The first step involved in making your way to Koh Chang is to get yourself to Thailand. This is best accomplished by air since I've been told that it can be a very long walk.

To Thailand
So, you're going to vacation in Thailand, the land of smiles. If this is your first time to the Far East, planning such a trip might seem a bit daunting but with careful preparations, everything should go smoothly and you'll have the vacation of a life-time. To begin with you will need airfare from your local international airport to Bangkok's Don Muang airport. Web sites like http://www.priceline.com a great ways to find affordable airfare or you can consult your local travel agent. For stays in Thailand up to 30 days you can travel immediately. Upon arrival in Thailand you will receive a 30 day visa stamped to your passport. (depending on your nationality) For an extended stay in Thailand we suggest contacting your nearest Thai embassy and arranging for a longer, 60 day tourist visa. We also recommend timing your arrival in Bangkok as early in the day as possible since you'll want to reach Trat before the last ferry leaves for Koh Chang at 7 pm, unless you plan to stay in Bangkok for a while before continuing on to Trat. If you arrive late in the day and plan to travel immediately to Koh Change you can stay overnight at one of the many hotels in Bangkok and begin your trip to Trat early the next morning.

To Trat
The easiest and most convenient way to travel to Trat is by air. Bangkok Airways offers several flights each day to Trat airport from Bangkok. This scenic, 40 minute flight, can be booked online at http://www.thaifly.com

The other method of traveling to Trat is by road. VIP busses, mini busses, private taxis and car rentals can be arranged at the airport or at many of the hotels in Bangkok. Some public transportation (busses) arrive in the city of Trat while some will take you directly to the Ao Thammachat ferry which provides hourly service to the island. If your transportation to Trat brings you to the city instead of directly to the ferry, it is a small matter to take a taxi from the bus stop to the Center Point Ferry. When travelling alone, the taxi cost from Trat to the ferry will cost 200 baht while people travelling in groups can get taxi service for as low as 50 baht per person.

Once you've arrived at airport in Bangkok there are several options of continuing your journey to Trat. There are several flights a day directly from Bangkok airport to Trat. The flight takes app. 40 minutes. The cost is around 2500 Baht one way. The other option is to travel by VIP bus or mini van. The trip takes about 7 hours, but the cost are very low. The average price is around 450 Baht per person. After arriving in Trat it's a simple matter of crossing over to Koh Chang on one of the many ferries that service the island though, we should warn you, the ferries stop running after 7 pm so plan your trip accordingly.

After you arrive on the island, taxis will be waiting at the ferry landing to carry tourists around the island to their various destinations. For more details on traveling each leg of this journey, click on the links below.

To Koh Chang
There are 3 ferries leaving the mainland for the island of Koh Chang. The Koh Chang ferry leaves from the Laem Ngop pier and is a passenger only ferry. During the low season this ferry can be very unpredictable. The Ao Thammachat ferry (also known as the Ao Sapparot ferry) is the largest and fastest of the 3 ferry services and some bussed from Bangkok will arrive directly at this pier. The central ferry, appropriately named Center Point ferry is the most commonly used ferry for travel between the city of Trat and the island of Koh Chang. Both the Ao Thammachat ferry and Center Point ferry service passenger and automobiles. Depending on the ferry and time of year, a ticket will cost between 60 and 100 baht per person.

Transportation : Thailand has a good network of well maintained roads and highways between all main centers. Much of the north-south route is dual carriage way. Road signage follows international convention and is in both Thai and English. Night driving is not recommended on the open road due to heavy truck traffic, who tend to have a poor respect for cars. Motor bikes can on occasion be a hazard, particularly as they are often ridden into oncoming traffic. Driving on the more major routes outside Bangkok and around resort areas is both a safe and an enjoyable experience. A self drive holiday offers the opportunity to experience wonderful Thai culture and the opportunity for travelers to stop as long as they like at the many points of interest in the Kingdom... More..

Go to Koh Chang by Bus...Click here