Exploring Ko Kret

It’s been more than a decade since I moved out of the capital to settle down in Pakkret district of Nonthaburi, Bangkok’s adjacent neighbour to the northwest. Despite the fact that I’ve travelled to so many places over the years, I’ve never visited Ko Kret, the number one tourist attraction of my current hometown. What a shame!

A couple of weeks ago, however, I decided to go see for myself this island in the Chao Phraya River that draws scores of Thai and foreign visitors to Pakkret every weekend.

To avoid the crowds, which would make it difficult to bike on certain sections of the path that runs through the communities on the river island, my friend Tui and I chose to visit Ko Kret on a weekday when most of the tourist-oriented shops are closed.

Ko Kret was not originally an island. As you can see on the map, it looks like a tongue sticking out from the east bank of the Chao Phraya. In the Ayutthaya Period when boats were a major mode of transportation between the old capital and the lower parts of the river as well as the Gulf of Siam (now the Gulf of Thailand), travelling along this winding section of the waterway took a long time so in 1722 King Thai Sa ordered that a 1km-long canal called Klong Lat Kret Noi, or later shortly known as Klong Lat Kret, be dug at the base of the “tongue” so that boats could travel in a straight line, shortening the distance by 75%. The area at the north end of the new canal was then named Pakkret (The Mouth Of Kret).

Thanks to the erosive force of the water current, the shortcut canal became wider over time. These days Klong Lat Kret itself is considered a river. Ko Kret, the resulting island, is bordered on the east side by the Lat Kret and on all the other sides by the Chao Phraya. (Not many people know that Nonthaburi, Pakkret district in particular, has two rivers!).

Tui and I took a ferry from Pakkret to Ko Kret. He brought along a folding bicycle while I had with me a mini scooter. Rental bike shops on the island are open only during weekends. But even if they were not closed we’d prefer riding our own rigs anyway.

The ferry took us across Lat Kret river to Wat Poramaiyikawat, one of the most important temples on the island. The temple dates back to the Ayutthaya Period, not long after the shortcut waterway was dug. Its renovation was initiated by King Rama V who visited the temple twice. The temple’s ordination hall boasts beautiful murals and stucco work. Phra Nonthamunin, the official Buddha image of Nonthaburi, is housed in this temple. The iconic leaning Mon-style pagoda, a famous symbol of Ko Kret, is also located here.

Mon-style pagodas and temples can be found at several other locations in Ko Kret. Much of the island’s population are descendants of Mon migrants who fled war to seek refuge in the Thai Kingdom during the Thon Buri and early Rattanakosin (Bangkok) periods.

A leisurely ride through the communities will give you the chance to see not only the temples and well preserved wooden houses of the locals but also their tradition and rural lifestyle. The people here are proud of their culture. Many are friendly and happy to answer your questions no matter how trivial. For example, Tui and I asked an auntie why her naturally white ducks are painted in different colours. She laughed before giving us the answer: “They are naughty. I need a way to distinguish them. Otherwise, I don’t know which one is to blame when they cause trouble.”

Speaking of animals, it should be noted that the dogs here are generally cool with strangers. During our ride, only one actually barked at us, and it quieted down immediately when we told it to do so.

Of course, I’ll have to return to Ko Kret soon. Maybe, next time it will be during a weekend.

Well, see you here again next Thursday. Until then, if you have questions, news or biking insights you wish to share, please feel free to send an email to pongpetm@bangkokpost.co.th or go to Freewheel Bangkok community page on Facebook.

Pongpet Mekloy is the travel editor and a mountain bike freak.