Thai island Koh Kood

Koh Kood or Koh Kut - the pearl of the Thai islands :)

If you have already visited Thailand and are thinking about where to go next, I would definitely recommend Koh Kood, which is still unspoiled by massive tourism. This 4th largest island of Thailand can offer you a special friendly atmosphere, breathtaking and deserted beaches, jungle (70% of the area) and waterfalls. However, a condition for visiting the island is the ability to ride a motorcycle or scooter, without which you will not discover much there. But you don't have to worry - there is one main road that takes you all over the island and the traffic is minimal. As I already wrote, the island is not (and I hope it will never be) affected by massive tourism, which also makes it such a breathtaking place. Therefore, don't expect any 7-11 or Tesco supermarkets here. However, you can easily buy everything you need from the locals and the prices here are not high.

Transport to the island - Boats go to Koh Kood from 2 directions - from the nearby island of Ko Chang or from the port in Trat / Laem Sok, from where you will be taken directly to Bangkok by minibus. A large air-conditioned catamaran operated by Boonsiri departs from Laem Sok. After the Covid break, only wooden boats (i.e. a wooden slow boat - 3 hours of sailing) or faster speed boats (1.5 hours of sailing) go from Ko Chang. Both boats depart from Bang Bao Pier. Wooden boat is a cheaper but longer option of the trip. But unlike the speed boat, they have toilets here. After the arrival of the boat, either from Ko Chang or Laem Sok, local minibuses will take you directly to the booked accommodation.

Accommodation - be sure to book your accommodation in advance. Don't get off the boat and go looking for a place to stay. You could walk a lot - there are no taxis waiting for tourists at the pier, only ordered mini vans that deliver tourists from the ships (this is part of the payment for the ship). There is plenty of accommodation here and you can choose from several luxury hotels or small bungalow complexes.

Food - You can eat with locals and in the evening usually in your accommodation. During the day, I recommend stopping at one of the restaurants right along the main road. The menu offers classic Thai dishes. Everyone chooses :). Seafood lovers will definitely find something here.

As in whole Thailand, you can enjoy typical Thai dishes on Ko Kood. You should definitely not miss the typical Thai Tom Yum Soup or Pad Thai. On Ko Kood, you may find that each family cooks only one meal. That's why you can buy sweet rice with mango at one house and fried bananas or jackfruit at another. Almost all restaurants offer refreshing fruit shakes to drink. You can buy Thai pancake Roti on the hill above Klong Chao beach. Locals usually eat it with an egg, but it's also tasty with banana and condensed milk :).

Shopping - along the central road you will find several local shops where you can buy everything you need. There is a pharmacy and a tiny bank branch on the island. But I strongly recommend bringing cash with you. You can refuel at the gas station in the center of the island. Otherwise, it is possible to buy petrol from the locals in pet bottles like in other Asian countries.

Ao Salat - pier where ships arrive from Trat or Ko Chang. Upon arrival, you will be greeted by a large statue of a seated Buddha. Ao Salat, a small floating village, is inhabited by locals. You will find several shops here. You cannot swim very well on the local mangrove beaches with high ebb and flow. But you can explore the surroundings during a pleasant ride on a kayak.

Bang Bao Beach - almost all tourists visit this most popular beach of the island, enclosed in a small bay. Therefore, it is no longer the cleanest and most beautiful beach.

Klong Chao Beach - a large beach with white sand in the middle of the island, where almost everyone stops to take beautifull photos. It is quite shallow. There are large luxury hotels (High Season Pool Villa & Spa, Tinkerbell Resort) directly on the beach. Cheaper accommodation can be found approx. 5-10 minutes' walk across the road from the beach.

Klong Chao Waterfall - if you turn right on the way to Klong Chao beach, you will reach Klong Chao waterfall in a minute. Its visit is free and definitely worth it. It is about a 200-300 meter walk from the parking lot. You will then be rewarded with a wonderful bath. This waterfall is the most visited on the island, so many people can gather here at once. It is worth waiting a while, they will leave again :).

Klong Hin Beach - my favorite and in my opinion the most beautiful beach on Koh Kood. After turning left from the main road, you will drive on the asphalt road for a while and then you will be about 300 meters along the beaten track - it is not as bad as it looks. And it's definitely worth it. You can reach the beach through the hotel. However, I do not recommend it for accommodation. Most of its visitors are noisy Russians. But the beach is worth it. From it you can also see the neighboring Neverland Beach (Ao Jak Beach). Snorkeling enthusiasts will also enjoy themselves here.

Ao Jak beach (Neverland beach) - adjacent to Klong Him beach, accommodation and bar can be found right on the beach. This is another really beautiful and quiet beach that is worth visiting.

Ao Phrao Beach - the southernmost beach of the island. Beautiful quiet beach with white sand. Here you will find several hotels and smaller accommodation with bungalows. I highly recommend this beach. You can take beautiful photos from the pier here :)

Ao Tapao Beach - a long beach with exceptionally not as white sand as is common on Ko Kood. A very popular beach with many hotels of different categories.

Klong Yai Kee Waterfall - another waterfall where you can take a dip. You can find it in the northern part of the island. From the parking lot, you will go down the natural stairs for about 100 meters. Then you just have to climb over a few bigger stones and you're there. Unlike Klong Chao, you won't see many visitors here. On the left part of the waterfall there is a path that you can climb up.

Ao Yai Fishing Village - don't Miss it! It's at the very end of the island, the road doesn't go any further... but it's worth it. A fishing village built on stilts in the sea. You can see here how the locals live, try fish or any seafood in a local restaurant.

My tip for accommodation - I have personally visited Ko Kood 3 times and we have always stayed in the north by the pier in Ao Salat - I can recommend Ao Salat View here. The accommodation is owned by a very friendly local family. You can live here in several bungalows. Except for the colored ones, they are all new. The accommodation is extremely clean. You can swim in the pool here, but who would go to the pool when there are so many beautiful beaches around? Here they will rent you a kayak for free to explore the surroundings. Of course, there is also motorbike rental, laundry for a small fee, etc. They cook very well here, only breakfasts are simpler. Very good price-quality ratio. Some may not like the longer distance to the beaches and the center of the island (approx. 20 minutes by motorbike), but the beautiful nature and peace will balance it out...