In this post, I will share travel information for Koh Mook Island in Thailand. During my adventure of island hopping and traveling in Thailand, I went to more than 10 different Thai Islands. Koh Mook, located in the Thai Andaman Sea was absolutely one of my favorite islands. Read on for my personal experience and travel information about this little pearl in the Andaman Sea!

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Koh Muk was my favorite Thai island during island hopping the Andaman Sea in Thailand

During my adventure of island hopping around the Andaman Sea, I went to so many different islands and I can consider the island of Koh Mook, also called Koh Muk, or Ko Mook, as my favorite. I´m aware that people have different tastes and experiences on islands, so it might not be everybody’s favorite. But I found it well worth dedicating a full article to this gorgeous island.

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Read on for practical tips and travel information for Koh Mook

So if you’re curious about my experience on this treasure-hunting ´Cast Away´ island or if you’re planning to travel to Koh Mook yourself, and are looking for some practical information, then just keep on reading. In this post, I will share:

1. My personal experience of traveling Ko Mook as a female solo traveler
2. Activities and things to do on the island of Koh Muk
3. Practical travel information for Koh Mook Island.

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1. My personal experience of traveling to Koh Mook

Before I dive right into practical travel information about Koh Mook Island, I would first like to share my personal travel experience of Koh Mook Island in Thailand. This island is also called ‘Pearl Island’ and it really is a beautiful little pearl in the Andaman Sea!

Koh Mook was such a typical island as seen in the movies

I always wanted to go to a typical tropical ´Cast Away´ island and even though I have been to smaller tropical islands like Caye Caulker in Belize, the islands of Honduras, the Maldives, Australia, many islands on the Philippines, and the island around Bali, for me they never made it completely. They were either too touristy, luxurious, or with too many people. But on Koh Mook, I felt like my dream came true! I imagined myself in one of those movies or series like Lost.

Ko Mook is also called Koh Muk: ´Pearl Island´ in Thai

The Thai word ´Muk´ means pearl and I completely see where the name of this island comes from. The island is very untouched and a true example of a place where nature still outbalances humanity. I think it is a true pearl laying in the Andaman Sea. The main attraction of Koh Mook is the Emerald Cave, also called Sa Morakot (ad), which might be the pearl of the island. Don´t forget to check out the little video about the secret beach you reach once you´ve passed through the Emerald Cave!

The pearl of Koh Mook island: The Emerald Cave

The Emerald Cave got her name due to the blue-greenish color from the sunlight reflecting upon the water which you can see when you are in the cave. But besides the emerald cave, there are also hiking trails to do, you can kayak around the island, visit the local village and you can even go scuba diving on Koh Mook! Click this link for all things to do on Koh Muk Island in Thailand (ad).

Why is Koh Mook my favorite island in Thailand so far?

Well, I just loved the fact that the island is so robust with an overwhelming jungle, the most precious beaches, and the chilled vibe of the local people. Even though there are many things to do on Koh Muk (ad), which I will cover in this article, I also truly enjoyed just walking around the island where no cars drive around. For a relaxing day, I would just walk across the island from my stay at Koh Mook Garden Beach Resort (ad) to Had Farang Beach, or Charlies Beach, which takes about 30 minutes.

Small roads where only tuk-tuks will pass by whilst children wave at you with a friendly ´Sava dee Kaa´ or you meet your bright smiling tuk-tuk taxi driver again who picked you up from the ferry: ´Hi Tony!´. Click here to book Koh Mook Garden Beach Resort with Agoda. (ad) or use the map below to find your accommodation on Koh Mook on Booking.

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The local People are extremely relaxed: they will locally help you with any travel information you need on Koh Mook.

You pass some local houses or fruit shake stands while the local Thai people either are taking a nap or greet you also with a bright smile, in the meantime you´re constantly surrounded by immense nature, hearing the jungle sounds and the most beautiful butterflies will cross your path all the time. For the nighttime, you can go to Ting Tong Bar or Mong Bar where local island guys are copying Bob Marley on their reggae nights.

Spending the night with stormy weather, jungle noises, and weird insects!

At night time the weather sometimes went really stormy with thunderstorms and heavy rains. I was staying in a small, budget beach hut in the Koh Mook Garden Beach Resort, (I receive a small commission on your purchase through this link) which almost felt like camping. The hut was not more than a mattress on the floor, a fan, and a bright pink mosquito net, which was absolutely necessary due to all the insects flying and crawling around at night.

