Ko Kut

Thailand

Ko Kut (also Koh Kood), Thailand's 4th largest island (25 km long and 12 km wide), is in Trat Province in the Gulf of Thailand. It's the Thai island closest to Cambodia.

The island is a popular spot for package tourists and families. The island has virtually no nightlife, so if you are looking for parties, it's not the place to go.

There are virtually no towns on Ko Kut, so sightseeing is pretty limited.

  • Ao Salat. The fishing village of Ao Salat is home to around 300 people, making it the largest settlement on the island. The village is built on stilts in the water, and is quite interesting and well worth the rather long road trip to get there. This is also the departure and arrival terminal for the Koh Kood Princess ferry. It has a few very good seafood restaurants (including a homestay and souvenir shop) where you can choose your own seafood straight from the fishing nets. Expect to pay around 500 baht for the trip, as cars are quite scarce. Or rent a scooter.
  • Ao Yai. A typical fishing village. The concrete road takes you all the way to it. Good place to enjoy fresh seafood. Cheap snorkelling and fishing trips can be arranged here with local fishermen. Crowds of nice people will be happy to receive you there.
  • Khao Rearub. Hiking path connecting Klong Chao and Ngamkho Bay. There is an impressive, old rock formation. What it resembles is the subject of some dispute. It's a religious site for Thais.
  • Macca Tree. A grove of massive 300-500 year old trees in the middle of the rain forest. Worth a visit.

Ao Salat. The fishing village of Ao Salat is home to around 300 people, making it the largest settlement on the island. The village is built on stilts in the water, and is quite interesting and well worth the rather long road trip to get there. This is also the departure and arrival terminal for the Koh Kood Princess ferry. It has a few very good seafood restaurants (including a homestay and souvenir shop) where you can choose your own seafood straight from the fishing nets. Expect to pay around 500 baht for the trip, as cars are quite scarce. Or rent a scooter.

Ao Yai. A typical fishing village. The concrete road takes you all the way to it. Good place to enjoy fresh seafood. Cheap snorkelling and fishing trips can be arranged here with local fishermen. Crowds of nice people will be happy to receive you there.

Khao Rearub. Hiking path connecting Klong Chao and Ngamkho Bay. There is an impressive, old rock formation. What it resembles is the subject of some dispute. It's a religious site for Thais.

Macca Tree. A grove of massive 300-500 year old trees in the middle of the rain forest. Worth a visit.

Swimming in the crystal clear waters, sunbathing, scuba-diving, snorkelling, kayaking, hiking to the waterfall, checking out the view of Klong Chao Beach from the viewpoint which can be accessed by motorbike or by foot along a path that originates at the southern end of the beach and winds through some trees and has a short climb along a paved path to the viewpoint. Good coffee can be enjoyed here. Or just relax and read a book.

  • Beaches. Most beaches are on the west coast. From north to south they are: Ao ("bay") Tapao; Ao Noi; Klong Chao; Ao Ngamkho; Sai Daeng; Ao Bang Bao; Takean; Khlong Hin; Ao Jark; and Ao Prao. Most resorts are along this coast.
  • Huang Num Keaw Waterfall. Year-round. At the end of a strenuous, steep 100 m path. Free.
  • Klong Chao Waterfall. Year-round. The largest waterfall on the island, with a huge pool that you can swim in. About 20-30 min walk from the turn-off, sometimes you can hitch. Organised tours usually visit the waterfall in the afternoon. Free.
  • Klong Yai Ki Waterfall. Year-round. This waterfall is smaller, more quiet and also with a pool where you can swim. Free.
  • River Estuary. A mangrove-lined estuary. Many places (hotels, restaurants, guesthouses) rent kayaks cheaply here. The top of the estuary is a rocky area. If you want to be alone, you can pass by it carrying the kayak, then swim in a natural pool surrounded by forest. Very few people can be bothered to go here, so it is very clean. There is also a tributary flowing from a mangrove forest partway up, on the west side. This is quite spooky and has more pollution as the top is a road and there are some houses at points the way, but you can still appreciate the natural environment, which is pretty spectacular at points and maybe see some rare bird life. You can also kayak out to the ocean, which is often very still and without waves, and being shallow the water is warm a long way out.

