Introduction
Koh Kood (also sometimes spelt Ko Kut) is a beautiful island found in the eastern section of the Gulf of Thailand, not far from the Cambodian border. Often overshadowed by its more popular neighbours, Koh Chang and Koh Mak, you will find Koh Kood offers quiet, spacious beaches and a laid-back island vibe. Some may consider the it to be a bit of a resort destination, for families on package tours. However, there are also plenty of options for solo travellers and backpackers. It’s certainly not a party-island, like Koh Chang, but if you want to spend a few days relaxing on a pristine beach, with great seafood on offer, then Koh Kood is a fantastic option.
Where To Stay in Koh Kood
The island is still has large areas left undeveloped; there are very few accommodation options, if any, on the eastern coast. However, the west coast has accommodation all the down down these days. The three main beaches, where you will find you will find a wide range of options, are Ao Tapao, Khlong Chao, and Ao Bang Bao. However, if you venture on further south you will find the beautiful, secluded beaches of Ao Ta Khian and Khlong Hin.
Each of the beaches have beach-front resorts which, as you would expect, tend to be more expensive. Better, and more reasonable priced options can be found set further back from the beach, often along the rivers that flow to the sea.
Budget Options
Koh Kood Guest House by Nokky
A charming guest house set among the jungle, around a mile and a half from Ao Tapao beach. A friendly, helpful owner, with delicious vegan food and scooter rental available on site to get you to the beach and back. Standard double room with fan from 700B (£18)
Far East Resort
A smart resort in Baan Bang Bao, yards from Ao Ngamkho Beach. Spacious bungalows set in pretty gardens, with helpful owners. Double rooms with air-con from 800B (£20)
Mid-range Options
Rim Lay
Beach-front bungalows on Ao Jark, on the south of the island. This is definitely the place to be if you want to get away from it all and spend a few days relaxing on a picturesque beach. Bunglaows with air-con from 2200B (£55).
BEDS
Having spent years working in hotels, Jay opened his own in 2017. As such, you can expect to find helpful, knowledgeable staff here. Arguably, the best attribute is the location, being walking distance to Sai Daeng, Ao Ngamkho, and Bang Bao Beaches. Double rooms from 1600B (£40)
Baan Bua Cottage
A 2 minute walk from a small beach (Koh Kood beach), and not too far from Ao Tapao, Baan Bua offers really smart little cottages set in a very pretty garden. From around 1600B (£40) for a bungalow
High-end Options
Tinkerbell Resort
Really want to splash out? How about booking yourself a two-storey villa with your own private pool at a beach-front resort. 650 yards from Khlong Chao Bay, this long-running hotel has all of the things you would expect from a high-end resort- swimming pool, room service, etc. But it doesn’t come cheap! The villa with a private pool is not far off 10,000B a night (£250)
Our Recommendation
Cozy House
I stayed at this charming place in 2017 and loved every minute of it. The bungalows are rustic, but clean and spacious and set in a large garden. The owner and her daughter are so friendly, welcoming and helpful. The breakfast is also very good. It is located on the banks of the Khlong Chao river, a gentle 10 minute walk from the beach. If you want good quality bungalows, with relaxing surrounds, near to the beach and at a great price, look no further than Cozy House. Older, fan bungalows from 700B (£17), up to 1200B (£30) for the newer air-con bungalows.
What To Do in Koh Kood
The main thing to do on Koh Kood is head for the beach, take out a book, soak up the sun and relax. Well, that and gorging on all the delicious seafood available. However, if you’re there for a little while and want some activities to do then there are a few options.
Snorkelling and Diving
There are a a handful of diving operators found on the island. Opposite Nam Koh beach you’ll find Paradise Divers. In Khlong Chao you have BB Divers, who are probably the largest company, with shops on all three islands in the area. Or there is Diver Club along Bang Bao beach. However, the company which consistently receives the best reviews is Koh Kood Divers by Khlong Chao. They offer snorkelling, dive packages, kid’s diving and dive courses. Snorkelling from 1000B (£25) up to 14500B (£350) for the full, 4-day PADI course, and everything in between. Whatever you choose to do, it is probably best to try and make sure you are on a tour that heads to Koh Rang, as this is the best dive spot in the area (though this means it can get over-crowded during peak times)
Waterfalls
There are three beautiful waterfalls on Koh Kood. As with most waterfalls, you need to be there at the right time of year to see them in their full glory. Obviously, during the wet season (May-Oct), they will be more impressive.
The most famous of the three is the Khlong Chao waterfall, which is fairly easy to access on foot. If you head up the main Khlong Chao road until you hit PD Guesthouse, then turn left and head along the forest path for about 10 minutes.
The second is Klong Yai Ki, which you will find up in the north west of the island. While the third, Huang Nam Keaw, is often refered to as the secret waterfall as it used to only be visited by the islanders. However, its not so much a secret now, with a well-beaten path leading to it and a visitor’s centre. Found right in the centre of the island, seeing this waterfall requires a 5km trek through the forest, so it makes for a great adventurous day trip. Whilst you’re there, you might want to make a short detour to see the ancient trees. These enormous Makka trees are thought to be somewhere between 200-500 years old and are an impressive sight.
Fishing Village
Found in the north eastern corner of the island, Ban Ao Yai is a genuine fishing village with the small population living together in stilted homes just off the shore. Quite often, boat tours around many destinations in Thailand will make a stop at a floating village. However, in my experience, many of these have clearly become more of a tourist trap that rely on the passing trade of tour groups than they are a genuine home for the locals these days. But Ao Yai is definitely not that, making it a great opportunity to see how a genuine floating village operates. Not to mention a great chance to sample some delicious, fresh seafood.
