Ko Muk

Ko Muk reviews

Backchat from the Travelfish community

• Way Better Value than Kradan or Ngai

  I got back to Muk in early March 2013 for my 4th visit since the late 90s.
  Having stayed on neighbouring Ngai and Kradan a few months before I have to say Muk is a place your baht goes further.
  Accommodation is cheaper - my seafront SAWADEE bungalow at 800 blew anything on the other islands into the water (actually I haven't seen a seafront bungalow in the central and south Andaman under 1000 high season for several years). Okay, it was suffering a bit of wear and tear and the sea views weren't of the beach but the rocks and sea over to Kradan but the joint was comfy, roomy enough, had a bathroom and the associated restaurant had great food at genuine budget bungalow prices, something you can't say for neighbouring islands (Kradan's PARADISE LOST has even better food but prices can't compare).
  Fact is, there is a good range of eats joints on Farang Beach and they seem to be in intense competition taste and price wise. I had meal at MAYOW RESTAURANT AND BAR which travelfish recommends - yep, excellent and good value, so much so this place had late-comers unable to get a table. A friend told me HILLTOP Restaurant and Bar about 10 minutes walk up the cross-island track had the cheapest food around and excellent - so I walked up for a meal. Yep. RUBBER TREE resort also has a good rep - didn't make it but I did check the prices, seemed competitive. HAD FARANG RESORT has an equal rep - I stayed here several years back and if the food is still up to that standard at those bargain prices this is another good one.
  
  All you accommodation bargain seekers should maybe look at a new place which has taken over Mookies tents and bungalows. TING TONG has a new restaurant on the cross-island track about 5 minutes' walk in from Farang Beach - the old Mookies Bar is behind it. Tents and bungalows were both 300batht - the latter has to be the cheapest in the Andaman high season (okay maybe a few places in the north Andaman and upstairs in places like Phuket, Khao Lak and Lanta can match this. Maybe not). Admittedly the bungalows have to share outside bathrooms with the tents. But 300 high season in 2013!
  Btw according to Ting Tong people, the Euros running Mookies had gone home, were due back for a visit soon but were not likely to fire up Mookies again.
  
  So what about night-life? Well Sawadee's associated Chill Out Divers' had a laid back CHILL OUT BAR with the usual mats and candles on the beach, KO YOO Bar and Restaurant is still running on the southern headland of Farang with its surprisingly panoramic views for a place not all that high and Mayow was advertising live music. But we aint talking Patong, Had Rin or Ton Sai Phi Phi on this island, trend setters.
  
  The rest of the island? Well the eastern spit looked as gorgeous as ever and would be a great location if you can afford to stay at the SIVALAI. Most of us can't - it's a 25 minute walk from Farang Beach ( the beach in front of the Sivalai aint private no-matter what they may tell you: all Thai beaches are owned by the king for the free use of his subjects and visitors), but less from the two lower midrangers further west on the spit, NATURE BEACH and PAWAPI. The beach in front of these places is okay but not gorgeous and the water does get real shallow low tide.
  The spit is south of the village's main pier - close on the north side you have 2 budget resorts COCO LODGE and ANDA which seem more geared to domestic travel and have a beach opposite which aint all that attractive (Anda had a new to me seafront bar which does have attractive views across to the rugged mainland coast - and had some tents farangs were using which is good news for the bottom budget traveller).
  Another 5 minutes north are 2 other resorts, budget GARDEN RESORT and KO MUK RESORT. I stayed at the latter in the 90s but it has moved upmarket considerably - has a very nice new pool, upgraded chalets and reception/restaurant area - the latter with similar great views to the mainland. But note - the bay here gets big expanses of dirty sand and rock at lowest tide. The Sivalai spit is 15 minutes walk, Farang Beach 40. The place does have cheap motorcycle hire.
  
  Okay, other comparisons with Ngai and Kradan:
  Better culture - Muk had quite an extensive village area, the others none.
  Snorkelling - inferior. Kradan's southern reef wins here, with Nagi next.
  Nature - Ngai and Kradan have good rainforest walks - the rainforest is a bit hard to access on Muk. But nothing can compare with Muk's Emerald Cave.
  Access - all are easily accessed in high season from the north and south by Tigerline and speedboats/day trip boats. But Muk is way easier and cheaper to access from the mainland. The difference is even greater in low season when Kradan and Ngai are not easy to access. Muk has a public ferry going to the eastern pier with songthaew pickup in Trang every day. In high season there are additional van/longtail shuttles direct to Farang beach.
  

  • Sights & activities
  • History & culture
  • Scenery & environment
  • Eat & drink
  • Traveller's scene
  • Romance
  • Value for money
  • I'll be back (or not)

  By tezza (dabbler)
  Written on 2nd May, 2013 after a visit to Ko Muk in March, 2013

  Also reviewed by tezza: Ao Phang Nga National Marine Park, Coral and Raya Islands, Haad Nopphara Thara, Haad Sai Khao, Kanchanaburi, Khao Lak, Ko Bulon Lae, Ko Kho Khao, Ko Kut, Ko Lipe,

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