Ko Kood has some of the best beaches in Thailand. It is a stunning island, a little off the beaten track which makes it perfect for those who are searching for a quiet getaway. You won’t find touts here, no one walking the beach asking about braiding your hair this is like Thailand 15 years ago when we first came and it is just about perfect! This is what you need to know to go in 2026.
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Is Ko Kood worth the trip?
Yes absolutely! We really thought long and hard about making this trip as we had a couple of other options that were easier to get to… but Ko Kood is definitely worth it! The main thing we loved was that it was more similar to the Thailand we visited 15 years ago. Less built up, less infrastructure, more local vibes and whilst there are lovely hotels it doesn’t feel like mass tourism has hit yet, rare for Thailand. I would visit while it is still like this, yes services are wonderful but so is feeling like you have stumbled in to a place untouched or undiscovered by the masses with perfect beaches! You won’t find touts or people combing the beach asking about trips. This is as low key as it gets and we loved it.
How to get to Ko Kood:
Bangkok to Ko Kood
We booked a transfer from Bangkok to Ko Kood and as it left early in the morning we made sure to stay close by at this hotel it was great and right near Khaosan Road. You can check out and book all the routes to Ko Kood on 12Go which has all the options listed but we went with Boonsiri and it was perfect! You can check out the Boonsiri Bangkok to Ko Kood transfer we booked here, they also have an option to go from other locations to Ko Kood. They take you on a bus to the pier, then put you on a Ko Kood Ferry and then transport you to your hotel once on the island. It was incredibly smooth and they fed us along the way (you even get to pre-order your meal!) which made it that much better!
Ko Kood Ferry
You will need to take a ferry to Ko Kood, the easiest way to do the transfer is by pre-booking it. We went from Bangkok to Ko Kood but if you are close to The main ferry departure port for Koh Kood is at Laem Sok in Trat. If you are staying in Trat you can get a transfer to the ferry and join the Boonsiri transfer there. Highly recommend Boonsiri, it was such an easy and uncomplicated transfer for us, it was great getting dropped off at our hotel as well on Ko Kood, really making the trip easier.
Driving Ko Kood
If you are confident on a scooter then driving in Ko Kood is a must. We had read that the roads weren’t great and it was a little dangerous. It really wasn’t that bad at all but Mike is very experienced at driving a scooter and I am very experienced at being a passenger! The main road that runs around the island is actually pretty great! The little roads the run off it down to the beach locations can get a bit sandy/muddy/pot holey/ rocky…but they main key here is to go slow and always always wear a helmet. We rented our bike from Koh kood travel tour, they are located just a short walking distance from Peter Pan Resort across the bridge. They were excellent, prices were great as were the bikes. The petrol on the island is not too expensive either and they have these little pump machines that you use to put fuel in, they are great.
Driving caution
This was one of the most concerning things we saw, lots of people driving scooters with out helmets or worse having a passenger or kids on the scooter without helmets. As a passenger I always wear one, you don’t have any control over the driving but you can take care of yourself by wearing a helmet. Yes it is uncomfortable but it is better to be safer than sorry.
Please if you are driving with kids put a helmet on them, we saw so many without and even more alarmingly some parents letting small children upfront and steering which seemed mad. It isn’t hard to drive but you can’t guarantee that something wont happen with another driver or an animal running out. Just saying. Anyhow, it is a really nice place to hire a scooter and get around to all the beaches (listed below!). If you are not confident then hire a tuk tuk or taxi and you can get around easily.
Hotels in Ko Kood
There are some great places to stay in Ko Kood! There are a few main areas to choose from or you could decide to move around between them if you have longer and want to try a few. Below I have discussed the pros and cons of the best beaches in Ko Kood which could help you decide where you want to base yourself. (Note-the use of the word resort doesn’t technically mean a big built up resort…many of them are really cute cabins dotted along the beachfront!) These are the best hotels in Ko Kood:
Peter Pan Ko Kood
Peter Pan Ko Kood is one of the best hotels on the island, located on Khlong Chao beach. The beach is long and beautiful (more on that below), you can see the sunset here and there are some great food and drink options. The hotel is right on the beach and you can use the sun beds or one of the pools. The restaurant is excellent (we ate there a few nights!) and there is a fire dance show twice weekly as well. This is where you can book Peter Pan Resort.
The Little White Bird Traveler Hostel
We stayed at the Little White Bird and loved it, it was located right behind the Peter Pan Resort and very comfortable. You are able to walk through the Peter Pan Resort each day to the beach and your choice of the breakfast was served by the riverside. I had a fried rice, fruit and salad each morning. while Mike chose the sausages and eggs, fruit and salad option. The rooms were comfortable and was pretty with coastal rustic vibes. We also loved that we could use the shared kitchen to whip up a snack and there was tea and coffee available there all day/night. There is the cutest resident cat and an ATM out front.