The attached bathroom was half-open, and at some point, there was something flying around which looked like a moth but had the size of a bird. I never ever saw something like this before in my life and I still don´t even know what it was but I was glad when it finally left again!

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The exciting experiences at night added to the adventure feeling of Koh Mook!

Noises from the jungle made me sometimes have to push scary thoughts away: “What if a snake decides to come in?”. BTW there are many other accommodation choices with air-conditioned rooms, click here for an overview of all accommodations on Koh Mook (ad).

It might not sound very attractive to everyone, however to me it really was. It was just part of the adventure and contributed to the overall amazing experience I had on the island of Koh Mook. The next morning you wake up with a calm sea, a brightly shining sun like the night, and bad weather never happened.

Yes, exactly like in these movies ´The Blue Lagoon´,  ´Cast Away´, or you name it even the series ´Lost´ if you like. For me, it didn’t really feel like Thailand but I felt more like being on an island in the Pacific somewhere. And that destination is still on my list!

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2. Activities and things to do at the island of  Koh Muk

Now that you’ve got a bit of an idea of the island of Koh Mook, I’ll move on to things and activities to do on this island. After that, I will share some practical travel information about Koh Mook Island in Thailand

Travel information for your visit to the Emerald Cave, or Tham Morakot, close to Koh Mook Island

First of all, you can´t miss a visit to the Emerald Cave, which is also called the Morakot Cave. You can go to the Emerald Cave by boat (ad), or rent a kayak and go by yourself. If the weather conditions allow you, you can even kayak there all the way from Garden Beach Resort or Sivalai Beach. When I was there the sea was a bit rough on that side of the island, so we kayaked from Had Farang Beach, also known as Charlie Beach.

It took us about 20 minutes to reach the Emerald cave. I can recommend bringing a torch. Once you are there, you enter the pitch dark cave and kayak through it for a short distance, like 100 meters, or about 325 feet roughly, before you arrive at a secret beach. If you go to the Morakot cave by boat (ad) you can swim through the cave. The secret beach is surrounded by high cliffs and jungle, there’s no other way to reach this place than through the Emerald Cave.  A truly amazing experience!

Tip! Use “Get your Guide” to plan your Emerald Cave excursion from Koh Mook Island. I receive a small commission on your purchase through the link in the ad below.

Travel tips for visiting Tham Morakot, or the Emerald Cave in Thailand

• Avoid the crowds, the tourists who are going here on a boat trip from other islands, by going there before 09.30 am or after 03.30 pm
• If you arrive after 03.30 pm you don´t pay the 200 Baht entrance fee
• Check the tides before you go in, you can only enter the cave during low tide
• Bring a torch or, if you don´t have one, take a waterproof cover for your cell phone with you.

Travel information for scuba diving on Koh Mook Island

Although the diving centre ´Chilled Out Divers´, is not running scuba dives anymore, I found that there are two dive centers operating at the time of writing. Because this information might change, and it is also season depending, please make sure you check yourself before going there.

As far as I´m still correct, there´s one scuba dive center in the luxury ´Koh Mook Sivalai Beach Resort´ (ad), called Pro Scuba Diving Service. You can check out their website for availability and prices. The dive school ´Princess Divers´  is located in the Charlies Beach Resort, close to Had Farang Beach. It is said to offer scuba diving for certified divers and offers PADI courses too.

Tip for scuba diving on Koh Mook

• Please make sure to check information before you go, if you’re planning to do some scuba diving on Koh Mook. Things can change quickly on tranquil islands like Koh Mook. Dive Centers sometimes change names or owners. So make sure to contact the dive centres to check what´s available and it might also be season dependent.

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More travel information: hiking trails on Koh Mook

Other than just crossing the island on the proper roads, which I already highly enjoyed, you can do a few proper jungle track hikes on Koh Mook. I name the following routes from staying at Koh Mook Garden Beach Resort, since the map on the photo shows the routes from there, on the right, close to the jetty if you can read this ´treasure hunting´-map! If you stay in the area of Had Farang Beach (Charlie Beach), you can add another 20 to 30 minutes from Had Farang Beach to Koh Mook Garden Beach Resort.

