A 1.1 kilometre hop off Ao Suan Yai lies the prettiest beach in the neighbourhood: powder-white sand, black volcanic rocks and coral you can reach by walking in from the shore. Here is how to get to Koh Kham from Koh Mak, when to go, and how to have it to yourself.
Koh Kham is the small uninhabited island you look at while the sun goes down over Ao Suan Yai on Koh Mak, in Thailand's Trat Province. It is not part of Koh Mak itself, but it is the island's most popular excursion: white sand at the front, distinctive black volcanic boulders at either end, and live coral a few metres out in waist-deep water. There is no resort, no shop and no road — you come for a few hours and leave with everything you brought.
Day boats from Koh Chang land around midday. Cross from Koh Mak early in the morning or after 15:00 and the beach is close to empty.
The easy, standard way across.
Most Koh Mak resorts run a half-day trip that combines Koh Kham with the Rayang islets or Koh Pii at Ao Lom. Boats leave from Ao Suan Yai or the Cococape pier, typically around 9:00 and again mid-afternoon. Book at your resort reception the day before — trips fill up in high season and are cancelled in rough weather.
Free if your resort lends kayaks.
On a calm morning the paddle takes about thirty minutes each way. Go early before the wind picks up, stay clear of the boat channel, and tell someone at your resort when you leave. Koh Mak Resort, Seavana and several Ao Suan Yai resorts have kayaks for guests.
For confident open-water swimmers only.
The 1,100-metre crossing is a favourite among the sporty long-stay crowd on Koh Mak and takes about 45 minutes. Swim with a tow float, ideally alongside a kayak, and only in flat conditions — boat traffic between the islands is light but real.
Your own schedule, your own beach.
Chartering a longtail for the morning is the way to arrive before the Koh Chang day boats. Ask at Ao Nid or Ao Suan Yai pier, or have your resort arrange it — expect to negotiate an hourly or half-day rate and agree the pick-up time before you step off.
What makes Koh Kham special is that the reef is a shore entry. Wade in from the sand and within a few metres you are over hard and soft coral with parrotfish, sergeant majors, angelfish and clownfish tucked into anemones. The rocky points at both ends of the beach hold the most life; the middle of the bay is sandy and better for swimming. Water shoes help on the black rocks, and bringing your own mask beats relying on whatever a boat happens to carry.
If you want bigger fish and deeper water, pair Koh Kham with the Koh Rang marine park or the Rayang islets — both are covered in our Koh Mak snorkelling and diving guide, and they also feature on our Koh Mak activities page, alongside kayaking, diving and cycling routes.
Koh Kham is the closest of a whole cluster of islets scattered between Koh Mak and Koh Chang. Most boat trips combine two or three of them in a half day.
≈ 2 km off Ao Kao
The twin islets you see from Ao Kao and the Makathanee pier. Rayang Nok has a small resort and good coral on its northern side; Rayang Nai is quieter and often paired with Koh Kham on snorkelling trips.
≈ 45 min by speedboat
The protected reef system between Koh Mak and Koh Chang, and the best snorkelling and diving in Trat Province. Day trips leave from Ao Nid and Ao Suan Yai in the dry season.
≈ 4 km east of Koh Mak
A larger, low-key island known for its deer, long sandy spit and near-total quiet. Visited by private longtail charter rather than scheduled boats.
≈ 300 m from Koh Mak
A tiny rock and reef you can kayak to from the south-east coast of Koh Mak — shallow coral, good for a short afternoon paddle when the channel to Koh Kham is choppy.
All of them are reached from Koh Mak island itself — see getting to Koh Mak and the Koh Mak ferry timetable to plan the trip, and where to stay on Ao Suan Yai to be closest to the boats.