Koh Kret: the Mon pottery island a short trip from Bangkok

Koh Kret is an island in the Chao Phraya at Pak Kret, just over the city line in Nonthaburi, created in 1722 when a canal was dug to shortcut a bend in the river. The Mon people who settled it are still there, with their pottery, their temples and a leaning white chedi at the northern tip that is the island's symbol. On weekends it fills with Bangkok families for the food market; on weekdays it is a quiet island of lanes and kilns that you can cycle around in an hour. Either way, Koh Kret is the easiest day trip out of the city.

The leaning chedi and Wat Poramaiyikawat

The ferry from Wat Sanam Nuea lands you beside Wat Poramaiyikawat, the island's main temple, built in Mon style with a small museum of Mon artefacts and a reclining Buddha. On the river bank in front is Phra Chedi Mutao, the white Mon-style chedi that has tilted towards the water as the bank has subsided, and which appears on every photograph of the island. It is the obvious first stop, two minutes from the pier.

The pottery village

Koh Kret's Mon pottery is unglazed terracotta, carved with fine patterns and fired in brick kilns, and it has been made here for two centuries. The Kwan Aman Pottery Museum near the temple shows the history and the techniques, and several working kilns in the lanes behind let you watch and buy: water jars, planters, mortars and small decorative pieces. Prices are reasonable and the workshops are used to visitors. Some run short try-it sessions for children.

The weekend market and what to eat

The lane running south from the temple becomes a food market at weekends, the real reason most Thai visitors come. Expect:

• Khao chae, rice in jasmine-scented iced water with side dishes, a Mon dish best in hot season
• Thod man, fried fish cakes, and deep-fried flower and herb fritters, which are a Koh Kret speciality
• Grilled river prawns, catfish and squid
• Thai sweets, coconut custards and khanom in dozens of colours
• Fresh sugar-cane juice, butterfly pea drinks and coffee from small cafes

Cafes along the river at the market end serve the best view of the water traffic. Go before midday, since by two the market is winding down and the heat has peaked. On weekdays most stalls are closed but the pottery workshops and temples are open.

Cycling around Koh Kret

A concrete path circles the whole island, about six kilometres, and bicycles are for hire at the pier. The loop passes through the Mon villages on the north side, past orchards and a few temples, including Wat Phai Lom with its Mon-style ordination hall. Longtail boats also run short trips round the island from the market pier. For a greener day trip inside the city, compare Bang Krachao.

Getting there

• The island is reached by a short passenger ferry from Wat Sanam Nuea, a temple in Pak Kret. Taxis from central Bangkok take 45 minutes to an hour outside rush hour.
• By public transport, take the MRT Purple Line to Phra Nang Klao Bridge or the Chao Phraya Express to Nonthaburi pier, then a taxi or local bus north to Pak Kret; it is roughly another twenty minutes.
• Tourist boats run river trips to Koh Kret at weekends from central piers in some seasons; check the current operators.
• The island has no cars. Everything is on foot, by bicycle or by boat, and there are no ATMs, so bring cash.