Hike to ´the Viewpoint´ on Koh Mook Island

You can hike to the viewpoint which will take you over 45 minutes and a part of it is pretty steep. Make sure to wear hiking boots or proper sandals, I can not recommend doing this on flipflops. It can get a bit slippery with loose stones on a steep gradient. A nice time to do this hike is sunset or sunrise. Expect monkeys and snakes!

Travel information for hiking ´Sabai Beach´ on Koh Mook

This trail is through a very tightly grown jungle. It might be recommended to put on closed shoes for this hike. There are no motor taxi’s or whatsoever allowed in this part of the island, this is pure nature. After hiking for about 1.30 hrs, you’ll arrive at a precious beach, called Sabai Beach.

Hiking track to the ´Mermaid Statue´ on Koh Muk Island

Although there is not much left from the statue and the track is not very accessible, it is still another hike you could do. I didn’t do it myself and heard that the path is very overgrown, but if you’re in for another adventure, go for it!

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Tips and travel information for hiking on Koh Mook Island

• Always make sure to bring enough water, sunscreen and mosquito repellent with you.
• Put on closed shoes, you can step up on a snake!
• Don´t go hiking by yourself, but go in company with somebody, especially if you go off the beaten tracks
• Don´t forget your camera!

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Travel Information for visiting the local village of Koh Muk

There is a local village, on a short walk from Garden Beach Resort. Here you can find a small supermarket with basic stuff, some very nice places to eat and friendly people. You can also see the local school. I like how on Koh Mook Island the local people mix well with the tourists.

Tips for a visit to the local village on Koh Muk

• Show some respect and dress properly. You don´t have to cover yourself up but please don´t go wearing your bikini (girls) or without a t-shirt (guys)
• The place ´Ma Kin Ni´ (to the right on the main path if you come from Koh Mook Garden Beach Resort) offers good food and freshly made coffees. Very nice after only finding nsecafé instant coffee for a while!

Activities and things to do on Koh Mook Island in Thailand

Other things to do include hiring a bicycle, prices depend on the bike and the shop. You can rent a kayak at a variety of places, including at the Garden Beach Resort. If you find it too hot and don´t like to get too active you can rent a motorbike too. You can go snorkeling by yourself, book a day tour to Koh Kradan or do a snorkeling trip excursion. Click here for an overview of activities on Koh Mook Island that you can book in advance (ad).

Shortly, if you like hiking, cycling, kayaking, nice beaches, and some quietness with amazing nature and are in for an adventure, you can´t go wrong on the paradise island of Koh Mook! There are also yoga classes available on Had Farang Beach (Charlie Beach).

Click here for more activities and excursions on Koh Mook. I earn a small commission on your purchase through this link.

Tip for activities during your holiday on Koh Mook in Thailand

• If you stay one week at Koh Mook Garden Beach Resort, you get a kayak for free for 1 day and they also offer free bicycle rent for her guests.

3. Useful travel information for Koh Mook Island in Thailand

We have arrived at the third part of this post, and I will now share some practical travel information for your holiday to Koh Mook Island in Thailand. Please note that I receive a small commission on any bookings you make through the links provided in this post with travel information about Koh Mook Island in Thailand. But you won´t pay anything extra because of that. Thank you for supporting Splashpacker :-)

Practical travel information: How to travel to Koh Mook Island in Thailand?

You can reach Koh Mook by boat from the bigger islands Koh Lanta and Koh Libong, or the smaller surrounding islands including Koh Kradan and Koh Ngai. From the mainland, it´s reachable from either Trang, Krabi, or Phuket (Island). Even if you’re not planning on visiting more islands in the Andaman sea and you just would like to go to Koh Mook, you can book the boat in combination with a train or bus, depending on where you coming from.

Book your bus & boat ticket to Koh Mook and your flight to Thailand: all options at a glance

You can use 12go.asia to book your complete trip to Koh Mook, from anywhere in Thailand. They have all services available including boats, busses, trains and even plane tickets. Also, no matter if you´re looking for a fast speedboat and willing to pay a bit more or travel on a budget and take the slower ferry. With 12go.co you can now even book your international flight to Thailand, they scan all different airlines to find the best travel deal for you.

