Getting There & Away
What We Recommend
For a hassle free and faster trip, fly Bangkok Airways from Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport to Trat (www.bangkokair.com, e-mail: reservation@bangkokair.com, Tel.1771 or 02-265-8777, 039-551-654 to 5). The flight time is 60 minutes and costs about 3,000 Baht, one-way, including the 475 Baht airport tax and surcharge. The airline transfers their passengers from Trat Airport to all beaches on the west coast of Koh Chang at 470 Baht per trip inclusive of ferry tickets. Transfers to the east coast are either by chartered vehicle or serviced by the resorts there. The airline's flight to Trat airport serves to provide business link to the Eastern province. In addition to that, Bangkok Airways has launched the Trat-Samui-Phuket route on the 3rd of Dec 2010. “Friendly service with a smile” is the airlines' mantra, and a comfortable flight is ensured with the help of its boutique lounges and boutique airports.
Why not rent a car and drive around at your own leisure pace? Budget World Class Rent-a-Car has offices in major cities and provinces in Thailand. You can book online through their website. The company has a wide range of vehicles from 4-seater hatchback cars to 12-seater commuter vans, with a choice of automatic or manual gear. A 20-point safety check is performed before every rental with vehicles having an average age of less than 18 months. You can find them at the Suvarnabhumi Airport (66 2 134 4006-7), Pattaya (66 38 710 717-8), Rayong (66 38 954 352) and other provinces.
If you are already on Koh Chang and would like to go to the satellite islands, take the Bang Bao Boat (66 8 7054 4300) which operates daily transfers to Koh Mak and Koh Kood from the Bang Bao Pier on Koh Chang. It also provides transfers to other islands as shown on the schedule. Another company that provides daily transfer to other islands is Nor Nou Kaibae Hut Speedboat Express (66 8 1982 9870, 66 8 1817 6832). However, the trip starts from Kaibae Hut Pier instead of Bang Bao.
Other Modes of Transportation
By Car
The drive-time to Koh Chang is 4 to 4 1/2 hours. Car ferries are available at the two ferry piers.
Route 1 : Bangna - Chonburi - Ban Bung - Klaeng - Chantaburi - Trat. Distance: 315 km.
- Head out of Bangkok on the Bangna Trad Road.
- At kilometre 59, turn left onto the Chonburi bypass.
- Drive 8 kilometres and turn left again onto the Ban Bueng - Klaeng (Highway 344).
- Highway 344 is 103 kilometres long. When it ends, turn left to Chantaburi at the Klaeng intersection.
- Drive approximately 112 kilometres from Klaeng and at the 376 kilometre milestone marker you will pass over a bridge (across the Waru River). Here you will see a Khao Saming District Police check point.
- About 2 kilometres past this point, turn right to Laem Ngob at the Ban Saen Toong intersection (opposite a P.T.T Petrol Station).
- Follow the road for 24 kilometres to the 11 kilometre milestone, which is just before Laem Ngob.
- Here turn right into a small road leading the Naval base.
- On your right, you will find the Ao Thammachat pier which services both the Koh Chang Ferry and Ferry Koh Chang. The ferry leaves every 30 minutes during the high season and every hour during the low season.
- Please note that there is also a car ferry service at Center Point but this takes longer and goes to a pier on the east of the island.
- There is also a passenger only service from Laem Ngob (but this is also quite slow and also goes to Centre Point Pier on Koh Chang).
(Courtesy of Amari Emerald Cove Koh Chang)
Route 2 : (Motorway Route): Rama IX or Srinakarin - Ban Bung - Klaeng - Chantaburi - Trat.
Exit after paying the second toll that leads to Ban Bung, Klaeng, Chantaburi and finally Trat. The total toll fee is 60 Baht.
Route 3 : Bangna - Chonburi - Rayong - Chantaburi - Trat. Distance: 385 km.
This route using Highway No.3 takes longer, passing through Chonburi and Rayong provinces.
By Air-Conditioned Bus
The Ekamai Bus Terminal is the main terminal for the eastern provinces, which can be reached by the BTS Skytrain (Ekamai Station). The other station is at the Northern Bus Terminal (New Morchit), on Kampaeng Petch Road. Air-conditioned and ordinary buses depart almost every hour. The trip is about 5 hours.
