Koh Tan - Thailand

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After spending a month on Koh Samui enjoying its many beaches and vibrant night life I decided it was time to see something other than its many bars and clubs. For this reason I organized a trip to Koh Tan (also known as Koh Katen) which is part of the Katen archipelago.
I organized my trip to Koh Tan with the help of a local travel agent called ‘Tropical Easy Travel’ based in Maenam, Koh Samui who I found via their website www.tropicaleasy.com Tropical Easy made everything painless by organizing everything from transfers, transport and accommodation.
I chose to visit Koh Tan because I wanted to get away from all the hustle and bustle of Samui and escape to somewhere quiet where I could relax and unwind. Koh Tan is the perfect place for this. The lovely staff at Tropical Easy informed me that only about 17 people live on this island.
There are no roads here, hence, no vehicular traffic. Having no electrical network, generators are used to supply power for a few hours each day. Rich in nature the island is ideal for trekking via the tens of paths which cross it. Only the sounds of nature are to be heard on this peaceful place. An exploration of this island uncovers many species of birds and other animals.

Of particular beauty are the large butterflies fluttering between the rich vegetation. The tallest hill of Koh Tan is 218 meters in height. The calm and serene natives here receive you with a grin and always their best hospitality. Anyone disliking dogs will find "paradise" on Koh Tan as there are no dogs! (Curious in Thailand as almost all Thai families keep dogs.) An old legend reports that the dogs of the island started to magically disappear.

Another version is they became the prey of a very large snake which systematically hunted them until they were all completely consumed. I am thankful that on my trip I did not see this or any other snake.

I spent 2 days and 1 night on this island which was money well spent as I felt rejuvenated and relaxed. I enjoyed the fact that I had entire beaches to myself to explore, snorkel and sun myself on. The accommodation was basic; the food was fantastic as it was fresh seafood caught that day as well as a number of other delicious Thai dishes.

The island is not connected by a regular boat service and can only be reached by private boat charter. I thoroughly enjoyed my trip to Koh Tan and would not hesitate to recommend this trip to all travellers who want to get off the regularly beaten tourist path.

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