Similan Islands reopen on October 15: which Thai national parks open after the rainy season
The Similan Islands, Surin and Koh Rok reopen on October 15, and the Phu Kradueng plateau already on October 1. When Thailand's national parks reopen after the rainy season, how to get to the Similans from Phuket and what to pack.
The Similan Islands reopen to visitors on October 15 after five months closed for the rainy season. Surin and the islands of Mu Ko Lanta National Park open the same day, and the Phu Kradueng plateau in Loei province opens even earlier, on October 1.
What opens when:
1. Phu Kradueng - from October 1, 2026 to May 31, 2027, hiking up to the plateau and overnight stays on top.
2. Similan Islands and the Surin Islands - from October 15.
3. Koh Rok, Koh Ngai, Koh Ha and the Hin Daeng dive site in Mu Ko Lanta National Park - from October 15, camping included.
4. Kew Mae Pan trail on Doi Inthanon near Chiang Mai - from November 1.
The Similans can only be reached by boat, mostly from Thap Lamu pier in Khao Lak. The islands are open to visitors from 8:00 to 16:00. Entry for foreigners is 500 baht, and 250 baht for children aged 3 to 14.
Phu Kradueng is a table mountain with a plateau more than a kilometre high, one of the best-known trekking spots in the country. The ascent is allowed from 6:00 to 12:00, and the descent must start no later than 13:00. There is a campsite and park bungalows on top. Sunset is watched from Pha Lom Sak cliff, which you have to leave by 18:00.
What's open near you:
Phuket - Similan Islands tours from Phuket are day trips with hotel pickup, and speedboats run to Koh Rok from Phuket and Koh Lanta.
Bangkok - Phu Kradueng is reached by night bus or by flying to Loei, while closer to the city, in Kanchanaburi, national park waterfalls are at their fullest after the rains: Kanchanaburi waterfalls in 2 days.
Pattaya - the nearest big national park, Khao Yai, is open all year round, and its waterfalls peak in October: Khao Yai waterfalls day trip and Khao Yai with swimming and a lake cruise. Koh Samet is a national park too, and the day trip already includes the entry ticket.
Even in an open park, individual waterfalls and trails are sometimes closed for a few days after heavy rain. Before you go, check the status of a specific spot on the Department of National Parks portal or with your tour organiser.
What to pack:
1. Shoes with a good grip and a rain jacket - October still brings downpours, and trails get slippery.
2. A warm layer for Phu Kradueng - nights on the plateau are cool.
3. Sunscreen without banned ingredients - sunscreens with oxybenzone, octinoxate, 4-MBC and butylparaben are prohibited in marine national parks.
Using sunscreen with a banned formula in a marine park can cost you a fine of up to 100,000 baht. Feeding fish, touching coral and taking shells are also prohibited there.
Comments
No comments yet. Be the first to write.