The arrival of Songkran likely marks the final signal of the Andaman coast's tourist season. As seasoned travelers to the south know, after the calm waves and winds of January to March, the southwest monsoon begins to blow after Songkran, bringing waves and winds back to the Andaman. With only about a month left before the rainy season begins, it's time to make the most of it before another six-month wait.


As Songkran came to an end, I decided to take a trip to the Andaman Sea as a last hurrah. I persuaded my wife to use her vacation days during the long weekend at the end of April, and we settled on Trang province as our destination. This was also a chance for me to redeem myself, as five years ago I had backpacked there for ten days but barely came back with any good photos due to the unpredictable weather that plagued me almost every day.

Normally, Trang's sea trips are divided into two zones: the northern zone, which refers to the islands in Sikao district, Muk Island, Kradan Island, Libong Island, connecting to Hai Ng Island and Rok Island, which are located in Krabi province, and the southern zone, Hat Samran district, Palian district, including Laoliang Island, Sukorn Island, and Phet Island. This side connects to Satun Sea. And since you've never been to Trang before, I've highlighted the famous attractions like Emerald Cave and Kradan Island, which are in the northern zone first. As for the southern zone, we'll save it for next time.

(1)

Moving from the capital to live in Korat, coupled with Mrs. N's erratic work schedule, this trip led to the decision to splurge and fly. It was the first time in my life that I had flown domestically. I traveled by bus from Korat at two in the morning, arriving at Don Mueang in the morning to catch a connecting flight to Trang, landing around 8:30 am. The weather was bright and sunny all the way, befitting the summer season.

The planned destination was Koh Rok (located in the Mu Ko Lanta National Park, Krabi, but the island itself is located within the Trang Sea), Koh Kradan, and most importantly, Emerald Cave, Koh Muk. Normally, you can easily visit these places by buying a tour from Pak Meng Pier for 700-800 baht per person. But imagine going on a large tour boat and having to enter the cave with dozens of other people at the same time. It wouldn't work, would it? So I planned to take a private boat trip, which meant I had to set up camp on Koh Muk first. To get to Koh Muk, I had to take a boat from Khuan Tung Ku Pier in Sikao District. It might be a bit far, but it's convenient because they offer a complete car-to-boat service.

Landing at Trang Airport around 8:30 am, I looked for the van counter to the city center. The price was clearly stated at 90 baht per person, which is considered expensive for a distance of only 45 kilometers, but I had to accept it. Oh... there is also a van service to Koh Muk by long-tail boat, but the price is quite steep at 650 baht per person, so I decided to give it a pass.

I told the van driver that I wanted to transfer to the Khuan Tung Ku pier. The van then drove me to a tour agency opposite Trang Railway Station, which is the main hub for tour companies and motorbike rentals. I had read that there were vans connecting to the ferry near the station, but the van driver told me that it would be most convenient to contact the tour agency. I went in and asked, and they told me that they sold two types of van tickets to the ferry to Koh Muk: a long-tail boat for 350 baht per person, departing at 10:30 AM, and a passenger boat for 250 baht per person, departing at 11:30 AM. After calculating, I saw that the price was probably a bit inflated, but not too expensive. So I decided to buy the passenger boat option for two people.

Looking at the clock, I had plenty of time to spare. I asked the tour company staff where I could find dim sum and grilled pork in Trang for breakfast. They were kind enough to lend me a motorbike for free so I could go find something to eat. After receiving such kindness, the slightly more expensive bus and boat tickets suddenly seemed like a bargain.

The dim sum and grilled pork area is located near Huai Yot Road and Plearn Phiphat Road, just two kilometers from the station. There are many restaurants to choose from. I chose the famous Ruea Thai restaurant. There are many dim sum to choose from, 20 baht per basket. My wife was very hungry and ordered seven baskets with a plate of grilled pork. It was hard for me to follow and stuff it all in (haha...). All the dim sum menus are delicious, but I don't think the grilled pork is that good. There should be other restaurants that are more delicious.

After a satisfying meal, we rode the motorbike back to return it. A short while later, a van arrived to pick us up. It was a van belonging to the passenger boat that would take us directly to Koh Muk. From my inquiries, I learned that the price for general tourists is 150 baht (which means the tour company marked it up by 100 baht). The price for locals is cheaper than that... I won't say how much. As a foreigner visiting, we should use the tourist price. As for the boat fare, if we were to board at the pier, it would only be 30 baht.

