Koh Jum is 18 miles from Krabi Town, 15 miles from Koh Lanta and only 12 miles from Phi Phi, but in reality it’s like a million miles away. The nightlife is very low key and mostly around beach bars which are closed by 11pm. It has a real local feel where the traditional Muslim culture is still followed, fishing and agriculture are the main industries with tourism being secondary. However unlike most of the Andaman Seas predominantly Muslim islands where alcohol is only sold in the resorts it is freely available in bars, some of the restaurants and some of the shops on Koh Jum.
Most of the islands resorts are on the southwest and west coast of the island. Ranging from back-packer huts to mid-scale resorts. There is one high end resort Koh Jum Beach Villas on golden pearl beach which consists of fancy villas with swimming pool, restaurant, and a sophisticated lounge. We chose a Seaview teakwood villa on the mid-scale Koh Jum Resort on Ting Rai Beach. The resort is well cared for and the villas were spacious with direct access to the beach. The resort has a small swimming pool, restaurant with excellent food and a small beach bar. There is also a tour desk and motorbikes for rent.
We arrived via the tigerline speedboat that now stops at Koh Jum on route from Koh Lanta to Krabi Town. You can get a Tuk Tuk from the pier to your accommodation or as we did arrange pick-up via your hotel.
If you are really active you can hire a local guide and climb Khao Ko Pu. We hired a longtail that took us snorkelling to Ko Phi Phi Leh, and Bamboo Island stopping for lunch on Ko Phi Phi Don, think it was 2001 we were last there, all I can say is what a relief we were heading back to Koh Jum after lunch.
The best way to see the island is just hire a motorbike and explore, we came across Mr. Boy’s Koh Jum Talay Seafood Restaurant and bar near the pier and the seafood was excellent.
Remember when out and about to be respectful of the local customs by covering up when you’re away from the beach. There is no ATM on Koh Jum to our knowledge so ensure you have enough cash on you when you leave the mainland.
So our overall assessment of Koh Jum is if you are looking for peace, tranquillity and just want to relax then it is certainly worth a visit and for the more active you can climb Khao Ku Pu, there are a few snorkelling trips that are worth going on as well as exploring the island. If you are staying on the island and like us are looking to do things rather than just beach bum then I recommend you spend 4 days and continue on your island hopping tour.
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