Ko Ngai

Ko Ngai, sometimes written Ko Hai, is a small island in the Trang archipelago - administratively part of Krabi but reached from Trang - with a single east-facing beach where all the accommodation sits and nothing else on it. There is no village, no local community and no roads, which makes it unlike most Thai islands: everyone there is either staying at a resort or working at one. Fringing reef runs directly off the beach with shallow water and coral within wading distance at low tide, and the sunsets over the karst islands to the west are the other thing people mention. Kayaks and boat trips to Ko Muk, Ko Kradan and Ko Chuek are arranged from the resorts. There is no bank machine and card acceptance is limited. From May to October the boats reduce and most resorts close. The island is quiet to the point of dull for anyone wanting more than a beach and a book.

What you actually see

• The single beach - east-facing, with all accommodation along it.
• The shore reef - coral within wading distance at low tide.
• The absence of a village - no local settlement, only resorts.
• The sunsets - over the karst islands to the west.

When to go

November to April; boats reduce and most resorts close from May to October. Book ahead - the island is small and options are few.

Honest expectations

No village, no shops and no bank machine - bring cash and expect to eat at your resort. Very quiet, which some find dull. Extensive low-season closures. Reef damage from anchoring and bleaching has occurred.

Nearby

Ko Muk and Ko Kradan are south; Ko Lanta is north.