Normally, the van to Koh Muk will be parked in front of the KK Travel company, opposite the train station. You can call in advance to arrange for a pick-up at a nearby location in Trang city or at the Trang Bus Terminal. Contact Khun Ning at 08-1757-9636. The boat departs once a day between 12:30 PM and 1:00 PM. The van leaves the queue around 11:00 AM. There are actually other ways to get to the pier on your own, but I think this is the easiest and the price is not too expensive.

Okay, the car will run along the Kantang district line (I've only been on the Pak Meng line before) until it reaches the Kuan Tung Ku pier. This is our passenger boat, carrying food, supplies, and goods for the people on the island. If you miss this passenger boat, you'll have to hire a long-tail boat, which costs around 700 baht per trip.

Muk Island is an island near the coast. Once you leave the mouth of the canal, you can see the island nearby. However, because it is a large ship carrying a lot of cargo, it is slow and takes some time to reach.

Near the Koh Muk pier is a community. Transportation on the island is provided by motorcycle taxis for 50 baht each. I happened to call the accommodation I had booked while I was on the boat, and as soon as I arrived on the island, they picked me up immediately.

The accommodation in question, Farang Beach Bungalow, is a rather old bungalow with fan rooms for 500 baht per night and electricity all day long. It is located on a hill before descending to Farang Beach (said to be the most beautiful beach on the island). Their restaurant is quite good, with prices slightly higher than average. A small bottle of water costs 20 baht, a large bottle 30 baht, and single-dish meals start at 80 baht.

If you've never been to Koh Muk, let me tell you that the truth is that the sea and beaches here are not very beautiful. Don't compare it to other islands in the Andaman Sea, or you'll be disappointed. The only reason I came to Koh Muk was to set up a base to visit the Emerald Cave.

Here is the translation of the text:

This is the view of Haad Farang. There are two beachfront resorts: Koh Mukd Charlie Beach and Sawasdee Resort. I took my wife for a walk on the beach and took photos until the sun set. We had a relaxing time.

Upon returning to the accommodation, inquire about the prices of various sightseeing trips. In addition to the four or five island diving trips, you can also charter a long-tail boat to visit various islands on your own. It's quite expensive, but you can rest assured that the prices are standard everywhere. You don't have to worry about being overcharged, and you can contact the accommodation directly. Most boatmen don't take customers directly; they take them through resorts that have connections.

The next day, I chose to go to Rok Island first because the weather was good. The price was 3,500 baht for two people (more than that, add 300 baht per person, the price will be cheaper). At this point, I'm willing to pay whatever it takes. We have to prepare our own food, but the boat will provide drinking water, life jackets, and snorkels.

(2)

The night passed, and a new day has arrived. Let's cut to the chase because I really want to go to Koh Rok (haha...). Let me explain a little bit that Koh Rok is located in the Mu Ko Lanta National Park and is considered to be in Krabi Province. However, if you open the map, you will see that the location of the island is actually in the Trang Sea, similar to Koh Hai. For some reason, the division of the sea makes Koh Rok and Koh Hai belong to Krabi (like Koh Tao is in Surat Thani even though it is closer to Chumphon). Nowadays, there are large tour companies that offer tours to Koh Rok from Phuket, but I don't recommend it that much. Starting from Koh Lanta or Koh Muk is more convenient and cheaper. More importantly, it also directly supports local businesses and residents.

At half past seven, I set off from Haad Farang. The sky was clear and the sun was blazing hot. The long-tailed boat, or "hua thong" boat, cut through the gentle waves for about two hours before bringing us to Koh Rok, which consists of two islands: Koh Rok Nai and Koh Rok Nok.

First, he took me diving at Koh Rok Nok, the most beautiful coral reef in the area. It stretches for hundreds of meters and is in fairly good condition. There are plenty of beautiful fish, even though the variety of coral species isn't that great. Overall, I'd say it's pretty beautiful (using the word "pretty good" here...).

After diving for a while, my wife and I returned to the boat and continued diving at the second point, near the side of Koh Rok Nok. This point had a lot of bleached coral and wasn't as beautiful as the first point. After a short while in the water, we asked the boat to take us to the beach on Koh Rok Nai, where the park ranger station is located. Upon arrival, we paid the park entrance fee of 40 baht.

As the boat sailed through the water like this, it was truly as beautiful as its nickname, the Queen of the Andaman.

Koh Rok Nai has a viewpoint on the hill behind the island, the same point as the path up the hill to escape the tsunami. If you come here, you must take a look. The path will take you up the hill for a bit of a tiring climb, and then loop back to the other side of the beach, which is a rocky beach.

