Koh
Kood Travel guide
There are so many amazing options for an island getaway in
Thailand
with Koh Kood being a top choice.
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Koh
Kood is the sixth largest island in Thailand, covering an area
of about 105 square kilometers. While it’s a large island in
size, it’s very sparsely populated. With a population of just
over 2,000 in total, the district is actually the least
populated in all of Thailand.
The original
inhabitants of Koh Kut Island were both Thais and Khmers who
fled here in 1904 when the French occupied the city of
Padjantakiri. People here have historically made a living by
tapping rubber trees, harvesting coconuts, and fishing in the
island’s sheltered bays.
The ferry pier on Ko Kood is located in Ao Salad on the
northeast coast. There’s a paved road here that heads south
towards the beaches on the west coast, which is where most of
the tourism development has taken place. The Khlong Chao area is
the centre of the action, with a wide range of accommodation,
dive shops, restaurants, and a few bars.
This man road continues south before cutting east, where it ends
at the fishing village of Ao Yai. On this rugged, hilly island,
many areas are accessible only by boat. There are several
secluded resorts here, which is great if you want a peaceful
island getaway but not so nice if you’re looking to explore.
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How To Get To Koh
Kood Thailand
Before you can relax
on the beaches of Koh Kood, you’ll have to get yourself to the
town of Laem Sok to catch a ferry. If you’re travelling
independently, you’ll want to catch a bus to Trat. There are
many travel offices here that can arrange your trip to the
island.
There’s an airport in Trat, but it’s about 50 km away from the
ferry pier and flights here are usually quite pricey. I just ran
a search and turned up round-trip flights from Bangkok to Trat .
When you consider all the time and effort it takes travelling to
and from airports, it takes just as long as the bus, but costs
way more. |
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Things To Do in Koh
Kood
Beach Bumming On a
Koh Kood Beach
Many travellers claim Koh Kood has the best beaches of all the
Thai islands. Since I haven’t been to every island yet, I won’t
make such a comment. The beaches here are absolutely stunning,
though. Beach bumming is definitely high atop the list of things
to do in Koh Kood.
The entire west coast of the island is full of beaches, most of
which are accessible by road. Beaches on the north and east
coasts of the island can only be visited by boat.
One of the most scenic beaches on the island is Bang Bao. There
are several long wooden piers here that you can walk along to
enjoy the views or jump in for a swim.
Another must-see beach here is Ao Noi, which is often compared
to beaches found in the Maldives. It can be a bit tricky to
actually reach the beach, but it’s well worth the effort.
With a motorbike and a bit of patience, there are countless
other beaches waiting for you. Even during high season, it’s not
hard to find a postcard-worthy beach that’s completely empty
here. No wonder so many people fall in love with Koh Kood
island! |
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Waterfalls
Koh Kood is home to
three waterfalls, which are all free to visit. Klong Chao
waterfall is the biggest and most popular to visit in Koh Kood.
Even King Rama VII once came here!
You can reach the waterfall by kayaking as far up the Klong Chao
River as you can and then walking the short jungle trail the
rest of the way there. Alternatively, you can just hike the
whole way or join a boat tour.
It’s a beautiful spot to relax for a while, with a large pool
you can swim in. There’s even a rope swing if you’re feeling
adventurous! This waterfall tends to be really crowded with
package tour groups in the middle of the day, so try to visit
later on.
Klong Yai Ki is a smaller waterfall with a deep pool and some
nice smooth rocks to lay out on. You won’t find nearly as many
people here, so this is a good option for those who prefer
solitude. Check the location on the map here.
The third and final waterfall is by far the hardest to access.
Huang Nam Kaew is also called the “Secret Waterfall” because
it’s so tough to get to. It’s located deep in the jungle and
you’ll have to ride on a dirt road for a while, so keep that in
mind before setting off.
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Scuba Diving
If you’re like me and
get bored with sitting on even the most beautiful of beaches,
never fear. There’s plenty more to do in Koh Kood than just
lounging on the beach!
The island is a fantastic place to go scuba diving. Koh Kood is
home to three different dive shops that offer a variety of
courses in addition to free dives. Here’s the info for each dive
shop so you can look into them and choose the best for you:
You
can expect to pay around 3,000 Baht for a 2-dive trip, with most
of the shops offering discounted packages for multiple days of
diving. There’s an abundance of marine life around here, so get
excited to see stingrays, barracuda, plenty of turtles, and
more.
