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The second largest, after Koh Chang, of the 52 islands that comprise the Koh Chang
archipelago and if it wasn't located so damn far away would easily be the
most popular as it's an island that's definitely worth a visit. But as
it is the vast majority of people who get as far as Koh Chang or Koh Mak
wont make it to Koh Kood.
It's remote location has ensured that
it hasn't attracted masses of developers looking to make a few baht quickly.
Therefore the resorts that have been built have been done so, for the most
part, very tastefully. In addition the comparatively small number of
visitors means that there isn't enough business to support hoards of vendors
selling tacky t-shirts, souvenirs and fake tattoos.
Taphao Bay is rated as one of the
island's best beaches and is the next to the ferry pier at Klong Hin Dam.
Just north of the beach is the island's oldest fishing village, Baan Klong
Mat. When sunset arrives Thais often flock to Koh Kood Cabana Resort in an
attempt to emulate a well known photo of a beautiful sunset over the pier
seen through coconut palms. From Taphao Bay you can walk south to
Klong Chao beach, however the main attraction of this bay is the river -
Kong Chao. It is lined with mangroves and has a pretty but small
waterfall at the end. The waterfall isn't spectacular but the plunge
pool makes for a good place to swim. In the evenings fireflies can be seen
in abundance in the trees lining the river. There is a small concrete
bridge that stretches 50 metres across Klong Chao and nearby some of the
fishing families have opened up small guesthouses to cater to backpackers.
Further south the next bay worth
visiting is Klong Yai Ki Bay whose rocky outcrops and crystal clear waters
make for good snorkelling territory. A river, Klong Yai Ki, cuts the
beach in half but it can be walked across during low tide. Again, the
klong is lined with mangroves and a small waterfall provides a place to
swim. This area is pretty deserted as there is only one resort, Captain Hook
Resort, which nestles amongst the mangroves.
The far north of the island is off
the beaten track unless you are travelling on a package tour offered by one
of the upmarket resorts there. Maput Bay is worth a look but can only
be reached by boat, as it has a coral reef just offshore and is also home to
more giant clams than you can shake a stick at.
At the opposite end of the island,
resorts have sprung up around three beaches in the southwest - Ngam Kho Bay
which is another long, empty white sand beach; Sai Daeng Beach where the
sand is a reddish colour and finally Bang Bao beach, which has a mangrove
forest in addition to being of a crescent shape of white sand and having
shallow water.
Continuing right down to the
southern tip of the island three more beaches and bays now have resorts
built on them. The long Klong Hin Bay which can be reached by
motorbike from Bang Bao beach, Chak Bay another kilometre to the
south which can only be reached by foot and Phrao Bay about 1.5 km on from
Chak Bay. The hamlet of Baan Klong Phrao has a restaurant or two and a
few shops, you'll also find some cheap homestay accommodation in this
waterfront fishing village.
As with Koh Chang, there isn't a
beach of note on the east of the island.
Having taken a look around the
island you may notice a theme running through three of the resorts - Peter
Pan Resort, Captain Hook Resort and Neverland Resort. Can you spot it?
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