High Season Pool Villa & Spa
High Season Pool Villa & Spa is really popular on Khlong Chao beach. It is home to the famous swings on the beach and the two fallen palm trees. It is a great cocktail and photo spot.
Hideout Koh Kood
Located on Khlong Hin Bay The Hideout Ko Kood is a really pretty place to stay. It is quiet and peaceful with absolutely gorgeous rooms. The service is excellent as is the breakfast. There is also a little stretch of beach out front of the hotel with cute swings decorated with coral and shells. It definitely feels like a Hideout spot! We loved visiting here and relaxing in this very quiet beach.
Koh Kood Resort
Right on Bang Bao Beach Ko Kood Resort is really popular. The rooms or cabins are great and breakfast included is well reviewed.
Siam Beach Resort
Siam Beach Resort is situated right on the beachfront at Bang Bao beach and looks awesome. We stopped in here to check out the beach and would come back to stay. The vibe is great and the beach is awesome.
Ko Kood Paradise Beach
Ko Kood Paradise Beach is located on Ao Tao Beach, a lovely and very quiet little spot. The hotel is really well liked, newly renovated and has a pool right out front of the beach.
Koh Kood Club
Koh Kood Club is located at Khlong Hin Bay and is really popular for this area. The price is affordable and it’s clean.
Ko Kut Ao Phrao Beach Resort
Located on Ao Phrao the Ko Kut Ao Phrao Beach Resort is situated on the river and has lovely views.
Is Ko Kood Expensive?
The prices on Ko Kood are a little higher than the mainland which is pretty normal. There are a couple of grocery stores on the island (no 7/11s here!) but the absolute best is the Nine Store Ko Kood. This has the best prices and best range. Their ice creams were solid and not melted which is pretty common in island locations. Beer price was 60THB for a large Chang, other places we found went from 70THB to 90THB. We went here on our scooter and stocked up our essentials (drinks, beer and snacks) to put in our fridge in our room. They also have a pancake stand out front which is popular.
Best Beaches in Ko Kood
Ko Kood is full of gorgrous beaches and this is really why you come here. To get away from the big cities and relax on a perfectly peaceful beach. You won’t find hawkers here or 7/11s, it is very laid back and chill vibes. This is our take on each of the beaches we visited and what we thought of each.
Khlong Chao Beach
Starting with the beach we stayed at and loved! Little White Bird, Peter Pan Resort and The High Season are located here among others. Khlong Chao Beach is a long sweeping white sand beach with lots of palm trees dotted along it for shade. At high tide the water is really lovely, clear and blue. At low tide you can walk way out to swim or use this time to explore the island. The sunset here is good and you will find alot of people coming here for sunset drinks and photos especially at High Season with the iconic palms and swing. Still it doesn’t feel crowded or too busy.
At the end near Peter Pan there is an inlet to the river and lots of people rent kayaks or SUPs here to paddle around. You can also lounge out in the full sun there and feel like a castaway. At the other end you will find Tinkerbell Resort which is the last hotel in this area. There is a car/scooter park here and you can sit on a wider section of the beach here. There is a little grocery store called Marks House across the main road from Peter Pan Resort which stocks all the basic necessities (noodles, icecream, drinks, sunscreen etc) and is reasonably priced.
Pros – beautiful beach, great hotels, lovely sunset views, great bike hire close by, little store across the main road, great location.
Cons – none
Our best beach on Ko Kood rating – 9/10
Ao Taphao Beach
Located about a 10 minute drive north of Khlong Chao Beach, Ao Taphao Beach is really lovely again a very quiet spot. The beach is curved and you can walk a long way around it. There are some great hotels to stay here and it is pretty peaceful. There is a store halfway down the road to the beach called Goods Market and while it looks really nice the pricing is not the best (not terrible). We loved the jetty here, the swing and the sunset view. I think it would be a nice place to be if you wanted to ‘get away from it all’. I would book to stay at Ko Kood Paradise Beach if staying here.
Pros – beautiful beach, great hotels, lovely sunset views
Cons – a little remote
Our best beach on Ko Kood rating – 7/10
Bang Bao
Southeast of Khlong Chao Beach, Bang Bao Beach is another one of our favourites! It really looks like a postcard. We would stay here on our next trip for a few nights. The vibe was great, laid back but feels like there is more on offer here. It is a bay which creates shelter from the wind and a calm swimming environment.
