Similan and Surin islands shut for five-month annual closure
Thailand’s Similan and Surin marine national parks will close from May 15 to October 15 for monsoon safety and ecosystem recovery.
Mu Ko Surin National Park and Mu Ko Similan National Park have announced a closure to tourism and overnight stays in line with an order by the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation.
The closure runs from May 15 to October 15, 2026, a total of five months.
Surasak Anuson, director of Protected Area Regional Office 5 in Nakhon Si Thammarat, said the two marine national parks in Phang Nga province — Mu Ko Surin National Park and Mu Ko Similan National Park — had announced the closure of tourism and overnight accommodation in accordance with the department’s announcement.
He said the closure was not only a safety measure as the Andaman Sea enters the monsoon season, but also an opportunity for nature to recover ahead of the next tourism season.
Surasak said that during the closure of tourism and overnight stays at the two marine national parks, officials would improve utilities and facilities to prepare for the reopening of the tourism season in October 2026.
Siriwat Suebsai, chief of Mu Ko Similan National Park, said the Similan Islands generated more than 215 million baht in tourism revenue in 2026 during the previous tourism season, up from 197 million baht in 2025.
More than 400,000 tourists visited the area, and over 90% of them were foreign visitors. He said they played an important role in driving the economy and generating income for Phang Nga and Phuket provinces.
The park chief added that the beauty of the sea, coral reefs and beaches of the Similan Islands are valuable natural resources of the country.
Strict conservation measures are therefore necessary, including limits on tourist numbers, safety management and ecosystem restoration, in order to preserve the integrity of this world-class marine tourism destination.
