Life on Koh Kood
Due to the less than easy access to Koh Kood, this island, the fourth largest in Thailand, has been left to cater for those people who would pay the extra cost to have private transfers from Trat and have an even greater degree of isolation from the busy life in the city. As Koh Chang has developed and become more popular, so has Koh Kood, and with access now a lot easier the island is enjoying a newer influx of tourists. It is largely an island of rainforest, but around the coast are the magnificent beaches for which Thailand is famous.
The better beach areas are on the west coast where the entire stretch is one long sandy coastline. The east coast, facing Cambodia is not so sandy so all the main hotels are this west side. Koh Kood is very much a Thai resort with most foreign visitors staying at Koh Chang. Bang Bao, Tapoa and Prao Beach are all accessible with good swimming. What you will not find here are vendors selling things on the beach or a mass of bars and restaurants. It’s just too beautiful for any of that and the people of Kood are keen to keep the island as it is.
The area around the arrival point for the island is very the hub of Kood since it has the only road going anywhere! Here you will find the town hall, a medical facility, the school and the temple. The road which does exist simply crosses the island from west to east and to Ao Salad. To be absolutely accurate there are two side roads to the police station (a nice posting if you can get it) and the Khlong Chao waterfall. The ‘road’ south becomes something of a mixture of tracks, rough ground and concrete as it heads south before turning inland and across to Ban Ao Yai on the east coast. The tracks make for good mountain biking trips, and bikes can usually be rented from a hotel. At Ao Chlong Chao, there is the Away Resort where there’s a choice of an air conditioned room or an island tent. An interesting feature of this resort is that following a principal of environmentally friendly eco tourism, it requires divers to sign a form stating that they are aware of their responsibilities as visitors to the underwater world.
So much of the island is open to exploration by foot or bike along the jungle trails. Vehicles can be rented but it seems a shame to bring any pollution into this pristine environment. The hotels which have set up here are all very keen to keep Koh Kood as perfect as possible, so they are all promoting eco tourism as part of their image. Names such as the Captain Hook Resort and Peter Pan do not seem to fit well with this ethos, but a name doesn’t mean everything. Diving and snorkeling are practiced here, as in all the neighbouring small islands. Dive trips can be arranged, but simple snorkeling around the beaches is good fun and can be enjoyed without any underwater skills or equipment. The water is so clear that any marine life can be seen by just having a diving mask and simply dipping your head in the water.
Koh Kood will possibly remain one island which will avoid the ravages of tourism, but just in case there is a sudden rush to one of the finest locations in South East Asia, take a trip there now. It is worth it. |