Then it's time to play in the water with beautiful beaches. Let's go and don't miss the opportunity.

My wife and I enjoyed the crystal-clear water at Koh Rok until around 2 pm. We were satisfied to some extent, but we had to get back on the boat to return to Koh Muk. I felt a little disappointed that the time was too short. There is a park ranger station on the island, with bungalows and a camping ground. If possible, I would recommend staying overnight to fully enjoy the beauty of the island. It would be much better than a one-day tour.

(3)

On the third day, it was time to visit one of the most amazing places I have ever encountered in my life, and the place that made me decide to settle on Koh Muk... Emerald Cave. As I mentioned before, if you just want to visit Emerald Cave, it's not difficult. There are plenty of tour boats available near Pak Meng. But because there are dozens or even hundreds of people going in at the same time, it's not going to be beautiful. If you want to see Emerald Cave at its best, it has to be when there's no one around. That's why I had to stay on Koh Muk.

My plan was to visit Emerald Cave and then continue to Koh Kradan. The price on the schedule includes Emerald Cave and Koh Kradan for 1,400 baht. However, the resort staff told me that I couldn't go to one place and not come back, so they offered me a package for Emerald Cave for 600 baht and a transfer to Koh Kradan for 700 baht, which is 100 baht cheaper in total.

During my trip, the tide was high in the morning and reached its peak in the late morning. I had scheduled a boat for 7:30 am because I wanted to get there as early as possible before the crowds arrived. Emerald Cave is located just a short distance from Haad Farang Beach. The large limestone hill that you can see from the beach is the entrance to the cave. Even though I arrived early, there were still people who were faster than me - a Western family who were staying in the same bungalow as me. I arrived just as they were getting ready to swim into the cave.

To reach this destination, we had to swim into a cave for about a hundred meters. Before exiting the cave, we saw the water reflecting a stunning emerald green, hence the name. But the real highlight is the small sea hidden within the limestone mountains. Emerging from the cave, you'll witness this incredible sight. It's truly amazing. I recommend visiting during high tide for an even more breathtaking experience.

After taking photos for a while, more tourists started to arrive, but it wasn't too crowded. The atmosphere was relaxed, and if we had come with a large tour boat, we wouldn't have been able to get these kinds of pictures. So, I recommend spending a little more money and putting in a little more effort, as the beauty you'll see is incomparable. Especially if you don't come during the summer, there will be even fewer people. Five years ago, I visited in mid-December and was in the cave with just the boatman for almost half an hour. It was amazing.

After playing in the water and taking photos inside the Emerald Cave until almost nine in the morning, it was time to leave. That day was the 15th of the lunar month, and the water was high. If we had waited until the water was at its highest, it would have been quite difficult to get out of the cave.

After leaving Tham Morakot, head to your next destination, Koh Kradan (if possible, buy a diving trip around Koh Mukd as well, there are some nice spots to see colorful soft corals). This island is located within the Had Chao Mai National Park, but there are ten private resorts offering accommodation. We don't have to pay the national park entrance fee and it is open to visitors all year round.

I plan to stay at Ao Niang Resort, a budget bungalow located in a small bay. The cheapest fan room is 700 baht, with electricity available from evening to morning. As soon as I told the boatman, he took me to Ao Niang. Before I got off the boat, he took me snorkeling in front of Ao Niang Bay for a while.

This is the accommodation for 700 baht. The condition is not worth the price, but because it is Koh Kradan, it is considered cheap. (Haha...) As for the price of food, a small bottle of water is twenty, a large bottle is forty, and a la carte food starts at one hundred. The atmosphere is very quiet and beautiful because it is a small, private bay. If you don't like the hustle and bustle, I highly recommend it.

Ao Niang is located on the side of the island, next to the curve where the park ranger unit is located (last time I came, I stayed with the officers for three days and enjoyed diving). When the tide is low, we can walk there, but when the tide is high, we can't walk. We have to cut through the mountain from the back instead.

After spending some time relaxing at Ao Niang Bay, I took my wife up the hill to see the main beach on the front side of the island. It's not a long walk, and the path is clear so you won't get lost. When you come down the hill, you'll find a resort called Paradise Lost Resort, which is the only resort that's not on the beach. Then, walk along the path for another three hundred meters and you'll reach the beach.

I arrived around 1 pm. The tour boats were just coming in, and there were a lot of tourists. It looked quite busy and chaotic, wouldn't you say?

Rest assured, by two in the afternoon, all the tour boats from Pak Meng will be gone. After that, only those staying on the island will remain. And then paradise is truly ours. Let me tell you, it's incredibly beautiful and magnificent.

