Enjoying Tranquil Island Life in Koh Mak, Thailand

01/03/2017 by Piia | Ticket to Adventures 13 Comments

If you read my previous post you already know that I had a bit of a hassle and unhappy tears at my arrival in Koh Mak after spending 10 incredible days on the island of Koh Chang. After I found a decent place to stay in Koh Mak I was full of positive energy again and ready to enjoy easy sunny days on the beach and explore the island.With a population of around 1000 people and most of the island being privately owned by a couple of families Koh Mak is a nice and tranquil island away from the crowds. The atmosphere in Koh Mak is very laid back, relaxed and sleepy. Here life moves very nice and easy. I would say that Koh Mak is still one of those undiscovered Thai islands, a fairly well-kept secret off the beaten track. Hopefully its 50 km distance from the nearest mainland town Trat will keep it like that in the future, too.The terrain in Koh Mak is mostly flat with a few hills in the interior, natural forest alongside lush groves of coconut and rubber trees, making it a perfect place to explore by bicycle. I rented a bicycle for two days and discovered many deserted places. You can read more about my bicycle adventures and what to see and do on Koh Mak here and here. Koh Mak is part of a marine national park with the coastline being covered by picturesque long sandy beaches with clear turquoise and warm waters absolutely perfect for swimming and snorkelling. The main beaches, Ao Kao and Ao Suan Yai have the most bungalows and resorts, which are sparsely spread out along the long stretches of sand together with large undeveloped areas.

The only downside of beach life in Koh Mak is that there are millions of sand flies. After my first day at the beach I had more or less 150 bites (yes I did count!) all over my body, so I was basically eaten alive, yikes. I know my blood is very juicy but this was a bit too much. Feeling very very itchy I headed to the pharmacy and were advised to take pills three times a day for a week and always wear insect repellent when at the beach. Valuable advise! Before this experience I did not even know that such small creatures like sand flies exist.

Ao Kao Beach

Ao Suan Yai Beach

A narrow little road runs just behind Ao Kao Beach with a few small shops and a handful of restaurants and cafes. This strip was just a few minutes walk from my bungalow and it was a very atmospheric place to go for a stroll in the evening and decide where to have dinner.