Trang: Thailand's next big island-hopping destination
Koh Mook
Most Koh Mook visitors head straight for one thing -- the "secret" beach inside Morakot Cave.
Surrounded by soaring cliffs and accessible only at low tide, the beach is your reward for swimming through an 80-meter-long sea cave in pitch black darkness, led by a local guide.
The sunlight from above creates the water's distinctive emerald-colored hue and explains how the cave earned its name -- morakut is the Thai word for emerald.
According to local legend, the beach was once a secret hideaway for pirates, who came to hide their ill-gotten gains and escape the long arm of the law.
Koh Mook has several modest resorts to choose from, including the Sivalai Beach Resort (5,000 baht or $146/night), which occupies a stunning promontory on the east coast