Study Focus: Moken culture, coral reef ecology, inter tidal zones and island ecology

 Isolated for centuries on the remote Surin Islands in the Andaman Sea, the Moken (Sea Gypsies) have retained more of their time honored traditions than any other coastal indigenous peoples in Thailand. Their knowledge of the sea is unsurpassed and they provide students with a form of education unavailable in any other school.

In the course of a weekend students will dive with the Moken over the largest and richest expanse of hard corals in all of Thailand. They will learn about Moken foods, fishing techniques and strategies, forest medicines, house and boat construction, celestial navigation and Moken spirituality based on their animistic traditions.

Students will camp on the beautiful beaches of Mu Koh Surin National Park as well as interact with children in the Moken’s village. The final night of this unique trip will be highlighted with a joyous community feast, song and dance celebration around a beach fire. ‘Moken Immersion’ provides an educational experience truly unique in the world and changes student’s perceptions in profound ways.