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I just love the Thai islands. Even though I’m not a beachy, island kinda girl, the south Thailand vibes still somehow encourage me to dial down my (sporadic) energy a notch and actually unwind. It’s a rarity!
Of the many Thai islands we’ve visited, several stood out and Koh Mook was at the top of that pretty select list. A petite, hilly, jungle-clad teardrop in the turquoise Andaman Sea, it hosts few visitors, no 7-Elevens or cars, and some simply incredible beaches.
Situated off the coast of Trang, a Thai province that traces the coast south from Krabi, Koh Mook (or Koh Muk) is straightforward to reach by ferry from the more popular destinations. On the island there are some very comfortable accommodation options for the luxury lovers out there and enough restaurants to feed you a different meal every day for several weeks.
If you are seeking a tropical paradise near to Phuket and Krabi, but without all the parties, tourist tat and gross people, consider Koh Mook. It’s an absolute beauty. We spent a week there and this post contains everything that we learnt!
For more help planning a first time trip to Thailand, have a peek at our monster-sized guide with all the essential hints and tips. It’s pretty comprehensive!
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IN THIS GUIDE //
Koh Mook, Thailand
WHY CHOOSE KOH MOOK?
WHERE IS KOH MOOK
BEST TIME TO VISIT KOH MOOK
HOW LONG TO SPEND ON KOH MOOK
GETTING TO KOH MOOK
MAP OF KOH MOOK
GETTING AROUND KOH MOOK
BEACHES ON KOH MOOK
THINGS TO DO ON KOH MOOK
HOTELS ON KOH MOOK
BEST RESTAURANTS ON KOH MOOK
OTHER FACILITIES
TOURS ON KOH MOOK
FINAL THOUGHTS
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WHY CHOOSE KOH MOOK?
We loved Koh Mook. Here are some of our reasons why:
Size | everything is reachable by foot or bicycle (although you can rent a motorbike/scooter for a reasonable price)
Crowds | there are few tourists – the infrastructure is not only for transient tourists, but also the community – it’s pretty tranquil
Beaches | Charlie and Sivalai beaches are some of the nicest in Thailand (in our opinion)
Hiking | the island has some enjoyable semi-strenuous hiking (the heat and jungly-ness make it more exhausting!)
Location | Koh Mook has a real sense of secluded island life, while only being a 15-minute journey by boat from the mainland and another hour from Trang Airport
Vibes | the idyllic island vibes are everything – beach huts, restaurant tables on the sand, fishermen, thatched roofs and hammocks
Food | surprisingly decent meals – the islands tend to have an abundance of overpriced, tourist food which can sometimes be a bit average, but Koh Mook’s island fare was a bit better than the average
Nature | much of the island is protected by the Hat Chao Mai National Park, meaning it has stayed relatively rural with a lot of untouched nature, compared with other tourist islands in Thailand
WHERE IS KOH MOOK?
Koh Mook is part of the province of Trang, in southern Thailand. Trang is a large region, found just below the province of Krabi, that covers a portion of the Andaman Sea coast (and inland) of Thailand. It starts just past where Koh Lanta ends, so it is perfect for twinning Koh Mook with one of our other favourite islands! The main city in Trang Province is also called Trang, which has an airport (Trang Airport) with decent, regular connections to Bangkok.
There are many islands in the province of Trang, including several populated ones like Koh Mook, Koh Ngai, Koh Kradan, Koh Sukon and Koh Libong.
Koh Mook is around a 15-minute longtail boat from the mainland via Khuan Tung Ku Pier.
BEST TIME TO VISIT KOH MOOK
The Andaman Sea and Gulf of Thailand have different high seasons. Koh Mook is off the west coast of Thailand in the Andaman Sea, therefore the best weather is between December to April (the same as Phuket and Krabi). This season brings blue skies, sunny days and slightly lower temperatures.
The temperatures soar and it can be uncomfortably warm from April to June in Koh Mook. For the rest of the year, until November/December, the island sees higher chances of rain and gloomy skies.
In the off-season, between May and October, less ferries and speedboats operate and the seas are rougher, which often results in fewer excursions being available generally. That doesn’t mean you won’t have a good time though – after all, Thailand’s weather can be unpredictable all year around (plus the prices are significantly reduced!).
