Things to do in Koh Kood
And where to stay, the best time to visit, what a day costs, and the traps to skip.
Best time to visit Koh Kood
• a note or something on ✦ an occasion worth the trip
High season, calmest seas, clearest water, everything open, highest prices and book boats and rooms weeks ahead.
Hot shoulder season, March is a value sweet spot, April is hottest and waterfalls are at their weakest.
Hinge month, first monsoon showers, some speedboats and seasonal restaurants stop during May.
Monsoon low season, speedboats stop, larger ferries keep a daily service but can reschedule or cancel, some resorts close.
Reopening shoulder in mid October to early November, most places reopen, seas settle unevenly and rain is still possible.
What's on
- Songkran mid April
The national water festival brings a burst of Thai holidaymakers for a few festive days.
Best things to do in Koh Kood
Klong Chao Beach
The island hub beach, white sand and sunsets with the river mouth for kayaks and dinner a short walk away.
Ao Tapao Beach
The longest west coast beach, a wide sand flat made for sunset walks near the island service village.
Bang Bao Beach
A sheltered horseshoe bay with clear shallow water and shore snorkelling at its rocky ends.
Ao Phrao Beach
A long south facing white sand beach with a famous pier and kayaking into the river behind it.
Klong Hin Beach
A quiet bowl shaped beach in the southwest with palm shade, shallow warm sea and almost nothing else.
Ao Jak Beach
The remote Neverland bay, reached by a bumpy track, with wilder water and dark skies at night.
Ao Noi Beach
A pretty small cove now reached by kayak from Klong Chao, since the land entrance is guests only.
Klong Chao Waterfall
The main waterfall, three tiers and a big swim pool, full after the rains and thin by April.
Where to stay in Koh Kood
Klong Chao
first trip, choice and the river
The island hub with luxury resorts, riverside budget stays, cafes, an ATM and sunset sand.
Ao Tapao
long beach walks and services
The longest beach, near Hin Dam hospital and shops, anchored by Shantaa and larger resorts.
Bang Bao Bay
swimming, families and snorkel boats
Sheltered water, shore snorkelling and the dive boat departures, with budget huts on the bay.
Ao Phrao and the south
remoteness and quiet
Favourite southern beach plus Klong Hin and Ao Jak coves for travellers who want silence and stars.
Ngamkho Beach
quiet mid range beach life
Lightly developed coconut backed sand with small cafes and diners along the road behind.
Northwest coast
ultra luxury only
A secluded cove holding only Kiri Private Reserve, detached from ordinary island life by design.
Think twice about
- Ao Salad as a beach base
The main pier village is busy with boats and taxis all day and the nearest swimming beach is about 25 minutes away. Visit for lunch, sleep on the west coast.
- Ao Yai bay for swimming
The bay is rocky and village wastewater reaches the water. Walk the village and eat there, swim back on the west coast.
Best restaurants in Koh Kood
Treepod Dining
Dinner in a bamboo pod hoisted into the canopy, the one true splurge table on the island.
Noochy Seafood
Family run seafood over the water in Ao Yai village, whole fish, crab and king prawns done right.
Chonthicha Seafood
The original Ao Yai seafood sala, crab by the kilo from nets under the restaurant floor.
The Fisherman Hut Koh Kood
Garden restaurant with seafood barbecue and live music, the closest thing to a night out here.
Heaven Sense
Italian run dinner spot past Bang Bao, homemade dough and pasta, closed in the rainy season.
Pizza and Pasta
The island first Italian since 2008, homemade pizza and pasta served in the evening only.
Shantaa Restaurant
A huge well run resort menu open to non residents, strong seafood and fair prices with sea views.
Chaiyo Restaurant
Tiny family kitchen cooking Thai staples fresh to order at local prices, worth the long wait.
Outdoor things to do in Koh Kood
Koh Rang Marine Park
The healthiest reefs near Koh Kood, three snorkel stops by boat in a protected marine park.
Koh Kood Divers
Established snorkel boat for Koh Kood reefs, gentle full days that suit families and first timers.
BB Divers Koh Kood
Two dive days and PADI courses on gentle reefs around Koh Kood and Koh Rang, gear and lunch included.
