Ko Jam

If the never-ending chaos of videos, Western restaurants, blaring beach bars and souvenir shops radiating out of Lanta or Phi-Phi is getting to you, this island offers the perfect respite. Laid-back and blissfully quiet, it is inhabited by a small number of fishing families. About the only entertainment on this Muslim island is watching the local villagers load and unload their fishing boats or collect cashews and coconuts. Activities include swimming in the clear water and taking long walks on the beach. The peace won’t last forever, however. New resorts are appearing every season, so visit now, before the island changes beyond recognition. ...

If the never-ending chaos of videos, Western restaurants, blaring beach bars and souvenir shops radiating out of Lanta or Phi-Phi is getting to you, this island offers the perfect respite. Laid-back and blissfully quiet, it is inhabited by a small number of fishing families. About the only entertainment on this Muslim island is watching the local villagers load and unload their fishing boats or collect cashews and coconuts. Activities include swimming in the clear water and taking long walks on the beach. The peace won’t last forever, however. New resorts are appearing every season, so visit now, before the island changes beyond recognition. Public transport to Ko Jam and Ko Si Boya becomes less frequent during the low season, so some resorts close down between May and October. Most accommodations consist of simple fan bungalows. Boats to Ko Jam and nearby Ko Si Boya leave from Ban Laem Kruat, a village about 19 miles from Krabi, at the end of Rte 4036, off Hwy 4. From Krabi, take a local bus to Nua Khlon, and then another to Ban Laem Kraut.

About the Expert

Joe Cummings has contributed to more than 35 guidebooks, maps, atlases, phrasebooks and photographic works, including his bestselling Lonely Planet Thailand and Buddhist Stupas of Asia: The Shape of Perfection.