Ko Kradat: an unusual island populated by free-roaming deer

A curiosity that is truly "made in Thailand" or rather "Amazing Thailand" as they say here! Today I'm taking you to the small island of Ko Kradat (not to be confused with the island of Ko Kradan, whose name sounds similar but which is located much further down, on the Andaman Sea side, south of Ko Lanta).

Ko Kradat is located just east of Ko Mak (they are barely 1 km apart), where we were staying at the time. Besides its century-old wooden house, this island is renowned for its population of deer roaming freely.

How to get to Ko Kradat:

Learning of its existence while touring Ko Mak on a scooter (read the article here), we returned to the small cabin that serves as a small bar/restaurant, at the tip of Laem Son beachWe were waiting for our impromptu "taxi" to become available.

The fisherman then came out of his shack and took us there immediately after we'd paid the lady at the cabin. I suspect she took a hefty commission in the process… To sum up:

This is a private island, which means there is an access fee of 100 Baht per person. Expect to pay approximately It takes 15 minutes to get there from Ko MakIn practical terms, there are several ways to get there:

• From the hotel Cinnamon Art Resort and Spa, there you will find a boat service including a drink (apparently, since that is not how we went there) and the entrance fee to the island for 250 baht per person.
• From the end of Laem Son beach, asking the girl who runs the hut, we will pay 800 baht for 2, including the 100 baht entrance fee but it remains expensive…

A Short Story by Ko Kradat

This is a small private islandDotted with coconut palms and surrounded by deserted beaches, it's worth the trip for that reason alone. One of the island's unique features is that it was the first in Thailand to be granted a land title, established by King Rama V.

This was done in the context of the time, in order to establish its sovereignty over this piece of land, while the region was coveted by France, which was then present in Indochina right next door.

This same King Rama V, who also visited this small piece of land, is commemorated by a photograph of the event. It is discreetly displayed on the wall of the century-old house that greets you upon arrival.

The second distinctive feature? Well, as indicated in the title, it is "inhabited" by a horde of small deer and does! And why, you might ask?

Because at one point two pairs were brought to the island (for what purpose, I don't know…), but, due to a lack of regulation, they simply reproduced and with the generations, there are now more than 2000 of them!

Tractor ride on the island

As soon as we arrived, we could see a number of them wandering here and there next to the main house. We were given some vegetables and immediately the less shy ones approached and came to eat directly from our hand!

Le entrance fee to the island includes a short tractor ride. The tractor had just returned from bringing back a Thai couple and their child.

So we immediately boarded this vehicle, which reminded me of my childhood (yes, I grew up near farms), and off we went for a ride of about half an hour. It was time to go to the other end of the island to see... a beautiful deserted beach, and along the way try to spot deer hidden under the trees.

It's quite stiflingly hot and the island is only partially dotted with coconut trees. But the journey to the other end of the island is quick.

And what a pleasure to find ourselves on this beach that beckons us! Used deck chairs indicate the presence of an attempt at development, but I doubt that it is really used.

Apart from our driver, we are absolutely alone to walk along this long beach, lined with large trees providing welcome shade. We stay long enough to take our series of photos, well at the same time there's not too much rush either.

The century-old houseLocated right on the beach, it also serves as a restaurant. But despite the presence of a small resort (mainly catering to Thais, particularly families traveling in groups), don't expect a classic restaurant with a menu...

No, here in Ko Kradat, we serve according to the provisions…. Besides, if officially the deer of the island are not consumed, it would not be really surprising if the pork served in the dishes is not… (I'm joking!)

A group of Thais arrived on the island later. Most of them left with the tractor, which had to add a second trailer due to the number of people!

Another, more laid-back group was content to relax by the sea. They brought out the beers and started drinking while playing a little guitar… That's what holidays are all about!

We left at 12:30, telling our taxi driver for the day to come and pick us up around 16pm… not really knowing how long it would take to go around it.

We thought we would enjoy relaxing on a private beach, alone, but after the tractor ride and having eaten, it has to be said, we were starting to get a little bored, the heat not making us want to walk around, even if we will try to explore the surroundings.

Normally, the island's main attraction, besides the deer, is a small, isolated tree in the north that is surrounded by water at high tide. I don't know why the tractor didn't take us there that day, but I wanted to mention it here so you don't miss the "must-sees" of Ko Kradat.

In the end, our "savior" came back a little earlier than expected around 15:45 p.m. In conclusion, the island is still worth seeing, but 2 good hours should be enough.

If you are passing through the area, would you consider a little excursion to this particular island?