At an Island Pace – Salak Phet
Salak Phet, lies on the opposite side of the bay to to Chek Bae down in the south east corner of Koh Chang. It is a local, rural community of fruit farmers and fishermen, spread out along the water and among the rubber tree plantations and orchards.
With the 744 metre mountain peaks of Salak Phet and Khao Laem providing the stunning natural backdrop at all times, Salak Phet comprises three distinct areas and the waterfalls:-
Fishing village
Waterfalls
Around the bay
Far end at Baan Rong Than
Though mostly catering to Thai weekenders with homestays, there are a couple of resorts and guesthouses, a small marina with sailing facilities, a seafood restaurant and other local spots to eat. As with elsewhere on the east coast, there is no readily accessible beach.
The island of Koh Kood is located in Trat province and is one of about 52 islands, most of them uninhabited and the most famous of which are Koh Chang (the third largest island in Thailand), Koh Mak, and of course Koh Kood - which I will detail in this series of articles.
Koh Kood is the southernmost island of this group of islands and is right on the sea border separating Thailand and Cambodia.
Bang Bao Beach
I would say this was our second favorite beach for daytime use. It’s also the most popular and it can feel a little crowded with all of the insane resorts rimming the shore. This is the beach Koh Kood Resort is on. We enjoyed it because it also had a diving pier, shallow warm clear water, and it had an array of activities you could do.
Sunset Beach
This one also tops our list of best beaches in Koh Kood. Facing west it offers exceptional sunset views and the beach itself is huge!! Great for a sunset swim or stroll.
We did not like Nang Yai Beach. It was rocky, overcrowded, and a little dirty. Most bloggers disagreed in their Koh Kood Guide so I don’t know if we visited at the wrong time of day or if they have changed over the years but I wasn’t impressed.
Koh Mak ( or Koh Maak in some guides ) is located in the Marine National Park in Eastern Thailand, around 40Km from the Trat coast and 20Km south of Koh Chang. It is around 16km², too big to walk around but easy to see by bicycle. The roads are very quiet as there isn’t a vehicle ferry to the island. Koh Mak is also relatively unknown. This means that it isn’t over run by package tours and and is still a well kept secret for most travelers.
Koh Chang is growing every year with more and more shophouses, bars, restaurants and nightclubs. Whereas development on Koh Mak is limited to small restaurants, minimarts and a few resorts. It’s growing but at a much slower pace.
Koh Mak is a quiet location for people who are looking for a relaxing holiday. If you are looking for long deserted beaches then you’ll find them on Koh Mak. There aren’t any jetskis or beer bars. So it isn’t for someone looking for an alternative to Phuket or Pattaya. The island has beautiful nature which is perfect for hiking trips. There is also a diving school where you can book diving and snorkeling trips. The nearby Marine Park has the best selection of marine life Thailand has to offer.
The beaches on Koh Mak
You’re almost certainly coming here for the beaches. Take a look at the ‘Koh Mak Beach Guide‘ for photos of what to expect. There are two main beaches which are home to the majority of resorts. But you will find smaller beached dotted around the island. Take time to explore by scooter or mountain bike and follow the dirt tracks to the shore. You’ll often come to deserted beaches with no resorts or signs of life.
Koh Mak is not a destination for anyone interested in filling their days with noisy activities. Sure there are some trips and tours you can do but on the whole it is a place to go to do very little except laze and enjoy the local hospitality, clear sea and kilometres of empty beaches.
But if you want some gentle exercise come and join us at Coco Cafe for a 8Km bicycle tour of some of Koh Mak’s lesser seen sights or a game of beach volleyball. Cycling tours are at 09:00 & 16:00 in high Season. 150 Baht per person. Beach volleyball matches are held every afternoon / evening at Coco Cafe’s ‘sandfly -free’ volleyball court.
Now you have a taste of what Koh Mak offers and what makes it a special destination, feel free to explore the rest of this site. We have tried to include as many of Koh Mak’s resorts, restaurants and activities as possible in order to give you a full picture of Thailand’s Family Island.
oh Ngam is a small island, 400 metres off the southeast of Koh Chang. It was privately owned. The National Park then claimed it and built a small resort for people to stay. The original owner then took the National Park to court and won the island back. The resort was then marketed as Analay Resort for a couple of years. Then the National Park managed to get the island back again through the courts. The reosrt was cloased and now there are a couple of National Park rangers on the island who take care of it.
Koh Wai is a small crescent-shaped island, approximately 45 minutes south of from Koh Chang by slow boat or 20 minutes by speedboat. This laid back, island paradise is a throwback to another time. There aren’t any villages, roads, shops or vehicles of any kind. No ATMs, pharmacies, tailors shops or even a police station. Not even a 7-eleven.
There’s also no electricity supply. Which is the reason for the lack of development on the island. Power is only from generators. So bring a power bank if you need to use you phone regularly. The good news is that you’ll get 4G mobile internet signals at the resorts on the north coast facing Koh Chang.
What Koh Wai does have though are a handful of small, scenic beaches with soft white sand, clear shallow water and snorkelling right off the beach. A coral reef runs along a lot of the north coast, roughly 40 metres from the shore. It’s the latter which also attracts a lot of tour boats and day-trippers to the island.
GOODBYE !!!