Ko Mak in Thailand - Virtual Reality (VR), Panorama Pictures, Photos & Information about Infrastructure, Population, History, Activities, Travel Times, Banks & Money, Sights and More.     Home / Languages   + Bookable Hotels  +   + More Hotels / Bungalows  +   + Ko Chang Information  +   + Beaches & Bays  +   + What to do?  +   + Real Estates & Property  +   + Ko Kood Special  +   + Ko Mak Special  +   + Islands near Ko Chang  +      Mainland around Trat  + Thailand Information  +      Angkor Wat / Cambodia  + Cambodia Tours  +   + Links & Banner     +      Ko Chang on CD!     Current Page: Ko Mak Special --> Worth knowing about Ko Mak in Thailand 1 Page back Worth knowing about Ko Mak in Thailand - Ko Mak Special - (Picture of a fisher hut at Aow Nid on Ko Mak)   About us / Contact    Current Thailand Weather     Sitemap       Your Advertisement here!        The school on Ko Maak   At the eastern end of Ko Maaks west coast   Ko Mak (often also written Ko Maak), the betel nut island, is the third largest island of the province of Trat after Ko Chang and Ko Kood. The island, resembles a shamrock in shape, lies about 350 kilometres southeast of Bangkok and 35 kilometres from the mainland. It’s size is about 16 square kilometres and a radius of about 27 kilometres and it is not part of the Mu Ko Chang National Park. Besides, Ko Mak is the biggest private island in Thailand.   Arrival & Departure to & from Ko Mak Ko Mak can be reached either from Baan Bang Bao in the south of Ko Chang or from Laem Ngop Pier at the mainland. Ferries from Ko Chang (Baan Bang Bao Pier): From November to May there are 2 daily Island-Hopper boats starting from Baan Bang Bao (south of Ko Chang) to Ko Mak and back. For the exact departure times have a look at the website: Island-Hopper. There are other boats from Baan Bang Bao to Ko Maak as well.   Khao Beach in the south of Ko Maak Khao Beach   Ferries from the mainland (Laem Ngop Pier, also called Khrom Luang Pier): At 9.30 am, 11 am, 1.30 pm and 4 pm speedboats leave the mainland from the Laem Ngop pier. The boats will bring you to Ko Mak, duration about 1 hour. The times for the return trips are available in all resorts on Ko Mak. There are also several daily fishing boats to Ko Mak, duration about 3 hours. Because the departure and arrival times change quite often, please ask at the Laem Ngop Pier.   Khao Beach In the north of Khao Beach - in the background Ko Rayang Nai   From February 2008 there will be a new connection with a big motorized Katamaran: From the mainland (Laem Ngop Pier) via Ko Chang (Dan Mai) to Ko Mak (Ao Nid Pier) and back. The Katamaran can also across when there are higher waves. (October 2007. All information refer to high-season between November and May. Occasionally, due to high waves, the boats are unable to leave. Depending on the weather conditions, some boats may not leave to Ko Mak in low-season between June and October.)   Aow Nid Pier in the east of Ko Maak Coconut plantation   Beaches on Ko Mak Ko Mak is in contrast with Ko Chang a flat island, only at the southwest there are a few hills. The beaches of Ko Mak are, like everywhere in the region around Ko Chang, flat and withdraw at low tide. A few of them are stony or muddy and therefore not suitable for swimming. But most of them, especially the 2 wonderful big main beaches “Suan Yai Beach” in the west and “Khao Beach” in the south of Ko Mak are sandy and excellent for bathing and swimming. At these two beaches you also find most of the bungalow resorts.   Khao Beach Suan Yai Beach in the west of Ko Maak   Infrastucture on Ko Mak Meanwhile there are a lot of roads and paths that branch over the whole island so almost all beaches and villages are easy approachable. Only at the north coast of Ko Mak, where you hardly find accommodations, there is a jungle path that runs parallel to the coast and that is quite difficult passable. The important routes on the island are of tarmac or concrete but some of the other ones are still dirt tracks. But Ko Mak is easily passable with rented scooters for those who have a little bit of experience in riding motorbikes. And because of Ko Mak is not too big you can explore it easily on foot.     In the meantime there are a few “exotic” vehicles on Ko Mak. They are mainly taken to bring tourists to the bungalow resorts or drive them around the island and are very popular with Farangs (western tourists). Ko Mak is not connected to the power supply at the mainland but there is a big generator that supplies the whole island 24 hours a day with electricity. Also mobile phone connection is available at most of the places on Ko Mak. Ko Mak was the first island in Thailand to have wireless Internet, but it was stopped again at the beginning of 2006. Currently there are internet cafes located at Ko Mak Pier (west coast) and at Aow Nid Pier (east coast).     Also a central dump was built in the interior of the island so there is less waste on Ko Mak as years ago. Beside a little post office at Ko Mak Pier at the west coast, there is a police box located at the road to Aow Nid. There you also find a clinic, the island school, a new built kindergarten and a beautiful temple. In the interior of Ko Mak there are more shops, gas stations and restaurants. You can also find pool tables, mainly used by locals, at the roundabout at the main road that connects the west coast with the south coast.   The generator Family grave   History of Ko Mak Ko Mak is the biggest island in Thailand that is privately owned. It is reported that Ko Mak was populated first by Chao Sua Seng, who ran a coconut plantation at the end of the 19th century, during the term of King Chula-Longkorn (Rama V). Later Ko Mak was bought for 300 Chang (the former currency in Thailand, 1 Chang = 80 Baht) by Khun Mae Mulee, the wife of Luang Prompakdee (Plian Taveteekul). Their descendants, who belong to the “Taveteekul Clan”, still own the biggest part of Ko Mak.   At the temple Island crossing with roundabout   Population on Ko Mak Most of the island inhabitants, at the moment around 700 people, are fishermen or make their income from the profit of the coconut and rubber plantations that can be found all over Ko Mak. But because of the increase in tourism since the 80’s, more and more of the locals earn their money from the bungalow-resorts and restaurants on Ko Mak.   Storeroom for rubber Fishing nets at the north coast   Fishermen at work Fisher hut at Laem Son   Travelling-Time for Ko Mak The best time for a visit on Ko Mak is between the beginning of November and the end of February. At this time it is relatively cool, dry and mostly sunny. It gets hotter and hotter until the end of May, but a visit during these months is still pleasant. Even during the monsoon Ko Mak is worth a journey because it usually doesn’t rain every day all day long. Banks and money on Ko Mak In November 2007 there were neither banks nor ATMs on Ko Mak, so you should take enough cash money with you if you want to stay on this wonderful island. Some of the bungalow resorts change money and / or traveller cheques but the exchanging rates are worse than in the banks at the mainland or on Ko Chang. Activities on Ko Mak Besides relaxing and reading at the beach you can swim and snorkel at one of the beautiful beaches. There are also 2 diving schools located on Ko Mak to discover the beautiful dive grounds around this wonderful island, At some of the bungalow resorts kayaks and surfboards can be rented as well as scooters and mountain-bikes to explore the island on your own. The small villages, the tempel at Aow Nid and the view points on Ko Mak are worth a visit. There is a surfing school, boats can be hired and boat tours to the nearby islands can be booked. Also apparently archery is possible on Ko Mak and of course traditional Thai massages can be enjoyed. In the interior of Ko Maak   Village at the north coast of Ko Maak   House boat in the north