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The convenience of booking online for the same price as locally in Thailand

I booked my ticket from Koh Lanta to Koh Mook locally on Koh Lanta but found that 12go.asia (ad) offers the same tickets for the same price. And most boat tickets for a speedboat or ferry to Koh Mook Island are now also available with Get Your Guide (ad).

You can´t really go wrong with them since they offer all different transport companies and demonstrate all options to you. By booking online you do not have to look for an excursion office or travel agency while you are traveling in Thailand or on a Thai island. You can click through from the links provided or use the search box below.

Are there any banks or is there an ATM on Koh Mook?

This is pretty important to know. There are no ATM´s on cash machines on Koh Mook. And one friend I met on the island needed to leave on the day she planned to leave, because she didn’t bring enough cash with her when she actually wanted to stay longer. Actually, the next day I saw a sign from a shop doing a cash out on your card, but I´m pretty sure they charge some extra for it.  If you need them, they are located in the local village, just look out for the above sign on the right before entering the main street. There are no ATM machines on Koh Muk, so the above only works for MasterCard or Visa.

2024 travel information update about ATM on Koh Mook Island

I´ve heard that there are now two ATM’s cash machines operative on Koh Mook island. But still, I do recommend bringing enough money with you, because an ATM in Thailand may be out of order or not have enough money. So take enough cash with you, or make sure you can pay your accommodation with a bank debit card or credit card and avoid the problem of running out of cash. But if you are just now in Koh Mook and urgently need an ATM, there seem to be two of them and you can find them by entering ‘ATM’  on Google Maps.


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Some accommodations you can pay by card

At Dada´s place (Garden Beach Resort ad), you can pay by card, but I can recommend checking with your accommodation beforehand if they offer you this choice since it´s not very common yet at the time of writing. There are places where you can change money into Thai Baht.

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Where to stay on Ko Mook?

Personally, I had a great stay in Koh Mook Garden Beach Resort (ad). So I´ll start with this accommodation and can include some more information based on my experience. After that, I will name some places I´ve seen or heard about from other travellers I met. I will arrange them in price order, from budget to luxury.

Basic & Budget Accommodation on Koh Mook – Backpacker Style

Koh Mook Garden Resort is also called ´Dada´s Place´

My stay at Koh Mook Garden Beach Resort, also called ´Dada´s place´ (ad), was really good for a budget price! The place is a bit family ambient orientated so don´t go there if you´re looking for a party place, although I think this is hard to find on Koh Mook anyway. I met families staying here as well as couples and single travellers.

The place is right at the beach but you can only swim at high tide, although you´re at walking distance from the beautiful quiet beach at the Sivalai Resort (ad) where you can swim. What I liked the most about this place was the feeling you´re staying in the jungle but are still at the beach, so you can hear the jungle sounds and the waves at night!

Where is Koh Mook Garden Resort located on the island?

One thing to consider is that it’s a bit further away from Had Farang Beach, so if you like to hang out at night, keep in mind that most of the tuk-tuk taxis run till about 10 pm. After that, you can do a 30-minute jungle walk in the middle of the night! Although when I went to the reggae night, I found a guy willing to take me to Dada´s place on his tuk-tuk. It appeared that I was lucky with this.

In case you prefer flashpacking after my story about the stormy nights

I found a very good deal on booking.com ( ad) for a small beach hut, located right on the beach with breakfast included. My hut was tiny though, but cozy too and with a bright pink mosquito net, a mattress on the floor, and an open bathroom, it felt almost like camping! But this accommodation also offers bigger huts and airconditioned rooms if you’re looking for a bit more of a flashpacker style! You can also book your accommodation on Koh Mook with Agoda. ( ad).

Dada´s place offers more than only accommodation on Koh Mook!

There’s a restaurant in the place and Dada, the owner, can help you organize anything you need from a day tour excursion to hiring a kayak or a motorbike. She also offers one of the cheapest prices on the island for excursions and hiring things like kayaks or bicycles. You can book the place or find more information by clicking on this link. I receive a small commission on your purchase through this link.

Other accommodations for a backpackers price

Other accommodations for a low-budget traveler include Koh Mook Hostel, which offer beds in shared dorm rooms including breakfast. Bamboo Hut Bangalow offers small huts for about the same price as Koh Mook Garden Beach Resort but they´re located a bit closer to Had Farang Beach (Charlies Beach), so you can walk home from Mong Bar. Click here if you prefer to book with Agoda. I receive a small commission on your purchase through the above links with Booking and Agoda.


