How to Get to Koh Chang and How to Get Around the Island

Overview of Ways to Get to Koh Chang

Koh Chang is located in Trat Province, 330 kilometers from Bangkok, almost on the border with Cambodia (Koh Chang on the map of Thailand). Getting here on your own isn't always easy, especially if you're coming from cities and resorts other than Bangkok or Pattaya. There's no railway here, and planes only fly from Bangkok. So, in most cases, when traveling to Chang from other Thai cities and provinces, you'll need to transfer in Bangkok, often with an overnight stay. The thing is, the journey from Bangkok directly to your accommodation on the island can take a whole day (transport and ferries don't run at night), so you might need to factor in an overnight stop in Bangkok to get an early morning start to Chang. Alternatively, you could travel to Trat town, stay overnight there, and then take a morning ferry to the island.

Below we'll go into detail about all the ways and routes to get to Chang on your own. First, a quick summary by direction:

• From Trat town – minibuses run from the bus station to the pier, but you'll likely need to hire one like a taxi. From Trat airport, either take a taxi or the official minivan, timed to flight arrivals.
• From Bangkok – take scheduled buses directly to the pier for Chang, or scheduled buses to Trat town with a transfer to a minivan/taxi to the pier, or fly to Trat airport.
• From Bangkok's airports – from Suvarnabhumi terminal, a direct bus runs to the island pier twice a day. Or fly to Trat town.
• From Pattaya – there's a direct tourist transfer bus from your hotel door to a hotel on Chang once a day, or take a scheduled bus to Chanthaburi or Trat town, and then transfer to the pier.
• From Phuket – fly to Bangkok, then transfer to a plane or bus as described above. This might involve an overnight stay in BKK.
• From Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai – take a plane, train, or bus to Bangkok, then proceed as above, possibly with an overnight in BKK. Alternatively, take a bus to Pattaya, stay overnight, and catch the hotel-to-hotel transfer to Chang in the morning.
• From Chanthaburi – you can catch a passing bus directly to the pier (twice daily) or a bus to Trat with a transfer to a minivan.

To Koh Chang by Plane

Luckily, Koh Chang still doesn't have an airport. Why lucky? Because if it did, it would be packed with tourists and wouldn't be the relatively "paradise" place it still is.

However, to get closer to Koh Chang by air, you can use Trat Airport (IATA code - TDX) on the mainland near Trat town. It's a tiny airport with just one runway and not even a proper building (the terminal is open-air). It's owned by Bangkok Airways, so they're the only airline flying here from Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport. No other flights. Prices are high by Thai standards. For example, a flight from Bangkok costs from 4000 baht (approx. 120 USD) one-way. Honestly, we think the idea of getting to Chang via Trat Airport is pretty questionable. When you factor in travel time to Bangkok airport, checking in early, the one-hour flight, and the transfer to the pier, it ends up being similar to just taking a taxi directly to the ferry pier for Chang. And a taxi or private transfer is a fixed price for the whole car, which could work out cheaper than a flight. So, our take is: if you really want to fly to Chang, it's better to just fly into Bangkok and then head straight to the island by taxi or a cheaper minivan transfer.

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• To Chang from Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport

  The easiest way to get from Bangkok airport to the island is by taxi. The trip takes about 5 hours and costs from 4000 baht (approx. 120 USD) + the ferry fare. If you can swing that, it's the way to go.

  Life hack! If you've just landed at Suvarnabhumi and are heading straight to Chang, it's better to exchange your cash at the airport because the rates are better than on the island. But don't use the first exchange booth you see; only use the ones on the lowest floor near the Airport Rail Link (ARL) station. More about currency exchange at Suvarnabhumi Airport here.

  Of course, you need to keep the ferry schedule to Chang in mind. Ferries only run until 6:30 PM, and if you miss the last one, you'll have to spend the night on the mainland in Trat town. A quick calculation: if you land at 12 PM, plus time for baggage claim, passport control, and currency exchange (best done on the lower floor near the ARL), you'll probably be in a taxi no earlier than 1 PM, and you might still make the ferry. If your flight arrives after 12 PM, you'll likely have to stay overnight in Trat.

  If a taxi is too pricey, you can take a bus. There's a direct bus+ferry transfer from the airport. They'll take you right to the island, to the company's office, and even drop you off at hotels on certain beaches. Departures at 7:00 AM and 10:00 AM, cost from 650 baht (19.5 USD). The ticket and departure point is the counter near exit 8 of the airport terminal. It's better to book tickets for this route in advance, as seats aren't guaranteed.

