Aussie stars Diana Chan and Cameron Daddo reveal Thailand’s ‘hidden gem’

Masterchef star Diana Chan, who grew up in Malaysia, was shocked she had never heard of this Thai island until a recent trip.

Diana Chan and Cameron Daddo take on Thailand. Picture: Supplied

Masterchef’s Diana Chan, who grew up in Malaysia, was shocked she had never heard of the Thai island Koh Kood until this year.

“Lots of people don’t know about it because it’s on the other side of the Gulf of Thailand,” Chan told news.com.au, describing it as a bit of a “hidden gem”.

“It’s more towards Cambodia so the food is slightly Cambodian influenced, which is really interesting.”

The Australian cook travelled alongside Aussie actor Cameron Daddo to Koh Kood and Bangkok as co-hosts of new travel show Luxury Escapes: The World’s Best Holidays on BINGE and Foxtel.

Diana Chan, who travelled with Cameron Daddo, said the island of Koh Kood was a pleasant surprise. Picture: Supplied

Chan said she always heard about Phuket and Ko Samui, but Koh Kood, which appeared more popular with locals, had flown under the radar.

“I like finding these places that are a little bit untapped and the fact that it’s not as easy to get there,” she explained.

“You’ve got to get a private plane or get on a ferry so I think it’s a little bit off the beaten track, but it’s absolutely worth it when you get there.”

The island known for its stunning beaches, jungle and little infrastructure was where Chan had the best meal of her entire trip.

The co-hosts took a private plane to the stunning island. Picture: Supplied

The restaurant, Kruua Mae Tuk (locally known as Tuk’s Kitchen), was part of the luxury resort Soneva Kiri where Chan and Daddo stayed.

They were encouraged to be barefoot the entire time, which Chan said was a grounding experience.

Tuk’s Kitchen served up seafood that had been caught that day by local fisherman.

“You walk in and you’re like walking on these slats, the whole restaurant is on stilts so you’re walking on slats over mangroves and the food was just phenomenal,” Chan said.

“She was a local and she just knew what to do. It was proper Thai cooking.”

Chan and Daddo stayed at Soneva Kiri on Koh Kood. Picture: Supplied

Walking around the markets in Bangkok, Chan and Daddo convinced each other to try all sorts of food, including fried worms and durian.

“We were both very adventurous when it came to food. There was one thing that I tried that was probably pushing it for me and it was this waterbug with Som Tum, and Som Tum is this Green papaya salad which is very well known in Thailand,” Chan said.

She said to her, the waterbug looked like a cockroach.

“Having the biggest fear of cockroaches I wasn’t too keen on it. I tried it nevertheless. I can’t say I loved it but I gave it a crack,” she said.

Chan’s number one travelling tip is to “follow your nose” to find the best restaurants and when you have options, choose the one busy with lots of locals opposed to tourists.

“I’ve got a very strong sense of smell so I follow my nose. I’m like a sniffer dog. It often leads me into places where I find the best food,” she said.

Diana Chan and Cameron Daddo’s episode of Luxury Escapes: The World’s Best Holidays airs October 24 on BINGE and Foxtel.