food market
There is a food market near the ferry pier featuring the usual suspects, but also including a local specialty best described as Mon tempura: deep-fried vegetables, fish, shrimp and such served in a large banana-leaf krathong leaf-shaped bowl. A number of stalls also serve chaa yen Thai iced tea and other drinks in red pottery cups with carrying handles, which you can keep as a souvenir for a few baht extra.
Although not considered an activity, this is one of the primary attractions for Thais visiting the island. There are numerous vendors cooking up a number of local treats mainly Thai and Mon snacks and desserts. Favourites that the island is known for include "Khao Cher." This dish is a Mon specialty of rice served with chilled fragrant water and a number of little side dishes. It was a royal favourie for hot summer days, but now is hard to find most anywhere besides here. "Tod mun pla nor gala" is another treat. This is spiced fish cake with the shoots of local ginger variety.
Around the island in the touristed section, there are a number of other riverside restaurants and many vendors selling snacks and desserts, so a taste as you go approach works well. On the less touristy section, there are a few places but more spread out and just the basic noodles and Thai "aharn tam sung" dishes.
Dessert Canal
khlong khanom wan. the local people living in the compound of the dessert canal as well as other canals around ko kret earn their living by selling several traditional thai home-made desserts and sweets. tourists can also enjoy the show on how to make thai desserts and shopping all the sweetmeats as souvenirs from khlong khanom wan.
Ko Kret
à¹à¸à¸²à¸°à¹à¸à¸£à¹à¸, 105/2 mu 1 close to wat chim phli, tel. +66-2960 8788. open 10 am-11 pm daily. for a more relaxing lunch, try this pleasantly airy blue-tiled riverside restaurant just past village 1. thai basics noodles, som tam, etc cost around 30 baht per dish, no english menu or sign but some english spoken.