  

  Two companies operate on this route:

  • Bus No. 392 - https://www.bussuvarnabhumikohchang.com/
  • Suvarnabhumi Burapha - https://www.swbbus.com/en/timetable/

  You can check schedules and prices on their sites, but you can't buy tickets with Russian cards. You could also try using 12go.asia, where you can pay with foreign cards or later in Thailand with cash at terminals, 7-Eleven counters, etc.

• To Chang from Bangkok's Don Mueang Airport

  Unfortunately, there's no direct way to get from Don Mueang to Koh Chang. At least, we don't know of any direct transport or transfers. But here are some options:

  • Hire a taxi at the airport to take you to the pier for Koh Chang, then take the ferry and get to your spot on the island yourself. This will cost from 5000 baht.
  • Take a taxi or bus from Don Mueang to Suvarnabhumi Airport, and then take the buses to Chang as described above. We've written about how to get from Don Mueang to Suvarnabhumi cheaply here.
  • Take a taxi or city bus from Don Mueang to the Mo Chit bus terminal in Bangkok (you could also go to Ekkamai, but it's longer and more complicated), and then take a bus or transfer as we detail below.

• To Chang from Trat Airport

  There's no public transport from this airport. You'll need to take a taxi or book the special tourist transfer from Bangkok Airways, which includes a minivan + ferry on their website https://www.kohchangaccom.com/en/. Cost from 650 baht.

From Bangkok to Koh Chang

If you need to get from Bangkok directly to Koh Chang without an overnight stay in Trat, it's best to start early in the morning to avoid arriving at the pier after the last ferry has left. Remember, the last ferry to Chang leaves the "mainland" at 6:30 PM. An even better option is to buy a ready-made bus+ferry transfer, which are widely available from Bangkok and cost only a little more than separate tickets. Here's the online schedule for reference:

So, there are several departure points for buses to Chang from Bangkok:

• Tourist Buses from Khao San Road

  From Bangkok's main tourist area, Khao San Road, there's a ready-made bus+ferry transfer that takes you to the transport company's office on the island or even to your hotel. It costs from 800 baht (24 USD), departs 1-2 times in the morning. The companies operating this are:

  • Khaosan Bonsiri, company office at 62 Tani, Talat Yot. Schedule and prices here – https://boonsiriferry.com/en/timetable
  • Mama Travel and Tour, company office at 144 Khaosan Rd Pranakorn. No website; buy tickets on 12go.asia
  • Suvarnabhumi Burapha, the same company that runs from the airport, has one morning departure from Khao San Road.

  

  You can buy tickets via the links, at the company offices, or at travel agencies on Khao San Road.

• From Mor Chit and Ekkamai Bus Terminals

  On scheduled buses from the Mor Chit and Ekkamai terminals, you can get directly to the pier for Chang, or transfer to local transport in Trat. Either route is doable; the main thing, again, is to leave early in the morning so you don't get stuck in Trat because you missed the ferry.

  • Direct bus to the pier

    There's a convenient direct bus, No. 999, that you can take without transfers all the way to the ferries. It departs from Ekkamai bus terminal and goes to the main Ao Thammachart pier and then on to Laem Ngob village, which also has a pier. It costs from 292 baht (approx. 8.76 USD). It's better to get off at Ao Thammachart pier, not the final stop Laem Ngob.

    Unfortunately, No. 999 only runs twice a day at 7:45 AM and 2:30 PM, so if the schedule doesn't work for you, you can go with a transfer as described below. Just in case, you can double-check the schedule before your trip on the Thai bus network site http://www.transport.co.th, entering Trat as the destination city and Laem Ngob as the specific arrival point.

  • With a transfer

    From Bangkok's two biggest terminals, Ekamai (eastern) and Mor Chit (northern), buses and minivans depart every hour starting from 5 AM. They don't go directly to the island or pier for Chang, but to the bus terminal in Trat town. Bus fares start at 280 baht, the journey takes 5-6 hours, so you need to leave early in the morning or at least before noon, otherwise you might miss the ferry. Booking in advance isn't necessary; you can just go to the station and buy a ticket for the next departure at the counter.

    When you arrive at the bus station in Trat, you'll still need to get to the Ao Thammachart ferry pier for Chang. There used to be local songthaews running this route for 50 baht, but now they only operate like taxis and charge 400 baht for the whole vehicle to the pier. You can try to negotiate or find fellow travelers to share the cost.

    Alternatively, you can get off the bus before Trat town at the small local bus stop in Saeng Tung. Just tell the driver you're going to Koh Chang; here's the stop on the map. Songthaews from here to Ao Thammachart pier cost 500 baht, and you'll arrive at the pier a bit earlier than going through Trat.