It is extremely quiet in Koh Mook’s off-season. We visited in shoulder season, during a rainy November, when it was relatively peaceful but with enough people around that it didn’t feel completely dead. It rained every single day, but there was only one day where it was non-stop!
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UNIQUE TEMPLES IN CHIANG RAI | BEST BEACHES ON KOH LANTA
HOW LONG TO SPEND ON KOH MOOK
We spend a long time everywhere. For us, if somebody recommends two-three days, we go for a week. It’s how we can write such detailed guides (and also because we’re super sloth-like and lethargic). This means that we stay awhile on each island we visit.
We chose to spend a week on Koh Mook, however, it would be easy to see everything in three or four days and still have an afternoon doing nothing. It’s a reasonably small place and not totally jammed with things to do (which is the beauty of it).
GETTING TO KOH MOOK
Getting to Koh Mook is very straightforward. Below are your options.
All these routes work in reverse too. So, to leave Koh Mook, there are ferries that go north and south, plus longtail boats that will take you to a waiting taxi at Hat Yao Pier or Khuan Tung Ku Pier (easily organised with facilitators on the main strip, or your island accommodation.
The average, up to date, cost for all these journeys can be checked on 12GoAsia.
FERRY TO KOH MOOK
There are ferries from all the typical tourist locations north of the island, such as Ao Nang, Koh Lanta, Phuket and Phi Phi. These can be reserved far in advance using 12GoAsia (a great travel aggregator that we have used and personally vouch for) or in person a day or two before your intended departure date. For our trip, we took a speedboat from Koh Lanta to Koh Mook (the slower boats weren’t running), which was organised through a tour operator. It cost 900 baht per person.
There are also ferries from the south, the most popular being from Koh Lipe, near the Malaysian border.
FLIGHTS TO KOH MOOK
If you are arriving by air, Trang airport is the nearest to Koh Mook. This is around a one-hour drive from either Hat Yao Pier or Khuan Tung Ku Pier, where longtails cross the ocean channel to Koh Mook. There are ticket booths in the airport and taxis waiting outside to facilitate your onward journey, or you can book on 12GoAsia.
On our trip, we left Koh Mook by private longtail boat (which was cheaper than a ‘scheduled’ one because there were three of us). This meant we chose what time we wanted to leave which was very convenient for our flight. The price we paid (1400 baht for all three of us) was inclusive of a taxi to Trang airport.
DRIVING TO KOH MOOK
It is also possible to arrange for a car (or sometimes minibus) to drive you from Krabi Airport or Koh Lanta to Hat Yao Pier or Khuan Tung Ku Pier, where you can get a longtail to Koh Mook. Again, check 12GoAsia for up-to-date rates.
MAP OF KOH MOOK
Below is a Google Map of Koh Mook, with everything we’ve mentioned in this article marked.
To save the map, select the star next to the title.
GETTING AROUND THE ISLAND
The island’s winding dirt roads connect the east side of the island to the west, with much of the infrastructure found on the east side, surrounding Koh Mook Pier.
It is possible to walk absolutely everywhere on Koh Mook or rent a bicycle. If you’ve got the appropriate license, scooters are also widely available for hire. You can then drive across to Charlie Beach on the western coast from the more populated eastern side.
There’s also a ‘coast to coast’ tuk-tuk taxi service which costs 50 baht per person per ride.
BEACHES ON KOH MOOK
There are two *main*, large beaches on Koh Mook. The first is Sivalai or Pearl Beach, the sand spit to the east, adjacent to Koh Mook Pier. The second is Charlie Beach, also named Garnet Beach. Both are stunning.
For amazing views of mainland Trang, the northern side of Pearl Beach is immaculate and the water is so shallow that you can wade out for what feels like miles. We saw older ladies out, every morning, cleaning any trash and plant matter that swept up on the beach which explains why it is flawless. The entire end of the spit is covered by the sea at high tide though! Most of the beach front is lined with quality accommodation, including the Koh Mook Sivalai Beach Resort.
Charlie Beach is a little bit more traditional and is the best in our opinion. It’s wide, clean, sandy and edged by high cliffs, a little more reminiscent of the scenery Krabi is notable for. There are currently no accommodation options directly on Charlie Beach, meaning it has retained a palm-lined, natural vibe.
Both beaches evoke a ‘paradise island’ feel, but Charlie Beach just feels wilder, more remote and secluded. Definitely check out a sunset or two here, you won’t regret it.
