Koh Chang and Koh Kood: the eastern Gulf almost nobody visits

If you look at a map of Thailand, the eastern Gulf archipelago — a cluster of islands near the Cambodian border — looks like the great forgotten. While Phuket, Samui and Phi Phi saturate the tourist imagination, Koh Chang, Koh Kood and small Koh Mak receive a discreet flow, mostly Thai weekenders and Europeans who have been travelling to Thailand for years and are looking for something different. The result is three islands with primary jungle, long beaches, reasonable prices and almost non-existent nightlife.

This guide covers the three, with honesty about their strengths and limitations, to help you decide if they are the stop you are looking for.

Where they are and why nobody goes

The eastern Gulf islands belong to the Trat province, in the southeastern corner of the country, 315 km from Bangkok by road and 80 km from the Cambodian Koh Kong border. They have no commercial airport — small Trat airport operates a single daily Bangkok Airways flight from Bangkok — so the usual access is by road to Laem Ngop pier and then ferry. This filters tourism: whoever comes here does so on purpose.

The advantage is double: fewer people and prices considerably lower than on the rest of the Thai islands.

Koh Chang: the big one

Koh Chang (Elephant Island, for its shape) is Thailand’s second largest island, only behind Phuket. It has 217 km², a central mountainous spine covered in primary jungle (more than 70% is national park) and a developed coastal strip on the west coast with several sand beaches. The interior is practically virgin, with waterfalls, trails and wildlife (snakes, monitors, eagles).

The west beaches (north to south):

• White Sand Beach (Hat Sai Khao). The most developed. Pretty beach, many resorts, moderate nightlife. Reference zone for most.
• Klong Prao. Longer, broader beach, with estuary dividing it. Families, quiet atmosphere.
• Kai Bae. Well-balanced. Less noise than White Sand but with all services. My recommended zone for first time.
• Lonely Beach. Despite the name, the island’s backpacker and party zone. Cheap bungalows, bars, beach party almost every night.
• Bang Bao. Stilted fishing village to the south. No own beach but seafood restaurants and excursion boats.

Activities on Koh Chang:

• Klong Plu Waterfalls. Short trail from the car park to a waterfall with natural pool. 200 THB entry. The main waterfall.
• Jungle trekking. Several operators (Jungle Way, Trekkers of Koh Chang) offer half-day or full-day routes through the jungle interior. 700-1,500 THB.
• Ethical elephant sanctuary. Ban Kwan Chang Elephant Camp practices responsible tourism (no riding). 1,200-2,000 THB half day.
• Boat trip to Koh Rang. Snorkel on uninhabited islets to the south. 800-1,400 THB full day.

Koh Kood: the quiet gem

Koh Kood is, for many, the prettiest island in the Gulf. It measures 105 km², has practically intact jungle and seven or eight white-sand beaches with exceptionally transparent waters. The reason it preserves this quality is that there is not a single significant road: resorts are scattered along the coast, connected by trails or dirt tracks, and there is no central developed village. The island operates in isolated resort mode.

The main beaches:

• Klong Chao. Probably the island’s most photographed beach. Long, white, with the Klong Chao river estuary emptying into the sand.
• Bang Bao Beach. To the south, with boutique resorts and very quiet atmosphere.
• Ao Yai. Large bay on the east side, with some local houses and a virtually empty beach.
• Ao Prao and Ao Tapao. Small bays with high-end accommodations.

What to do on Koh Kood:

• Klong Chao Waterfalls. Interior waterfall accessible by boat or on foot. Swimming allowed.
• Snorkel at Koh Rang. The same archipelago visited from Chang. Excellent snorkel.
• Kayak up the Klong Chao river. Paddle from the mouth into the jungle interior. Rental 200-300 THB.
• Do nothing. It is, honestly, the main activity of Koh Kood.

Koh Mak: the middle ground

Koh Mak is the small one between the two. Flat, 16 km², no mountains or dense jungle. It has a few decent beaches, few resorts, and a very family atmosphere. Not the most spectacular, but serves as a base to visit the two neighbours by boat and has lower mid prices.

Getting there

From Bangkok to Koh Chang:

• Direct bus from Ekkamai or Mo Chit to Trat: 5-6 hours, 250-400 THB.
• Minibus from Bangkok to Laem Ngop pier: 5-6 hours, 350-500 THB.
• Own car: 4-5 hours on the motorway.
• Bangkok-Trat flight (Bangkok Airways): 1h, 2,500-3,500 THB, one flight a day.
• Laem Ngop-Koh Chang ferry: 45-50 minutes, 80-100 THB per person.

Between the islands:

• Koh Chang-Koh Mak: speed boat 45 min, 400-600 THB.
• Koh Chang-Koh Kood: speed boat 1h15m, 600-900 THB.
• Koh Mak-Koh Kood: speed boat 30 min, 400-500 THB.

Inter-island connections reduce frequency outside high season.

Where to sleep

Koh Chang. AWA Resort (Klong Prao, family), KC Grande Resort (White Sand), Tranquility Bay Residence (Kai Bae). Range 1,500-4,500 THB double.

Koh Kood. Soneva Kiri (extreme luxury, 25,000+ THB), Shantaa Resort (mid-high, 4,500-7,500 THB), Seafar Resort (mid, 2,500-4,000 THB), Ngamkho Resort (cheap, 1,200-2,000 THB).

Koh Mak. Cococape Resort, Koh Mak Resort, Little Moon Villa. Range 1,500-3,500 THB.

When to go

November-March. High season. Calm sea, ideal climate. Some Kood resorts raise prices 40-60% at Christmas.

April-May. Transition. Strong heat but still dry. Prices start to drop.

June-October. Rain. Rough sea, many services closed on Koh Kood. Koh Chang holds up better with more infrastructure. Very low prices.

How many days

3-4 days: one single island, probably Koh Chang. 5-7 days: combine Chang + Kood. 10 days: all three islands calmly.

The full Far Guides Thailand guide includes an eastern Gulf map, detailed comparison of Koh Chang vs Koh Kood vs Koh Mak, ferry tables and resort recommendations by profile.