Scuba diving is a great way to discover the underwater world around Ko Kut. Diving off Ko Kut is easy, fun, and you can see turtles, stingrays, barracudas, lots of small fish and sometimes sea horses.

Nearly any time of the year except from July till the end of September is good diving weather in Ko Kut and visibility can exceed 30 m. Average visibility is around 15-20 m. From July-September visibility is reduced to 5 m and the seas are choppy. It is possible and perfectly comfortable to swim and dive without a wet suit year round. However, as with most diving, a wet suit is recommended to help reduce risk of cuts or injury. Avoid contact with coral reefs.

Various dive locations around Ko Kut are:

  • Ao Tum
  • Bang Bao
  • Clong Hin
  • Hin Jedi
  • Hin Loi
  • Ko Reat
  • Ko Rang National Marine Park

There are three dive shops on the island:

  • BB Divers, +66 82 2206002. This dive school is a branch of 5 Star PADI IDC Center BB Divers on Ko Chang where it has been active since 2003. This Belgian-run shop has very nice staff and can provide all PADI courses from Open Water up to divemaster and even beyond. Courses can be done in many European languages as well as in Thai. They also cater to the snorkelling crowd. With the privately-owned speedboat all local dive sites as well as Ko Rang National Park, Ko Mak and Ko Chang are within easy reach. They also offer the new wreck dive on the HMS Chang at Ko Chang, one of the best wreck dives in Thailand
  • Koh Kood Divers, +66 85 6984122. Small family-run dive shop with new equipment, flexible boat schedules, and friendly multilingual staff including German, Dutch, French, Spanish and English. They teach all PADI diving courses from beginner to professional level in small groups in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere. Also they offer snorkelling trips as well.
  • Paradise Divers, +66 87 1445945. Friendly staff. Courses can be done in German, Dutch, French, Spanish, English and more.Have their own bar and restaurant so can stay and have a drink after diving. Also have their own guesthouse Happy Days which has been newly renovated. Their dive and stay specials are great value but sell out easily

Beaches. Most beaches are on the west coast. From north to south they are: Ao ("bay") Tapao; Ao Noi; Klong Chao; Ao Ngamkho; Sai Daeng; Ao Bang Bao; Takean; Khlong Hin; Ao Jark; and Ao Prao. Most resorts are along this coast.

Huang Num Keaw Waterfall. Year-round. At the end of a strenuous, steep 100 m path. Free.

Klong Chao Waterfall. Year-round. The largest waterfall on the island, with a huge pool that you can swim in. About 20-30 min walk from the turn-off, sometimes you can hitch. Organised tours usually visit the waterfall in the afternoon. Free.

Klong Yai Ki Waterfall. Year-round. This waterfall is smaller, more quiet and also with a pool where you can swim. Free.

River Estuary. A mangrove-lined estuary. Many places (hotels, restaurants, guesthouses) rent kayaks cheaply here. The top of the estuary is a rocky area. If you want to be alone, you can pass by it carrying the kayak, then swim in a natural pool surrounded by forest. Very few people can be bothered to go here, so it is very clean. There is also a tributary flowing from a mangrove forest partway up, on the west side. This is quite spooky and has more pollution as the top is a road and there are some houses at points the way, but you can still appreciate the natural environment, which is pretty spectacular at points and maybe see some rare bird life. You can also kayak out to the ocean, which is often very still and without waves, and being shallow the water is warm a long way out.

