Exploring Ko Maak Island
There are no foreign lands
It is the traveler only who is foreign
Robert Louis Stevenson
Ko Maak seems like a million miles from nowhere but you only really discover the true feeling of how Robinson Crusoe may have felt once you are actually on the island. It's a small slice of secluded utopia seduced by a peaceful pace of life. Being in almost total isolation, this island is primarily overlooked by tourism which could make this the perfect getaway gem. You may just decide to stay awile.This miniature piece of paradise is also known as Ko Mak and belongs in part to a tropical archipelago of 52 islands situated only 20 kilometres or 12 miles south of
Ko Chang Island
on the far east coast of the country in the Gulf of Thailand. The island is shaped in the form of a cross measuring just sixteen square kilometres. It has no public transport of note so travel around the island is either by rented motorbike or bicycle although walking may be a more preferable option. In fact with relative ease, you can certainly circumnavigate the entire perimeter of the island in less than ten hours. All this by walking, wading and or swimming. Although a small network of earthly amber tracks twist and turns throughout the island, there are sparse developed roads thus creating the perfect opportunity to explore the jungle-like interiors while uncovering a few almost deserted beaches.
Earthly Amber Tracks
The island is home to no more than a few hundred locals who somehow manage to make a livable income from either fishing or the sale of coconuts and rubber produced from the abundant plantations that dominate the entire island. As for tourists, the only real occupation is to laze around the main centre of Ao Nid on the eastern shore or one of only two beaches, Ao Kao in the south or Ao Suan Yai to the west. All three spots are within easy walking distance to one another.Apart from merely relaxing on the beaches, other more strenuous activities you might like to involve yourself in, would be things like snorkeling and diving at nearby Ko Yak, Hin Yak and No Name reef. The relatively shallow waters around these reefs have up to thirty different species of hard and soft coral. If you are a more experience diver, you could try the 28 metre deep Hin Gor where there's a good chance you could encounter a few manta rays, leopard sharks and black and white-tipped sharks. Kayaking is also a great pastime activity around here. Pursuits you may like to try include sightseeing across the island by tractor taxi, mountain hiking, elephant trekking, bicycle ridding, night fishing, pearl farm tours, and one day trips to
Ko Kham
as well as some of the other surrounding islands.
Map of the Island
Sea kayaks are available for hire from a number of resorts on Ko Maak and from there you can take a trip to several neighbouring islands. Expect to pay around 100 baht an hour or 500 baht a day for a 2 person kayak with life jackets and paddles. The white sandy beach and black volcanic rock island of Koh Kham is about one kilometre away and can easily be reached from Ao Suan Yai beach. During low tide, you can walk across. Nearby Ko Pee island, to your left, is also within easy reach. Southwest from Ao Kao beach, lie the islands of Ko Rayang Nok and Ko Rayang Nai and to the northeast is the private island of Koh Kradad. If you want to engage in elephant trekking, go to Ko Mak Pang Chang, a small camp located in a quiet area on the west side of the island near Laem Tukkata. Expect to pay 500 baht per person for a half hour trek or 900 baht per person for a one hour trek including transfers from your resort. The trek takes you through coconut and rubber plantations as well as along the beach. You are unlikely to wait long to catch a ride on one of the elephants due to few tourists on Ko Maak Though the island is pretty flat in places, the land rises to just over 100 metres above sea level near the western shore thus making mountain hiking possible. The only real trail begins near the bungalows at Baan Ing Kao. Though the hike is not difficult, you can hire a guide to make sure you stay on the right track.
The Sweeping Beach of Ao Kao
Exploring the island by bicycle is probably your best option as motorized traffic is at a minimum. There are few motorbikes and scooters available for hire at around 300 to 400 baht per day but most tourists prefer to either walk or go by bicycle. Unlike Bangkok or Pattaya, your chance of being run over is practically zero. The lack of traffic, flat terrain, a multitude of shady trails through rubber and coconut plantations, fishermen hamlets, deserted beaches, makes bicycling the ideal way to see Ko Maak. You can hire a bicycle anywhere from 100 to 200 baht per day. Night fishing is considered a great pastime here with some of the best fish being caught between dusk and dawn. You can either take part in a private fishing trip or go on one of the scheduled trips which operate a few times per week in high season. Because fishing is not my thing, I am not sure what the charges will be. Another option from Ko Maak, is to take a trip to the tiny island of Ko Maisee to visit the pearl farm there. Ko Maisee is just off the northwest coast of
Koh Kood
both of which are part of the archipelago here. You'll get to see how pearls are cultivated, then made into jewellery and later sold at gem stores around South East Asia. A pearl farm tour can be combined with a visit to Koh Kood. Various charter companies arrange trips or you could hire your own private speedboat.
Island Accommodation
It may be in your best interest to bring along with you some of that yellow herbal oil mixture called Yaa Luand from the market town of Trat. It will most certainly help to lessen the unpleasantness incurred from parasite bites. In all probability, you will encounter the inevitable sand-flies and mosquitoes that inhibit Ko Maak. Rub some of the stuff on exposed areas to help prevent or relieve any possible bites. The liquid was invented by a resident of Trat and used by locals to treat various ailments. I am also told that if you sniff the oil, it should prevent travel sickness. Alternatively embalm yourself with some locally produced coconut oil.
Naked Concrete Ladies
On the very outskirts of one of the coconut plantations on Ko Maak is a group of some rather curious looking concrete figures. I am not sure who created them or for that matter what the significance of these naked ladies suggest or represent. One has a microphone in her hand, another is lying flat on her stomach with her legs closed while another is lying on her back with her legs apart. Then there are a couple of ladies bending over backward in a rather provocative pose and some are standing while seemingly in a prayer position. If you look closely enough, you will also see a pair of hissing snakes. A little imagination is all that is required.
If you'd like to see more photos of this island, go to
www.pictures-thailand.com
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