Koh Man Klang

Ko Man Klang is the middle island of Mu Ko Man, a group of three small islands — Ko Man Nai, Ko Man Klang, and Ko Man Nok — off the coast of Mae Phim Beach in Klaeng district, Rayong. At around 60 rai (roughly 9.6 hectares), it’s reached only by boat: longtails and speedboats run from Ban Phe pier, about 5-9 km away, or from Laem Mae Phim, typically as part of an island-hopping day trip rather than a scheduled ferry service.

The island is best known for its clear water and reef patches, and above all for the tidal sandbar that emerges between Ko Man Klang and Ko Man Nai at low tide. Snorkelling trips from Ban Phe often stop here alongside neighbouring Ko Man Nai and Ko Man Nok — and it’s Ko Man Nai, not Ko Man Klang, that hosts the DMCR sea turtle conservation centre established under Queen Sirikit’s royal initiative, so pair the two islands if the turtles are on your list.

Mu Ko Man sits outside the boundary of Khao Laem Ya-Mu Ko Samet National Park, the park that covers Ko Samet and its immediate satellite islands — so the park’s 40 THB entry fee doesn’t apply here. At low tide, a sandbar connects Ko Man Nai and Ko Man Klang, exposed for about 200 m and walkable for roughly an hour either side of the lowest point of the tide; it doesn’t reach the mainland, so a boat is still required to start the trip.

Insider Tip: Ask your boat operator about the Ko Man Nai-to-Ko Man Klang sandbar crossing and time your trip around low tide — it’s a rare chance to walk between two islands in the Gulf of Thailand, and most day tours don’t build it into the schedule unless you ask.

Watch out: There’s no causeway or bridge from the mainland despite what some listings claim — every visit starts with a boat, and there are no shops on the island, so bring your own water and sun protection.