Feeling like Robinson Crusoe on the tiny island of Koh Wai

We sail on a large wooden boat from Koh Chang. We stop about 20 meters from the shore – in front of us is an island like from a postcard: luscious green, calm, wrapped in turquoise water, the most beautiful I have ever seen. The engine quiets, and the ship makes a loud sound – a signal for someone on shore. After a while, somewhere in the distance, a small boat comes out, led by an older man.

From our deck, we have to descend on tires hung over the side – a little clumsily, a little soulfully. Then the crew drops our luggage and carefully, together with a few other travelers, we sit down in a small wooden hulk. We sail towards the shore – towards Koh Wai, a paradise island almost completely detached from the world.

There is no village, no roads, no stores. There is one restaurant and a few wooden huts scattered along the beach. Simple, quiet, peaceful. And that’s exactly what we need.

I invite you to spend three days on an almost deserted island, where time flows differently and nature plays first fiddle.

Koh Wai is a tiny island in the southeast of Thailand. People come here mainly for snorkeling. Tourists rarely stay longer. It is a very quiet place, where there is no electricity for half a day. There is also no entertainment on Koh Wai except swimming in the blue water and sitting on the beach. This is an island for those who want to get away from civilization and are looking for a place where there are no crowds of tourists and where you can just stay and enjoy the moment.

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Koh Wai – First impressions

Koh Wai in the photos looked like a paradise. However, you know how it is sometimes. On the Internet you can find really beautiful places, but reality often surprises you negatively. Here it was the opposite. The photos were beautiful, but in real life Koh Wai looked even better!

In a small boat we sailed to the shore of the beach, where there were only a few people. Under the forest stood wooden houses. Right next door, under the canopy of a small restaurant, we could see tables with a few people sipping beer. It was quiet, quite different from the neighboring Koh Chang, full of tourists.

Po przekroczeniu brzegu, zanieśliśmy nasze walizki do restauracji i tam zapytaliśmy o nasze zakwaterowanie. Młoda dziewczyna, nie okazując zbytniego entuzjazmu na nasz widok, niemal bez słowa wręczyła nam klucze i ruchem ręki wskazała pobliski bungalow. Stał on kilka metrów dalej – mała, sklejkowa chatka, ze sporym tarasem i lekko połamanymi krzesłami. Drzwi zamykały się jedynie na zardzewiałą kłódkę. Otworzyły się szeroko, aż do samych drzwi. W środku całe niewielkie pomieszczenie zajmowało podwójne łóżko z dziurawą moskitierą. Pomimo panującego na zewnątrz upału i pełnego słońca, niewiele było widać. Pokój miał dwie niezasłonięte okiennice, ale one również nie zapewniały zbyt wiele światła. W ścianach były dziury wielkości kciuka. Od razu pomyślałem o pająkach, które z łatwością mogłyby się przez nie przedostać.

The room was with a bathroom, which surprisingly was new and nicely done. Only cold water ran in the faucet and shower. I was surprised to find that there were no towels, toilet paper, soap or shampoo in the bathroom. At first this seemed like a problem to me, but as soon as I turned around and headed for the door, I forgot about something as mundane as towels at all.

The cottage overlooked the beach. Literally 5 meters down there was wonderfully white sand, blue water and tall palm trees lazily swaying in the wind. This is the Thailand I was looking for, I thought. Within 3 days, all my cares and worries were left somewhere behind, and I enjoyed the climate of this small island.

My accommodation on Koh Wai

There are no big resorts on Koh Wai. There are currently 2 resorts on the island that offer very basic accommodation. The bungalow where I stayed was of average standard, from what I noticed. At one end of the island, the bungalows were even more modest. For that, they were away from the main part of the beach, where boats with tourists dock during the day. At the other end, the bungalows look newer. My bungalow was neither old nor new, but still quite basic.

