Quick Overview
Trat Islands are somewhat “out of the way” on a standard Thailand itinerary. For example, Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, and Koh Tao are south of Bangkok, but the Trat Islands are 6-7 hours east (each way).
We know firsthand how long it takes to get there, and we keep that in mind with this itinerary. 7 days realistically means 5 full days on the islands.
- 2 days on Koh Chang: beaches, waterfalls, kayaking, mangrove forest
- 2 days on Koh Mak: beaches and amazing relaxed sunsets
- 3 days on Koh Kood: chilling on some of Thailand’s best beaches plus a day trip to Koh Rang
Read next: Trat Islands Comparison (how to know which one is for you)
How to get to the islands
We assume you start and finish this trip in Bangkok, from where it’s easiest to access the islands. Alternatively, you can fly to Trat, then use a transfer to and from the islands.
We’ve been to the islands multiple times, both from Bangkok and on the way from Cambodia’s Koh Rong island.
Check travel times and options on our favorite transportation platform. We always book our local Thai buses, flights, trains, and boats there.
How to travel between the islands
The boat route between the islands runs north to south (Koh Chang – Koh Mak – Koh Kood), with a 1-hour travel time between each island.
With multiple daily departures of boats, speedboats, and high-speed catamarans between all the islands, it’s easy to hop from one island to another.
We’ve taken both the big ferry and the faster boats, and both were comfortable. Hopping from one island to another was straightforward, and our combo ticket included hotel pick-up and drop-off.
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1: Getting to Koh Chang with afternoon at the beach
We recommend booking the early combo transfer (bus and boat) so you can be at your Koh Chang hotel by about 2:30 PM. We prefer the transfer that includes hotel pick-up in Bangkok and drop-off in Koh Chang. It always makes our day so much easier.
Once in Koh Chang, we recommend renting a scooter and spending the afternoon at the beach. Don’t plan on doing anything else.
We spent a lot of time at White Sand Beach because it was closest to our hotel, but we liked Kai Bae and Lonely Beach best. If you want to see the sunset fire show, we saw it at Lonely Beach, and it was a great way to end the day.
For dinner, Koh Chang has fantastic restaurants, no matter where you are. We personally loved stopping by the night market at White Sand Beach to pick up some fruit, snacks, and an Isaan dish called broken rice salad, which was so, so good.
We loved the traditional Thai food, and it’s easy to find delicious options. But if you’re looking for a burger, we discovered Tao’s Burgers on our recent visit, and he makes some kick-ass burgers at a fantastic price.
Keep in mind that the earliest you can be in Koh Chang is around 11:30 AM, but you’ll need to leave Bangkok at 3:30 in the morning.
Sunsets in this part of Thailand are early, even in the “summer”, just before 6 PM in December, and only about 40 minutes later on the longest day in July.
So you’re never getting that super long day, so make the most of it!
Day 2: Koh Chang kayaking, waterfalls and Mangrove Forest
The second day is all about the activities unique to Koh Chang that you can’t find on the other islands.
For us, that meant renting a kayak and kayaking to Koh Man Nai Island in the morning, then heading to the eastern part of the island to see the waterfalls and mangrove forest.
We rented our kayak for Koh Man Nai at Grand View, a hotel right at Kai Bae Beach, the best starting point for getting to the island. There’s also a proper kayak rental place closer to the island that, judging by reviews, is also a good choice.
On the east side of the island, there are two options for seeing the mangrove forest (Salak Khok and Salak Phet).
We were at both mangrove forests, and we recommend Salak Khok. There, you can take a guided kayaking tour around the forest, which we did, and it was a cool experience to go through the mangroves and see the different fish, crabs, and other animals that call this place home.
You can also take a Mangrove boat tour if you don’t want to kayak around the mangroves. It looked like a nice, peaceful experience.
Another kayaking option is to Ko Ngam Island, but it costs about 6 USD (on top of the kayak fee), since it’s part of a national park. It’s an absolutely stunning island with a small strip of land, like a sandbank separating two parts. Both beaches there are amazing, and it’s just a really unique place. Just keep in mind that it’s a bit of a drive to get there. It’s at the southernmost point on the island’s east side.
Next up, waterfalls.
We’ve been to all the main waterfalls on Koh Chang, and we loved Than Mayom waterfall the most. It’s the best place to refresh yourself on a hot day. We loved climbing the big rock to get into the pool – such a cool spot.
We actually didn’t visit the waterfalls until our second visit to Koh Chang. On our first visit, they were mostly dry. That’s why it’s a good idea to check a few recent reviews.
To do everything of this in one day, you have to start EARLY.
Days 3 and 4: Beach time in Koh Mak
The first mission of the day is getting from Koh Chang to Koh Mak, about a 2-hour door-to-door trip from your hotel on one island to the other. We recommend booking the earliest boat with hotel pickup, usually at 8 AM.
