Escape the Crowds. Thailand's Sporty Island Paradise
Koh Mak
Unspoiled. No 7-Eleven by choice. No crowds. Just sixteen square kilometres of coconut groves, clear shallow sea, and a pace of life that invites you to slow down. And because of some locals' passion for health & sports, you find a high number of sports facilities in this secluded destination, such as Muay Thai, tennis, yoga, basketball & more.
Koh Mak is a small Thai island in the Gulf of Thailand — quieter than Koh Chang, wilder and with more community and sports than Koh Kood, and still largely off the map. Peaceful and chilled.
The beaches on Koh Mak are long, uncrowded, and clean. No jet skis. No beach touts. Two main strips — Ao Kao and Ao Suan Yai — plus a handful of hidden coves most visitors never find.
The best hotels and resorts on Koh Mak stay small by design. The families who own this island have kept developers out for decades. That's why it still feels like Thailand used to. And people fall in love with the island, or leave the next day when they do not find the kind of bars they were looking for.
Getting to Koh Mak is straightforward — speedboat from Laem Ngop pier in Trat, about 50 minutes. Fly Bangkok to Trat, or take a bus. The ferry and boat schedules run year-round, with more frequency in high season. Once you land, see how to get around Koh Mak.
Things to do on Koh Mak go deeper than the average island. There's Muay Thai training, tennis, pickleball, yoga, kayaking, and one of the best diving and snorkelling zones in the eastern Gulf. The nearby marine park around Koh Rang is world-class.
Comparing Koh Mak vs Koh Chang? Koh Chang has more — more nightlife, more roads, many more 7/11, more tourists, more gogo-bars, more everything. Koh Mak has less, on purpose. That's the point.
For food and restaurants on Koh Mak, kitchens are small, local, and good. Seafood straight off the boat. No tourist menus. No scam, no crime. Planning a longer trip? Check practical info and Thailand visa options.
One island. No crowds. Evolving to Thailand's recognised sports hub.
Nature, Sports, Serenity
Sixteen square kilometres of rubber plantations, jungle interior, and two sweeping white-sand bays — almost entirely undeveloped. About 40 small resorts, restaurants, and useful, convenient shops. And of course up-rising sports facilities.
Muay Thai - rumble in the jungle, Tennis with ocean-breath, yoga by the sea, and many other sports facilities on Koh Mak, such as pickleball, scuba diving, basketball, and running. Book Sports Packages Deals.
Just two or three beach clubs, no fancy walking streets, no 7/11 by choice, no jet-skis. The loudest things you'll hear are waves, geckos, and the occasional gentle sound of a falling coconut. Sometimes locals celebrate with karaoke.
Sunset Bar on Koh Mak
Know before you go
The essentials at a glance — geography, getting around, and what the island deliberately doesn't have.
- LocationTrat Province, Eastern Gulf of Thailand
- Size~16 km² — small enough to cycle in a day
- Population~1,000 permanent residents
- Main beachesAo Kao (southwest) & Ao Suan Yai (northwest)
- Main pierAo Nid, on the southeast coast
- FerriesPassengers only — no car ferries
- Convenience storesNo 7-Eleven — kept that way by the community to protect the local run shops and convenient stores.
- ATMsOne on the island — bring cash
- Best seasonJanuary - December, every year. Clear air in low-season, more wind in high-season.
- Low seasonJune – September (rain & sun, clear air and vision and always peaceful)
Everything else worth knowing
Quick answers to the questions travellers ask most often about Koh Mak — from getting there to what to pack for the green season.
