Chumporn Paknam, a major east coast fishing port, is not a tourist destination, although some of the offshore islands offer good snorkelling and diving.
There are several fishing boat repair yards where haul-outs can be arranged for a reasonable price.
Good hardware shops are available and, on the main highway going towards Bangkok, you can find the only company in the country that has a dynamic balancer for propellers.
Most of the islands have day anchorages on the lee side in 10-15 metres in either season. The caves and cavities on these small islands are home to thousands of the swallows which make those highly prized nests that are collected for birds’ nest soup.
The best approach is from the southeast, inshore of Koh Samet. Anchor in 4-5 metres on a muddy bottom, clear of the traffic at the harbour entrance.
Unless you are going to the yard, mooring inside this busy port is inadvisable.
The lighthouse on Koh Mattaphon has several red sectors marking the entrance, but it is always advisable to follow a local boat in the channel in daylight.
The harbour has all the amenities you would expect of a local fishing port, but better provisioning is found at the main town, which is 20 km from the harbour.
While every effort has been made to ensure that the information contained in this book is accurate, the charts of anchorages are based on personal experience and satellite imagery and are intended as a guide only. They should not be used for navigation. Please refer to Official Hydrographic Charts of the respective countries.
The contents of this website may not be reproduced or copied in any form – printed, electronic, photocopy or otherwise – except for excerpts used in reviews,
without the written permission of the publisher.
Image Asia Events Co., Ltd