Koh Kret is a small island in the Chao Phraya River at Pak Kret, just north of Bangkok, known for the red clay pottery of its Mon community and for a lively weekend market. There is no bridge: you cross from the Pak Kret side on a short ferry, then walk or cycle round the island in a few hours.
It makes an easy half-day or full-day trip from the city. Koh Kret is technically in Nonthaburi province, not Bangkok, but the Pink Line monorail now runs within reach of the pier. Once you are on the island there are no cars, only narrow concrete paths, scooters, bicycles, pottery workshops and temples. Come at the weekend for food and crowds, or on a weekday for a quiet ride past the kilns.
Koh Kret in brief (checked October 2026)
- Where
- In the Chao Phraya River, Pak Kret district, Nonthaburi province, north of Bangkok
- Size
- About 4.2 km²
- Known for
- Mon pottery in unglazed red clay; Wat Poramai Yikawat and its leaning white chedi
- Crossing
- Small ferry from Wat Sanam Nuea pier on the Pak Kret side; no bridge
- Nearest rail station
- Yaek Pak Kret (PK06) on the Pink Line monorail
- Express boat
- Green-Yellow Line to Pakkret pier, 36 baht from Sathorn (from 6 October 2026)
- Best days
- Saturday and Sunday for the market; weekdays for a quiet visit
A Mon island created by a shortcut canal
Koh Kret was not always an island. In the Ayutthaya period a canal was dug across the neck of a wide bend in the Chao Phraya to shorten the journey by boat. Over time the river took the straighter course, and the land inside the old bend was left surrounded by water.
The people who give the island its character are the Mon, a group with their own language and traditions whose homeland lies in today's Myanmar. Mon families settled here in the time of King Taksin, in the late 18th century, and brought their pottery skills with them. The island holds its own Mon (Thai Raman) Songkran at Wat Poramai Yikawat; in 2024 the Tourism Authority of Thailand listed it for 12 to 14 April. If you are planning a trip around the water festival, our guide to where to celebrate Songkran covers the bigger events.
Mon pottery: kilns, workshops and what to buy
Pottery is why most people come. The traditional Koh Kret style is unglazed red clay, used for water jars, pots and decorative pieces. TAT has shown "Ko Kret pottery" alongside Benjarong porcelain as an example of Thai craft at international trade fairs, so this is a recognized local tradition rather than a souvenir invention.
Walking the paths you pass small family workshops and pottery shops. Travel guides describe places where you can watch potters at work and try the wheel yourself, but we found no published prices or fixed hours for these sessions. Ask at the workshop what it costs and how long it takes before you sit down.
Pots are heavy and fragile. Small items such as cups, candle holders and little decorated jars travel better than big water jars. Shops usually wrap them in newspaper; bring a bag with some padding if you are going on to the airport. More gift ideas are in our Thai souvenir guide.
Wat Poramai Yikawat and the leaning chedi
The ferry from Pak Kret lands at Wat Poramai Yikawat, the island's main temple. It is built in Mon style, and on the riverbank at the corner of the island stands the white chedi that leans at a sharp angle toward the water. It is the picture everyone takes, best seen from the ferry or from the riverside path just after you land.
The temple is a working monastery. Dress with shoulders and knees covered and take your shoes off where others do; our page on temple etiquette explains the basics. Other temples stand along the loop path, and most are open to quiet visitors during the day.
Weekend market or a quiet weekday
The two days feel like different places. At weekends Koh Kret fills with Thai day-trippers, and the paths near the pier turn into a long food and craft market: snacks, sweets, drinks and pottery stalls side by side. It is busy, cheerful and slow to walk through, and it is the reason the island is popular with Bangkok families.
On weekdays many stalls are closed and the paths are quiet. That is the better time if you want to cycle without weaving through crowds, talk to a potter or photograph the chedi without people in the frame, but bring water, since you cannot count on every drinks stall being open.
Whichever day you choose, start early. Shade is patchy on parts of the loop, and the middle of the day is hot most of the year. Our guide to coping with heat and sun has the practical advice.
Cycling or walking round the island
Concrete paths lead round Koh Kret and through its villages, and you can make a loop of the island on them. Bicycles can be hired near the landing. The island is small, at about 4.2 km², so a relaxed loop with stops takes a couple of hours by bike, longer on foot.
