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By Air
Bangkok Airways (www.bangkokair.com, e-mail : reservation@bangkokair.com, Tel.1771 or 02-265-8777) flies direct to Trat from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport. The flight time is 50 minutes and cost about 3000 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. “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.
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By Car
The best way to get to Koh Chang requires a 4 to 4 1/2 hours trip to Trat province. Once you are in Trat, ferry services are available at three main piers to go to the island. |
Route 1 : Bangna-Chonburi-Ban Bung-Klaeng-Chantaburi-Trat. Distance: 315 km.
(a) Take Highway No. 3 (Bangna-Trat Road) until you reach the Chonburi bypass.You can either take the normal road or the elevated Bangkok- Chonburi tollway which is right above it. Toll fee is 55 Baht.
(b) Exit from the main road, head to the left and follow the Chonburi bypass that reads Pattaya-Rayong.
(c) Head for Rayong until you see the Ban Bung-Kleng- Chantaburi and the Bang Saen- Pattaya signboards.
(d) Take the Ban Bung-Klaeng- Chantaburi route on your left. You are now on Highway No. 344.
(e) Take the right route at Ban Bung-Klaeng junction and head for Klaeng only until you reach the Chantaburi-Rayong junction. Turn left to Chantaburi but do not enter the town which is on your right. This is again Highway No. 3. Go forward until you reach the Sa Kaew-Trat junction.
(f) Take the right turn to the town of Trat.
(g) Alternatively, you can head directly to the 3 piers without passing through Trat town. Look for the Laem Ngob signboard at
the Laem Ngob-Trat junction. Notice there is a PTT petrol station on your left just after a police checkpoint followed by another PTT station exactly 1 km away. This is the Laem Ngob-Trat junction. Turn right to Laem Ngob. This is Highway No. 3156 (Laem Ngob-Sahn Tung Road). You will reach Ao Thammachat followed by the Centre Point and Kromluang Chumphon Piers.
Route 2 : (Motorway Route): Rama IX or Srinakarin-Ban Bung-Klaeng-Chantaburi-Trat.
The motorway is another alternative. Start from Rama IX Road or Srinakarin Road, then 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 is the other route using Highway No.3 but it takes longer as you need to pass through Chonburi and Rayong provinces.
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By Air-Conditioned Bus
The Ekamai Bus Terminal is the main terminal for the eastern provinces, which can be reached through the BTS Skytrain, (Ekamai Station). The other station is at the Northern Bus Terminal (New Morchid), located at New Morchid 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 around 1 km from the town proper. Visitors can catch a taxi (Songthaew) from there to downtown, which cost 20 Baht per person per trip, or to the pier for 40 Baht per person per trip. If you arrive at Trat after 5:00 p.m., you will need to rent the 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 for 40 Baht per person per trip.
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By Van
There are many vans plying between Bangkok and Ao Thammachat, Centre Point or Laem Ngob. 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 500 Baht per person depending on the season. |
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Traveling Around Trat
Moving around Trat is fast and convenient with various modes of transport. There are motorcycle taxis, identified by the motorcyclists’ bright-coloured jackets, for 15 Baht and increasing by the distance. Mini-pickups which locals call Mazda can transport up to 5 passengers and starts at 50 Baht per charter. Bicycles are available for rent and are parked right outside of places like Seahouse Restaurant at the intersection of Sukhumvit and Lak Muang Road.
For longer trips to the outskirts, there is the Songthaew, a pick up truck converted into a vehicle with two parallel rows of seats and can accommodate 6 to 8 people. The following serves as a guideline on the route and approximate costs from Trat town.
Please take note that taxis (Songthaew) and the mini- pickups (Mazda) are not allowed to park in front of the Municipal Central Market of Trat. However, they can do so on the left side of the Municipal Central Market of Trat around 100 metres away, opposite the 7-eleven store.
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Trat to Koh Chang
There are 3 piers in Trat to take the ferry to Koh Chang. All of them are located in Amphoe (district) Laem Ngob and is a 30-minute ride from Trat.
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., 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.
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Visa Run
There are mini-vans at the bus station in Trat that leave for Baan Had Lek, the border between Cambodia and Thailand. These vans leave as soon as desired number of passengers is reached, so make sure to be there early to avoid hassles during your visa run trip.
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Ferries
Ao Thammachat (Thammachat Bay) has 2 piers. Koh Chang Ferry (Tel: 039-518 -588) and Ferry Koh Chang (Tel: 039-518-528) operate from 6:30 a.m. till 7:00 p.m. The ferries depart every 1/2 hour during the high season (November to April) and on long weekends landing at Ao Sapparos (Sapparos Bay). Both charge 60 Baht per person and 100 Baht per car for a one-way trip. Travelling time is approximately 25 minutes. Centre Point Ferry (Tel: 039-538-196) starts at 6:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. Travelling time is about 40 minutes and it lands at Dan Kao Cabana.
The ferry fare costs 50 Baht per person, and 70 Baht per person for those who come with their own cars. The frequency lessens during other times of the year depending on the crowd and weather. On arrival at Koh Chang, you will find some Songthaew ready to take you anywhere on Koh Chang, for 40 to 80 Baht per person depending on the distance. This applies to other piers as well.
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After 5:00 p.m., songthaews are available from the Ao Thammachat pier only, but not going to the pier. Passengers taking the last public ferry at 7:00 p.m. from Koh Chang may find it difficult to get to Trat town. However, if there are enough passengers, people who work at the pier with private cars may be willing to charge a fee for bringing people to Trat.
To Other Islands
About 25 km from Trat town is Laem Sok Pier, also called Siriwhite Pier (Tel: 086-126 -7860), serving taxi speedboats to Koh Kood only. Carrying up to 30 passengers, they leave daily at 1:00 p.m., and arrive Koh Maak at 1:50 p.m. and then Koh Kood at 2:20 p.m. The fare is 400 Baht to Koh Maak and 550 Baht to Koh Kood. The fare between Koh Kood and Koh Maak is 300 Baht. You can also charter a speedboat at 8000 Baht to Koh Maak and 9000 Baht to Koh Kood. Return trip from Koh Kood is at 10:00 a.m. and Koh Maak at 10:30 a.m. It arrives at Laem Sok at about 11:15 a.m.
It is advisable to check the rate and schedule of the ferry services before embarking on the trip because of possible changes due to the season, passenger load and competition amongst the ferry and boat operators. The rates and schedules supplied here is effective at the time of writing and should serve as a guide only.
Cambodia Sidetrip
• By bus : Depart 6:00 a.m. and 08.00 a.m. from Trat to Phom 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
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