Ko Kut

Ko Kut (also Koh Kood), Thailand's 4th largest island (25 km long and 12 km wide), is in Trat Province in the Gulf of Thailand. It's the Thai island closest to Cambodia.

The island is a popular spot for package tourists and families. The island has virtually no nightlife, so if you are looking for parties, it's not the place to go.

From Trat
Up to date timetables for all services mentioned below can be found here: KohKoodFerries.com

Koh Kood Princess ferry 350 baht per person one-way. 1 hr 45 min. The boat ticket includes a free taxi from Trat to the pier in Laem Sok and on Ko Kut from the pier to your resort. Taxis in Trat depart from the market near the big clock/thermometer or your lodging. Leaves the market in Trat at 11:30 sharp! Departs from Laem Sok daily at 12:30. Departs from Ko Kut daily at 10:30, both high- and low-season.

Ko Kut Express Ferry 350 baht per person one-way. 1 hr 15 min. The ~140-person boat includes a free taxi from Trat to the pier in Laem Sok and on Ko Kut from the pier to your resort. Taxis in Trat depart from the market near the big clock/thermometer or your accommodation. Leaves the market in Trat at 11:30 sharp! Departs from Laem Sok daily at 13:00. Departs from Ko Kut daily at 10:00, also during low season.

Koh Kut Express Speedboat 600 baht per person one-way. 60-90 min. Two speedboats depart daily from Laem Sok on the mainland near Trat. Stops are made on demand at most west coast piers on Ko Kut, finally terminating at Ko Kut's Bang Bao Bay. First boat departs from Laem Sok at 10:00 and the second boat departs at 15:00. Two boats depart from Ko Kut daily at 11:00 and 13:00. Times change each season so confirm when booking. The speedboat tickets also include a free taxi from Trat to Laem Sok Pier. The speedboats do not operate during low season due to weather conditions.

Boonsiri ferry 500 baht per person one-way. 75 min. Two departures daily from Laem Sok. The boat tickets also include a free taxi from Trat to Laem Sok Pier and from the pier in Koh Kood to most resorts on the west coast. Also stops on Koh Mak once a day.

Boat fares (350 baht slow boat, 600 baht speedboat) include transport to/from Trat, but only when using taxis that are associated with the boat companies. If you take the speedboat, you will usually be dropped at or very close to your destination.

Some hotels will try to rip you off by requesting hundreds of baht for the transport to the pier. Do not agree to this, and if you find the deal changes when you arrive at the pier and the boat operators (who run the taxis as well) try to force you to pay this fee, and taxi drivers/boat operators are connected in a sort of mafia-style operation. Politely mention that you may need to phone the tourist police and wait for a resolution if this happens to you.

If you take the speedboat, you will usually be dropped at or very close to your destination so this is not required.

From Ko Chang
Check timetables at KohChangFerries.com/ for inter-island boat services.

Bang Bao Boat (speedboat) 900 baht per person one-way. Daily from Bang Bao pier on Ko Chang (09:00 and 12:00)

Kai Bae Hut Express (speedboat) 900 baht per person one-way. Daily from Kai Bae Pier on Ko Chang at 09:00.

The trip can take 1-2 hours depending on conditions and the number of stops at the islands between Ko Chang and Ko Kut, (Ko Mak, Ko Wai, etc.) and the number of stops around Ko Kut. The boat ticket includes a pick up or drop off at most hotels on Ko Chang/ Ko Kut.

Services between Koh Chang and Koh Kood only run during the High Season (1 November to 1 May) There aren't any inter-island services during the low season.

Get around
Public taxis are available on Ko Kut. Siam Beach Resort (in Bang Bao Bay) also runs a taxi service. Another fun way to travel around is by motorbike. Expect to pay around 300-350 baht per day. Resorts often charge 400-450 baht. Road conditions vary between dirt roads and paved roads, but there is a small concrete road covering the western coastline from north to south. Maps are available though a bit confusing. Bicycles can also be hired (around 150 baht per day), but the heat and the hilly nature of the roads makes them of limited usefulness for all but diehard cyclists. For those not in a hurry, small fishing boats can be hired to tour around the island.

See
There are virtually no towns on Ko Kut, so sightseeing is pretty limited.



