Koh Mook

Koh Mook, also spelled Koh Muk, is an amazing island in Southern Thailand, another small tropical paradise offered by the Andaman Sea. Beyond its immaculate white sandy beaches, the island is well-known to tourists and even more to Thais thanks to its main attraction namely the Morakot Cave, aka Emerald Cave. Located in the centre of western coast, the fascinating underground tunnel-shaped cave, 100-meter long, leads to a saltwater lagoon of an incredible emerald-green colour, hence its name, encircled by a white sand beach and surrounded by high cliffs. The narrow entry is accessible only at low tide, and is just the right size to allow kayaks, small boats or very adventurous swimmers to enter. Basically, the only way to enter in safety for ordinary tourists is to swimming up to the sea access and then walk single file while holding on to a rope following the tour guide. Unknown until a few decades ago, the cave was accidentally found by locals searching for edible bird’s nests, a delicacy in Chinese cuisine. Local legend has it that it was the place where the ancient pirates who roamed on Andaman Sea used to hide their treasures. Koh Mook, meaning Pearl Island in Thai, is the third largest among the pristine islands scattered off the coast of Trang province and the closest to the mainland, only 2 km away. It is under the protection of Hat Chao Mai National Park, the Admission Park fee is 200 THB per adult and 100 THB per child. Approximately 4 km in length and 2 in width, the island is mostly mountainous and covered by lush forests.  Koh Mook is encircled by rocks and high cliffs, with the exception of the sandy peninsula to the east, where it is the only village on island, and other small sandy coves. The resident population, about 1,200 people, is descended from an ancient Muslim community; they are dedicated to fishing, especially cuttlefish, and to cultivation of coconut and rubber trees. The small village includes a police station, a health centre, few shops and restaurants, two schools and two mosques, as well as places where to rent a motorbike or a bicycle. Along Phangka Ao and Ao Kham, the two opposite crescent-shaped bays on the sandy peninsula, lies Hua Laem Phrao Beach, the island's main beach. It is home of mostly of accommodations and of the only pier on the island. To the north of the beach is a small fishing community that lives on stilts. From there departs the only concrete path on Koh Mook. Passing through the main village, the small road reaches Ao Farang, the only bay accessible by motorbike or a bicycle on the western coast. Farang Beach is probably the best beach on the island; from there you can enjoy beautiful sunsets over the Andaman Sea. Behind the beach are located the other accommodations on Koh Mook. The other smaller beaches of island lie in secluded bays accessible only by boat, as Ao Sabai to west and Ao Lodang on northern tip. Most of accommodations on the island are active only in high season, between November and late April, a few of them stay open all year round. The majority ranges from a mid-range category, meaning a basic bamboo bungalow with fan, to more comfortable bungalow with air conditioning, or also luxurious rooms for the most demanding taste. There’s nothing more than a handful of beach bars for evening entertainment, and little to do during the day except to sunbathing, water sports, and enjoy the quiet and relaxing atmosphere of the stunning island.
Get to Koh Mook - The nearest access to the island is the Khuan Tung Ku Pier, around 6.5 km away, which is located in Kantang district of Trang province. All year round, a local ferry departs at 13:00 reaching the main pier off Ao Kham on Ko Mook in about half hour. The one-way ticket cost 100 THB. The ferry returns to Khuan Tung Ku at 08:00. The transfer with a shared minibus from Trang to the dock will cost 250-300 THB, about an hour to travel 50 km. In high season, from 1st November to late April, there is also a useful service constituted by a minibus, which departs from Trang at 11:00, plus a shared long-tail boat that disembarks tourists directly at Farang Beach, on west coast, for 350 THB all included. Depending on demand, are provided additional departures from Trang at 09:00 and 16:00, as well as for the return trips from Koh Mook. It is also possible to reach the island hiring a long-tail boat privately at Khuan Tung Ku Pier or at any other piers along the Trang's coast, like Pak Meng Pier and Had Yao Pier. The cost of the boat is around 1.500 THB per one-way. From 1st November to 1st April, until 1st May for Tigerline and Satun Pakbara,  four different companies connect Koh Mook directly to the surrounding islands, and even to the farest Phuket, Phi Phi and Koh Lipe. The speedboats dock at Farang Beach, while the larger ferries dock at the main pier off Ao Kham. Heading north, the Bundhaya and Satun Pakbara speedboats dock on Mook at 11:00, reaching Koh Ngai at 11:30 for 350 THB, and Koh Lanta at 12:00 for 900 THB. Heading south, speedboats dock on Koh Mook at 11:30 and reach Koh Kradan at 11:45 for 300 THB, Satun Pakbara only, Koh Bulon Leh at 12:30 for 900 THB, and then Koh Lipe at 13:30 for 1,400 THB. Satun Pakbara operates also a daily speedboat from Rassada Pier on Phuket, with departure at 08:30, that makes a stopover at Phi Phi Don, Koh Lanta, Koh Ngai, Koh Mook at 11:20, Koh Kradan, Koh Bulone, before reaching Koh Lipe at 15:30. Tigerline Ferry operates a daily ferry from Rassada Pier, with departure at 08:00, stopping at Phi Phi Don, Koh Lanta, Koh Ngai, Koh Kradan, Koh Mook at 12:30, Trang, before reaching Koh Lipe at 16:00. Both boats leave Koh Lipe at 10:00 for the return trip and moor on Koh Mook at 12:10 and 13:30, and then reach Phuket at 15:00 and 18:00. Ticket prices range from 400 THB to the nearby Koh Ngai and Koh Kradan to 1,750 THB for Phuket.Read More