Koh Kret Travel Essentials

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"Bangkok's River Island"

Koh Kret Tourism

Koh Kret is a small artificial island in the Chao Phraya River which lies in the province of Nonthaburi, to the north of Bangkok in Thailand. The island has the old-world charm and gives a bird’s eye view of its early settlers, evolution, and culture. Koh Kret is an old village-type island where Mon people stay (they were one of the first settlers). It is good for a one-day trip if you want to see how people in the yesteryears lived in Thailand. 

Sticking to their roots, their lives are interwoven with cultural practices reflected in their daily life and occupation. Pottery is a star attraction and a major source of employment for the locals. Terracotta is another cultural heritage that Koh Kret takes great pride in.

For religious sightseeing, Wat Poramai Yikawat is a good option. It is a Buddhist temple with a reclining Buddha and a leaning stupa. Koh Kret has carry forwarded its culinary legacy by preparing traditional dishes that were prepared for the royal court. These recipes have been passed down to generations and till date are easily available here with the most authentic taste. And the same goes for the sweetmeats too!

Things to do in Koh Kret

1. Visit Pottery Villages

Visit Pottery Villages
Koh Kret is known for its pottery. Take out time to visit pottery villages and gain the experience of them being made. You can also take a few pots home as decor or utility items. To make your own pot (Read More), visit Soon Hatakam Kreung Pan Din Pao Center. Here, you can try your hand at pottery for only THB 50. Explore Koh Kret by cycling along the side pathways in the city.

2. Wat Poramaiyikawat

Wat Poramaiyikawat
Wat Poramaiyikawat is the main temple in Koh Kret. It is an old monastery constructed in Mon style, during the late Ayutthaya period. The temple has beautiful architecture with the main prayer hall de (Read More)cked in italian marble brought in by King Rama V and mural paintings in Thai style. Outside the temple is Phra Chedi Mutao, or the leaning pagoda, which is said to contain Buddha's relics.

3. Koh Kret Weekend Market

Koh Kret Weekend Market
The Koh Kret market, open on weekends, is lined with stalls and vendors stretching over a kilometre selling various snacks and souvenirs. You can buy things like terracotta decorations, woodcraft, hou (Read More)se decor items and more.

4. Try The Thai & Mon Snacks and Desserts

Try The Thai & Mon Snacks and Desserts
Ran Lek is a famous coffee shop that is known for serving coffee in clay pots that you can take home. The local markets are filled with shops and vendors making sure that you never have an empty stoma (Read More)ch. Here they sell local produce and foods that are native to the area and not found anywhere else. Koh Kret is especially known for Khao Cher, which is a rice dish served with chilled fragrant water and several side dishes. There are also many riverside restaurants and vendors selling snacks and desserts.

5. Taste The Famous Chit Beer

Taste The Famous Chit Beer
You can stop at Koh Kret Brewery or Chit Beer for some refreshing beer. It is one of Thailand's first open home brewers, serving his own beer for consumption on site. However, it is open only on Satur (Read More)day and Sunday. Mind you the footfall is crazy here.

Must Know Before You Travel to Koh Kret

  • Speedboats to Koh Kret: Nonthaburi Pier is the last stop on the Bangkok Chao Phraya Express boat that runs from Spahan Taksin central pier. From the Nonthaburi pier, longtail speedboats are available for Koh Kret, which takes 15-20 minutes. Tickets can be bought from the counters at the pier.
  • Bangkok to Koh Kret Bus: Bus bus #166 or #104 runs between Bangkok & Koh Kret. Get down at Wat Sanam Neua Temple and then take a ferry across the river to reach the island.
  • Getting Around: Koh Kret can be explored on foot or by bicycle. Motorcycle taxis are also available. Cycles can be rented near Wat Paramaiyikawat and Wat Pa Fai.
  • Accommodation: Even though most people visit Koh Kret on a day trip from Bangkok, several local-style homestays are available for stay.