  

• From Suvarnabhumi Airport

  We already mentioned the bus+ferry transfer from the airport to Chang. You can also use this method if you're already in Bangkok, and it will even be cheaper than going from Khao San. Getting to Suvarnabhumi Airport is easy from areas like Pratunam, Sukhumvit, etc., via the metro from 45 baht. From the Khao San tourist area, direct express buses run here. We've covered all the ways to get to Suvarnabhumi Airport here.

• From Victory Monument Station

  Minivans no longer depart from the Victory Monument circle; the station there has been completely closed down.

From Pattaya to Koh Chang

From Pattaya to Koh Chang, you can go with transfers via the Trat or Chanthaburi bus terminals, but it's much simpler and more convenient to buy a ready-made transfer straight to the island online on 12go.asia or at local travel agencies. It costs from 650 baht (19.5 USD) and takes 4-6 hours. The operators on this route are the ones you already know: Suvarnabhumi Burapha, 35 Group Pattaya, and BonsiriFerry. These companies have websites with all the schedule and price info: Suvarnabhumi Burapha, BonsiriFerry.

The price includes pickup/drop-off at your hotel in Pattaya and delivery to your hotel or the company's office on Haad Sai Khao beach. You'll have to make a few transfers during the trip, which is why the advertised 4-6 hours can turn into 8-10 hours. Still, it's cheap and convenient.

From Chanthaburi to Koh Chang

From the Chanthaburi bus terminal, located in the city center, you can take a bus to Trat (many buses, frequent departures), but then you'd have to get to the pier as described above. A more convenient option is to catch the passing bus No. 999 from Bangkok, which will take you directly to Ao Thammachart pier. The bus runs twice a day, passing through Chanthaburi around 12 PM and again around 6 PM. Theoretically, both buses are timed to connect with ferry departures, so even the second one should get you to the island in time, but we haven't personally tested the evening one; we've only taken the first.

Tickets for No. 999 can be bought at the Chanthaburi bus terminal ticket office, preferably a day in advance. Cost 97 baht (2.91 USD).

By Ferry

All the previous ways to get to Koh Chang end with a ferry. The ferry connections to Koh Chang are pretty well developed, allowing you to reach the island from several piers on the mainland, as well as from neighboring islands. But once you arrive on the island, you'll still need to get from the pier to your desired beach and hotel via local transport. Here's the lowdown:

So, on the mainland in Laem Ngop district, Trat Province, ferries to Koh Chang depart from three piers and arrive on the island at different piers:

• Ao Thammachart Pier is now the main departure point for ferries to Chang, arriving at the most convenient pier from which it's easiest to get to your desired beach. So we recommend departing from here (on map). It used to mainly handle vehicle transport, but now you can cross as a passenger, or with a car or motorbike. Ferries run from 6:30 AM to 6:30 PM every hour. Passenger fare 80 baht (2.4 USD), motorbike – 80 baht, car – 120 baht.

  These ferries arrive on the island at Ao Sapparod Pier (on map). Here, Songthaew drivers meet passengers to take them to the various beaches and hotels. The fare is fixed, ranging from 50 to 200 baht depending on the beach; haggling is useless. There's a sign with prices here, and the same price lists are on each songthaew. Here are those prices:

  

  

  You can also hire a whole songthaew as a taxi; the prices for that are also in the photo.

  You can also rent a motorbike here and ride to your hotel, returning it here at the end of your stay. You'll see a rental place to the right, about 50 meters from where you get off the ferry. If you walk another 100 meters or so, there's another one. Prices here are the same as at rentals on the beaches, so feel free to rent here, but do negotiate and ask for a discount for longer rentals. More on rentals and specifics of getting around Chang by motorbike below.

• Centerpoint Pier (closed again in 2024, no info on reopening!!!) (Tha Centre Point, on map). This used to be the main port, but it closed during the pandemic and only reopened in 2023, now called Trat Ferry. Ferries from here run from 6:00 AM to 5:20 PM every 3 hours, cost from 80 baht (2.4 USD), motorbike – 40 baht, car – 120 baht.

  These ferries arrive on the island at Dan Kao Pier (on map). We went to this pier to check it out, and it felt abandoned – no songthaews, no motorbike rentals. So, if you're crossing here, you'd better be on your own transport.

  

• Near Centerpoint is Laem Ngop Pier (on map), but according to our info, ferries to Koh Chang don't run from there anymore.

