Top things to do in Koh Mak, Thailand
Welcome to Koh Mak, a small, authentic island in Thailand! Despite its small size of just over 12 square kilometers, Koh Mak has much more to offer than just lounging on the beach and touring around on a bike or scooter. The activities on Koh Mak are not large-scale attractions or mega temples, which wouldn’t suit Koh Mak either, but because of the small-scale atmosphere they are just incredibly fun to do!
We stayed in Koh Mak for a week. If you have less time, then our top list is a great inspiration for fun things to do on Koh Mak. For even more fun activities and useful information, please also check out our Koh Mak page.
1. Snorkeling & Chilling at bounty island Koh Kham
Koh Kham is a beautiful island with a bright white beach. Palm trees and a crystal clear sea with colorful fish complete this tropical surprise. Doesn’t that sound fantastic? Well, it is!
You can easily spend an entire day in this little paradise; there are picnic benches, deck chairs and plenty of shady spots. There are also some showers and toilets, as well as a small store for snacks and drinks. In short, everything is on hand for a wonderful beach day on a tropical island!
What makes Koh Kam Island extra special is the resort where no guest has ever slept, simply because the resort has never been finished! You can clearly see that this was supposed to be an ultra-luxury resort, complete with private pools overlooking the sea.
But for some reason construction stopped. Lucky for us because otherwise you probably wouldn’t be able to visit Koh Kham as a day trip. With no one looking at the resort anymore, nature is slowly taking possession of it again; but it will take some time before all the concrete is gone.
When you visit the island, you can browse through the rooms undisturbed and imagine what it would be like to sleep there. Special but also a bit exciting! Why the resort was never finished, we didn’t find out.
Travel from Koh Mak to Koh Kham Island
You can visit Koh Kham between 9am and 4pm by longtail boat (return 300 Baht per person); the boat ride takes 10 minutes. The island fee is 200 Baht, which includes a drink of your choice in the (only) shop. If you’re adventurous and/or want to save money, you can rent a kayak from Ao Suan Yai Beach for 300 Baht. You’ll paddle to Koh Kham in about 30 – 45 min. You also commonly visit Koh Kam as part of a snorkeling or diving trip from Koh Chang or Koh Kood.
2. Blue Pearl Bar, Snorkeling & Cocktails.
The Blue Pearl Bar is a small bar on a long wooden jetty on the west coast of Koh Mak. The jetty stands in the dazzling azure waters between Ao Suan Yai and Ao Pra Beach. It is one of the best spots for a cocktail or refreshing coconut on Koh Mak.
Because of the pier’s location, you can watch both sunrise and sunset here, while enjoying panoramic views of the mountains of Kho Chang, Koh Wai, Koh Pee and Koh Ham.
During the day, the pier of the Blue Pearl Bar is also recommended, from the jetty a staircase goes into the water, making it easy to swim and snorkel in the sea. The pier also has some sunbeds and a shower.
The sea around the pier consists of many coral reefs including those between the bays; Aoa Suan Yai and Ao Phra Beach. It is a great snorkeling spot on Koh Mak!
Ask the friendly bartender about the best snorkeling spots; because not far from the pier there is a small boat and a golf cart underwater that is now used by the fish as a home. Because everything is 3 to 4 meters deep you can see it very well while snorkeling, very special!
The Cocopape Pier was built in 2003. Besides being beautiful to look at, the zigzagging shape mainly ensures that the pier can withstand strong currents and tides.
How to get there.
The jetty and bar belong to the beautiful Cococape Resort. If you are not staying at the resort, it costs 200 baht per person to enter the jetty. This includes a drink and use of the sunbeds; you can stay as long as you like. If you stay at the resort, access to the jetty is free.
3. The Kingdom of Somchai’s Affection
The Kingdom of Somchai’s Affection is a rather unusual and special sculpture garden. Most of the sculptures are of detailed naked female bodies. penises and some animals, such as snakes and dogs.
It’s not really a place to take young children to, or you should expect to have some explaining to do. Some of the female statues serve as tables or other pieces of furniture.
The statues used to wear more color and see-through clothing, but these have faded over the years. Not something you see every day in Thailand! The sculpture garden seems not to be maintained anymore, so nature is slowly taking over and the sculptures are slowly crumbling and falling apart.
What makes it even more exciting as far as we are concerned is the narrow, tall corrugated board house between the statues. We didn’t see anyone, but we had the feeling that someone was still living there and working on a sculpture; yes, we sneaked a peek inside. “But we had also heard that the creator of these sculptures died. It is not clear to us what the story behind this sculpture garden is, but for sure it is special and a bit creepy!
How to get there.
You’ll find The Kingdom of Soms Chai’s Affection in Ao Suan Yai on the northwest side of Koh Mak, on the route to Happy Days Bungalows. Look for a gray pole with symbols like the one in the picture, there is a narrow path through the grass there. If you follow it, you will enter the sculpture garden after a minute. You can also found it in google maps. Entrance to the place is free.
4. Cinnamon Scenic Boardwalk
The Cinnamon Scenic Boardwalk is a half-kilometer long wooden jetty overlooking the beautiful, blue sea of Ao Tan Beach in northern Koh Mak.
The jetty is the perfect place for beautiful photos and a romantic stroll. Previously you could also buy drinks here, but now the bar is temporarily closed, so bring your own. Halfway down the dock and at the very end, some seating areas have been created in the shade.
How to get there.
The jetty belongs to The Cinnamon Art Resort and Spa at Ao Tan Beach, the resort was still closed due to Covid. The resort is expected to reopen in mid-2023. To enter the pier, visitors must pay 50 baht per person by the small counter at the entrance of the pier.
For more interesting sights, information great restaurants, hotel tips, beaches, transport and the weather on Koh Mak, we would like to refer you to our Koh Mak page.
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