This way, you’ll be in Koh Mak around 10 AM and have the whole day to explore. Of course, contact your Koh Mak hotel in advance to ask if you can drop off your luggage before check-in.
Our favorite sunset spots on Koh Mak were The Coral Club and the bar at the Baan Ao Kao Hotel.
For beaches, Koh Mak’s Ao Soun Yai beach is our top choice, and we went there most of the time. It’s long enough that you can always find a spot, and all the amenities are close by.
If you’re renting a bicycle or scooter, you can also ride to Cape Tukata viewpoint, as we did. It’s a short climb, but it gives you the best views on the island. It’s essentially the only high point.
Food on Koh Mak was delicious, and portions were good. We loved the food at The Chill cafe. Just keep in mind that some restaurants here run on island time, and that good food takes time. 😋
The next day (4), you have another full day on Koh Mak, which you can use at the beach. Koh Mak is super chill, so it’s the perfect place for lazy beach days.
Or if you want to spend more time on Koh Kood (we get it!), you can just do one night on Koh Mak and head to Koh Kood the next day. Coming with the fastest boat from Koh Chang makes this super easy.
Day 5: Koh Kood
From Koh Mak, Koh Kood is a 1-hour boat ride away, and we again recommend booking a ticket that includes a hotel drop-off.
Unlike Koh Mak, Koh Kood is much bigger, so you’ll need a vehicle to get around. To avoid the hassle of arranging transport, do what we always do and get the hotel drop-off (it’s basically the same price).
Our favorite beach on Koh Kood was Bang Bao, stunning and usually not busy, with a pier where you can chill or jump off. Just make sure you only jump off during high tide. We went many times, and we didn’t jump from the pier during low tide because it gets SUPER shallow.
But honestly, all the beaches on Koh Kood are stunning. 🤷♀️ Another favorite was Khlong Hin Beach, famous for the swings and palm trees which are practically in the water.
For sunset, we loved Khlong Han Beach. And if you’re luckier than us, this is where you can see the glowing plankton at dark. On our visit, there was a full moon, so we couldn’t see it.
For a break from the beach, do a short hike to Khlong Chao waterfall. It has a large swimming hole, and there’s even a rope you can swing from and jump off. If you’re staying near Khlong Chao Beach, you can easily walk there. Otherwise, go by scooter.
We were positively suprised by the food on Koh Kood and we had some really good stuff. We frequented the Esan Family restaurant (Isaan food) and Black Bananas, both of which we ate at countless times. Yum!
Black Bananas was a great spot, and they had plenty of board games we played while we waited for our food (which was worth the wait).
Day 6: Koh Kood snorkeling trip
We loved exploring Koh Kood’s stunning beaches, but we enjoyed the snorkeling boat trip around Koh Kood and to Koh Rang Island even more.
It was one of the highlights of our Koh Kood visit, as it’s the best way to get out on the sea for a day and see underwater life.
We went on this trip twice. First, we went to Koh Kood’s snorkeling spots, and the second time, to Koh Rang itself. Both were great, but we loved Koh Rang most.
Important note: The tour starts at 8 AM, and it’s a full day at sea, so don’t expect to do anything else that day. But it’s so worth it, and we know what we’re talking about because we’ve done countless similar trips during our travels in Thailand.
Day 7: Koh Kood morning at the beach and departure
If you’re like us, you’ll still want to hit the beach on your last morning before departing from Koh Kood. That’s why it makes so much sense to stay at a beachside hotel.
The return from the Trat Islands to Bangkok takes a bit over 8 hours, and from Koh Kood you can book a transfer directly to the airport if you’re flying.
Best time to visit Trat Islands
The best time to visit the eastern Gulf of Thailand islands (Trat) is November to February, with March and April still a good time.
From May to October, the Trat islands experience heavy winds, rain, and storms. We experienced the crazy winds on Koh Chang, and it wasn’t much fun.
Koh Chang, for example, is much rainier than Koh Samui on the other side of the Gulf of Thailand.
While the best time to visit the Trat islands is during Thailand’s peak tourism season, they’re still much more peaceful than other popular islands in the country. Read next: Best time to visit Thailand (for every type of trip).
During our visits to all three islands in December and January, we never felt crowded. We could always find a nice, peaceful spot if we wanted to.
We will never forget being on the beach in Koh Kood for New Year’s Eve, as there were literally only a few people with us. Definitely felt like we were on a VIP island.
Final thoughts
We hope this one-week Trat island-hopping itinerary helps you make the most of the time on Koh Chang, Mak, and Kood.
The islands in Trat were the first islands we ever visited in Thailand, and it’s safe to say they ruined other places for us! Now, we always compare every beach destination in Thailand to Koh Chang, Koh Mak, or Koh Kood. They are definitely special.
Have a fantastic time on our favorite Thai islands!
Last tip: If you have an extra day, follow our itinerary, but just add one more night to Koh Kood so you get three full days. It’s worth it.
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