Island days · Trang archipelago
Koh Kradan
The beach voted the world’s best — a private longtail ride from the hill.
Why it earns the title
Powder sand, glass water, a reef you can walk into.
In 2023 the UK’s World Beach Guide named Koh Kradan’s main beach the best in the world, and standing on it you understand why: a long crescent of fine white sand, water that shifts from clear to aquamarine to deep blue in the space of a few strokes, and a coral reef that begins a short swim from the shore. Because most of the island lies inside Hat Chao Mai National Park, there are no roads, no cars and no crowds — just a handful of low-key resorts and the sound of longtails.
The day, from The Sunny Hill
Your captain meets you at the pier a few minutes from the front gate. The crossing threads past Koh Mook and the limestone outcrops of Koh Waen and Koh Chueak, where most guests ask to stop for a first snorkel — soft corals, clouds of fusiliers and the occasional turtle. By late morning you are on Kradan’s main beach, with the whole afternoon to drift between the sand, the reef and the shade.
We pack the picnic — a proper one, from our kitchen — and the boat carries snorkel gear, towels and cold water. If you would rather lunch at one of the island’s beachfront restaurants, the concierge will book a table and the boat waits.
What you will see underwater
The house reef runs the length of the main beach in two to six metres of water: staghorn and table corals, parrotfish, angelfish, moorish idols and, on a good day, blacktip reef sharks patrolling the drop-off — small, shy and harmless. Visibility is best in the dry season mornings before the afternoon breeze picks up.
Beyond the main beach
A ten-minute walk through the resort grounds and jungle crosses the island to the quieter western side, where the sunset is unobstructed. Every February the island hosts Trang’s famous underwater wedding ceremony, when couples exchange vows on the reef — a spectacle worth timing a trip around if you are here mid-month.
Good to know
- Hat Chao Mai National Park charges a modest entry fee per visitor; the concierge settles it with the boat so you carry nothing.
- Reef-safe sunscreen, a hat and water shoes make the day more comfortable; we have spare snorkel sets for children.
- Seas are calmest November to April. Green-season trips run on calm days only — we never send you out into weather.
Koh Kradan — quick answers
How far is Koh Kradan from The Sunny Hill?
About 15 nautical miles from the coast below the hill — roughly an hour by private longtail from the nearby pier, a little less by speedboat. We time departures around the tide and the light.
Can I snorkel straight from the beach at Koh Kradan?
Yes. The fringing reef on the main beach starts a short swim from the sand, which is what makes Kradan such an easy island day for mixed groups and children who are confident in the water.
Is Koh Kradan open all year?
Boats run on calm days year-round, but the most reliable sea conditions are from November to April. In the green season (roughly May to October) the concierge checks conditions daily and suggests the sheltered alternatives.
Keep exploring
Stay where the islands begin.
Every island day, chef dinner and spa ritual is concierge-arranged for guests of The Sunny Hill. Book direct for our lowest rate, a complimentary sunset dinner, private airport transfer and welcome massage.
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