Koh Mak is perfect for a break from it all
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Read the following story by Karnjana Karnjanatawe from the Bangkok Post. Then, answer the questions that follow.
Calm waves slowly reach Ao Khao beach on Koh Mak, a tiny island in Trat. The water was warm and clear. A school of little fish swam near the shore while a bird stood nearby, waiting. Suddenly, it dipped its head into the water, caught a fish and flew away.
It was late afternoon and the Sun was hiding behind the clouds. I sat on a wooden swing under a giant tree on the beach to dry myself after swimming. There were no other visitors on the long sandy beach. The sea was not disturbed by jet skis, parasails or banana boats as these activities are banned on the island.
"Do you like it here?" asked a hotel staffer during my dinner. I nodded and told her that it was my second visit to the island.
I chose to visit during the rainy season so that there are not too many other visitors on the beaches. I was also the only guest of the property. For those who want to avoid crowded places like the neighbouring island of Koh Chang, the island of Koh Mak is a great option where you can do nothing but rest.
ISLAND HISTORY
The history of Koh Mak goes back to the period of King Rama V. It was a coconut plantation. The island was then bought by Luang Prompakdi about 120 years ago.
After some time, the family had their relatives join and the island is still owned mostly by these five families today. The idea to open the island for tourism started in 1985 when a group of European backpackers who were on Koh Chang paddled a boat to explore and stopped at Koh Mak.
It was at this time that Jakrapad Taveteekul, the great-grandson of Luang Prompakdi, developed part of his land to be Koh Mak Resort and built ten simple huts to welcome tourists. It was the first resort on Koh Mak before becoming one of the prominent resorts on the island today.
Koh Mak is a small island. It covers a total area of about 9,500 rai and the circumference of the island is about 27km. The two-lane concrete road on the island is in good condition. I could ride my bike up and downhill without worrying about potholes. From time to time, songthaew pick-up trucks, the main mode of public transportation, passed me by.
Within half a day, I finished visiting all the attractions on the island. Some of the highlights include Koh Mak Temple which is also a good viewpoint overlooking Ao Nid pier, organic farms, an artspace, a disc golf course and several beaches.
I returned to my resort in the evening after the heavy rain stopped. The sky was still grey until nightfall. When darkness fell, fishing boats sailed out with their red and green lights floating in the sea. Outside my bungalow, I saw little yellow flashing lights. When I came out of my room I saw fireflies dancing. Perhaps they came to say good night.
TRAVEL INFO
- Koh Mak can be visited all year round. The island has only one ATM and there are no convenience store franchises, just local stores. Credit cards and e-payment are accepted in resorts and restaurants. The island can be reached by a 45-minute speedboat ride from Laem Ngop Pier in Trat's Laem Ngop district.
- The speed boat departs from Laem Ngop Pier at 10.30am, 11.30am, 12.30pm, 2pm and 4pm. From Koh Mak, the speedboat departs from Ao Nid Pier at 8am, 8.30am, 9am, 11.30am and 1.30pm. A one-way ticket is 450 baht for an adult and 250 baht for a child. The tickets are available at the piers.
- If you drive, you can park your car not far from Laem Ngop Pier. The parking fee is 50 baht per night.
- From Ao Nid Pier on Koh Mak to your accommodation, you can ride a songthaew or ask your resort to pick you up.
- Rental fee for a bicycle is 150 baht and a motorcycle is 300 baht for 24 hours. You can contact your hotel for the service.
Section 1: Write the correct answer in the space provided.
1. Koh Mak is in which province? …………….
2. Koh Mak has banana boats . True or false? …………….
3. What did the island grow in the past? …………….
4. When did backpackers first find the island? …………….
5. The island is 27km long. True or false? …………..
6. What were the yellow lights that the writer saw? …………….
7. You can use credit cards on the island. True or false? …………….
8. How much does a child pay to travel to the island and back? …………….
.
Section 2: Write the noun form of the following words in the space provided.
9. long ……… 10. developed ……… 11. covers ………. 12. accepted ………. 13. departs ……….
.
Section 3: Read the following passage. Then, fill in the blanks with the correct words from the choices given.
Koh Mak is also known as a low-carbon-footprint …14… . About 40 resorts and 20 restaurants on the island …15… the Koh Mak Charter years ago. ….16… to the charter, all the involved parties agreed to promote environmentally friendly activities such as kayaking and cycling as well as …17… styrofoam food containers. They also …18… to reduce the use of plastic products. In fact, some resorts even grow their own vegetables and use …19… energy to power lightbulbs.
14. A. space __B. destiny __C. destination
15. A. did __B. made __C. had
16. A. According __B. Listening __C. Reading
17. A. bin __B. ban __C. make
18. A. said __B. decide __C. resolved
19. A. Sun __B. solar __C. Sun’s
.
Section 4: Find words that match the following definitions.
20. to stay away from something ……………
21. a large farm, especially in a tropical country ……………
22. important, well-known ……………
23. the distance around something …………
24. produced without chemicals or pesticides ……………
.
.
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Answers: 1. Trat. 2. false. 3. coconuts. 4. 1985. 5. false. 6. fireflies. 7. false. 8. 500 baht. 9. length. 10. development. 11. coverage. 12. acceptance. 13. departure.
14. c. 15. b. 16. a. 17. b. 18. c. 19. b.
20. avoid. 21. plantation. 22. prominent. 23. circumference. 24. organic.
SCORE 21-24: Excellent! 17-20: Good. 13-16: Fair. 12 or fewer: You'll do better next time!
