A longtail boat – its bow decorated with colourful ribbons for spiritual protection – powers through the water. In the sapphire-blue skies above, sea eagles effortlessly ride the thermals. In the distance, limestone mountains rise above the water. It’s a quintessential Krabi scene that anybody who has travelled to the beaches or islands in this region will be familiar with. But the destination today isn’t known to most tourists. I’m heading to the island of Ko Klang.
Welcome to Ko Klang
Located a short 10-minute boat ride away from Krabi Town, Ko Klang is hidden in plain sight. Many of the tourists, Thai and foreign, who pause for selfies at the giant crab sculpture in Krabi Town may not even be aware that an entire community thrives on the other side of the river beyond the mangroves.
With a population of around 5,000 people and covering an area of approximately 26 sq km…
