Ko Sukorn

A visit to the small island of Ko Sukorn (also known as Ko Muu) is a chance to enjoy a different but still beautiful shade of the colourful Thai islands. It's a calm, pastoral place where travellers are far outnumbered by locals and locals outnumbered by water buffalo. While Sukorn's dark-sand beaches are not as picturesque as other nearby islands like Ko Lipe and Ko Ngai, the island's distinctly peaceful atmosphere, deserted beaches, vibrant wildlife and natural beauty is enough to keep many coming back, often for a longer stay in one of Sukorn's inexpensive bungalows.

Ko Sukorn is also perhaps the best place in Thailand to be exposed to traditional Thai island village lifestyle. A sign near the pier reads, "Ko Sukorn: A Beautiful Community", and this is very true indeed. The villagers here are among the most sincerely warm and friendly people to be found on any of the Thai islands. Expect to be greeted be many a smile and enthusiastic "hello!" For some reason, Ko Sukorn is also far cleaner than other inhabited islands like Ko Muk and Ko Libong. Here, the locals really seem to care about their island, and they're happy to share it.

The villagers of Ko Sukorn mainly earn their livings from fishing and agriculture -- especially rubber tapping -- with tourism a distant third. Much of the southern half of the island is covered in rice fields, with the village and main pier to the east-central shore. A narrow concrete road shoots north along the coast from there, leading past scenic mangroves where some of the region's best birdwatching may be done, and eventually uphill to a stunning cliffside lookout with expansive views of the mainland to the east and Ko Libong and more distant islands to the north. For an even more impressive view, hike up to the top of the cliff where the road comes to a sharp turn at the island's northern tip.

While a handful of cheap, family-run bungalows are found near the village and along the east-west road, all of the true resorts are scattered along the northwest coast. A beach runs almost the entire length of Sukorn's west coast, and while most of the resorts are situated along the biggest and best beach towards the north of the island, finding a completely deserted spot to enjoy the sound of the gently lapping waves is effortless just about anywhere on the west side.

Because of its relatively small size and good concrete roads, Ko Sukorn is a great place to explore on bicycle. It's also a good spot for kayaking -- get out early and head north along the cliffs, and then wind through the mangroves at high tide to the east. There are no ATMs on Ko Sukorn, so bring enough cash for your stay.