Twenty minutes east of bustling Koh Chang lies an emerald jewel that only 400 permanent residents call home. Koh Mak, a tiny 16-square-kilometer island in Thailand’s eastern seaboard, remains one of Southeast Asia’s best-kept secrets—where time moves slower and footprints disappear with each gentle tide. Unlike its celebrity cousin Lake Baikal with its crystal-clear ice, Koh Mak’s allure comes from its intentional obscurity.
A family island where development stands still
Unlike Thailand’s party hotspots, Koh Mak remains in the hands of just five families who have steadfastly rejected mass tourism. This rare ownership structure has preserved its pristine state, with locals agreeing to limit development to just 30% of the island. The result? Untrammeled beaches and intimate escapes without the seven-story hotels that plague many Thai destinations.
“We could have sold to big developers decades ago, but our grandparents made us promise to keep Koh Mak as nature intended,” explains Khun Surin, whose family has called the island home for four generations.
Powder-white beaches where you’ll count more coconut trees than people
Ao Kao Beach stretches for nearly two kilometers along the southwestern coast, where powdery white sand meets translucent waters. Even during high season, you might share this stretch with only a dozen other souls. The shallow, gentle slope makes it perfect for families and reluctant swimmers—much like the turquoise waters of Mauritius, though infinitely less discovered.
Bicycle island: Two wheels and a water bottle is all you need
With just three small roads and virtually no hills, Koh Mak begs to be explored by bicycle. Rent one at your accommodation ($3-5 daily) and pedal through rubber plantations and coconut groves where roosters proudly announce the morning. The entire island can be circumnavigated in under three hours, with countless hidden beaches to discover along the way.
The five-star sunset without the five-star price tag
Ao Suan Yai Beach on the northern shore offers front-row seats to nature’s nightly performance. Unlike the crowded sunset views in places like Venice with its golden-hour mosaic magnificence, here you’ll find only a handful of bamboo bars where $3 beers accompany million-dollar views.
“Every evening, we watch visitors sit in silence as the sky changes from blue to pink to fiery orange. That moment—when technology is forgotten and nature becomes everything—that’s Koh Mak’s magic,” shares Dao, a beachfront restaurant owner.
Turtle beach: The 30-minute hike that rewards the curious
Laem Son on the eastern tip requires effort—a jungle path trek or kayak journey—but delivers solitude virtually guaranteed. This crescent beach, nicknamed Turtle Beach for occasional nesting visitors, evokes the wild isolation found in Darwin’s Galapagos laboratory, albeit on a much smaller scale.
Island-hopping to deserted paradise: Koh Kham
A 15-minute kayak paddle (rent for $8 daily) brings you to uninhabited Koh Kham. This tiny islet’s white-powder beach and coral reef evoke Robinson Crusoe fantasies—a castaway experience recalling the hidden turquoise depths of Europe’s Verdon Gorge but with tropical warmth. Pack snorkel gear to discover parrotfish, sergeant majors, and occasional reef sharks.
When to claim your slice of paradise
Visit November through April for sunshine and calm seas. The shoulder months (November and April) offer perfect weather with thinner crowds. The rainy season (May-October) brings lush greenery but irregular ferry service and closed businesses. Whatever you do, avoid the Christmas-New Year period when prices triple and tranquility diminishes.
Koh Mak isn’t for everyone—those seeking nightclubs and shopping malls should head elsewhere. But for travelers yearning to experience Thailand before tourism transformed it, this tiny island offers a final glimpse of paradise as it once was, and with careful stewardship, as it might remain.