Looking for a more laid back and tranquil island in Thailand? Then look no further than the beautiful unspoilt island of Koh Mook. Situated in the Trang province, this gem of a place feels like stepping back in time. With no large commercial restaurants or hotels, this island has a traditional cosy feel to it. With a variety of accommodation on offer from hotels to bungalows and home stays, there is something for everyone taste/needs.
How To Get To Koh Mook
It’s an island, so you need to get there by speedboat and you can more or less get there from any of the nearby islands. We arrived from Koh Lipe down near the Malaysian islands, however you can approach Koh Mook from any Thai island such as Koh Lanta. Check out the routes on 12Go,
Koh Mook Transport
The fun begins as soon as you land on Koh Mook. The speed boats land you on a really long jetty as the waters are quite shallow at low tide. Therefore a ‘fleet’ of motorbike taxis with sidecars are waiting at the end to transport you to your accommodation. They are all a fixed price regardless of your destination and they are FUN to be in. The roads are really good (better than a lot in the UK) as the majority are all block paved. Right by Charlie Beach the road does descend in to ‘dust’ but other than that the journey was pleasant!
The Beaches
Koh Mook’s beaches are its main draw, especially Charlie Beach which seems to be at the top of everyones list. With beautiful golden sand and aquamarine sea what is there not to love. There are plenty of sun loungers to choose from which are ‘free’. (As long as you buy more than 300 baht of food/drink from the owners restaurant -reasonable!). To the south east end of Charlie beach you will find a lovely bar/restaurant set up in the cliff. This is the perfect spot to enjoy the Beautiful unspoilt island of Koh Mook from with a bottle of cold Chang.
Hire a Scooter on Koh Mook
Unlike many busy islands in Thailand such as Phuket or Koh Samui, Koh Mook is relatively safe to drive around. There are no cars, just scooters and motorbikes with side cars . And as I previously stated, most of the roads are block paved. So the only hazard to contend with is your driving, especially on the dusty road to the beach. Make sure you have a UK motorbike driving license with you in order to hire a bike, mostly for your own safety.
Most accommodation will hire you a scooter, ours was 250 baht for a day. The island was so tiny we only used it for a few hours and our bungalow owner only charged us half a day! There are only a few main roads on the island so you really wont get lost. Take a scoot around the other beaches and visit the main ‘town’. There are several mini markets on the island if you have forgotten any essentials.
Don’t forget To ‘Fillup”
I love a Thai filling station,, and this one is quite modern by comparison. If you don’t want to work out how this works then there is an alternative. Along the road you will see various places with glass bottles of liquid outside. This is petrol. Just pull up and someone will fill up your bike for you for a very reasonable sum.
The Emerald Cave
A big ‘attraction’ on Koh Mook is the Emerald Cave. If you are feeling brave then you can hire a kayak and paddle your way there solo. You will need to swim through the cave to the hidden beach inside. Don’t forget your torch as apparently it’s very dark inside. If the thought of braving this alone is too much then you can book yourself on a tour. You can tie this in with island hopping to Koh Kradan and Ngai to make a day of it.
Enjoy The Food
With plenty of restaurants to choose from you won’t go hungry. We eat a several of the beach restaurants and were not disappointed. In the evenings our accommodation had its own restaurant which served up the most delicious dishes. In the main ‘town’ there are a variety of places to eat too, some situated along the shoreline with a lovely view.
Catch A Sunset
There is literally nothing better than watching the sun setting over the sea is there? Well you are in luck on Koh Mook, Charlie Beach provides the perfect setting for this. With plenty of venues situated along the beach you can grab a chair and a cold drink and watch the magic.
So Get Yourself To The Beautiful Unspoilt Island of Koh Mook
What are you waiting for?