Phuket is Thailand’s largest island, but definitely not its best. This, in spite of the fact that I’ve really warmed up to Phuket in recent years—I no longer actively dislike it.
I bring this up not to invoke that specific island, but to make a bigger point: That a bigger island isn’t always a better one. And, as I’m about to explain over the next few paragraphs, seems to be strongly correlated with the island in question being sup-bar.
I’m speaking, of course, about the age-old Koh Kood vs Koh Mak debate. Can you guess which one of these islands in Trat province is my preferred idyll?
Admitting My Bias Toward Koh Mak
In some sense, the choice between Koh Kood or Koh Mak is one I made a long time ago. Koh Mak, after all, was the very first island I ever visited in Thailand—the first place I visited in Thailand, period. Ironically, I didn’t love it way back then. On the other hand, the reality is that because of its important place in my travel biography, I will always be biased toward Koh Mak, especially since my return trips have all been wonderful.
Indeed, I actually did love Koh Kood a lot the first time I went, which is why it’s strange that I don’t care much for it now. My second trip was good too—the island anyway; I was dealing with some…romantic issues that distracted, and impacted my photography more than a little bit. Unfortunately, this last visit (which may end up being my last visit) just left an incredibly bad taste in my mouth.
Ways to Compare Koh Kood with Koh Mak
Size
Koh Kood is substantially bigger than Koh Mak—over 100 square kilometers compared to just 16. In fact, Koh Kood is Thailand’s fourth-largest island, after Phuket, Koh Samui and Koh Chang. Koh Kood feels very large, too, with long roads and vast stretches of hills and greenery separating its beaches from one another. In Koh Mak, meanwhile, you often feel like you can see the whole rest of the island from wherever you are.
Ease of getting around
This aspect of Koh Kood and Koh Mak relates directly to their size. Although it can be tiring on a very hot day, it is possible to walk (or, absent that, cycle) basically everywhere on Koh Mak; there are also golf carts for rent. By contrast, you really do need a motor vehicle on Koh Kood, be that a motorbike or a car, or one of the songthaew that serve as share taxis around the island.
Beaches
Koh Mak is shaped more or less like a star, and there are basically four beaches in-between its five points. My personal favorite is the northwestern Ao Soun Yai, though the others are very good as well. On Koh Kood, meanwhile, my favorite beach overall is probably Bang Bao in the southwest, though many more deserted beaches in the far south (lately, I’m most into Ao Jark) are beautiful, if not as “tropical” feeling.
Day trips and excursions
This is another important point of distinction for Koh Mak vs Koh Kood. In Koh Mak, you literally have Koh Kham across the water; frequent boats can take you over in just a few minutes. Koh Wai (more on that in a minute) is even technically reachable on a day trip if you plan your cards right. By contrast, there aren’t any day trips or excursions that you can realistically take from Koh Kood.
Price of food and lodging
Both Koh Mak and Koh Kood are pretty expensive for what you get, which is a gut punch after spending so much time and money reaching them. I’d say you can probably find slightly cheaper options on Koh Kood, since there are so many more accommodations available, though in general neither is a value destination. Ditto on food: With some exceptions (Koh Kood does have quite a bit of street food), all prices for food and drink on both islands are “foreigner prices.”
Should You Visit Koh Wai After Mak and Kood?
As I’ve written about elsewhere on this site, I’m also a very big fan of Koh Wai. Though much smaller than both Kook and Mak (maybe too small, if you’re there for longer than a day), Koh Wai is objectively the most beautiful of Trat’s main islands, and is certainly its most unspoiled. You won’t find crowds there, or really much of anyone at all, which makes relaxation easy. Almost compulsively, really.
To be sure, whether you begin your journey on Koh Mak or Koh Kood, Koh Wai is on the way back to both Koh Chang and the Trat mainland. So you’d might as well stop here on your way back (even if you don’t stay overnight), lest you spend years wondering whether or not you should’ve done so. (For what it’s worth, I definitely prefer Koh Wai over Koh Kood though with Mak, it’s mostly a draw.)
Other FAQ About Koh Mak and Koh Kood
Is Koh Mak or Koh Kood better?
Personally, I prefer Koh Mak. Reasons for this include its walkable foot print, its more balanced variety of accommodation and things to do and its closer distance to the mainland. While Koh Kood might have objectively better beaches, they’re scattered much further apart from one another.
How do I get from Koh Mak to Koh Kood?
Regular speedboats and ferries connect Koh Mak to Koh Kood, stopping en route at Koh Mak between Koh Kood and either Koh Chang or the Trat mainland. You can expect the one-way journey to take 30-60 minutes. I do generally recommend booking your transfer online, either via 12go.asia, or directly with the boat operator.
Is Koh Mak cheaper than Koh Kood?
Koh Mak is not necessarily cheaper than Koh Kood—both hotels and restaurants are at similar price points, and you still need to take the expensive flight (or long bus ride) from Bangkok to Trat. On the other hand, because you don’t necessarily need to rent a vehicle on Koh Mak, you may find that it is cheaper overall.
The Bottom Line
To me, the question of Koh Kood vs Koh Mak is pretty cut-and-dry. While Koh Kood has its charms, nothing about it is superior to what you can find on Koh Mak. Indeed, in spite of being a much larger island, Koh Kood has basically as many good beaches as Koh Mak, virtually all of which (in Mak’s case, this is) are reachable by foot. Speaking of being reachable, Koh Kood is about twice as far from the mainland of Trat (and from Koh Chang) than Koh Mak, further decreasing its value proposition. Obviously, if time and resources are immaterial, I recommend you visit both these islands and see for yourself. And that you hire me to plan your Thailand trip for optimal results.