Koh Raet
A tiny island with a sculpture garden reef, coral growing around submerged animal statues.
Klong Chao River
Kayak from the beach inland through mangroves toward the waterfall, best early or for fireflies.
Khao Ruea Rob
Battleship Mountain, a short steep jungle trail to a naval memorial and the island viewpoint.
Best hotels in Koh Kood
Kiri Private Reserve
The former Soneva Kiri, vast pool villas and butlers, listed under renovation until Q4 2026.
High Season Pool Villas and Spa
Private pool villas on 200 metres of Klong Chao beach, the bookable luxury pick in peak season.
Tinkerbell Privacy Resort
Only fifteen villas on Klong Chao sand, the boutique luxury favourite for couples who want quiet.
Shantaa Koh Kood
Family run boutique villas in immaculate gardens, with the best kept grounds outside the ultra tier.
Hideout Koh Kood
Modern pool villas in a private cove in the south, designed for staying in rather than going out.
Peter Pan Resort
Reliable mid range beachfront where the river meets the sea, with a well regarded beach bar.
Dusita Resort
Simple spotless bungalows in kept gardens on a pretty stretch of Ngamkho Beach, fairly priced.
Rest Sea Resort Koh Kood
The full resort on Ao Phrao Beach, pool and restaurant backup for the remote southern sand.
Is Koh Kood expensive? What a day costs
| Budget | THB 2,200 a person |
|---|---|
| Classic | THB 5,500 a person |
| Splurge | THB 18,000 a person |
A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room
What to book ahead
- Cicci Thai Cooking School and Bakery: a few days ahead
- Koh Rang Marine Park: a few days ahead
- Koh Kood Divers: a few days ahead
- BB Divers Koh Kood: a few days ahead
- Kiri Private Reserve: months ahead
- High Season Pool Villas and Spa: weeks ahead
- Tinkerbell Privacy Resort: weeks ahead
- Shantaa Koh Kood: weeks ahead
- Book boats and the best small resorts weeks ahead for December to February and for Christmas, New Year and Chinese New Year.
- Confirm Kiri Private Reserve is open for your exact dates in writing, it is listed under renovation until Q4 2026.
- Book Koh Rang snorkel and dive boats a day or two ahead in season and confirm the day before in low season.
Is Koh Kood safe?
- Wear a helmet every scooter ride and carry a motorcycle licence, sand on the Klong Chao curve and steep wet descents injure visitors every season.
- Bring cash, ATMs in Klong Chao and Hin Dam occasionally run dry and village places often take no cards.
- Jellyfish including box jellyfish occur seasonally and more in monsoon months, avoid swimming at night or after heavy rain and follow posted warnings.
- Sandflies bite near vegetation at dawn and dusk on some beaches, use strong repellent and expect bites to itch for days if you react.
Koh Kood travel tips: tourist traps to skip
- Assuming a speedboat runs in August, most speedboats stop from about 1 June to 30 September.
- Booking a same day flight connection off an island boat in any season, the last useful boat is mid afternoon.
- Treating Ao Noi as a walk in public beach, the land entrance is now guests only so arrive by kayak.
- Expecting nightlife, a 7-Eleven or a second ultra luxury resort, none of them exist here.
Getting around Koh Kood: public transport and more
- All routes end at Laem Sok pier in Trat, then about an hour by catamaran to Ao Salad pier, with a shared songthaew to your resort included in most tickets.
- Rent a scooter for about 300 to 350 baht a day or pay 300 to 600 baht per private songthaew journey, there is no regular public transport.
- One paved road runs down the west coast, side roads to beaches range from paved to sand and dirt and distances are hillier than the map suggests.
Who Koh Kood suits
| Solo travellers | Good |
|---|---|
| Groups of friends | Good |
| Couples | Great |
| Bachelor parties | Not ideal |
| Families | Good |
| Bachelorette parties | Not ideal |
Make Koh Kood your trip
Swearby drafts the days from places people swear by. Swap any stop, then invite the crew by text, even friends without the app. Vote on dates, track costs as you go, and everyone gets one number at the end.
Get Swearby on the App Store