The north coast of Koh Mak, which stretches from Ao Taan to Ao Ta Long and onto Turtle Beach (Ao Tao Kai) is little touched by tourism, but it does now have four resorts, two in the middle, The Mak and Little Moon Villa and two at the eastern end, Koh Mak Green View Resort and Cinnamon Art Resort.
One of the original island communities is found up in the north west and several other tiny collections of wooden houses are dotted along the sea-line, hidden down tracks which run through the forest.
Its beaches are a mixture of coarse sand, volcanic rock and mangroves trees, with low tide seeing the sea retreat way out into the bays.
Ao Taan | Cinnamon Resort Area | Ao Talong
Out to Ao Taan – North Coast
From the back of the pier at Ao Suan Yai Beach, the road cuts across the island over 2 to 3 km to a crossroads, and by continuing straight on, heads out towards the north and north east coasts respectively.
For a few kilometres, it makes its way through the rubber trees and cultivated fields, past the new concrete roads on the left leading to The Mak and Little Moon Villa or to the right leading to Bamboo Hideaway, Sea View Resort and Sea Breeze on the eastern coast.
Eventually, you reach the road-side restaurant of Koh Mak Green View Resort, with the turning down to the actual resort on the left.
Follow this road and it emerges out from the forest onto the coast of Ao Taan, with the bungalows spaced out on the gritty sand by the sea.
In the past, you could set off on foot down the track behind the old restaurant and explore further, but this route is currently roped off.
Cinnamon Resort Area
By going back to the turning up at the main road, in fact the only option unless you set off on the walk above, you can then continue straight to Cinnamon Art Resort, again on the Ao Taan coast.
Incidentally, at that turning, the road does also bend to the right – the way to Plubpla, Villa Allure and Laem Son.
Cinnamon itself lies at the very end of a good paved track, with a sweep of rocky beach and nothing else around, except a dramatically long pier stretching out into the bay.
From the the very end of it, the view across to Koh Kradat or the view looking back at the untouched coast of Ao Taan and Ao Ta Long make the trip out here more than worthwhile.
The wilds of Ao Ta Long – North Coast
Returning once more to the main crossroads coming up from Ao Suan Yai Beach, the road also offers an option to the left and this leads to one of the original Koh Mak communities.
The village has become much smaller over the last few years, but there are still some typical wooden houses, some in the forest, some by the water as well as a unique collection of stilted houseboats on a small pier. Worth adding that those houseboats are not some ancient method of sea living handed down generation by the generation, just an eccentric idea which has grown over time.
Beyond the pier, there is nothing more than a well worn trail (again roped off) which hugs the shore before joining up with the warren of walking paths and tracks, some signed some not, in the forest at the north of the island.
Indeed, if you did take the trail, it is effectively possible to join up with the route through the coconut plantations at the northern end of Ao Suan Yai, so in turn arriving at the wonderful, Turtle Beach (Ao Tao Kai).
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