Back on the Grid, Back from Ko Kradan

Offline. Remember the days before computers, Internet, Facebook?  We got a taste of life off the grid when we spent four nights on Ko Kradan at the delightful Paradise Lost Resort.

Ko Kradan is a small island in the southern Andaman Sea. Kradan means “plank”, and true to name the island is roughly shaped like a 2″ x 4″. We arrived via two mostly uneventful ferry trips, with a one-night stopover on the nearby island Ko Ngai. I say “mostly uneventful” because on one of the ferry trips I had an unfortunate incident: I got locked in the ship’s bathroom.

Ahem. For those of you familiar with ship bathrooms, you’ll know these are generally a) tiny, b) stiflingly hot and c) smell bad. This one met all those criteria, plus it was sopping wet. Like most Thai bathrooms, this one came with a water hose (the Thai preference to toilet paper).

The door handle was broken off, and something got jammed when I tried to twist the remaining handle to open the door. Jiggle. No luck.

Jiggle jiggle jiggle shoulder-against-the-door-HEAVE. Still no luck.

Feet-against-the-door, shoulders against the back of the bathroom, pushing with all my strength…nothing. Time for a new plan.

Knock-knock? Knock-knock-knock? No response from the outside yet. This is getting desperate; it is at least 100 degrees in here. And while I wouldn’t say I am claustrophobic, I prefer to inhabit spaces larger than coat closets.

BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM!!! Repeat for about three minutes, finally a faint knock back. Thank the gods, help is on the way! Five minutes later I’m sprung by a crew member with a screwdriver and a puzzled expression. Whew.

Back to Ko Kradan. We loved it. If you are looking for an island with discos, shopping, and a lively bar scene – go somewhere else. Ko Kradan is not for you. If, however, you’re looking for unspoilt beaches, thatched roof bungalows and delicious Thai food, Ko Kradan could be your personal paradise. Oh, and it helps if you like dogs, because there are a lot of them on the island. More on the dogs in a later post.

The island is part of Hat Chao Mai National Park and is lightly developed, with only a handful of places to stay overnight. Paradise Lost Resort is located in the interior, surrounded by jungle. We had our own thatched roof bungalow, complete with 24-hour electricity, a fan and a mosquito net.

Wally, the proprietor, is an interesting guy. An American, he hailed from Hawaii before sailing away 20+ years ago. He spent the next 15 years sailing through the south Pacific. You name an island, he’s probably been there. He then spent six years working in Papua New Guinea, before coming to Thailand and building Paradise Lost. It took him eight years to build the resort, the first two of which he continued to live on his boat.  

Our time at Ko Kradan went quickly. Snorkeling, kayaking (we circumnavigated the island, and Mark got a great workout paddling me around), eating, sleeping…Ko Kradan is our favorite place so far, and is highly recommended. Only 17.5 months to find a place we like better.

More Ko Kradan photos…