🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026
Before you plan, know that Koh Mak is farther out than a lot of the islands near Bangkok. You take a car to Laem Ngop pier in Trat, then a boat for about 45 minutes more. The upside of that distance is fewer people — the island stays calm and most beaches are nearly empty. It suits anyone who actually wants privacy.
Koh Mak is small enough to loop on a bicycle or one of the electric scooters the resorts rent out. The island's main beaches are Ao Kao in the southwest and Ao Suan Yai in the northwest. Both face west, so you get the sunset from either one — which is why this plan catches both beaches at the time the light is best.
What to know before you go (honesty)
A lot of Koh Mak shuts down during monsoon season, roughly May to October. Some resorts, restaurants, and boat operators stop running, the sea gets choppy, and rain comes in heavy spells. The best window is November to April. · Everything on the island costs more than on the mainland because it has to come over by boat. ATMs are few and sometimes run out of cash, so bring enough cash with you. · If you're diving or taking a boat out, always check the weather first. · Koh Mak markets itself as a low-carbon destination — carry your trash back and don't step on the coral.
Day 1 — Arrive, settle into a quiet beach, end with cocktails on the pier for the sunset
Day one is mostly about getting to the island, checking into a beachfront stay, and then sinking into a quiet beach all afternoon with nowhere to be. Close the day with a cocktail at the pier bar, timed right for sunset.
Arrive — quiet beach — sunset off the pier
Book the activities in your Koh Mak trip ahead
Booking online ahead on Klook or GetYourGuide is usually cheaper than the gate and skips the queue. Pick only the experiences you actually want — prices and availability are shown live on each site.
Day 2 — Kayak to Koh Kham, Ao Suan Yai, and a seaside dinner with the sunset
Day two is the highlight of a couples' trip. In the morning you head out to Koh Kham, the little island just off Koh Mak; in the afternoon you move over to Ao Suan Yai, where the white sand runs for a kilometer; then you close the day with a beachfront dinner and a full, unobstructed sunset.
Koh Kham — Ao Suan Yai — seaside dinner
Sunset-spot tips
Because Koh Mak is shaped like a star, you can pick a different angle on the sunset each evening. First night, take the pier bar at Ao Kao; second night, Ao Suan Yai. If you have a third night, try Ao Pra — the quietest beach with the fewest people, ideal if you want full privacy. The sunsets on Koh Mak are best on clear-sky days, November through February.
If you have a third night — add a spa, a workshop, and a quiet bay
If you stay 3 days and 2 nights, there's no rush on the last day. Take it slow with easy things you do together, before catching the afternoon boat back to the mainland.
An easy day before heading home
Seaside dinners and sunset bars couples love
Koh Mak doesn't have a dense eating-and-drinking strip like the bigger islands — the spots are scattered across the resorts and along the beaches. We picked the dinner corners and bars that are actually open and popular with couples, ordered by how romantic the seaside setting is.
Koh Mak Cococape pier bar
A small cocktail bar at the end of a pier running out over the water at Ao Kao. Dangle your feet, sip a drink, and watch the sun drop into the sea with nothing in the way. It's the corner couples photograph the most on the island.
Beachfront dinner at Ao Suan Yai
The beachfront restaurants along Ao Suan Yai set tables right on the sand so you eat as the sun drops into the sea. There's Thai food, fresh seafood, and Western dishes, and it's quieter than the Ao Kao side.
Seavana pool bar and rooftop
Seavana Koh Mak Beach Resort at Ao Suan Yai has a poolside bar and a rooftop with a lovely sunset view. Happy-hour cocktails with an open sea view.
Banana Sunset Bar
An easygoing beach bar on the Ao Kao side, with live music some nights. Sit and chill with the sea breeze and watch the sun set over the Gulf of Thailand — good for couples who want to settle in for a long evening.
Beachfront resort restaurants at Ao Kao
Several Ao Kao resorts lay out dinner on the sand, so you eat under string lights with the sound of the waves. Both seafood and Thai food — good for a special meal for two on the first night, when you don't want to travel far yet.
Seaside café at Ao Kao
By day there's a beachfront café for a coffee and a snack out of the sun. Quiet atmosphere, good for a long chat or reading while you wait for the light to soften.
The prices above are rough ranges from the latest information and can change with the season and the menu. Things on the island generally cost more than the mainland because they have to come over by boat — ask the price before you order, every time, and carry cash since many places only take cash.
Rough costs and getting around
- Boat to the island (Laem Ngop–Koh Mak) — speedboat around ฿450/person each way (about 45 min) · the ferry is cheaper but takes longer
- Boat to Koh Kham — around ฿300/trip, about 5–10 min from Ao Suan Yai (or paddle a kayak yourself if the water's calm)
- Vehicle rental on the island — motorbike/electric scooter around ฿250–400/day · a bicycle is cheaper and enough to loop the island
- Thai cooking class at Smile Cooking School — around ฿1,500/person, four dishes
- Meals — roadside dishes around ฿80–150 each · beachfront dinners/seafood cost more, check the price before you order
- Cash — ATMs on the island are few and sometimes out of cash, so bring enough for the whole trip
Want a quiet beachfront stay as your base for a couples' trip?
See 10 Koh Mak stays →