Mu Koh Kra

General Info

It is a small, uninhabited island about 50 kilometers from the coast of Pak Phanang District. It consists of 3 islands: Koh Kra Yai, Koh Klang (Koh Lam), and Koh Lek (Koh Bok), and another small rock called Hin Ruea.

This island is a place where sea turtles regularly come to nest, both green and hawksbill turtles. Some years there are more than 30 nests.

The nature of this island has been preserved as a Ramsar site in 2013 and was declared a marine protected area in 2021.

The island's forests are also home to rare wildlife such as the christmas island frigatebird (Fregata andrewsi), the Chinese egret (Egretta eulophotes), the white-bellied sea-eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster), the black-naped tern (Sterna sumatrana), the pied imperial pigeon (Ducula bicolor), the nicobar pigeon (Caleonas nicobarica) etc.

What’s more? There was a discovery of a new species of mollusk in the world, Amphidromus principalis, a land snail with a beautiful shiny yellow shell that lives on trees.

Interesting Marine Life

• Up to 10 species of butterflyfish, including the two new species of Thailand: Chaetodon baronessa and C. speculum
• Blacktip reef sharks, whale sharks, and manta rays can be seen.
• There is a vast field of staghorn corals. Two species of these are the new records of the Gulf of Thailand: Acropora longicyathus and Acropora aculeus. These two species are normally found in Andaman as they need quite clear water, but finding them here is an indicator of the quality of the environment.

In 2018, a survey of the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources found that Koh Kra Yai has more than 90% of staghorn coral covers. Someone said it’s all coral all around you as far as you can see. However, the effects of the storm later caused extensive damage to corals in shallow areas from 8 meters and above. Now they are covered with algae, while corals in the deep are still intact. The survey two years later found some recoveries but it still needs some more time to be fully recovered.

Dive Site (Detail)

Koh Kra Yai
For snorkeling, the best spots are around the main beach (southwest side) and the south side of the island.
As for scuba diving, the suitable spots are on the south-eastern side, where there are large schools of fishes, and the north side, where it has a high variety of fish and corals. While on the south side to southwest from a depth of 10 meters down, there are mostly staghorn corals.

Koh Klang
The best spot is in the south part, which hosts full diversity of life, from hard corals, soft corals, black corals, and sea fans. Both scuba diving and snorkeling can be done, but sometimes the waves can be too strong for snorkeling.

Koh Lek
The southern reef of the island is similar to the southern part of Koh Klang, while the northern part is an underwater rock suitable for scuba diving with high diversity of marine life. Snorkeling is not recommended due to strong waves and its depth.

Hin Ruea
It’s for scuba diving only. It’s another spot with diverse kinds of life.