelling and swimming here off its long beach. Ao Chak at the north of Surin Nuea is a beautiful bay of pristine coral reefs.

Surin Nuea is also home to a community of around 150 Moken, or “sea gypsies”, who have settled there on a semi-permanent basis for several decades. The Moken spend much of their lives on their boats, called “kabang”. They survive mainly through the gathering of shellfish and other marine life from the reefs and mudflats rather than fishing – their practise of collecting shells, snails and other marine resources for sale is technically illegal due to Surin’s national park status, but according to a UNESCO report, “The Moken [of the Surin islands] tend to escape the attention of both the Local Administration and the central government since their population size is considered negligible and their situation too complicated.”

Illegal fishing activities of commercial fishing boats – and to some extent the careless practises of some snorkellers and pleasure boaters – pose a greater threat to the islands’ ecology than the Moken.

The second most visited island is Koh Surin Tai, which draws snorkellers to its main bay, Ao Tao, on the east side. Koh Ri, Koh Klang and Koh Khai (also called Koh Torilla) each feature areas of unspoilt reefs, with healthy live coral being particularly abundant off Koh Khai.

The major drawcard for divers to the area is the famed Richelieu Rock, a coral-covered pinnacle, which for reasons still unknown attracts a fair number of whale sharks.

Getting to the Surin Islands
Rough seas make travel to the Surins difficult during the southwest monsoon months of May-October, and sometimes impossible. Khura Buri Pier, some 125 kilometres north of Phang Nga Town, is the nearest launching point to the Surins, where ferryboats regularly make the 4-hour trip from November-April. Boats may also be arranged from Amphoe Kapoe Pier in Ranong Province, with trips taking about 7 hours. Note: Like all national parks in Thailand, there’s an entry fee of 200 baht for foreign visitors.

The most hassle-free and often cost-effective way to reach the Surins is by arranging a tour that departs from Phuket. Most dive and game fishing operators in Phuket can arrange liveaboards, or you can book a trip by speedboat here. Day tours feature visits to several different snorkeling locations plus lunch at the national park headquarters. The speedboats used take only an hour to reach the islands.

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SIMILAN ISLAND , A group of  9 small islands 50 kms.  off the west coast of Phang-Nga in the Andaman Sea.  The National Park covers an area of 80,000 rai.  Skin Diving Magazine rated them among the ten loveliest places on Earth, because of the great natural beauty found on the islands themselves and also because of the extensive surrounding coral gardens beneath the waves.  The islands are undeveloped and unspoiled; numerous species of fish, crustaceans, and other forms of sea-life abound; water clarity and diving are excellent.  Similan is corrupted from the Malay Sembilan and means nine.  From north to south in order the islands are: Koh Bon, Koh Ba Ngu, Koh Similan, Koh Pahyoo, Koh Miang (two islands), Koh Pahyan, Koh Payahng andKoh Hu Yong.

Koh Ba Ngu  is also called Hua Gah Lok or Skull Island.  Beneath the waters, a field of grass and coral appear to be growing in a deep valley.  Schools of fish are everywhere.

Koh Similan  is the largest island. It has a long curving bay, and beneath the waters coral reefs remain pristine.  The beach is composed of fine grain sand.  Diving to look at the fishes and corals is strongly recommended.  At the island’s northend are bizarrely shaped big boulders; one looks like a soldier’s boot, another is shaped like a sailboat.  Here also is an excellent view.

Koh Miang is actually two islands connected and forms the second largest land mass in the group after Koh Similan. The National Park Office is here, and there is a fine beach where visitors can stay.

KohHu Yong has the Similans longest white sandy beach.  From November till February sea turtles come up to lay eggs and their tracks may be seen in the sand.

Travel to the Similans is easy from either Phang-Nga or Phuket.  Chartered boats leave from Lap Lamu Pier in Tai Meuang District of Phang-Nga and take about 3 hours to reach the islands.  Here is also the office of National Park located.  Alternatively, trips to the Similans can be arranged in Phuket.  A boat trip from Patong Beach takes 4 hours.  Divers, however, go to the islands on boats that leave from Patong Beach and also take 4 hours by diving companies.  Moreover, visitors can leave from Chalong Bay on scuba diving excursions.  These leave in the evenings and take about 7 hours.  A typical dive trip lasts 4 nights and 3 days, and includes 10 dives.  Prices range from 9,000 to 25,000 baht, depending on the level of luxury, and include food, and accommodations.  The Similans are regarded as mainly “deep water” diving.