Top Hotels In Koh Kret

More on Koh Kret Travel

Best Time to Visit Koh Kret

How to Reach Koh Kret

How to Reach Overview

Koh Kret in Nonthaburi is a river island that is 12 km from the centre of Bangkok. To reach there, you can take bus 33 from Sanam Luang or bus 166 from Victory Monument. Alternatively, you can take a taxi to Pak Khret. Then board the cross-river ferry 2B that leaves at 5 PM from Wat Sanam Neua and reaches at 9 PM. Also, Chao Phraya Express Boat’s green flag express runs between Pak Kret and Saphan Taksin (Central Pier) on weekends only. It runs every twenty minutes from here between 6:10 AM and 8:10 AM and twenty minutes in the opposite direction between 4:05 PM and 6:05 PM (32B).

Local transport in Koh Kret

To get around Koh Kret, hire a motorcycle taxi which is usually driven by females. You can rent the taxi for THB 50 per day. You can also rent a bicycle for THB 40 per day but it is not recommended as it is too hot to cycle your way around. If you are here for the weekend you can hire a boat for ten people for THB 500. It will take you for a tour to batik shops, places where you can try local sweetmeats and the floating market.

Koh Kret Photos

Koh Kret
Koh Kret - Beautiful Man-Made Island
Wat Paramaiyikawat - Ancient Buddhist Temple
Koh Kret Island Has Many Pottery Villages

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FAQs on Koh Kret

What is the best time to visit Koh kret?

Although all year round makes for a great time to visit, the best time to visit Koh Kret is from November to April which are the dry months if you want to enjoy the coast. However, keep an eye out as the weather varies drastically from south to north coast.
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What is the local food in Koh kret?

Koh Kret gives you a glimpse of the old Vietnamese rural culture with its Mon settlement. The same is reflected in the majority of the dishes that are prepared in local homes and in the market. Following are a few places that you must visit to savour some good food in Koh Kret - 

  • Tort Man Nor Galah is a dish of Mon Origin where Tort Man means deep-fried fish patties with herbs and mushrooms, Nor Galah means an aquatic vegetable that is deep-fried. This is served with the tongue-tingling sweet and sour sauce.
  • Another popular dish is the Kanom Jeen which is fermented rice noodles served with a variety of gravies.
  • Kow Chaa is a rice dish that is camphor scented served with knick-knacks. It has cooling properties. Hence considered appropriate for summers to beat the heat. 
  • Koh Kret and Thailand, in general, are known for their sweet (Kanom) and savoury snacks (Korng wahng). There is ample sweet stuff owing to the abundance of sweet plums that grow here. For the Korng wahng, you can try Miang Kam that is wild tea leaves with herbs and sweet-savoury sauce.
  • Pan Sip, are like tiny deep-fried rolls oozing with a mixture of shredded fish, peanuts and black pepper.
  • Try Gai Sarong, is minced chicken wrapped in egg noodles and then deep fried into golden balls.
  • Pandan noodles are a must-try.
  • There are a string of open-air restaurants in the area that you can try in Koh Kret like Pa Ka Lung that serves Kow Chaa, Kanom Jeen and many other local dishes.

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What is the best way to reach Koh kret?

Koh Kret in Nonthaburi is a river island that is 12 km from the centre of Bangkok. To reach there, you can take bus 33 from Sanam Luang or bus 166 from Victory Monument. Alternatively, you can take a taxi to Pak Khret. Then board the cross-river ferry 2B that leaves at 5 PM from Wat Sanam Neua and reaches at 9 PM. Also, Chao Phraya Express Boat’s green flag express runs between Pak Kret and Saphan Taksin (Central Pier) on weekends only. It runs every twenty minutes from here between 6:10 AM and 8:10 AM and twenty minutes in the opposite direction between 4:05 PM and 6:05 PM (32B).
Read More

What are the places near Koh kret?

The top places near to Koh kret are Bangkok which is 19 km from Koh kret, Pattaya which is located 119 km from Koh kret, Hua hin which is located 161 km from Koh kret, Samut prakan which is located 39 km from Koh kret, Ayutthaya which is located 50 km from Koh kret

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