Along with swimming gear and sunblock, make sure you bring a hearty appetite for seafood if you stay at Klong Chao Resort on Koh Kood (or Koot or Kut).
Like all the resorts on this remote island in the Koh Chang archipeligo in the Gulf of Thailand off Trat Provice, Klong Chao operates a package deal. For a trip I took with a friend in March 2004, the deal I chose was a three-day, two-night package for 3,800 baht per person. For that price, we were picked up at the bus station in Trat, taken to the island by speedboat, put up in a cozy bungalow, fed sumptuous meals and taken snorkeling and sightseeing.
Klong Chao is situated on a small creek of the same name. Other resorts along this stretch at the time included Koh Kood Shambala, Klong Chao Beach Resort and Peter Pan.
My reason for choosing this resort was because I could find English-language information about it, which said the place had kayaks available. So along with getting in some snorkeling, I could satisfy my kayaking jones. It's ironic that the resort was featured on an English-language website, as none of the staff speak much English, except for Arthit, his brother, Sukree (whose name appears on the business cards) and a third brother whose name I didn't catch.
The boats available were the ubiquitous Tri-Yaks by Feelfree. They were a little beat up, with the straps for the backrests torn off. Presumably, the backrests had been used as handles in hoisting the boats down from the dock. Or, the backrests have simply been used as buttpads and been worn out. While I was staying there, one of the co-owners, Arthit, received three more new Tri-Yaks and was unpacking them one morning. I wonder how long the new ones will be in use before they start showing signs of wear?
The resorts are mainly geared to handle large numbers of Thai tourists. Indeed, the reason Arthit was unpacking three new kayaks was because he was expecting a group of 80 Thai holidaymakers, arriving the next day to celebrate the long weekend and the Makka Bucha Buddhist holiday.
The kayaks are fine for just lazing around on holiday and paddling short distances. I wouldn't recommend them for long trips. They are great for casual paddlers, as they are easy to board and are extremely stable. Although they are a one- or two-person kayak, it's not uncommon to see three Thai holidaymakers piled aboard, happily paddling away, but not really getting anywhere.
A speedboat tour and snorkeling tour of the nearby islands opened my eyes to the possibilities of kayak touring around the area. I guess it would be possible for seasoned ocean kayakers with good equipment to outfit themselves and spend a week or more exploring the waters, islands and coral reefs around Koh Chang, Koh Mak and Koh Kood. GPS navigation, maps and compass would be necessary, I would think, as well as fishing gear and/or groceries, a camp stove, tent and snorkeling gear.
The speedboat driver was a guy named Lek, who in the grand tradition of Thais with nicknames looks the opposite of his name, which means small. Actually a beefy guy, Lek is not only an expert speedboat driver and navigator of the local waters, he's a tireless snorkeler. At one point during our day, he stopped to dive for clams, taking 30 minutes or so to fill three bushel baskets full to fill our plates at the evening meal. Again and again, he dove to the bottom to pick up more clams. And this was after two snorkeling jaunts earlier with the tour group. He also unloaded a trap, hauling aboard a single squid which he left on the deck of the boat to dry out and change colors before our very eyes. Presumably, it was served up for the evening meal as well.Another thing about Lek: He never shuts up. But I mean this with all possible kindness. All day long, Lek chattered away good naturedly. He even talked through his snorkeling tube!
Lek's clams were the highlight of the second night's meal. The first night, there was plate after plate of crab. Darn, why didn't I take my camera to dinner? Co-owner Arthit boasted that other resorts charge extra if you ask for a second plate of crab. He supplies them free.
The only thing that costs extra is if the guests want alcoholic beverages beyond the single Spy wine cooler (split between two guests and poured in a classy wine glass) and a blue vodka and crush-ice cocktail provided at the first night's meal. I drank some non-alcoholic lemon shakes, provided free as part of the all-you-can-eat, all-you-drink (coffee, water, sodas) package.
Aside from snorkeling, big meals and time for early evening kayaking, the resort's other activities included a trip upstream to a waterfall. It was just a trickle at the time of year I visited, but there was a refreshing pool to swim in. One evening, a long-tail boat was pressed into use for a trip upstream to view the fireflies. Sparse at first, more and more were revealed in the treetops, until it looked like Christmas. They were still hard to see because it was nearly full moon.
A fun activity would have been a moonlight kayak paddle, or early morning paddle, but I was taking it easy this time out.
I was tipped off to Koh Kood by a friend who stayed at a new resort there on a part of the island that had no phone, no lights and no motorcars. So I was dismayed to find phone service, 24-hour electricity and roads on the part of the island I visited. There were also karaoke machines, stereos and cable televisions, making for a less-than-quiet holiday at times. But with the kayaking, the snorkeling and the food, everything evened out.
Note: Klong Chao Resort can be contacted through any number of hotel booking firms. Do a search on Google and take your pick, or try to contact the resort direct.