THINGS TO DO ON KOH MOOK
Koh Mook is compact, but there are still a bunch of things to do with your time when you’re not chilling out or eating. Here are our suggestions:
Emerald Cove (Tham Morakot) | this is one of the most famous (and coolest) things to do on Koh Mook – it’s a beach that you can access through a coastal cave, formed by a collapsed sinkhole in the limestone rock. There are entire tour groups that visit the island just to see Emerald Cove, situated on its western side. You can arrange a tour or kayak to the cave independently from Charlie/Garnet beach (a kayak was 100 baht an hour when we visited). Make sure to check tidal timings before kayaking independently, as it needs to be low tide; remember to take a torch with you.
Go hiking | there are a few semi-strenuous hikes into the central hills, the most popular of which leads to Viewpoint Koh Mook in the centre of the island and eventually culminates at Sabai Beach (this can also be reached by kayak via Emerald Cove). Koh Mook is actually quite a rugged little island and the hills are pretty high!
Visit Charlie Beach | also called Garnet beach on Google Maps, this sublime stretch of sand was our favourite spot on the island. There are no real accommodation options on the beach, just the minimal remnants of an abandoned resort from more than a decade ago. In the shade of the palm trees lining the sand, little street food and smoothie stalls cook up the best food on the island, with chairs and umbrellas strewn about. A couple of beach bars at the southern end also host some spectacular views accompanied by relaxed reggae vibes. Charlie Beach is a 30-minute (sometimes muddy) walk from the main town. To get a tuktuk or motorbike lift, it will cost 50 baht per person, per way.
Check out Sivalai Beach (Ao Kham) | you can’t miss this one, it’s the giant sand spit to the left of the boat jetty. Sivalai Beach is definitely one of the prettiest and most immaculate strips of sand we’ve come across.
Catch a beach sunrise and sunset | in our opinion, Sivalai Beach is the best choice for sunrise while Charlie Beach is best for sunset!
Wander around the stilted fishing village | and learn about the fishermen – Koh Mook has an active fishing industry, year around, so there are characteristic longtails and fishing equipment at the ends of the beaches on the eastern side (not on Charlie Beach though).
Day trip to other islands | this is a popular option and can sometimes be combined with other trips, like Emerald Cove. Commonly visited islands for day trips in Trang include Koh Kradan and Koh Ngai. There are accommodation options on both these islands too, if you consider staying overnight, however Koh Kradan is *very* expensive and Koh Ngai is extremely quiet with no walking street or restaurants outside of resorts.
Go snorkelling | Koh Mook isn’t the best place in Thailand for snorkelling, but there are some reasonable places between Emerald Cove and Charlie Beach on the western side, with Koh Kradan also having some great options if you visit on a day trip.
HOTELS ON KOH MOOK
Koh Mook is not really that big, so accommodation can sell out quickly in the high season. We recommend booking your room choice in advance if travelling during the peak months of December and January.
We stayed in Mook Ing Lay ($$),which had an enviable position near the beach, walking street and Koh Mook Pier. It’s a collection of bungalows which were really cute and colourfully painted. The staff spoke literally zero English, but they rented us a motorbike (they gave us a day for free) and kept everything really clean. We’d recommend this place if it fits in your budget.
Other suggestions (I make a habit of investigating accommodation options everywhere we go – I’m so nosey and also fantastic at manifesting a life I cannot afford):
Koh Mook Hostel ($) – clean and comfortable dorms with fan and aircon, depending on your preference. The owners are absolutely lovely and the hostel has an ideal location in the middle of the village opposite Miss Island Bakery (one of the best food joints on Koh Mook!).
Mook Lamai Resort and Spa ($$$) – super lovely bungalows, like, surprisingly so! Away from the beach but with an incredible pool (some villas also have their own private pools). The hotel also offers free tuk tuk transport from the pier. Nice central location that makes it easy to get to Charlie Beach.
Koh Mook Sivalai Beach Resort ($$$$) – this is the poshest hotel, with an unbeatable location at the end of the sand spit on Sivalai Beach. With sandy beaches on both sides, the views are superb and each individual bungalow has peerless sunrise views. The resort also has a pool, a decent buffet breakfast and a bar with great sea views. I’d absolutely stay here if I had the budget!
