Ferry times from Trat Airport to Koh Chang

By joint bus and ferry service the journey from Trat Airport to Koh Chang is scheduled to take from 2 to 3 hours depending upon which service you take.

Ferry Times from Trat Airport to Koh Chang

Click on the Trat – Koh Chang link in the timetable below for more information and to buy tickets.

Location of Trat Airport

Location of Ao Sapparot Pier in Koh Chang

About Travel to Koh Chang

Koh Chang is a late starter when it comes to mass tourism. Islands such as Phuket and Koh Samui began attracting tourists in significant numbers during the 1970s and 1980s. Koh Chang, however, only started to become a tourist destination from 2010 onwards, and the number of visitors still remains relatively low. Of those people who do visit a high proportion are Thai tourists who come with their own cars. It’s a 5 hour drive from Bangkok to the ferry pier for Koh Chang making the island an ideal destination for long weekend breaks.

Geography of Koh Chang

Koh Chang is a large island, measuring 30 km long by 13 km at its widest point. That makes it almost as big as Koh Samui, but with a population that’s only about 15% of Koh Samui. Large parts of the island are unpopulated and undeveloped. There are plenty of treks you can do, and the island has a lot of wildlife, particularly birdlife. The island’s healthy population of hornbills is an attraction in its own right, although you need to make the effort to reach the areas where you can see them.

The centre of the island is heavily forested and mountainous, with the highest peak rising to 744 metres above sea level. In addition to this much of the island is protected national park land where building or clearing the forest is not permitted, and the authorities on Koh Chang have been more successful in this regard than in other more popular islands such as Phuket and Koh Phangan.

Tourist Areas in Koh Chang

The main tourist areas in Koh Chang are on the west coast of the island. This is where the beaches are located. There is a beach, Long beach, on the south east coast however its remoteness and sparse facilities mean very few tourists actually stay there overnight. There are also two small settlements on the south east coast, Salak Phet and Bang Bao, which attract visitors but again few people choose to stay there overnight.

From north to south on the west coast the four tourist hotspots on the island are:

• White Sand Beach
• Klong Prao Beach
• Kai Bae Beach
• Lonely Beach

The most developed part of the island in terms of tourism is White Sand Beach, which is also the closest beach to the main ferry terminals. The road running alongside the beach is an almost continuous line of shops, bars, and restaurants focussed on catering to tourists.

Klong Prao Beach is generally considered to be the best beach on the island. The beach is just over 4 km long and the island’s top hotel, Santhiya Tree Koh Chang Resort, is located in the southern half.

Lonely Beach is the best beach for younger independent travellers seeking inexpensive bungalows and nightlife in bars full of other younger independent travellers. It’s sometimes described as Koh Chang’s ‘Hippie Beach’.

Hotels and Bungalows in Koh Chang

Koh Chang has around 140 hotels, guesthouses, and hostels, available to book online through major hotel booking websites. Overall Koh Chang represents good value for money for accommodation. The island’s top hotel, Santhiya Tree Koh Chang Resort, charges from around 6,000 THB a night, and the cheapest hostels on the island (such as Tuk Tuk Guesthouse) charge from 300 THB to stay in a shared dormitory.

The best value for money in Koh Chang tends to the mid-range resorts close to the beach. Even in high season rooms tend to be available in these types of beachfront resorts for around 2,000 THB a night.

Activities in Koh Chang

The main activity for most visitors to Koh Chang is relaxing on the beach and eating out in the evenings. A high proportion of the visitors to the island stay for short periods and just want to relax. Koh Chang doesn’t have the same range of activities available as Koh Samui for example in terms of go-karting, mini-golf, adventure playgrounds and other activity centres that appeal to children and some adults. Nonetheless, there are activities you can do on the island:

• Trekking: There are lots of walks you can do, including up the island’s tallest hill and to half a dozen inland waterfalls. There are also some shorter walks you can do in the south island on elevated wooden pathways through mangrove forests.
• Scuba Diving: Koh Chang has 5 diving companies and around 30 local dive sites. The most famous local dive site is a sunken naval ship, the mast of which is about 12 metres below the surface.
• Classes: You can take classes in Thai cooking, Muay Thai, yoga, and Tai Chi.
• Kayaking: As well as hiring kayaks you can also take courses in sea canoeing at one of Thailand’s top kayaking centres, S.E.A. Kayaking by Kayak Chang.
• Other Activities: Koh Chang also has two elephant camps and Treetop Adventure Park, which ziplines and swings.