Koh Mak is a bit out of the norm in Thailand. Around 80% of the land is owned by 5 families here on the island. These families have some influence on local events.

What you will find

• Golfcarts that are allowed here on the road as opposed to most other places
• Approximately 35 kilometers of concrete roads on 16 square kilometers (22 miles and 6.1 square miles)
• A  police station as well as a Tourist Police Station
• A Health Center. Small hospital for the first aid
• A  school and a kindergarden for the locals kids
• A town administration
• Several small and medium size minimarts
• Approximately 55 resorts/hotels
• A small weekly market on Tuesday
• A pharmacy in western standard during the main season
• An ice cream shop
• A Muay Thai school with Gym
• An airconditioned indoor Gym
• Tennis (In- and Outdoor)
• Pickelball court
• A diving center
• More water activities (kayak, standup paddle,  snorkeling)
• Excursions to nearby islands and National Park
• Thai cooking school
• Bike rental
• Yoga
• Batik

What you cannot find

• No noisy watersports (Jetski, Waterski, Parasailing, Banaboat)
• No Red Light District
• No cars for tourist. The idea for a car ferry to the island was dropped already many years ago. The road (size)  would not allow it anyway
• No big holiday hotels from known hotel chains

Those that live on Koh Mak permanently or at least during the main season (October – April) and integrate will notice after one or two seasons that they start being part of local life. Everyone knows everyone. You meet again and again at the usual places. Be it Tuesday at the market, sunset in one of the beach spots or breakfast at Rod’s.

A ride on the motorcycle (or golf car) will not happen without you crossing at least 10 people that you greet. Maybe you participate at the activities of the Trash Heros that meet every Saturday to clear beaches from plastic. Or you help out at the animal clinic that, thanks to Heather, is catching and taking care of the stray dogs. Or you participate in the recurring events when corals get planted.

You will soon realize that distances here are perceived differently than what you are used to. 3.5 kilometers to Coral for a sunset beer or a Piña Colada appear very far. Really. With a golf car that runs max 30 km/h that is already 8 to 10 minutes. That feels very far. Pretty much the furthest you can drive is 9 kilometers. But then you crossed the whole island from west (Hidden Beach or Maruey Beeach) to Laem Son at the opposite east. You can already plan a stopover :-).

On Koh Mak we have approximately 80 farangs (foreigners). Most of them from Germany. Several from UK and Switzerland, some from France and Austria, few from Canada, USA, Netherlands, Belgium, Poland and Italy. One each from Spain, Russia, Sweden, Czech Republic, and Philippines. Approximately  15 are farangs that stay here all year. The rest are here by the season (mostly October to March/April). Many tourist that come back for their regular short holiday also come from these countries. They come for 2 to 4 weeks and after a while you also get t know them.