I was wondering how many days we should stay on Koh Kradan. When the lady saw the beauty of the beach on this side, she immediately decided to stay another night. I wanted to sleep in a tent at the ranger station, but the proposal was not approved (haha...). So we had to walk around looking for accommodation until the lady liked Kradan Beach Resort. The fan room costs 1,700 baht per night, but they gave us a 20% discount and included breakfast. So we booked it and will check in tomorrow after checking out of Ao Niang.

As the sun began to set and the tide receded, we walked back from the beach of Koh Kradan to Ao Niang Bay. We passed the ranger station and met an officer I had previously stayed with. After a brief chat, he remembered me and laughed. I asked him to take a picture of the camping area for those who are interested in staying there. As for the park's bungalows, which have been left unfinished, they remain abandoned with no plans to continue construction. It's a real shame.

Koh Kradan has a very shallow beach. When the tide is low, the coral reefs emerge, creating a beautiful and strange sight.

(4)

The next day, I woke up late and didn't have to rush. After breakfast, I walked around Ao Niang Beach taking pictures until almost noon. Then I carried my backpack and walked across the mountain to the other side. I checked in at Kadan Beach Resort, which has both fans and air conditioning in the same room. I chose the fan because it's easy to turn off the air conditioning. I would recommend sleeping with a fan, as the island uses generators. Sleeping in an air-conditioned room is more expensive, but sometimes the air conditioning doesn't work properly.

The beauty is beyond words. Let's use the picture as proof of the beauty of Trang's sea. The island you see nearby is Muk Island, and the white beach is Farang Beach.

Today, I'm ready to go swimming and diving. The beach at Koh Kradan is a great place to go snorkeling and see the coral reefs. The water is very shallow, so you can walk around and see the coral up close. All you need to do is put on a mask and dip your face in the water, and you'll see schools of fish and coral. However, there is a downside for people who like to dive: you will be too close to the sea urchins along the coral reefs.

During low tide, you can clearly see the coral reefs and sea urchins with the naked eye without having to dive. At first glance, it seems impossible to break through the line to the deep water zone, but in fact there is a way. In front of the Seven Seas Resort, there is a relatively wide sand groove. You can use that as a path to swim out to see the coral reefs in the deep water zone. If you can't find it, ask the locals. I guarantee you it's there.

The first time I went snorkeling on the Andaman coast was at Koh Kradan, so coming back to see the underwater world here again was like reliving old memories. It was a lot of fun.

My wife and I had so much fun swimming and diving that we missed the flag-raising ceremony. The biggest downside of Beach Resort is the price of food and drinks. Water is as expensive as Ao Nang, with a small bottle costing 20 baht and a large bottle costing 40 baht. But single-dish meals start at 160 baht, which made us sweat a little. Luckily, they had breakfast included (haha...)

(5)

In the blink of an eye, the last day of my trip has arrived. Time flies when you're having fun. At The Deck Beach Resort, there are two return boat trips to the mainland per day: 9:00 AM and 12:30 PM. Of course, I chose the 12:30 PM return trip. The boat plus van to the city center costs 450 baht, while the trip to the airport costs 550 baht. There's no cheaper option, so I opted for the city center drop-off since my flight departs in the evening.

Before noon, there is still enough time to take photos. Another highlight here is the small beach and viewpoint behind the island, called Ao Chong Lom in Thai. In English, it is called Sunset Beach for a clear picture. There are two ways to get there: from behind the Kradan Beach Resort or from the Paradise Lost Resort.

After a short walk across a hill, no more than five hundred meters, we arrived at our destination. Looking at the horizon, we could see Koh Rok in the distance, although the sky wasn't clear enough to see it clearly.

Okay, finally it's time to pick up the house. The long-tailed boat took us from Koh Kradan, passing Koh Muk, back to the shore at Khuan Tung Ku pier. A van was waiting to pick us up and take us to the city. I asked the car to drop me off at Robinson's department store. Find something to eat and cool off in the air conditioning to kill time for a while. At around 4 pm, I will call the airport van to pick me up at Robinson's (Airport van queue, tel. 08-9647-6876).

I must admit that our five-day, four-night trip to Trang's three islands left us both with empty pockets because we had so much fun. We tried to save money in many ways, but we still ended up spending a lot on other things, which is normal for island hopping in the south. Every time we come here, we seem to spend all our money (especially when I'm with my wife... haha). But I never regret it. And if you ask me if I regret the money I spent,

After reviewing all the photos, please consider whether I should regret it or not...

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