Ko Kret

Ko Kret was not an island until 1722, when a canal was cut across a loop of the Chao Phraya to shorten the journey; the river then widened the cut and left the land isolated. It was settled by Mon people, who came from Burma in successive waves, and the community has kept a distinct identity - Mon-style temples, some Mon language, and above all pottery. Ko Kret terracotta is unglazed, thin-walled and finely incised with patterns cut into the leather-hard clay before firing in wood-fuelled kilns, and it is the island's craft identity. There are no cars; a path runs the perimeter, walked or cycled in a couple of hours, past kilns, workshops, temples and riverside houses. Weekends bring a substantial food and craft market and large crowds from Bangkok; weekdays it is quiet and many stalls are shut. Parts of the island flood in the wet season.

What you actually see

• The incised terracotta - unglazed pottery cut with patterns and wood-fired.
• The Mon community - temples, language and identity kept since the eighteenth century.
• The car-free path - a perimeter walk or cycle of a couple of hours.
• The 1722 cut - the canal that made the island.

When to go

November to February. Weekends have the full market and the crowds; weekdays are quiet with many stalls closed. Half a day including the ferry.

Honest expectations

Weekends are extremely crowded with Bangkok day-trippers; weekdays much is shut. Parts of the island flood in the wet season. No cars, so everything is walked or cycled. Ferry only - there is no bridge.

Nearby

Pak Kret is across the water; central Bangkok is south.