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BEST RESTAURANTS ON KOH MOOK
So, in a week, we ate at quite a few different restaurants on Koh Mook. Our experience was that meals are typically priced a little higher than on the mainland – normal Thai island tourist prices. The food wasn’t bad though – the seafood, in particular, was very fresh and really high quality (we were told). To be honest, most places we ate served decent, typical Thai tourist fare and you can’t really go that wrong with any of that.
Here are the restaurants we thought were best:
Miss Island Bakery | we went here almost every day for something, especially decent coffee and cakes.
Street vendor food on Charlie Beach | this was some of the cheapest and nicest food we had during our week. Typical foods like Pad Thai were actually very well priced.
Sugars | with real beach bar vibes, this was another favourite of ours (along with many other people I think!). I’m a sucker for a mango lassi and a papaya salad – both were great versions here.
Perfect Bar and Restaurant | nearby Sugars, this restaurant is very similar, but we just preferred Sugars a little more. I loved the fried papaya salad here though! It’s still very much worth visiting.
Alin Kitchen | we had breakfast here (it was one of the only places serving the filthy breakfast food we fancied that day – eggs and bread type stuff).
Boon Chu Cuisine | this place was really good value for food, and they served dedicated vegetable dishes (rather than having to ask for a curry/stir fry without meat/fish). Oh, and a really decent papaya salad (there’s a theme to my diet in Thailand, it seems!). Also, they had pretty banging pancakes when that Nutella/banana craving kicks in.
Koh Mook Sea Beach Restaurant | hidden away at the far end of the beach, this place is a little more expensive but the food is really decent, especially the fresh seafood. A bit trickier for vegetarians here though (we visited with our fish-loving friend who raved about it!).
Koh Mook City Centre Restaurant and Bar | this place was lively, friendly and the food was pretty decent. It had real buzzing vibes that are actually kind of rare on Koh Mook. The service was slow for us though. It’s another place that specialises in fresh seafood.
OTHER FACILITIES
Although there are no 7-Elevens, the island still has everything you could need for a few idyllic, paradise island days.
ATM – there is a Krung Sri ATM outside the Koh Mook Supermart. Bring a decent amount of cash anyway in case it stops working! It is possible to get cashback from local stores in an emergency.
Local grocery stores – there are several decent sized (and stocked) local stores on the island. It rained a lot when we were there, so we bought a fair amount of stuff! Here are some example prices of things we saw there:
◊ Iced coffee – 20 baht
◊ Chang beer (large) – 60 baht
◊ Can of coke zero – 16 baht
◊ Red cock (basic brand) vodka – 199 baht
◊ Wine (basic stuff) – from 450 baht
◊ 125 ml Nivea sun cream – 360 baht
◊ Small bottle of water – 5 baht
Kayak rental – there are kayaks available directly on Charlie beach, on the southern end. Several guys are renting them down towards Mong Bar. Their prices are negotiable but start at 100 baht per hour and I was offered 150 baht for two hours.
Motorbike rental – we rented a motorbike from our hotel and it cost 200 baht a day. Be aware, the muddy roads can be seriously treacherous after rain. There are cute (Nick thinks) self-serve single petrol pumps on the island.
TOURS ON KOH MOOK
If you are visiting Koh Mook on a time-sensitive schedule or just like to have things organised in advance, consider booking a tour through Get Your Guide (and transport through 12GoAsia).
There are ‘combo tours’ that mean you can see all sorts in one day from other islands – like island hopping, snorkelling and visiting Emerald Cove.
FINAL THOUGHTS
To be completely honest, you can’t really go wrong with any island in Thailand. However, if you are looking for a somewhat alternative, quiet, incredible option, then Koh Mook could absolutely be the one for you.
The ‘touristification’ of places like Ao Nang and Phuket are left well and truly behind on Koh Mook. Sometimes, you don’t want to be surrounded by Western tourists, multistorey concrete buildings and burger restaurants. It depends on your preferences, but for me, much of Phuket is a non-descript, nightmare of tangled wires. It’s crammed with the same traffic and malls as Bangkok, but with none of the character.
Koh Mook is the opposite of this – still with some tourist facilities, but with added charm. It has everything you could want but in an understated and relaxed manner; we loved it and will return whenever we are in southern Thailand.
We hope you have a great trip and that your travels are packed with palm trees!
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Thank you, Claire + Nick
Hi, can you advise whether it’s good to go to Mook mid April as we are currently in Lanta and looking to get speedboat across. We are concerned that a lot of places will be closed 🤷♂️