There is a jetty which is really picturesque. The beach is lined with palm trees to lie under and you can wander along to find your spot. Siam Beach Resort is located right at the jetty and is where we would book. There are a few restaurants here to try or get back to the main road and stop in at one of the many in the area. We tried Bang Bao Home Food & Drink, Let’s Meat and Patang Seafood. The closest grocery store is MG Minimart, there are a couple closer but not as good.
Pros – beautiful beach, great hotels, central location, jetty and palm fringed beach, good restaurants nearby, bay creates wind protection
Cons – a little drive to a decent grocery (not a big problem if you have a scooter)
Our best beach on Ko Kood rating – 9/10
Khlonghin Beach
Khlonghin Beach is located south and is starting to get a little more remote from the main areas. We really liked it. The beach is nice and there is a swing on the beach which is long and wide, with really nice white sand. There is a river inlet at one end where you can swim as well. On the main road there is a good place to eat called Happy Time Restaurant. I would stay at either the Hideout which is tucked away at one end of this beach and is gorgeous or A La Koh Kood Resort which is located at the other end near the inlet.
Pros – beautiful beach with swings
Cons – a little remote
Our best beach on Ko Kood rating – 7/10
Ao Phrao Beach
Ao Phrao is the beach the furtherest south we went and it is definitely removed from the main area. It is a nice long beach with some shacks to chill in and a river to float around in. There are a couple of hotels and restaurants here. We liked it but it wasn’t in our top 3 list. We think it is best for those who really really want to escape and feel secluded. I would stay at either Rest Sea Resort Koh Kood or Ko Kut Ao Phrao Beach Resort. There are some nice hammocks in the water which is a great spot to relax or for pictures.
Pros – big beach, river to float in, hammocks over water, very secluded
Cons – too remote for us, the sand isn’t as nice as other beaches on Ko Kood
Our best beach on Ko Kood rating – 5/10
Things to do in Ko Kood
#1 Try out all the beaches
Use our guide above and check out all the beaches. Although they are similar they are still a little unique and have slightly different vibes.
#2 Discover the 3 waterfalls of Ko Kood
Khlong Chao Waterfall, Huang Nam Khiao Waterfall and Khlong Yai Kee Waterfalls are really nice waterfalls to check out. Unfortunately when we were there it was the dry season and dried up. If you are there when it has been raining then definitely check it out as the waterfall creates pools surrounded by beautiful plants and you can swim in a couple of them (look for signs).
#3 Eat!
There are loads of little locally owned restaurants and trying them all out is a must. They all serve basically the same foods but done in their own style. We loved driving on our scooter to try a new one each day. We went to: Happy Time Restaurant, Bang Bao Home Food & Drink, Let’s Meat, Patang Seafood, The Peter Pan Restaurant, Koh Kood Aroi Aroi, Cowboy restaurant, I-Yar and Chill Out Kohkood. There are a ton more to try though!
#4 Watch a fire dancing performance
We checked out the fire dancing performance at Peter Pan restaurant. We had dinner here and stayed to watch the show. They perform on the sand at the restaurant twice a week. This is some of the best fire dancing we have seen in Thailand. They really put on a great show with techniques we hadn’t seen elsewhere. At one stage a guy had fireworks going off and another had a fire shaker barbell which was crazy. If you stay to watch make sure to bring a little baht with you to tip them as they really do a great job!
#5 Check out the ‘Main Street’
This is the main hub of Ko Kood, the closest to a main street on this chilled out island. Here you will find some dive schools, restaurants, an ice cream shop and a couple of clothing/souvenir stores. It is very low key and very Ko Kood! There is an ATM here and the restaurants are about as fancy as it gets in Ko Kood.
#6 Take a Snorkelling Day Trip with Buffet Lunch
Head out on to the water and go snorkelling. As the area is not heavily touristed the waters are really nice. You can book this snorkelling day trip which includes lunch and enjoy a day out on the water!
#7 Private boat trip to Koh Rang the National Park
If you want to head out on a private tour of Koh Rang National Park, this private boat trip takes you on a large boat and a crew member will go snorkelling with you.
#8 Dive Expedition around Koh Kood with PADI 5* Center
Go on a dive trip around Ko Kood and check out the sealife below. The trip includes 2 dives.
#9 Find all the Swings
There are loads of swings all over Ko Kood, on every beach. One of my favourite things was finding them all and enjoying swinging over the water! It was beautiful.
#10 Lie on the beach
Yep that is it! All that is left is to totally relax, lie on your favourite beach, read a book or reconnect. This is an island that is not full of one thousand things to do and it is part of its charm. You can totally get away from it all and relax.
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