Just watched a YouTube video of a man who owns a dive shop on an island called Koh Mak

He is almost semi retired

The YouTube channel is a guy who goes interviews farangs who own business 's on islands

I wonder what it would be like to retire on an island such as this ?

Do we have any expats here are retired on a small island such as Koh Mak or even that island near Pattaya? Koh Larn?

Where is Koh Mak ?

I may be going there

I'm now considering living on a beautiful island

What is island life like ?

Edited June 5Jun 5 by georgegeorgia

When i stayed on koh tao for a few months i had to go elsewhere every couple of months for a break and change of scenery. Islands are over rated because you are really restricted with what's available. If you want somewhere quiet but not isolated, try Ban Phe in Rayong and the long beach nearby

I don't want to be on that island with the murders , no thanks

47 minutes ago, georgegeorgia said:

Where is Koh Mak ?

I may be going there

I'm now considering living on a beautiful island

What is island life like ?

According to Google Map it's here, just south of Koh Chang...

Living on a small island you really need to be aware of — or immune against — island fever or rock fever. Even living on a larger island — which could be neighbouring Koh Chang — some folks get the 'disease'. I'm living on a large island, Koh Samui, with no bridge to the mainland . I have friends that say, they could not live such an isolated place. It's allright for me, because the island got a lot to offer — including an airport and around one hour flight to major civilization — but staying on a tine rock, I would think twice; at least it requires a special lifestyle.

George, you will once again go back to your little hotel room in Pattaya for 6 weeks and incessantly complain about everyone and everything , and be looking forward to going back to Australia .

2 hours ago, georgegeorgia said:

Just watched a YouTube video of a man who owns a dive shop on an island called Koh Mak

He is almost semi retired

The YouTube channel is a guy who goes interviews farangs who own business 's on islands

I wonder what it would be like to retire on an island such as this ?

Do we have any expats here are retired on a small island such as Koh Mak or even that island near Pattaya? Koh Larn?

Where is Koh Mak ?

I may be going there

I'm now considering living on a beautiful island

What is island life like ?

Have you been to Thailand since 2020?

1 hour ago, khunPer said:

According to Google Map it's here, just south of Koh Chang...

Living on a small island you really need to be aware of — or immune against — island fever or rock fever. Even living on a larger island — which could be neighbouring Koh Chang — some folks get the 'disease'. I'm living on a large island, Koh Samui, with no bridge to the mainland . I have friends that say, they could not live such an isolated place. It's allright for me, because the island got a lot to offer — including an airport and around one hour flight to major civilization — but staying on a tine rock, I would think twice; at least it requires a special lifestyle.

When I lived on Samui a long time ago I had to leave every 2 weeks because I would get fairly severe island fever.

But I had countless other complaints about that island, largely due to massive over development, traffic, and all the mom and pop stores and restaurants being taken over by investors very greedy for maximum profits. Pretty, but no thanks. A small Island would be fun but you would have to leave quite often, as the lifestyle can be quite boring unless you love isolation.

2 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

When I lived on Samui a long time ago I had to leave every 2 weeks because I would get fairly severe island fever.

But I had countless other complaints about that island, largely due to massive over development, traffic, and all the mom and pop stores and restaurants being taken over by investors very greedy for maximum profits. Pretty, but no thanks. A small Island would be fun but you would have to leave quite often, as the lifestyle can be quite boring unless you love isolation.

This is why i like prachuap. If bored motorbike or train to next town. I was 100% happy in Ban Krut this year. Nicest locals I've ever met. Literally everyone was friendly. Never encountered that before anywhere. There are farangs there but most appear to be tourists. Ideal spot for an IT guy.

I'm thinking the grocery prices may be higher in these island places too ?

Just now, georgegeorgia said:

I'm thinking the grocery prices may be higher in these island places too ?

Yes as transport costs are higher. Mak is fairly remote too. 2 weeks be nice.

Boy George, I would not rush into this.

You are already struggling with emotional distress from stairwell mopping, prison documentaries, and now full existential collapse triggered by a dive shop YouTube video.

An island is not a safe upgrade path for your current operating system.

Let’s be realistic.

Koh Mak is not going to improve the situation. Koh Tao will prove to be even worse.

You will still need to collect data.

