Koh Raet

Ko Raet is a tiny island just off the Don Sak coast in Surat Thani, home to a small Thai-Chinese fishing community that has lived here for generations. Unlike the snorkelling islands further offshore, Ko Raet is reached not by boat but across the water: the Chaloem Siri Rat bridge, a single-track sea bridge built during the reign of King Rama IX to give villagers a road link to the mainland, carries you over open water with sweeping views on both sides before it lands you in the village.

The island itself is a working fishing community of traditional wooden houses, with boats moored along the shore and racks of fish drying in the sun. You can walk the whole island in 20 to 30 minutes, passing small restaurants and homestays along the way. The draw here is fresh, cheap seafood and dried fish — both sold for noticeably less than on the mainland — eaten with the sea in view rather than any beach resort polish.

This is a quiet, lived-in place rather than a tourist attraction, which is exactly its appeal for travellers who want to see a side of southern Thailand that day-trip itineraries skip. Mornings and late afternoons, when the fishing boats come and go and the light is soft over the bridge, are the best times to wander. Some visitors hire a longtail to circle the island and the nearby waters, where dolphins are occasionally spotted.

Getting here is simple: park near the bridge on the mainland and either walk across or take one of the motorbike taxis that wait there for a few baht. There is no entrance fee. Bring cash, as the village shops and homestays are not set up for cards, and come hungry — the seafood is the reason to make the trip.