The paths are narrow and shared with scooters and pedestrians. Ride slowly, ring before bends and give way in the market area, where it is easier to push the bike. Some boats also offer short trips around the island; one travel guide reports hourly departures in the daytime for about 50 baht, but we could not confirm this with an operator, so ask at the pier.
If cycling is the main thing you want from a day out, Bang Krachao, a much larger green bend of the river south of the center, is the bigger ride; our guide to Bangkok's parks and Bang Krachao covers it.
Getting there: Pak Kret and the ferry across
All routes end at Wat Sanam Nuea pier on the Pak Kret bank, from where small passenger ferries cross to the temple pier on the island in a few minutes. The fare is a few baht, paid in cash; blogs give 2 to 3 baht, but we found no official figure, so carry coins and small notes.
There are two practical ways to reach Pak Kret from central Bangkok:
- Pink Line monorail. The nearest station is Yaek Pak Kret (PK06). Travel guides put it at under 2 km from the pier, which is a short taxi, Grab or motorbike taxi ride. How the Pink Line connects with the rest of the network is explained in our guide to the Pink and Yellow Line monorails.
- Chao Phraya Express Boat. The Green-Yellow Line runs between Sathorn and Pakkret pier, the last stop upriver, and costs 36 baht for the full trip under the operator's fares from 6 October 2026. Pakkret pier is about 500 m from Wat Sanam Nuea pier. The line is a commuter service, the operator lists it under Monday to Friday, and its times are only published as images, so check at the pier before relying on it, especially at weekends. Our guide to the Chao Phraya Express Boat explains the lines and piers.
A taxi or Grab from central Bangkok is the simplest option for a group, though traffic on the roads north of the city can be slow. Some older guides describe a Sunday guided trip to Koh Kret run by the express boat company; it is not on the operator's current page, so do not plan around it.
Check the river level after heavy rain. Nonthaburi was one of four provinces given flood holidays on 28 and 29 September 2026, and the UK Foreign Office still carries a flooding note for Thailand. Koh Kret's riverside paths are low-lying. We found no report on the island itself, so ask at the pier or check local news after a wet spell, and avoid walking through floodwater; our page on infections from floodwater explains why.
Fitting Koh Kret into a Bangkok trip
Koh Kret works best as a morning or half-day trip, leaving the afternoon for something else. With the river boat, you can combine it with a slow ride down the Chao Phraya back to the temples of the old city. If you are staying several days, our Bangkok city guide helps you plan the rest, and our page on a long-tail canal tour in Thonburi is a good match if you enjoy seeing Bangkok from the water.
Families usually enjoy the island: there is space to cycle, food everywhere at weekends and things to watch being made. Bring cash, as small stalls and workshops rarely take cards.
Frequently asked questions
Is Koh Kret worth visiting on a weekday?
Yes, if you want quiet. The weekend market makes Saturday and Sunday busier and more fun for food, but on weekdays the paths are calm, the workshops are easier to visit and cycling is more pleasant. Expect fewer food stalls and bring water.
How do I get from Bangkok to Koh Kret?
Take the Pink Line monorail to Yaek Pak Kret (PK06), then a short taxi or motorbike taxi to Wat Sanam Nuea pier, and cross on the small ferry. On weekdays the Green-Yellow express boat also runs from Sathorn to Pakkret pier, about 500 m from the ferry.
Is there a bridge to Koh Kret?
No. The island is reached only by boat. Small passenger ferries cross from Wat Sanam Nuea pier in Pak Kret to the pier at Wat Poramai Yikawat in a few minutes, for a fare of a few baht paid in cash.
Why does the chedi on Koh Kret lean?
We found no official account of why the white chedi at Wat Poramai Yikawat tilts. It stands right on the riverbank at the corner of the island, leaning toward the water, and has become Koh Kret's best-known landmark. The best view is from the ferry.
Sources
- Chao Phraya Express Boat – Boat schedule and fares from 6 October 2026 (checked October 2026)
- Tourism Authority of Thailand – Songkran and other festivals, April 2024 (Thai Raman Songkran, Ko Kret) (checked October 2026)
- Tourism Authority of Thailand – Thai pavilion at WTM London with Ko Kret pottery (checked October 2026)
- UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office – Thailand travel advice (checked October 2026)