Koh Kret Tourism (2020) - Thailand > Top Places, Travel Guide

Koh Kret Tourism

Koh Kret is a small artificial island in Chao Phraya River which lies 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). Koh Kret is good for a one day trip if you are interested in seeing how people in the yesteryears lived in Thailand. Sticking to their roots, their lives are interwoven with cultural practices which are reflected in their daily life and occupation. The traditional earthenware is found along the riverside.

Pottery is a star attraction and a major source of employment for the locals. Terracota 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 sweet meats too!

Things To Do

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, 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.
If you decide to take the long tail speed boat, you will probably stop at Ran Baan Khanom Wan (The Thai Sweet House) from where you can buy sweet and savoury snacks to gorge on. Koh Kret has few temples that you can see like Wat Salakun, Wat Phat Lorn and Wat Paramaiyikawat.
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 stomach. Here they sell local produce and foods that are native to the area and not found anywhere else.
You can stop at Koh Kret Brewery or Chit Beer for some refreshing beer. However, it is open only on Saturday and Sunday. Mind you the footfall is crazy here.

Restaurants and 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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Best Time to Visit Koh Kret

Commuting within Koh Kret

Visa Policy Thailand

Koh Kret Photos

Chao Phraya River - Major River in Thailand

Wat Paramaiyikawat - Ancient Buddhist Temple

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How 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).