KoKred - Bangkok's Hidden Gem.

The artificial island of Ko Kred lies cuddled between two bends of the Chao Phyra River at a point where the river wends to its narrowest. It is a counterfeit stricture, as this straight and narrow channel was cut to speed the journey of river traffic as it plied between Ayutthaya and the Gulf of Thailand.

This 10 kilometer square island is a delight. There are no cars, and the roads are narrow concrete strips splayed out around the island. The only traffic is an occasional motorbike or bicycle. What bliss, a stone's throw from Bangkok , a city that is being strangled by the motor vehicle!

As you step off the ferry that has brought you across the river from Pakkred in a brief minute or two, you step back into a of 50 years ago. This island is habitat to a community of Mon people who came here from their homeland in the river Kwai valley north of Kanchanaburi. The temples and Buddha shrines scattered around the island is visible evidence of this neo-Burmese heritage.

The island is the site of a pottery industry. The rich clay soil provides an ideal medium for the red terracotta earthenware pots and water containers that were the mainstay of this economy. Sadly, others elsewhere, produce alternatives at a cheaper price and brick kilns have outlived their usefulness. Now the potters have turned their attention to the tourists who visit the island, usually on a Sunday in one of the large tour boats that sail up river from Taksin Bridge . However, the rich soil also supports a verdant landscape of palms, and fruit trees giving the place a wonderfully tranquil and rural feel. As a visitor you can walk around the island, hire a bicycle or zip quickly by on one of several motor cycle taxis. It's quite a long walk, just over 5 kilometers, but a wonderful one at that! The path takes you under plantain trees with bunches of bananas overhanging the walk way and down below limes, papayas, pomeloes and all sorts of fruit I cannot identify grow in profusion.

For the really discerning travellers, there are rooms available to rent a very reasonable Bt 200 per night. These can be found at Bahn Thai, which translates very simply as "Thai House" This is a venture put together by a lady called Sumaree Sangkhamkom. You'll find her place if you take the path to Wat Salakul. Unless you are feeling like a longish walk, ask your motorcycle to take you to the second crossing point from Pakkred across the river to Ko Kred which is situated not at Wat Sana Nua. but about a kilometer further on. Anyway this is the better crossing point, being a much quieter area than the far more commercialized region around Wat Paramaiykawat at the northern tip of the island. In this locale you will find a jumble of congested stalls, most of which are offering souvenirs to the visitor. Believe me, on a busy day it is difficult to move through that melee. So choose the more easterly crossing as your preferred option when visiting this gem of an island.

Walk down the path in the direction of Wat Salakul. It is signposted. You can't miss Sumaree's place. You enter via a thatched walkway to the left. This vestibule is lined with photographs of past happenings at the place. The one thing you will notice are the orchids. They come in all colors and stand like a military guard of honor, saluting your entrance to BahnThai. There are more of them inside the 10-acre site, not only orchids but also a cornucopia of other flowers and plants are laid out in an exotic eastern sunken garden. As you wander along the narrow and rather rickety pathways you will find a abundance of articles from Thailand's magnificent past. The pair of carved bullock carts facing one another don't appear to have seen much service judging by their pristine condition, but serve nonetheless as a timely reminder of a quieter and more tranquil world. In fact buffalo were used on Ko Kred because they were very good a mulching down the red clay before the potter got to work at his wheel. Sadly those days are long gone, but when you reach the buffalo field you will still see their foot marks, which is a truly remarkable sight as the beasts have been gone for a number of years!

The homestay houses are palm thatched with wooden floors and "coir" matting. Some contain museum like timepieces from a world before the Vietnam War. Whilst walking among the huts, I was surprised to find a placard in English. It annotated the Seven Social Sins as laid down by the founder of modern , Mahatama Gandhi. They made a lot of sense and ample food for thought.

Any way the Seven Social Sins according to Gandhi are:

• Politics without principle
• Pleasure without conscience
• Wealth without work
• Knowledge without character
• Commerce without morality
• Science without humanity
• Worship without sacrifice

The thatched huts are there for the intrepid traveler eager to spend a night or two on the island. I do stress that these are not luxurious in any way and are probably better suited for the younger visitor. You sleep on a thin mattress spread over the wooden floor and all tucked up under a mosquito net. The bathroom facilities are not particularly western, because the visitor has taken a trip back in time.

Once you have taken care of the sleeping arrangements, the next most important factor is the answer to the question, where to eat? Make for the Otop Village and there you will find The Ko Kred Restaurant. The verandah juts out over the river. It is an ideal venue to eat or just sit, sip a drink and watch the sand barges and other water traffic as they glide by. The night we went the ferry delivered us to the very door. The seafood is excellent and if you are very lucky the chef will have crabs on the menu. Unfortunately they were off on that particular night, but the King prawn salad was delicious.

We sat and watched as darkened barges slid past only a few feet away from our table as they ferried down river or struggled up against the current. All too frequently this peace was shattered by a speeding sharp prowed water taxi careening at a speed that would easily have borne a water skier and sounding not dissimilar to a jet aircraft on take-off.

You don't need to take the big cruise boats, chock full of tourists to get there, either. Instead make you way to Victory Monument on the BTS. This missile like structure, which commemorates the Indo-Chinese War of 1940-41, serves as transport hub for Bangkok . Walk along the arterial skyway, and below you will see a sea of bus stands. Go as far as you can, descend and then wait for a 166 Bus. This will take you to Pakkred by motorway, thus avoiding the worst of the traffic jams. On reaching Pakkred, which is the terminus you alight obliquely opposite the TMB bank, walk straight ahead until you encounter the motorcycle taxi-rank situated at the rear entrance of Jusco. Mumble something about Ko Kred and the driver will take you to the ferry stage at Wat Sana Nua. Enjoy the trip! The two baht crossing fare must be one of the best buys in the Thai capital!