Thirty Days in Thailand: Part Five
Discovering Koh Kood Island
Any day is a good day on a tropical island like Koh Kood. Situated off the coast of Trat Province in the Gulf of Thailand, Koh Kood is about 12 kilometers wide from east to west, and 25 kilometers from north to south. On my second day here, I did some exploring.
Motorbikes
The hotel had an assortment of bikes for rent. The cost was 350 baht a day (around $10 US), which included the fuel. The morning rain was still coming down when I gambled on renting one. It had poured most of the night, pounding the metal roof above us loudly, nearly drowning out the occasional drum roll of thunder. There are usually breaks in the rain though, even this time of year. At least that’s what I theorized. The gamble paid off, and we were able to head out just after 11 AM.
Khlong Chao Waterfall
I got a free map from the resort. The desk attendant mentioned a waterfall nearby. A little map searching and we were off.
The path to Khlong Chao falls started off as a nicely finished stone walkway, sloping gently downhill into the jungle. A hundred yards in and things suddenly changed. The walkway stopped, leaving only a water-soaked path the remainder of the way.
We worked our way slowly down the rutted path. There were several spots where ankle-deep shallow pools had formed. Suddenly, I could hear the gentle roar of water in the distance.
At one point I saw a series of ropes tied between the trees and began to follow them. What was once a pathway seemed to have become a creek. The rain had really flooded the area. I finally reached a rocky area where it was dry. Looking up, we could just barely see the falls.
I figured I would try to get closer and kept going. At one point, a German lady came toward me. She and her son had to turn back and warned me about going further. Water spewing from the hillside above made the way impassable.
Khlong Chao Beach
The rain might have dampened our attempts to see the waterfall close up, but it had not dampened us yet. No rain so far. After leaving the falls we stopped at this spectacular beach. I had food on my mind and looked for an open restaurant. Unsuccessful, I decided to ride around a bit more.
Rubber Trees
I remember reading about rubber tree plantations on the island. Seeing them in person is surreal. They were planted in perfect rows and appeared meticulously manicured. From the distance, you can see what appeared to be housing for field workers. I wondered what it would be like to live such a simple existence.
The rubber tree isn’t indigenous to Thailand but was brought over from South America during the early 20th century. Upon reaching maturity, each tree is carved like the photo below and then outfitted with a simple bowl to catch the sap.
The tree actually extracts latex, which is converted into rubber for tires and other products. It is a top source of income here in Thailand, ranking second only to rice. Several small islands nearby are still owned by rubber tree plantation owners.
Siam Beach and a Quiet Evening
After finding some lunch, we returned to the resort for an afternoon nap. That evening, I decided to go searching for a restaurant somewhere nearby. I came across several places that were closed but also discovered something by accident — Siam Beach. You have to book a room here at the resort to enjoy it. The reception building was closed though, so I walked in for a look around. Situated in Bang Bao harbor, the water was very calm here, with a light hue of green reflecting from it.
Being the low season and post-pandemic, Koh Kood was quiet, almost abandoned during my trip there. Some of the travel sights describe it as a place for relaxation. It’s certainly more peaceful than the bustling islands of Phuket or Koh Samui.
I was admittedly a little upset not to find another restaurant open that evening. I returned to Cham’s House Resort and headed back to the beach bar. To my surprise they had pizza. I sat and enjoyed my meal with a few Chang beers, watching the tide come in. It started to drizzle. I realized that it had not rained at all during our ride earlier. We were lucky to get a break in the weather that day. More than that, we were lucky to get the time and opportunity to explore such a beautiful place.
Next up, departing Koh Kood for another road adventure. Stay tuned, and be sure to follow me on Medium at www.medium.com/mtsutphin.
