Discover Thailand’s Unspoiled Nature
Scuba diving, beach yoga, and more sustainable accommodation.
Koh Mak
Koh Mak, right next to Koh Chang, is an island that is often recognized for its focus on ecotourism. To reduce its environmental impact and preserve the island’s natural beauty, the island offers several sustainable accommodation options, such as bungalows on white beaches and hotels powered by solar energy. The island also has plenty of activities and excursions on offer that focus on the beauty of nature.
Accommodation
Beach Bungalows
Lazy Day The Resort
Koh Mak
Lazy Day The Resort offers bungalows of different sizes right on the beach. Wake up right next to the ocean and start the day with a breakfast of fresh fruit and locally sourced ingredients. Beach yoga and other activities are also on offer here.
Live in the Middle of Nature
Koh Mak Buri Hut Natural Resort
Koh Mak
Koh Mak Buri Hut Natural Resort is a beach hotel with incredibly beautiful natural surroundings and a private swimming pool. The hotel also offers plenty of outdoor activities, such as kayaking, fishing, snorkeling, and more.
Activities
Koh Mak is the perfect destination for those who like an active vacation. The beautiful surroundings invite you to take excursions and enjoy unique experiences with a focus on preserving the beautiful environment.
Diving and Snorkeling
Koh Mak is a paradise above and below the water. Here, you can snorkel around the stunning coral reefs that surround the island. There are also several companies that offer scuba diving in the island’s underwater paradise—always following clear, sustainability guidelines.
Hiking
Koh Mak is perfect for exploring on foot. Beautiful hiking trails lead you through the island’s green landscape—including the Prue Kerd Viewpoint, which takes you to the highest point on the island with incredible panoramic views. This is a great way to get close to nature without harming the environment.
Beach Cleanups
Several hotels and organizations regularly hold beach cleanups to remove litter and plastic waste. This experience gets you close to both nature and culture while contributing to the preservation of the environment.
Visit an Organic Farm
There are several organic farms on Koh Mak that welcome visitors to learn about agriculture and sustainable food production. You can help harvest fruits and vegetables on many of them, giving you a unique experience of the island’s lifestyle.
Koh Kood
Koh Kood is one of Thailand’s most picturesque islands, located in Trat Province. The island is a popular destination for ecotourism enthusiasts due to its unspoiled nature, crystal clear waters, lush rainforests, and stunning white beaches.
Activities
Waterfalls
Koh Kood has several spectacular waterfalls to discover. Klong Chao is the island’s most famous waterfall that can only be reached by hiking through the jungle—an experience in itself. The waterfall is surrounded by rainforest where you can swim and savor being so close to Thailand’s nature.
Mangrove Tour
The island boasts beautiful mangrove forests that are home to several unique species. Book a guided kayak or boat trip through nature to experience the tropical ecosystem up close—an experience the whole family can enjoy.
Ecotours
If you’re keen to discover the island’s rich wildlife, then book a guided tour with the local organization Koh Kood Wildlife Watch. They offer tours that focus on the island’s resident animals, such as monkeys, lizards, and fascinating bird species.
Accommodation
Environmentally focused resort
Soneva Kiri
Soneva Kiri is a luxury ecoresort situated in a tropical rainforest. In addition to offering a range of environmentally friendly activities for its guests, the hotel uses solar energy, implements recycling systems, and has its own water treatment plant that feeds back into the environment.
Beachside Resort
To The Sea The Resort Koh Kood
To The Sea The Resort Koh Kood focuses on offering a sustainable and environmentally friendly stay on the island. Located on a quiet and serene beach, the resort is committed to recycling and energy efficiency.
Quiet and Peaceful Accommodation
Shantaa Resort
Shantaa Resort is located right on the beach, where the use of both solar energy and water recycling systems demonstrate its commitment to ecotourism. It also supports several projects focused on preserving the island’s nature. As a resident of Shantaa Resort, you also have free access to snorkeling equipment so you can discover the beautiful coral reefs that surround the island.
Koh Wai og Koh Rang
Koh Rang og Koh Wai er to mindre øer i Trat-provinsen, som begge er kendt for deres smukke, velbevarede natur og biodiversiteten i havet. Her kan du slippe væk fra hverdagen og nyde de øde strande og det krystalklare vand. Koh Rang er også en del af Koh Chang Marine National Park, der er en beskyttet nationalpark, hvilket betyder, at der er klare regler for at beskytte miljøet. Der er heller ikke mange turister, der har fundet vej hertil endnu, hvilket gør Koh Wai og Koh Rang til to skjulte perler i Trat-provinsen.
Accommodation
Many people visit Koh Rang and Koh Wai as a day trip or as a stopover on a longer tour of the islands. They offer no major commercial accommodation, but there are a few options, such as dive resorts for the scuba enthusiast or simple bungalows on the beach. You can also camp on one of the islands’ beautiful beaches if you want to stay close to nature.
Activities
Diving
On Koh Rang, many diving schools are dedicated to promoting coral reef conservation, so booking a diving package during your stay is strongly recommended.
Hikes and Beach Walks
Koh Wai is unique because there are no vehicles on the island, and their use is very limited on Koh Rang. These small islands are therefore perfect for exploring on hikes where you can enjoy the preserved beauty of the surroundings and discover the local wildlife.
Yoga at Sunrise
Sunrises in Thailand are something special, and in places like Koh Wai and Koh Rang, where nature is beautifully preserved and the beaches are almost completely free of tourists, they are hard to beat. Combine the stunning view with a long walk on the beach or an early yoga session for the perfect start to your day.
Text by Peggy Hansson