For those wishing to stay a shorttime on the Similans: basic accommodations are available at the National Park Office on Koh Miang and can be reserved by contacting: the Similan Islands National Park Office, Moo 1, Tambon Lam Kaen, Tai Meuang District, Phang-Nga.  Tel. (076)411913-4.
The best time to visit the Similan islands is from December through April, March being the best month, when the winds are lowest and the water clearest.

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JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa , this multi award-winning resort is a sanctuary for the senses. Enjoy seclusion and tranquility in this vast tropically landscaped paradise which overlooks the Andaman Sea.

JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa is an oasis, commanding 17 kms of Phuket’s untouched, unspoiled Mai Khao Beach, on Phuket, Thailand. The low, sweeping design of the resort with its rock walls, broad reflection ponds, water features and ornate roofing has an imperial presence. It’s like a mythic palace of relaxation.

The resort is set amongst 11 hectares of lush tropical landscaped gardens, complete with lily ponds and areas of natural preserved coastal wetlands, blending perfectly with its local environment; adjacent to the Sirinath Marine National Park and protected sea turtle nesting area.

JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa enjoys close proximity to the airport and is just minutes from the Blue Canyon Country Club which was recently named by Asia Golf Monthly Magazine as the “Best Golf Course in Asia”

Rooms & Suites
All rooms and suites face the ocean or command expansive views of the landscaped tropical gardens and pools. Most rooms have full or partial views of the Andaman Sea. Accommodation is contained in low rise three storey buildings amongst an oasis of coconut palms and lush tropical gardens.
- 265 spacious seafront rooms and suites with balconies and indoor Thai sala with twin massage mats
- Polished wood floors and rich silk fabrics; high-speed Internet and DVD player
- Elegant bathrooms with oversized soaking tub and separate shower
- Mini-bar and safe, satellite TV, 3 phones, hairdryer, robe and slippers, iron and iron board
- Tropical garden resort includes 12 luxurious 1-bedroom suites with magnificent sea view
- Baan Mai Khao royal suite has three 2-bedroom villas, living/dining pavilion, private pool

Facilities & Services
-  Twice daily housekeeping service, including evening turndown service
- 24 hour room service
- Safe deposit boxes
- Baby-sitting service
- Children’s Pavilion with indoor/outdoor recreation areas
- Business Center
- Mandara Spa
- Beauty Salon
- Gift shop
- Fitness Center
- Wellness Sala
- 3 Swimming Pools
- Ginja Cook Cooking School
- High-speed internet access in rooms
- Wireless internet in some public areas
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Phi Phi Islands , Krabi The name is derived from Malay, and the original was Pulao Piah Pi, wherein pulao is the Malay word for island, and pi, pornounced with only a half p sound, was very close in pronunciation to the English word be; the ah was eventuslly dropped, so the name was said something like Bi Bi. Later the p was prononced with a stronger aspiration and the name become the Pi Pi we know today(the h with which it is usually spelled is confusing and superfluous). The name refers to the mangrove wood found there. Six Islands are in the group; Phi Phi Don,Phi Phi Ley, Biddah Nok, Biddah Nai, Yung, and Pai; total area is 42 square kilometers, They were incorporated into the national park in 1983.

Hadnopparattara-Koh Phi Phi National Park is almost entirely dominated by the two Islands collectively known as ‘Koh Phi Phi’ – Koh Phi Phi Don (the larger of the two islands) and Koh Phi Phi Leh. Situated about 50 kilometres southeast of Phuket the islands are regarded by many as being the most attractive in the kingdom, if not the world.

The islands feature beaches and clear water that have had their natural beauty protected by National Park status. Once only a destination of day trippers, the islands are now some of the most popular destinations along Thailand’s Andaman coast, and during the tourism high season of December to March they can become extremely crowded. Because of its clear waters the area has become a destination of choice for diving and snorkeling enthusiasts keen to experience the areas splendid corals and marine life that includes sharks.

