Koh Kradan

 Koh Kradan: a haven of peace

KOH KRADAN

As always, it is by the best and most efficient radar: the famous "word of mouth" that I decided to discover a very small island lost in the Andaman Sea, south of Koh Lanta.

Koh Kradan is perhaps the most beautiful island in Hat Jao Mai National Park. It has beautiful sandy beaches and is covered with forests, coconut and rubber plantations. The island, which can be approached by tour boats or longtails, and is also on the fast boat route from Lanta to Lipe, is like a pearl in the South Seas for lazing around, swimming or snorkelling. 

The snorkeling and diving areas with coral reefs are excellent. From Koh Muk, you can see this island at hand in front of you. The long sandy south-eastern beach lies flat in the turquoise blue sea at high tide. After only a few meters, you can snorkel on the coral reef or rent a kayak to tour the small island. In the afternoon and early evening, after the excursion boats have left, you can end the day with only a few other guests alone on the beach.

Those who feel like taking short hikes can make their way to the small "Sunset Beach" on the west coast in about 20 minutes. It's also worth taking a shortcut through the dense jungle with its fan-shaped plumes.


Staying in Koh Lanta, we take a transport ticket that will take us to Koh Kradan
Our small ferry, which can carry about 50 people, starts from the pier in the old town of Koh Lanta.
The crossing will take about 1h30 (32 km) with a short stop at Koh Ngan.

 Koh Kradan : an hour and a half from Koh Lanta

The crossing takes about an hour and a half from Koh Lanta.... and I always remain admiring of these splendid panoramic views that I will never get tired of.

Koh Kradan measures from its far north to its far south: 3.8 km. Its widest part is about 780 metres long.

The "inhabited" part is located on the east coast and extends over a length of about 1200 metres.
On this inhabited part, there are about ten small resorts... 

Arrival in Koh Kradan on Paradise Beach

Boats and ferries disembark passengers at the end of the island, to the south, where the bottom is a little more important... 
then, it is the beginning of the adventure to find your bungalow.... 

  A different world....

My bungalow reservation made the day before my arrival, I didn't ask myself too many questions about this island. You could say that I went there with my eyes closed...

Great was my surprise as soon as I arrived in this small earthly paradise that I discovered. Apart from electricity and internet, there is nothing on this island. No 7/11, no groceries, no ATM, no clinic, no doctor, no motorcycles, let alone cars. 
But it's weird right now to find yourself like this. 
As they say, "get used to it..." 

 Small Bungalows on the beach

Here is the bungalow I had booked there too, with my eyes closed... for two nights. Very simple with a minimum of comfort, a toilet, a shower, a fan... 
This being said, this small, very light building was 10 metres from the sea and the sound of the waves at night reminded us of a very natural, even romantic side.
A little further away from other bungalows, a little better equipped but much more expensive too... finally there is something for all tastes... and all budgets...

  Dream mornings...

Here in Thailand, a very noisy country in general, I love the morning and its sunrises. This is the best time of the day. Nature wakes up little by little, silence is admirably present, we just hear a few birds, a fisherman's boat far away... a real happiness. These mornings should last much longer!

 During the day: beautiful, incredible colours

As the name suggests... it's almost like paradise...
Here, there are hammocks everywhere. To be able to let yourself swing gently while admiring the pastel colours of the sea... there are much worse situations and feelings...

 Koh Kradan, seen from above....

Aerial view south... left, Paradise Beach and on the other side, West Coast, Sunset Beach.
Paradise Beach (Côte Est) à marée haute

 On the West Coast: Sunset Beach, another Paradise

Just walk a few minutes to reach this beautiful little cove, full of colour. The few visible rocks are much more decorative than embarrassing. Very few people or even desert, this place is really an absolute dream place. Calm, quiet, tranquility. No street vendors, no jet skis, no speedboats, no... Chinks!

A real paradise.

 Snorkeling...

For about 200 metres from the island, there is not much bottom, hence these very light green colours, and then all of a sudden, you find more depth. The change in colour indicates this difference.

At this place, every day, a few boats stop there and allow dozens of people to snorkel without coming to the island.
They stay there for a while, time to scan the bottom and then go back to other places suitable for scuba diving... with just... masks, snorkels and fins...

As indicated on the previous photo, a strip of about 200m has a very low bottom (no water at all at low tide, and about 1m70 to 1m90 at high tide).

At low tide it is therefore impossible to swim. On the other hand, walking around, finding some shells, starfish is not unpleasant.
Wearing shoes (flip-flops or plastic shoes) is highly recommended because the many stones, rocks are quite aggressive and it can hurt... 

 For adventurers...

There are 3 to 4 small restaurants on the island. We can have lunch there, dinner at any time. The prices are quite high.

● There is a semblance of minimart at the Kradan Beach Resort site.... 
● Internet works quite well... electricity too...
● Overall, prices are higher than normal.... (mineral water bottle, ice cubes bag etc...) this is due to supply difficulties.
Everything comes by boat from the neighbouring islands, so there are inevitable surcharges because all these transports are not free.
● No clinic, no doctor (to my knowledge)
These high prices are quite logical given the isolation of this small island, and this is the price to pay to be out of the mass tourism circuits... this being said, these prices are not astronomical either... 

 Récompense !

Koh Kradan (province de Trang), élue meilleure des 100 plages au monde 2023 par le site Web World Beach Guide du Royaume-Uni.

Places visited South Region...