Toothpaste tracking continues

Diary logging continues

Ladyboy encounter variables continue

Flybird and Nirun avoidance studies become irrelevant but you will probably mention them anyway

Now just with higher grocery prices and fewer mop opportunities.

Also worth noting.

You already cannot watch a prison documentary without planning a humanitarian mission.

On an island that becomes a full scale rescue operation involving coconuts, flip-flops, tanning oil, clipboard audits, and emotional breakdowns over ferry schedules and bungalow mosquito nets.

Koh Larn will not save you either.

It will just be smaller data sets and more expensive bottled water.

At best this ends with you sitting in a beachfront Ga-Top writing statistics about farangs in Chang singlets while asking locals where the nearest dental clinic with “Smile” in the name is located.

And still crying occasionally about Cebu.

I would strongly recommend staying exactly where you are. No reason you can't cry and mop at the same time in Perth and Adelaide.

At least there you have structured mopping shifts and predictable variables.

On 6/5/2026 at 1:07 PM, georgegeorgia said:

I'm now considering living on a beautiful island

What is island life like

Careful mate, lots of monkeys.

We all know that you've been attacked by monkeys in the past.

I read that monkeys on some islands are getting bigger and bigger, we wouldn't want to see you get sexually assaulted by a monkey

Edited June 6Jun 6 by SAFETY FIRST

It’s like when I lived in a remote part of the Blue Ridge Mountains for 12 years.

You find your people, you grow some food, you get into the home life, and you have a lot of sex with your partner because there’s nothing else to do otherwise.

3 minutes ago, Prubangboy said:

You find your people, you grow some food, you get into the home life, and you have a lot of sex with your partner because there’s nothing else to do otherwise.

Shouldn't that be the same in any location. Except partner may be partners if single. Only difference, some locations have more 'out of home' things to enjoy.

Edited June 6Jun 6 by KhunLA

On 6/5/2026 at 11:03 AM, khunPer said:

According to Google Map it's here, just south of Koh Chang...

Living on a small island you really need to be aware of — or immune against — island fever or rock fever. Even living on a larger island — which could be neighbouring Koh Chang — some folks get the 'disease'. I'm living on a large island, Koh Samui, with no bridge to the mainland . I have friends that say, they could not live such an isolated place. It's allright for me, because the island got a lot to offer — including an airport and around one hour flight to major civilization — but staying on a tine rock, I would think twice; at least it requires a special lifestyle.

I can see why they have bigger families in rural locations.

The isolation makes you focus on your partner

22 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

When I lived on Samui a long time ago I had to leave every 2 weeks because I would get fairly severe island fever.

But I had countless other complaints about that island, largely due to massive over development, traffic, and all the mom and pop stores and restaurants being taken over by investors very greedy for maximum profits. Pretty, but no thanks. A small Island would be fun but you would have to leave quite often, as the lifestyle can be quite boring unless you love isolation.

Back in the good old days, I could stay on Tonsai Beach, Ao Nang, for a month and only leave for the ATM. We had plenty to do on the beach, but go for diving, snorkeling and kayaking trips maybe being reckon as leaving?

Immigration was easily solved on the beach for 500 baht or so. I can’t really recall the exact number.

I stayed two months straight on Koh Tao, then took one flight from Koh Samui to Kuala Lumpur for 4 days, came back, and stayed another two months on the island.

But we trained daily, six days a week, and socialized around that, so I never got that feeling of “living on an island.” I believe that feeling appears once you have nothing stimulating to do on a daily basis, like training, socializing, or having a purpose for the day.

44 minutes ago, Hummin said:

Back in the good old days, I could stay on Tonsai Beach, Ao Nang, for a month and only leave for the ATM. We had plenty to do on the beach, but go for diving, snorkeling and kayaking trips maybe being reckon as leaving?

Immigration was easily solved on the beach for 500 baht or so. I can’t really recall the exact number.

I stayed two months straight on Koh Tao, then took one flight from Koh Samui to Kuala Lumpur for 4 days, came back, and stayed another two months on the island.

But we trained daily, six days a week, and socialized around that, so I never got that feeling of “living on an island.” I believe that feeling appears once you have nothing stimulating to do on a daily basis, like training, socializing, or having a purpose for the day.

Training in what ?

Muay Thai? Bodybuilding?

30 minutes ago, georgegeorgia said:

Training in what ?

Muay Thai? Bodybuilding?

Thai cooking.....

I read his book.....