Ko Chang island-hopping guide

The province of Trat on Thailand’s East Coast is an excellent choice for an island-hopping holiday. This guide details how to get to Trat and travel between the four main inhabited islands in the Ko Chang archipelago: Ko Chang, Ko Kood, Ko Mak, and Ko Wai.

Itinerary Ideas: Ko Chang, Ko Kood, Ko Mak, Ko Wai

How to get to Trat province

To begin your island-hopping adventure in the Ko Chang archipelago, travel to Trat. This easterly province is adjacent to the border with Cambodia.

Flights

The nearest airport to the islands is Trat Airport on the mainland. Bangkok Airways operates flights between Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport and Trat Airport. Onward transport to the islands can be arranged on arrival at Trat Airport or in advance via your hotel.

If you’re travelling from Phuket or Ko Samui, you can take a flight to U-Tapao Airport (near Pattaya) and then take onward road transport to the Trat mainland.

From Bangkok

Buses from Bangkok to Trat are available at frequent intervals from the Ekamai Eastern Bus Terminal and take around 5-6 hours. Passengers have the option to buy a combination ticket which includes the onward ferry to Ko Chang. Buses also run from Bangkok’s Mo Chit Northern Bus Terminal, but the service is less frequent.

Passengers arriving at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport can head to Level 1 and look for the signs for the Ko Chang bus service near Door 8 (adjacent to the desks for the Pattaya and Hua Hin bus service). However, there are only a limited number of departures each day (7am and 11am). These are comfortable microbuses which travel on the vehicle ferry across to Ko Chang and usually drop off passengers at White Sand Beach and Kai Bae Beach.

From Pattaya

The Suvarnabhumi Burapha company that operates buses from Bangkok Airport also runs services from Pattaya to Ko Chang. View the timetable here:
https://www.swbbus.com/en/timetable

Private transfers

If you are travelling with family or friends or would like a more flexible option, you can book a private transfer by car or minibus from Bangkok, Pattaya or other locations to your hotel on Ko Chang. The prices are per vehicle and typically cost around 5,000 Baht or more (from Bangkok), depending on the size of the vehicle and its quality. Enquire at your hotel or check with a reputable provider like Oriental Escape

How to book boat and ferry services between the islands

Whichever island you are staying on, booking onward travel to the other islands is straightforward. You can book boat tickets via your hotel or any tour office near where you are staying. Although you can also use an online service like 12Go Asia, they don’t list all available boats and booking in person once you are on the islands is usually a better option.

When you book a boat ticket from your hotel or a tour office, a shared transfer is usually included so you don’t have to worry about which pier to use and how to get there.

Booking boat and ferry trips in Thailand

There are a variety of boat companies running services between the Ko Chang islands. They include:

• Bang Bao Boat
• Boonsiri
• Kai Bae Hut Speedboat
• Koh Kood Express
• Leelawadee Speedboat (Ko Mak)
• Seudamgo
• Koh Kood Princess

Depending on what route you’re taking, the boat will be a vehicle ferry, high-speed catamaran, modern speedboat or an older wooden boat.

Routes and journey times

The graphic below gives you an approximate idea of journey times, but exact times vary depending on the vessel used. During the day there are frequent ferry services from the Trat mainland to Ko Chang so you never have too long to wait.

Although inter-island services are less frequent, there are typically at least two a day (morning and afternoon). For full timetable details, ask at your hotel or check with a local travel agent when you are in Thailand.

• Trat to Ko Chang: 25-40 minutes
• Trat to Ko Wai: 45 mins
• Trat to Ko Mak: 45 mins
• Trat to Ko Kood: 1 hour

• Ko Chang to Ko Wai: 45 mins (wooden boat)
• Ko Wai to Ko Mak: 30 mins speedboat | 60 mins wooden boat
• Ko Mak to Ko Kood: 45-60 mins

Good to know

Boats run frequently during the November-April high season. However, there is a reduced timetable during the rainy season (mid-May to late October). Although ferries operate all year round between the Trat mainland and Ko Chang, that is not the case for inter-island boat services. Depending on the weather (and passenger demand), speedboats and the slower wooden boats usually stop services by early May.

During the low season months, there are a limited number of ferries making the journey from Laem Ngop on the Trat mainland to Ko Mak and Ko Kood. Always confirm schedules close to your departure date.

When travelling by speedboat, consider what luggage you take and how much you pack; space on board is limited and packing light is more practical for getting in and out of the boat.

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