BB Divers, +66 82 2206002. This dive school is a branch of 5 Star PADI IDC Center BB Divers on Ko Chang where it has been active since 2003. This Belgian-run shop has very nice staff and can provide all PADI courses from Open Water up to divemaster and even beyond. Courses can be done in many European languages as well as in Thai. They also cater to the snorkelling crowd. With the privately-owned speedboat all local dive sites as well as Ko Rang National Park, Ko Mak and Ko Chang are within easy reach. They also offer the new wreck dive on the HMS Chang at Ko Chang, one of the best wreck dives in Thailand

Koh Kood Divers, +66 85 6984122. Small family-run dive shop with new equipment, flexible boat schedules, and friendly multilingual staff including German, Dutch, French, Spanish and English. They teach all PADI diving courses from beginner to professional level in small groups in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere. Also they offer snorkelling trips as well.

Paradise Divers, +66 87 1445945. Friendly staff. Courses can be done in German, Dutch, French, Spanish, English and more.Have their own bar and restaurant so can stay and have a drink after diving. Also have their own guesthouse Happy Days which has been newly renovated. Their dive and stay specials are great value but sell out easily

There is a souvenir shop in Ao Salat. Other than that, you'll be hard pressed to find anything in particular to buy outside your resort.

Many of the resorts, but not all, have good restaurants. Outsiders are always welcomed. Prices are slightly above mainland. The cheapest feed is roughly 60 baht for a bowl of noodles. Expect to pay 80-200 baht for a main course at non high-end places (usually 100-150 baht).

If you want to cook for yourself then a small selection of fruit/vegetables is available at a stand/shop operating some distance across the bridge from Ban Klong Chao, before the Sunset Bar. Basic staples and ice cream are available at a number of shops around the Klong Chao.

  • Chiang Mai Restaurant. 18:00 - 21:00. Seafood.
  • Pizza & Pasta, 119/2 Khlong Chao, +66 83 2972860. 09:00 - 22:00. Thai/Italian-run pizza and pasta house. Open Sep-May.
  • The Fisherman Hut. Specializes in very fresh seafood dishes, also offers other standard Thai food & some Western dishes. 80-350 baht.

Chiang Mai Restaurant. 18:00 - 21:00. Seafood.

Pizza & Pasta, 119/2 Khlong Chao, +66 83 2972860. 09:00 - 22:00. Thai/Italian-run pizza and pasta house. Open Sep-May.

The Fisherman Hut. Specializes in very fresh seafood dishes, also offers other standard Thai food & some Western dishes. 80-350 baht.

  • Sunset Bar. Admire the sunset there around 18:00 or just go later to enjoy the drinks in a cool atmosphere. Parties going on every Saturday and on special occasions.
  • View Point Cafe. Built directly above the water with magnificent views, sunsets, and ambiance. Real fresh-ground Vietnamese-style coffee, fruit shakes, and interesting non-alcoholic cocktails. The Australian/Thai proprietors are a great source of local and SE Asia information. Closes for low season in mid-May.

Sunset Bar. Admire the sunset there around 18:00 or just go later to enjoy the drinks in a cool atmosphere. Parties going on every Saturday and on special occasions.

View Point Cafe. Built directly above the water with magnificent views, sunsets, and ambiance. Real fresh-ground Vietnamese-style coffee, fruit shakes, and interesting non-alcoholic cocktails. The Australian/Thai proprietors are a great source of local and SE Asia information. Closes for low season in mid-May.

Compared to neighbouring Ko Chang, infrastructure is generally thin. Some resorts, such as Siam Beach Resort and Koh Kood Resort, offer Internet access while others do not. Internet appears to be offered via 3.5G UMTS (i.e., mobile, quite slow) and is prone to dropping out.

Local tourist information is hard to come by, but Internet searches will reveal maps of the island.

As of January 2018, there are 2 ATMs on the island, one near the hospital which only accepts visa cards and the other, a Kongsri Bank Atm, behind High Season, which accepts Mastercard and visa. Only higher end resorts take credit cards. If you run out of money, second hand sources report that credit card cash advances are possible at the larger resorts for a 5% fee.