Trat boat travel tips: Koh Chang → Mak → Koh Kood

Getting to the islands & back

The fastest way to get to the Trat islands (about 3 hours) is to fly to Trat, then take a van and a ferry to the islands.

We’ve been to the islands multiple times, and we always take the bus to the pier. Usually, we come from Bangkok, the most common starting point, but we’ve also come to the islands from Cambodia’s Koh Rong Island.

Because of the travel time, we spend a night in Bangkok before leaving for the islands the next morning, and again on our return to the city. Getting back to Bangkok takes a bit over 8 hours, and you can book a transfer directly to the airport if you’re flying next.

Check all travel times and options on our favorite transportation platform. We always book our local Thai buses, flights, trains, and boats there.

Travel time from Bangkok
The fastest way from Bangkok to Koh Chang is 3 hours (1h flight plus 2-hour van+ferry combo), while the standard van & ferry combo without a flight takes 5 hours.
The fastest way from Bangkok to Koh Mak is 3 hours (1h flight plus 2-hour van+ferry combo), while the standard van & ferry combo without a flight takes 6 hours.
The fastest way from Bangkok to Koh Kood is 3.5 hours (1h flight plus 2.5-hour van+ferry combo), while the standard van & ferry combo without a flight takes 6.5 hours.
Getting to Koh Wai from Bangkok takes about the same time as getting to Koh Chang (3-5 hours), but only if the speedboat stops at the island. Otherwise, add another hour to catch the connecting boat from Koh Chang.

Did you know? Koh Chang is one of the only Thai islands you can reach by car ferry, meaning you can explore it by rental car. The other islands are Koh Samui, Koh Lanta, and Koh Phangan.

We’ve driven around Thailand a lot, but we still haven’t driven from Bangkok to Koh Chang. But it is supposedly quite a scenic drive if you take the coastal road. With some cool stops on the way, like Ko Samet and Chanthaburi. Read our guide to driving in Thailand to learn what it’s like to drive here.

Boat types and routes

The 1-hour boat route between the islands runs north to south: Koh Chang – Koh Wai – Koh Mak – Koh Kood.

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 took the big ferry, speedboats, and high-speed catamarans, and all were comfortable. Hopping from one island to another was straightforward, and our combo ticket included hotel pick-up and drop-off. We found that especially useful on these islands, where taxis are otherwise more expensive.

In the high season, the Trat islands are also connected by the so-called “slow boat”, which is a traditional wooden boat. We used it only on our first journey from Koh Mak to Koh Kood. On all the next trips, we took speedboats and high-speed catamarans (faster and more comfortable). The real benefit of the wooden boats is that the ticket is about 200 THB (6 USD) cheaper. That’s also why we took it on our first trip. 😅

The slow boats between the islands run only in the high season, from November to the end of April. Likewise, during the low season, most speedboats between the islands stop operating. Then, the standard way to travel between the islands is to return to the mainland and then take another boat to a different island. This is due to safety concerns (high winds, rough seas) and because fewer tourists visit the islands, so some routes are cut.

Usually, only one daily high-speed catamaran connects the islands in the low season, which can be canceled if the weather is bad.

Koh Chang to Koh Mak

Getting from Koh Chang to Koh Mak is about a 2-hour door-to-door trip from your hotel on one island to the other.

The pier to depart Koh Chang for Koh Mak (and Koh Kood) is Bang Bao Pier. It’s a long pier with shops on each side of the path, which makes for a fun walk to the ferry. It is a bit of a squeeze, though, as the walking path is narrow.

The catamaran arrival pier in Koh Mak from Koh Chang is Ao Nid, and speedboats from Koh Chang arrive at Ao Kao beach at Makathanee Resort, and sometimes at Ao Soun Yai beach near Koh Mak Resort. Ao Nid and Ao Kao are also where the boats depart for Koh Kood.

We first arrived in Koh Mak by speedboat at Ao Soun Yai and were picked up by our hotel host in her pickup truck. Sometimes, you can even walk to your hotel – it’s not a big island.

Koh Chang to Koh Kood

The journey from Koh Chang to Koh Kood takes about 1.5 hours, and boats depart from Bang Bao pier, the same as to Koh Mak.

The arrival pier in Koh Kood is Ao Salad for catamarans, Klong Mad Pier for speedboats, and Nam Leuk Pier for slowboats.

We first arrived in Koh Kood at Nam Leuk Pier at Ao Tapao Beach by a wooden “slowboat,” and we will never forget seeing that gorgeous, crystal-clear blue water from the boat. We were literally left speechless. As we approached the end of the pier, someone leaving the island said, “Welcome to paradise,” and damn, were they right.

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).

Koh Mak to 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.

Koh Mak makes a great stopover on the way from Koh Chang to Koh Kood. Taking the fastest boat from Koh Chang makes it easy: you can get almost a full day on Koh Mak, stay the night, and leave the next morning for Koh Kood. It’s exactly what we recommend on our 1-week island-hopping itinerary if you want to spend more time on Koh Kood.

Koh Wai

The most famous Trat islands are the biggest ones: Koh Chang, Koh Kood, and Koh Mak. But there is also Koh Wai, a much smaller island, with only one operating hotel and no roads. 

Getting to Koh Wai is easy by speedboat, in 1 hour from Koh Chang, 15 minutes from Koh Mak, and 30 minutes from Koh Kood.

For Koh Wai, we recommend booking your boat in advance, as there aren’t that many options, and Koh Wai is a stop on the route that connects the other three islands, but not for every boat.

Most people visit Koh Wai for a day trip, and only a few stay overnight because the rooms are quite simple. But if you’re looking for a secluded experience, this is the spot.

On a boat tour from Koh Chang, you can visit multiple islands for snorkeling and bathing, including Koh Wai.