Nearby Islands

Koh Kradad. An island you won’t visit. (But should)

You don’t see much about Koh Kradad in travel guides or online, and for good reason as there isn’t a whole lot there.   The 2km long flat island is home to one family, a crumbling resort, several fishermen and a large herd of deer.   The deer along with the island being the first in Thailand to get a title deed, are Koh Kradad’s tenuous claims to fame.

Koh Kradad is visited mainly by Thai tour groups who come to stay a night or two at long weekends and take a tour to see the deer .   Accommodation is mainly in large aircon rooms which have the appearance and charm of a portakabin toilet block.   Therefore, the handful of foreign tourists who do make it there usually end up staying in one of the nicer beachfront fan bungalows which go for 650 Baht/night.   There are three of these.

There’s no scheduled transport to the island.   Although it is possible to book a bungalow and arrange for a pick up by longtail boat through some of the small resorts and shops on Koh Mak.   Just ask around.   Another option to visit the island is to take a snorklling tour from Koh Mak which will visit the island and usually also have lunch there.   When on Koh Mak just look for the signs for ‘Totti’ boat trip.   And if you want to get there yourself then you’ll need a kayak.   I got mine from Cinnamon Art Resort, which also happens to be the closest resort to Koh Kradad.

As Koh Kradad is a private island there is an ‘Entrance Fee’ of 60 Baht and the fishermen don’t like you landing on beaches other than the main one at the south of the island where the old resort, owner’s house and numerous semi-tame deer are located.   You don’t get anything for your 60 Baht, but the makeshift restaurant – a couple of tables under the causarina trees with views south to Koh Kood is a good spot for an inexpensive lunch.   (And the food is surprisingly good.   There’s no venison on the menu, I have a feeling the owner has had to answer this question before.)

Lazing around and watching the deer and eagles is the sum total of Koh Kradad’s ‘activities’.       It’s a working island, so the locals spend their time harvesting coconuts or fishing and not running around taking care of tourists. So it isn’t going to be an island for everyone.   But if you just want a real island getaway without the trappings of tourism then it’s worth spending a few nights here.

The resort has a website – in Thai   – http://kohkradadresort.orgfree.com which strangely uses a photo of the view from Chang Park Resort on Koh Chang as its banner.

The photos below start out on Koh Mak at the pier at Cinnamon Art Resort, from here I headed to the northern tip of Koh Kradad, through schools of small fish that were jumping everywhere. Then I just headed down the coast, which is lined with sand to the small harbour and old resort at the southern tip.

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Koh Chang Island Guide For Independent Travellers