Thai Islands Closed to Visitors Until Mid-October: What You Need to Know
Two Thai island groups popular among travellers worldwide are temporarily closing to visitors to give their eco-systems a chance to recover.
The natural environment around the stunning Similan Islands and Surin Islands in the Andaman Sea is shutting for sustainability reasons as of May 16, the Thai government says. The break from tourism runs until October 14.
The measure also helps holidaymakers during the rainy season, which has just begun and often means rougher seas.
The closure is an annual measure in order to preserve the balance of the marine ecosystem, curb the impact of tourism, give nature a chance to recover and prevent weather-related damage during the monsoon season, the government says.
Typically, you can access these island clusters, which are popular among day trippers and divers, either from Phuket Island or the coastal areas near Khao Lak on the mainland.
During the dry season, numerous tour boats depart from the shores and navigate through breathtaking granite rock formations.
New: e-tickets from October
After the island groups reopen in October, tourists must purchase an electronic entry ticket and furnish their passport details.
This electronic ticket will be mandatory for entry into all six of these marine national parks, such as the Phi Phi Islands. The pricing details have yet to be announced.
The well-known Maya Bay on the unpopulated island of Phi Phi Leh will be shutting down temporarily once more, albeit just for two months—from early August until late September—similarly aimed at allowing its delicate environment to recuperate from tourism-related stress.
Numerous people remember the pristine tropical coastline bordered by dramatic rock formations featured in “The Beach,” starring Leonardo DiCaprio – a location that remains entirely unspoiled even today.