Do
Swimming in the crystal clear waters, sunbathing, scuba-diving, snorkelling, kayaking, hiking to the waterfall, checking out the view of Klong Chao Beach from the viewpoint which can be accessed by motorbike or by foot along a path that originates at the southern end of the beach and winds through some trees and has a short climb along a paved path to the viewpoint. Good coffee can be enjoyed here. Or just relax and read a book.



Scuba diving is a great way to discover the underwater world around Ko Kut. Diving off Ko Kut is easy, fun, and you can see turtles, stingrays, barracudas, lots of small fish and sometimes sea horses.

Nearly any time of the year except from July till the end of September is good diving weather in Ko Kut and visibility can exceed 30 m. Average visibility is around 15-20 m. From July–September visibility is reduced to 5 m and the seas are choppy. It is possible and perfectly comfortable to swim and dive without a wet suit year round. However, as with most diving, a wet suit is recommended to help reduce risk of cuts or injury. Avoid contact with coral reefs.

Various dive locations around Ko Kut are:
 * Ao Tum
 * Bang Bao
 * Clong Hin
 * Hin Jedi
 * Hin Loi
 * Ko Reat
 * Ko Rang National Marine Park

There are three dive shops on the island:



Buy
There is a souvenir shop in Ao Salat. Other than that, you'll be hard pressed to find anything in particular to buy outside your resort.

Eat
Many of the resorts, but not all, have good restaurants. Outsiders are always welcomed. Prices are slightly above mainland. The cheapest feed is roughly 60 baht for a bowl of noodles. Expect to pay 80-200 baht for a main course at non high-end places (usually 100-150 baht).

If you want to cook for yourself then a small selection of fruit/vegetables is available at a stand/shop operating some distance across the bridge from Ban Klong Chao, before the Sunset Bar. Basic staples and ice cream are available at a number of shops around the Klong Chao.



Sleep
For high season (Nov-Feb) it is recommended you book ahead, especially weekends. Although there are many different places to stay, most of them can easily be fully booked during Thai holidays that Western tourists are unaware of. Also, apart from the Klong Chao area, Ko Kut is not an island where you can easily stroll from resort to resort. About 40% of the resorts remain open during the rainy season (May-Sep). Expect services to be limited during that period. Some restaurants, bars, and shops close, and diving is not always possible. Accommodation is widely spread out over the island with Klong Chao in the middle where most activity is. Low budget/backpacker accommodation can be found there. Most beach resorts are connected to the main road by dirt tracks.


 * Ko Kut, Thailand, Soneva Kiri, Beach - panoramio.jpg
 * Ko Kut, Thailand, Soneva Kiri, Beach - panoramio.jpg
 * Ko Kut, Thailand, Soneva Kiri, Beach - panoramio.jpg
 * Ko Kut, Thailand, Soneva Kiri, Beach - panoramio.jpg
 * Ko Kut, Thailand, Soneva Kiri, Beach - panoramio.jpg
 * Ko Kut, Thailand, Soneva Kiri, Beach - panoramio.jpg
 * Ko Kut, Thailand, Soneva Kiri, Beach - panoramio.jpg
 * Ko Kut, Thailand, Soneva Kiri, Beach - panoramio.jpg
 * Ko Kut, Thailand, Soneva Kiri, Beach - panoramio.jpg

Connect
Compared to neighbouring Ko Chang, infrastructure is generally thin. Some resorts, such as Siam Beach Resort and Koh Kood Resort, offer Internet access while others do not. As of January 2023, AIS provides 5G service in the more-developed parts of the island, with intermittent 3G/4G elsewhere.

Local tourist information is hard to come by, but Internet searches will reveal maps of the island.

As of January 2023, there are at least four ATMs on the island: a GSB ATM and a Krungsri ATM by High Season, a GSB ATM by the hospital, and a Krungsri ATM about 500m south of the police station. The Krungsri ATMs accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, UnionPay, JCB, and others. The GSB ATMs only accept Visa.

Only higher-end resorts take credit cards.

If you run out of money, secondhand sources report that credit card cash advances are possible at the larger resorts for a 5% fee.

Go next

 * Ko Chang
 * Ko Mak