Koh Phi Phi Don
Koh Phi Phi Don features two bays – Ao Ton Sai and Ao Lo Dalam – both with long attractive beaches. Ao Ton Sai is where most accommodation can be found and the area offers a wide selection of bars and restaurants. This is probably the most developed part of the island. Hat Yao is likely the island’s best beach and the waters contain the island’s best coral. Hat Ranti beach and Ao Lo Bakao bay are also areas worthy of note, the latter offering a number of upscale resorts. Electricity and water supplies on the island don’t properly meet demand, so bear this in mind when planning a trip – on certain days you might not have a regular supply of either! Tonsai – the island’s main town – is like the main towns of many other islands. A myriad of travel agencies, internet establishments, restaurants and shops, it is here you can book various tours to sites in the vicinity and also arrange your hiking and diving. There are over 20 ‘dive shops’ on Koh Phi Phi Don and they arrange some of the best diving in the world. Popular destinations are some of the smaller uninhabited islands around Koh Phi Phi such as Koh Ha, Koh Yung and Koh Mai Phai. For around 2,000 Baht it is possible to arrange a boat trip with two dives. Other activities on the island include rock climbing, canoeing and fishing. Rock climbing courses are available for around 5,000 Baht for a three day course. Canoes are available at many places on the island and a single canoe costs around 800 Baht a day to rent. For 2,000 Baht you can arrange boats to take you out to some of the best fishing areas, tackle included.

Koh Phi Phi Leh
Koh Phi Phi Leh features spectacular cliffs faces, some caves and a lake. The island is a major source for the ingredients of ‘bird’s next soup’. The bird’s nests are nestled high in the islands caves and due to their popularity (especially in Chinese cuisine) they can reach good prices and offer locals a reasonable income. However, getting the nests requires shimmying up bamboo poles and frames often to absurd heights.

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Phuket Island has a long  recorded history, and remains dating back to AD 1025 indicate the island”s  present day name derives in meaning from the Thamil manikram, or crystal  mountain. For most of history, however,it was known as Junk Ceylon,which,with  variations,is the name found on old maps. The name is thought to have its roots  in Ptolemy”s Geographic, written by the Alexandrian geographer in the third  Century AD He mentioned that in making a trip from suwannapum to Malay Peninsula  it was necessary to pass the cape of Jong Si Lang.

Phuket was a way station on the route between India and China where seafarers stopped to shelter.  The island appears to have been part of Shivite empire (call in Thai the Tam  Porn Ling) that established itself on the Malay Peninsula during the first  millennium AD Later, as Muang Takua-Talang, it was part of Srivichai and Siri  Tahm empire. Governed as the eleventh in a constellation of twelve cities,  Phuket”s emblem,by which it was known to others in those largely preliterate  times, was the dog.

During the sukothai Period Phuket was associated with  Takua Pah in what is now Phang-nga Province, another area with vast tin  reserves. The Dutch established a trading post during the Ayuthaya Period in the  16th Cent. The island”s northern and western parts were given over to the tin  trade, a concession in the hands of foreigners.

After Ayuthaya was sacked  by the Burmese in 1767 there was a short interregnum in Thailand, ended by King  Taksin, who drive out the Burmese and reunified the country. The Burmese,  however, were anxious to return to the offensive. They outfitted a fleet to raid  the southern provinces, and carry off the populations to slavery in Burma. This  led to Phuket”s most memorable historic event. A passing sea captain, Francis  Light, sent word that the Burmese were en route to attack. Forces in Phuket were  assembled led by the two heroines, Kunying Jan, wife of Phuket”s recently  deceased governor, and her sister Mook. After a month”s siege the Burmese were  forced to depart on 13 March, 1785.Kunying Jan and her sister were credited with  the successful defense.

In recognition King Rama I bestowed upon Kunying  Jan the honorific Thao Thep Kasarti, a title of nobility usually reserved for  royalty, by which she is known today. Her sister become Thao Sri  Suntorn.During the Nineteenth Century Chinese immigrants arrived in such  numbers to work the tin mines that ethnic character of the island”s interior  became predominantly Chinese, while the coastal settlements remained populated  chiefly by Muslim fishermen.

In Rama 5”s reign, Phuket became the  administrative center of a grape of tin mining provinces called Monton Phuket,  and in 1993, with the change in government from absolute monarchy to a  parliamentary system, the island was established as a province by itself.

Top Beach & Locate in Phuket island

Lam Promthep (The Promthep Cape) , The Sun set at Lam Promthep in the weather conditions  were clear subsequent to it had rained for a week. We strong-willed to go away  to glimpse the sun set at Lam Promthep; nevertheless I can”t retain information  the most recent time I went there. Does not matter! The past is our experience.  The future is the next. The present time is the most excellent and we have to  become conscious it.

You should become conscious this information previous to you makes your mind up to go there. Foremost of all, you have to test out your car”s capability. Do you recognize, there is traffic-jam on the highway to the cape, you have to drive surpass a small amount of high slopes, while there is traffic-jam. You can see in your mind”s eye that, if your car is not capable to ascend up the hill, it would be going down the hill. I obtained such experience 4-5 years ago. Don”t be anxious! If your car backs down the slope, you be supposed to pick the large stone from the highway side to building block its wheels.

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