There is no air conditioning in the cottages. There is a fan, which, of course, works only when there is electricity, that is, from 3 pm until morning. The beds have mosquito nets. Mine was full of holes, but it still protected well from mosquitoes. All cottages have a bathroom, but as I mentioned, it doesn’t have any extra stuff. So it’s worth bringing them with you. You can find mosquito sprays, SPF, toilet paper, shower gel and shampoo in the restaurant next door. Prices are higher than normal.

There is no Wi-Fi on the island. There is, however, 5G coverage and it works quite well. It’s worth getting a SIM card with unlimited internet if you want to work there remotely, for example. I recommend you, of course, AloSIM, an e-sim card, which you can already purchase before you leave. You can also find more information about internet and SIM cards in Thailand here.

I booked accommodation on Koh Wai via Whatsapp, which I found on Google Maps. The owner can be reached at – +66 6124241556 I paid the fee through Wise. There is no ATM on the island, so you need to take cash. If you run out of money, you can also pay through Wise to the same account.

What did I do for 3 days on Koh Wai?

There is not much to do on Koh Wai. It’s certainly not an island for those who don’t like to sit around and relax. You are unlikely to find much entertainment here.

I did a lot of swimming during the 3 days. The restaurant offers free snorkeling masks. There are also kayaks. The water around the island is very calm and safe for this type of activity. Just watch out for sea urchins, as there are a lot of them and they are close to the shore.

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The island also has no trekking trails. It has one sunset spot where you can go in the evening.

The restaurant serves delicious food. The dishes are mainly Thai. The shakes and smoothies are worth trying, as they are really good. For those who drink alcohol, I recommend the fresh whiskey coconut, which is made by the owner himself. Prices are comparable to those on other islands.

So take books, your favorite music (but better to listen to it on headphones), and games or cards with you to the island.

What makes Koh Wai so special?

Koh Wai is one of the few islands in Thailand anymore where you can feel a bit like Robinson Crusoe. There are no crowds here, no big resorts and no noise. You will start each day by opening your door. In front of your eyes will stretch the water and the empty beach. You will draw the sea breeze into your lungs. You will have a good breakfast at the lodge. You will drink coffee. Throughout the day you will swim and relax. In the evenings, you will be completely alone on the beach, which is in itself a unique experience in Thailand.

Koh Wai is a special island because it is so close to other, more popular places where there is more chaos, and here time has stopped. I stayed there for 3 days, and it felt like 3 weeks had passed. The cottages are of a very basic standard, which gives Koh Wai more character and makes it different from what you see on the other surrounding islands. You will definitely like it here if you are looking for peace and quiet and a break from the touristy places.

Your stay on Koh Wai – Practical Information

The best time to go to Koh Wai is December-March, which is the peak season. I was there in mid-March and it was fantastic. This region of the country is also good for visiting later – until June. After that in Thailand we have the rainy season and your stay can be spoiled by rain and unstable weather.

Koh Wai is about an hour away from Koh Chang. I took a boat just from there. I bought my ticket from a travel agency. It included pickup from the hotel, and the boat. The small boat that picks up tourists from under Koh Wai costs an additional THB 20 per person.

If you’re going to Koh Wai from Bangkok, you can take a bus from Ekkamai to Trat, then a cab to the boat and from the marina you go directly to Koh Wai. You can buy a combination ticket on 12GoAsia.

From Koh Wai to another place you will also arrive without any problem. Every morning a boat comes to pick up tourists. You can buy your ticket at a restaurant on the beach or at 12GoAsia.

Don’t forget to pack with you:

• Towels
• Mosquito spray
• Sun lotion
• Toilet paper
• Shower gel and shampoo
• Cash

Here you will find a comprehensive article on what to take to Koh Wai.

Over the past 13 years, I’ve traveled to different parts of Thailand. I’ve been to the most popular places like Koh Tao and Krabi, but I’ve never stayed on such a small island before. It was a beautiful experience. On the island I relaxed like nowhere else. I recharged my battery there, took a breather. Being in such a beautiful place gave me a different perspective on life and on my problems. I will definitely return there in the future, and now, for my next trip, I am looking for similar islands that will delight me in the same way. The bar has certainly been raised here.