PHANG NGA, Thailand – Foreign tourists continued streaming onto boats bound for the world-famous Similan Islands on May 15, marking the final day before the popular marine destination closes for five months during the monsoon season.
At Ban Thap Lamu Pier in Lam Kaen subdistrict, Thai Mueang district, tour operators were still ferrying visitors into the national park ahead of the annual seasonal shutdown beginning May 16.
Thailand’s Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation has ordered the temporary closure of both the Similan Islands and Surin Islands until October 15.
Officials said the annual closure is necessary to allow marine ecosystems to recover and to protect tourists from dangerous weather and rough seas during the southwest monsoon season.
Park authorities explained that the measure is part of long-standing conservation efforts aimed at preserving coral reefs, rare marine life, and the ecological balance of the Andaman Sea.
The Similan Islands are widely regarded as one of Thailand’s most stunning marine destinations, attracting divers and nature lovers from around the world with their crystal-clear waters, white sand beaches, and vibrant underwater ecosystems. Tourists will be allowed to return once the islands officially reopen at the start of the next tourism season in mid-October.
