Ko Phra Thong

Ko Phra Thong is unusual for a Thai island in being almost entirely flat, and in what covers it: a large area of open savanna grassland with scattered trees, growing on nutrient-poor sandy soil, which looks nothing like the forested islands elsewhere and supports a distinct set of birds. Long empty beaches run down the western side. The 2004 tsunami hit the island hard and destroyed villages, and the population has never returned to what it was; today the two villages, Thapayoi and Thung Dap, have fewer than three hundred people, Moken and Thai. The island covers about 88 square kilometres and is separated from the mainland by a channel some seven metres deep. There are a handful of small resorts and homestays, a village, and very little else - no bank machine, limited power, and a boat service that is informal and weather-dependent. The savanna burns in the dry season, which is part of its ecology. Visitors come for emptiness rather than facilities, and the island rewards that and nothing else.

Highlights

• The savanna - open grassland with scattered trees on sandy soil.
• The empty beaches - long stretches on the western side with nobody on them.
• The tsunami aftermath - a population and villages that never fully returned.
• The birdlife - species tied to the grassland habitat rather than forest.

When to go

November to April; boats are unreliable or stop in the monsoon. Resorts arrange transfers - independent arrival is difficult.

Before you go

No bank machine, limited electricity and almost no services - bring cash and essentials. Boat access is informal and weather-dependent. Very little to do, which is the appeal or the problem depending on the visitor. Grassland fires occur in the dry season.

Nearby

Khura Buri is the mainland pier; the Surin Islands are offshore to the west.

Key facts