Kayaking
Most places you stay will rent out kayaks, especially if they are by the beach or one of the rivers. Our recommended accommodation option, Cozy House, even let you use them for free. Plus, they have their own jetty out on to Khlong Chao river. This can be a lovely, relaxing way to spend an afternoon, exploring the river and the mangroves. Also, you can even kayak your way to the waterfalls!
Where To Eat & Drink in Koh Kood
Seafood
Obviously, being a large island with a population of fishermen, seafood makes up a large proportion of the island’s cuisine. The best place to sample this is on the floating village where the fishermen live, Ban Ao Yai. There are a number of restaurants here, but the two best are Noochy Seafood and Chonthicha. Both offer excellent, freshly cooked fish and seafood at a reasonable price. For a little more swanky option, you may want to try See the Sun Seafood, also in Ao Yai.
Thai Food
Some of the best restaurants are found along the main road that cuts east to west across the island between Ban Ao Yai and Bang Bao beach. One of the best along here is Relax House. This small, long running restaurant is an Koh Kood institution and, as such, you will need to make a reservation to get a table, sometimes a couple of days in advance. If you can’t get in, then another great option on the same road is Canteen. A rustic but quirky little restaurant with a bit of a hippie vibe and excellent food at a great price.
Alternatively, if you are looking for somewhere on the road running along the coast line, you wont go wrong at Ra Beang Mai or Chill Out by Khlong Chao beach, Chaiyo a bit further south by Nam Koh beach, and finally Bang Bao Home by Bang Bao beach.
Food with a View
There are some some beautiful spots to stop for a bit to eat in Koh Kood, but two places stand out especially. Firstly, the View Point Cafe found on the edge of Khlong Chao beach. It takes a bit of a trek uphill to make it to this one, but trust us, its worth it! The view from the top is spectacular, plus the food and coffee is pretty good too. Probably the most interesting place to eat on the island, however, is Bann Makok. It is not easy to find, nestled among the mangroves along the banks of the Khlong Yai Ki estuary. But the journey is worth it for the beautiful, tranquil surrounds. Bann Makok also has rooms, floating on the water.
Drinking
Koh Kood is not a party island, by any stretch of the imagination. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t find places to grab a beer in the evening, and even have a bit of a dance to some live music. The main area you will find this kind of thing is around Khlong Chao. There are four main bars, all within walking distance of each other so you could even manage a little pub crawl. Both Tawan Eco Bar and Jah Thoom offer live music in the evenings. Over the road, the Sunset Bar is a nice spot to grab a beer by the river. If you’re looking for something a bit more trendy, then the place to be is Bartist, located further up towards the Khlong Chao waterfall. Finally, if you’re around Bang Bao beach instead and you’re looking for a cool spot to hang out then definitely drop into The Fisherman Hut. This bar is known for it’s fish BBQs, its burgers and live music.
How To Get To/From
If you’re coming from, or going to, the other nearby islands (Koh Chang and Koh Mak), speedboats depart daily in high season. Koh Chang to Koh Kood takes roughly 2 hours. Bangbao Boat operate daily during high season (1st Nov – 30th April) and offer collection/drop-off between hotels (Koh Chang – Koh Kood; 900B/£22 ).
If you are coming from the mainland, you will need to first make your way to the town of Trat and head to Laem Sok Pier. There are four passenger ferry operators, with the following timetables and prices:
Laem Sok Pier – Koh Kood
- Boonsiri: 10:45 & 14:20. Takes 1 hour. Ticket 500B (£12.50)
- SuperJet: 12:45. Takes 45 minutes. Ticket 500B (£12.50)
- Koh Kood Princess: 12:30. Takes 1 hour. Ticket 350B (£9)
- Ko Kut Express: Speedboat at 10:00 & 15:00. Takes 1 hour. Ticket 600B (£15). Normal boat at 13:00. Takes 1hr15m. Ticket 350B (£9).
Koh Kood – Laem Sok Pier
- Boonsiri: 09:00 & 12:00. Takes 1 hour. Ticket 500B (£12.50)
- SuperJet: 11:00. Takes 45 minutes. Ticket 500B (£12.50)
- Koh Kood Princess: 10:00. Takes 1hr15m. Ticket 350B (£9)
- Ko Kut Express: Speedboat at 11:00 & 13:00. Takes 1 hour. Ticket 600B (£15). Normal boat at 10:00. Takes 1hr15m. Ticket 350B (£9).
If you are coming all the way from Bangkok, it is probably best to organise an all-in-one ticket that incorporates the coach and ferry. Boonsiri offer such a ticket, departing twice a day. You can leave from the Khao San Road area at either 05:00 (arriving on Koh Kood at 11:45) or at 07:30 (arriving at 15:20). Both cost 900B (£22). If this is too early for you, you may want to consider arranging your own transport to Trat and staying a night there in the town before getting the ferry over to Koh Kood in the morning.
There are also daily flights between Bangkok and Trat. Bangkok Airways operate four flights a day between Suvarnabhumi and Trat Airport. You will want to get one of the two earlier flights (08:20 or 11:40) if you aim to make it to Koh Kood the same day. Going the other way, Boonsiri offer tickets between Koh Kood and Trat airport, leaving at 09:00 and 12:00 (arriving at the airport at 11:40 and 14:40), either of which will allow you time to get a flight back to Bangkok.