The bus station at Trat province is 1 km from the town proper. Visitors can catch a local taxi (Songthaew) from there to downtown, (20 Baht per person per trip) or to the pier (60 Baht per person per trip). If you arrive at Trat after 5:00 p.m., you will need to rent a taxi as a private transfer for about 300 Baht. On the way back, you can catch a taxi from Ao Thammachat Pier to Trat town or to the bus station (60 Baht per person per trip).
During high and peak season, there is also a VIP bus (Suwarnphum Burapha Co., Ltd.,) that travels to Suvarnabhumi airport directly. It leaves Koh Chang at 1:30 p.m. daily, and the bus from Suvarnabhumi airport leaves at 7:30 a.m. daily. For those in Koh Chang you can call 66 8 1660 5926, and those in Bangkok, you can call 66 8 3794 2122. |
By Van
There are many vans plying between Bangkok and Ao Thammachat, Centre Point and Laem Ngob piers. They are found on Khao San Road near the Vieng Tai Hotel, departing daily at 8:00 a.m. and leaving Laem Ngob at 11:00 a.m. The one-way fare is around 500 Baht per person depending on the season.
Just currently made available are van transfers from the Victory Monument in Bangkok to Ao Thammachat ferry pier, and vice versa. The first trip from both venues leave at 07:00 a.m. and the last trip is at 07:00 p.m. The van leaves every 2 hours and costs THB 300/person. For those in Koh Chang (66 8 7833 7696), you can buy tickets at Ao Sapparos pier. For those in Bangkok (66 8 7833 8985), you can proceed to the parking lot for vans at the northeast corner of the Victory Monument.
The same company that operates VIP buses, the Suwarnphum Burapha Co., Ltd., also has a fleet of vans that travel to Suvarnabhumi airport daily. It leaves Koh Chang at 7:30 a.m., 9:30 a.m., and 10:30 a.m. Vans from the airport park at 1st floor, Exit 8 and leaves at 11:00 a.m., 2:00 p.m., and 11:00 p.m.
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To Other Islands
About 25 km from Trat town is Laem Sok Pier, also called Siriwhite Pier, serving taxi speedboats to Koh Kood for up to 30 passengers. You can also charter a speedboat at 8,000 Baht to Koh Mak and 9,000 Baht to Koh Kood.
It is advisable to check the rates and schedules before embarking on the trips because of possible changes due to the season, rising oil prices and competition amongst the ferry and boat operators. The rates and schedules supplied here are effective at the time of writing only. |
Cambodia Sidetrip
- By bus: Depart 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. from Trat to Phnom Penh (3-4 hours)
Fare: 300-500 Baht per person (Passport required and visa application available on arrival)
- By boat: Depart 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. from Trat to Sihanouk Ville then direct to Phnom Penh ( 2 hours)
Fare: 500 Baht per person |
Trat to Koh Chang
There are 2 ferry piers in Trat servicing Koh Chang. Both are located in Amphoe (district) Laem Ngob and is a 30-minute ride from Trat town.
A songthaew is easily found around the Trat municipal market from as early as 6:00 a.m. and in areas where a group of Songthaew is parked, which may also have ferry tickets for sale.The fare to Laem Ngob is about 40 Baht per person.
There are vans for those who would like to visit the east coast of Koh Chang. These vans are parked behind Trat Department Store. They leave 3 times a day at 10:00 a.m., 12:00 noon and 3:00 p.m., and return from Salakphet at 5:00 a.m., 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. for 120 Baht per person per trip.
Ferries
On arrival at Koh Chang, you will find some mini pick-up truck taxis called Songthaew ready to take you anywhere on Koh Chang, for 50 to 150 Baht per person depending on the distance. This applies to other piers as well.
In addition to that, there are now also motorcycle-taxis on the island that are based in Bang Bao. They do not park inside the ferry pier though and will have to wait at the gate for one that has a passenger getting off at the ferry. From Bang Bao, they charge 20 Baht per person to the end of the fishing village pier and 120 Baht to White Sand Beach.
Ferries ply between Ao Thammachat and Ao Sapparos and between Centre Point Pier and Dan Kao Cabana all day. The trips take about 30 and 40 minutes respectively.
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