Besides mainland connections, Chang has regular boat links with neighboring tourist islands like Koh Kood and Koh Mak, and smaller islets like Koh Wai, Koh Kham? Koh Rayang. There are also connections to two islands in Cambodia: Koh Sdach (also known as King Island) and Koh Rong. At least two companies operate these routes; you can check schedules on their sites, and booking is available there:

• https://boonsiriferry.com - from 900 baht / 27 USD
• https://www.kohchangboat.com - from 1200 baht / 36 USD

Most of these ferries depart from the pier in Bang Bao village in the south (Bang Bao Pier on map). You can get here from the main beaches by songthaew, but they're not keen on driving here for the fixed public transport fare (50-250 baht per person). They might ask for 500-800 baht for the whole vehicle, like a taxi.

Koh Chang Boat Speed service (that's the site https://www.kohchangboat.com) has its own pier at Kai Bae Beach. When you buy a ticket on their site or at travel agencies, a free transfer from your hotel to the pier is included.

Transport on Koh Chang and How to Get Around the Island

• Songthaew Minibuses

  The only public transport on Koh Chang is the songthaew – those pickup trucks with two benches in the back for passengers, just like in Pattaya and other resorts. You can use them to travel between beaches, or to get from the pier to your hotel and back. They run on their routes along the ring road that goes around the island, from the main Ao Sapparod pier down the west coast to the village and pier in Bang Bao in the south. Unfortunately, they don't run on the east coast at all. To get there, you'd need to hire one privately as a taxi.

  

  The fare is fixed, depending on the distance between specific points (i.e., where you get on and off), ranging from 50 to 250 baht per person. If you hire the whole songthaew as a taxi, the prices are also fixed, from 500 to 800 baht. A fare chart is posted near the entrance inside each songthaew. But, of course, if you ask to be taken to a hotel off the main road, the driver will ask for an extra fee. And for trips on the east coast, you'll have to negotiate the price individually.

  In the evening, after about 6 PM, the songthaews mostly stop operating as shared minibuses and will only take passengers for the taxi fare.

• Renting a Motorbike, Car, Bicycle

  However, for active tourists, the main way to get around Koh Chang isn't songthaews, but renting a motorbike (or scooter) or a bicycle. You'll find rental shops on all the developed beaches, and there's one near the main pier (mentioned above). So you could rent a motorbike right after arriving on the island and ride to your hotel. But there are no rentals on the remote east coast, so if you've booked a hotel on that side of the island, it's best to rent one right at the pier.

  

  You can rent a motorbike on Chang from 150 baht for several days (4.5 USD), from 250 baht for one day (7.5 USD), and a bicycle from 50 baht. They don't usually ask for a license or category 'A' here (even though they're supposed to by law). We haven't seen any police on the roads here, nor have we heard about other tourists being checked. But you should remember that if you rent a motorbike without a license, you're automatically at fault in any accident and will have to pay for repairs to both the rental bike and any other vehicle involved. And, of course, your insurance won't cover you in that case. More on renting a motorbike in Thailand and what license you need.

  

  

  They might ask to see your passport (and take a photo), but they rarely ask for a cash or document deposit on Koh Chang. Prices vary a bit between different rental shops, so if you want to save money, it's worth checking a few. For example, in our experience, our hotel offered a rental for 250 baht/day, but we found another place just a hundred meters away and negotiated 150 baht/day for a new motorbike when renting for 5 days – a great price.

  Now, here's something important about the roads. The (almost) ring road around Koh Chang is in great condition, fully paved. But the riding conditions aren't the easiest; in fact, they're quite challenging. Between Kai Bae and Lonely Beach beaches, and between White Beach and Klong Son, there are very steep climbs and descents and winding roads. We personally witnessed three young, enthusiastic tourists fall off their motorbikes and crash into the barriers one evening during a light drizzle on the stretch between Kai Bae and Lonely Beach – all within half an hour. So, don't overestimate your abilities. Ride very carefully at all times, but especially in the dark and after rain. A big danger on the steep turns and descents, even in dry weather, is leaves, small stones, and sand – you can slip on them like on ice!!! And one more delicate point: if you're on the heavier side, it's better not to get the cheapest 125cc scooter; go for at least 135cc or 150cc, otherwise it just won't have the power to get you up the hills.

  Fuel on Koh Chang costs a couple of baht more per liter than on the mainland. You can fill up at the "bottle" gas stations along the road, but there are also big Ptt gas stations where it's cheaper and they accept bank cards.

  

  

  Finally, you can also rent a car if you want. Mostly small jeeps are available for rent here.

Transport Schedule to Koh Chang