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Staying with more comfort on Koh Mook – Flashpacker Style: Phusam Big Resort

If you´re looking for a place closer to Had Farang Beach and would like a bit more comfort, I can recommend Phusam Big Resort. The place offers comfortable bungalows close to Had Farang (Charlies) Beach. My friend was staying there and had a great time. You pay a bit more but you´ll get a closed bungalow with a wooden floor instead of bamboo where everything can ´crawl in´.  They also offer a minibar and coffee and tea facilities and you can choose between air conditioning or a ventilator. Breakfast is included in their price. Click on this link to find more information or to book the place. Or you can Click here if you prefer to book with Agoda. I receive a small commission on your purchase through the above links with Booking and Agoda.

More accommodation options for the flashpacker on Koh Muk

Other accommodations for the flashpackers include Koh Mook Coco Lodge which looked like a decent place, also located close to Koh Mook Garden Beach Resort. Another good place I heard about in this area for this price category is Smile Bungalow, which is located close to the local village. Click here if you prefer to book with Agoda. I receive a small commission on your purchase through the above links with Booking and Agoda.

 

More expensive accommodations on Koh Mook – Luxury Style with the comfort of a swimming pool

 

There are a few places offering luxury and comfort if you´re willing to pay for them. I walked inside the Sivalai Beach Resort, which is the most expensive hotel on the island and it looks like there was nothing missing here. A comfortable swimming pool and a Maldivian-style white beach in your footsteps. Click here to read more or book the place. Similar places in this price category are Mook Lamai Resort & Spa and Pawapi Resort. Or you can Click here if you prefer to book with Agoda. I receive a small commission on your purchase through the above links with Booking and Agoda.

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A few more practical questions and travel information about Koh Mook

Is the Internet available on the island of Ko Muk?

Most places on Koh Mook do offer free WiFi, however, it is an island so don´t expect a high-speed connection. Sometimes it breaks down but in general, you can find WiFi in most holiday accommodations and some bars and restaurants.

 

What is the best time to visit Koh Mook?

The best time to visit the island is from November to April. The busiest time will be in December around Christmas and New Year, so make sure you book your accommodation well in advance if you’re planning to go around this time. If you go outside the season, from May to October, please make sure to check with ferry companies and accommodations because they might be limited or not available at all due to the rainy season.

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Last tips for your holiday to Koh Muk

All taxi rides around the island have a fixed price. One other tip for walking around on the island at night is to bring a torch or use the torch on your cell phone. There is not much light if there´s no full moon.

Any travel information I forgot to include about Koh Mook?

I hope by now you have a good idea about this truly amazing island of Koh Mook, Ko Mook, Koh Muk, or whatever you like to call it. The name doesn´t matter, but the experience does and for me it was great. If you have any questions or if I forgot to cover anything, feel free to ask or share in the comment box below.

 

 

What to expect for Thailand on Splashpacker?

Stay tuned for more articles about my adventures island-hopping around the Andaman Sea in Thailand. This article is more informative but I´m also creating a series of articles in which I share my personal experience, in the form of travel blogs, about hopping around the Andaman Sea. I write informative travel posts as well as personal travel blog updates stories including some articles about scuba diving and island hopping in Thailand. Click here for all my travel blog posts about Thailand.

More about Splashpacker

I’m a female solo traveler and like to focus on sustainable tourism & eco-friedly travel. I have been  traveling and working abroad since 2006. For many years I worked as a scuba diving instructor. Besides of this post with travel information about Koh Mook Island, you can read more about me here. I also have a YouTube channel with travel videos, scuba dive videos and travel tips for female solo travelers and sustainable scuba dive travel. Feel free to subscribe to the Splashpacker channel here.

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Did you like the photos in this article?

Some of the photos in this article are provided by Martin Watters. If you like them, you can follow him on Instagram, by clicking on his name. The rest of the photos are my own and you can follow me too on Splashpacker Instagram account.

• This post was updated in 2024  All prices are subject to change

*As an associate from Booking, Agoda, 12go.co and Get your Guide, I earn from qualifying purchases