Ko Rok

Ko Rok Nai and Ko Rok Nok lie about thirty kilometres south of Ko Lanta with a shallow channel between them, and the reef in that channel and around both islands is among the healthier coral in Thailand - a combination of distance from the mainland, national park protection and, since 2016, a seasonal closure that shuts the islands from mid-May to mid-October to let the reef recover and to keep boats out in the monsoon. Overnight camping, once permitted, was ended. Day boats from Lanta arrive around midday, anchor in the channel and snorkel; visibility is generally good and the fish life is dense. The islands themselves are forested and uninhabited apart from a ranger station. Numbers of visitors are capped in principle. Even here, bleaching events have damaged sections of reef and the authorities have closed specific sites at short notice when temperatures spike.

What you actually see

• The channel reef - shallow coral between the two islands, among Thailand's best.
• The two islands - forested, uninhabited apart from a ranger post.
• The seasonal closure - shut from mid-May to mid-October for recovery.
• The day-boat pattern - arrivals around midday from Ko Lanta.

When to go

Mid-October to mid-May, when the park is open. It is closed entirely for five months. Sites within it can shut at short notice during bleaching events.

Honest expectations

Closed from mid-May to mid-October, and no camping. Ninety minutes each way by speedboat, which is rough in swell. Bleaching has damaged sections despite protection. National park fees are charged on top of the trip.

Nearby

Ko Ha is on the same route; Ko Lanta is north.