All three dive shops also run trips to nearby shipwrecks and
occasionally visit the Koh Rang national marine park. Be sure to
inquire about the different options ahead of your trip. Scuba
diving is not only a great choice here, but it’s one of the best
things to do in Thailand.
Attractions on Koh Kood |
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Klong Yai Kee
Waterfall
Koh Kood waterfalls is in the
north west of the island at Klong Yai Kee.
To get there from the centre, head out from Klong Chao Beach going
north, up the hill past Away Resort following the route all the way past
the police station and hospital until the crossroads after the petrol
station. Take a right here. After a few hundred metres, you have a
choice at the general store.
If you go straight on, you end up at Klong Mad, where you will find a a
right turning just before Suanya Resort, signed for the waterfall.
Follow this road until you reach another left to Bann Makok. The
waterfall parking area is just along here.
Or back at that general store rather than go straight on, take a right
and follow the road until another general store. Bear to the left,
ignoring the straight-on option signed for Makayuk-Saiyai,
Klongjao waterfall
The principal waterfall on
Koh Kood is Klong Chao Waterfall – Nam Tok Klong Chao, nam meaning water
and tok meaning fall, located a few kilometres inland in the centre of
the north west coast.
King Rama VI visited the waterfall in 1911 and gave it the royal name
Anamkok in commemoration of Ong Chiang Lue, a Vietnamese King who took
refuge in the Kingdom of Siam during King Rama I’s reign in the late
18th century.
It is accessed by following the small road that starts behind the Klong
Chao Beach riverbank guesthouses, crossing the bridge and then heading
inland until you reach the grassy area just before PD Guesthouse.
From there, a left turn takes you past Santung Bungalows and its
restaurant before arriving at the parking area. An easy ten minute walk
through the forest brings you out at the falls themselves. With three
tiers and a good plunge pool for cooling off, it is a lovely spot to
rest up, but do take drinks and food as there are no kiosks. You should
leave a small donation with the attendant.
It is certainly possible to walk the whole way, a few kilometres, and
there are no real hills to worry about if you cycle. Thai group tours
tend to visit in the afternoon.
Maka three 500 years
Koh Kood is host to two
stunning ancient makka trees of an age somewhere between 200 and 500
years old.
To reach the trees, after leaving Klong Chao Beach, follow the road past
the hospital and the petrol station until the crossroads. At these
crossroads, take a right and shortly afterwards, turn right again at the
general store.
Once on this road, follow it for a few kilometres until you reach
another small shop at a fork in the road. Here, take the straight-on
option with the blue sign for Makayuk-Saiyai. Again, carry on straight
until you see the wide new road on the right, the turning you want.
Follow this road right to the end and you will see small signs for the
two trees, the first, Sai Yai is easily found on the right and the
second, Makayuk, is further into the forest, about a ten minute walk.
The path to Makayuk is easily passable by motorbike, now that the
waterfall has been opened up with its gravel road.
Khaoruerob
Khao Ruearab (Battleship
Mountain) is a rock formation found in the forest behind Ngamkho Beach.
Shortly after Big Dreams Guesthouse and Happy Days Guesthouse, just by
the village that sits on the estuary, a newly paved wide road, clearly
signed for Khao Ruearab, marks the spot to turn in.
After passing Far East Resort and Baan Suan Maprao, the route leads off
through the rubber trees, until it reaches another sign indicating the
fork to the left. From here, it is still some way deep into the forest
until you finally reach the car park. The two rocks are 20 metres away.
Another very scenic route to here lies inland at Klong Chao Beach. Head
past Mangrove Bungalows and Cozy House towards Klong Chao Waterfall as
above and after a couple of kilometres, a small turning on the right
just before the bridge is the start of the trail. Mata Guesthouse is
also found down here.
Towards the end of the trek, you reach a limestone rockface which you
must skirt around to the right in order to get to the front of Khao
Ruearab itself. Walking time is about 45 minutes.
Pramong aow salud village
This bay was a former home of
pirates who plundered the this waters It is now a small marine fishery
community. It is also a source selling fresh seafood A great source of
great Koh Kood with lots of shrimp, shellfish, crabs, fish to choose
from. The houses are lined up in the sea. There is a wooden bridge
across the front of every house when the sea is full of height. This
village will look outstanding. Full of unique fishing methods that are
worth a visit. |
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