How to get to Koh Chang from Bangkok comes down to one choice, flying to Trat or getting the bus, because there’s no airport on the island and everyone ends up on the same car ferry.
We’ve just done the trip at the start of our Thailand holiday. Below I’ll go through the flights, the buses from Ekkamai, Khao San Road and Bangkok airport, private transfers, the ferry, what it all costs and how long it takes.
I’ll also tell you how to get from the ferry to your hotel, how to get around once you’re on the island, whether it’s worth the trip, and which way I’d go if I was doing it again. We stayed at The Retreat Koh Chang near Kai Bae Beach for our first two nights, and I’ve written a full review of it too.
If you just want the answer, I’d get an overnight flight to Bangkok, then a connecting flight to Trat in the morning. It’ll save you a night’s accommodation, there’s no need to stay in Bangkok, and you can be on the island the same day.
| Option | How long it takes | Rough cost |
|---|---|---|
| Fly Bangkok to Trat, then a local bus and the ferry | About an hour’s flight, then about an hour to the island | We paid AU$170 each for a one way flight, plus 390 baht each for the bus and ferry |
| Government bus from Ekkamai or Bangkok airport to the pier | About 6 hours | Around 330 baht, plus 90 baht for the ferry |
| Shared minibus from Bangkok airport | About 6 to 6.5 hours | Around 600 to 800 baht |
| Bus or minivan from Khao San Road | 6 to 7 hours | Around 850 to 900 baht, ferry included |
| Private transfer from Bangkok | About 5 hours to the pier | From around 3,200 baht for a car, or 5,000 to 6,000 baht for a minivan |
Which airport for Koh Chang?
The closest airport to Koh Chang is Trat Airport, on the mainland about a 20 minute drive from the ferry pier. Koh Chang itself doesn’t have an airport, so whichever way you come, the last part of the trip is always the ferry.
Bangkok Airways is the only airline that flies to Trat, and only from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport, not Don Mueang. So if you’re flying in from overseas, you’ll land at Suvarnabhumi and connect from there.
Flying from Bangkok to Trat
The quickest way to get to Koh Chang is to fly from Bangkok to Trat. The flight time is about an hour, and there are three daily flights in high season (late October to March) and usually two in low season. One way fares are around 3,000 to 5,000 baht, and the planes only have about 70 seats, so book early in high season.
We flew in the end, and our flights cost us AU$170 each.
The best thing to do is get an overnight flight to Bangkok, then a connecting flight to Trat in the morning. It’ll save you a night’s accommodation, and there’s no need to stay in Bangkok at all.
Most people online say not to bother with flights, because with getting to the airport, the waiting time and everything else, it takes about the same time as the bus. But if you’re flying into Bangkok overnight anyway, you’re already at the airport.
If you’re flying to Thailand, sort your travel insurance before you go. We had flight cancellations and lost luggage on the way here, which was a reminder of how quickly a trip can go wrong.
The last flight and the last ferry
We were going to get a later flight, which lands at 5:15pm, and we thought it would be too late to get the ferry. The last ferry leaves at 6.30pm, and it’s about a 20 minute drive from Trat airport to the pier, so we were worried we’d miss the boat. We heard that the ferry will wait for that 5:15pm flight from Bangkok.
Trat airport
And before you ask, Trat airport is ridiculously small. I’ve seen some small airports, but this is literally one small hut. You walk in off the plane, collect your bags and you’re outside.
Don’t go to the first booking desk for the transfer to the ferry, because they charge around 600 baht per person. Go to the second stand, where it’s 390 baht per person and that includes the ferry. If you buy the ferry ticket separately, it’s 90 baht.
We didn’t have the ferry booked or anything. We just turned up, got a local bus to the pier, and the ferry was included.
Getting the bus from Bangkok to Koh Chang
The cheapest way to get to Koh Chang is the bus. The journey takes around six hours to reach the pier, most buses leave in the early morning, and they go from three places in Bangkok.
The bus from Ekkamai
We were supposed to get the bus from Ekkamai, which is Bangkok’s Eastern Bus Terminal, because it was about half the price of getting it from Khao San Road. We also read that Ekkamai is quite a cool part of Bangkok, so we were looking forward to checking out some of the rooftop bars there as well. We were supposed to stay at Wyndham Garden Hotel but our flight was cancelled to Bangkok so we ended up getting a flight to Trat instead.
The government 999 bus is an air conditioned bus that leaves Ekkamai bus terminal at 7.45am and goes straight to the ferry pier, for around 330 baht. Other buses leave Ekkamai for Trat bus terminal throughout the day for a similar price, and there’s even a night bus at 11.30pm. You can book your bus from Ekkamai to Trat online and see all the times. From the bus terminal in Trat town you get a songthaew, which is a shared pickup truck taxi, to the pier about 20 minutes away.
There are buses to Trat from Mo Chit, Bangkok’s Northern Bus Terminal, too, but Ekkamai is easier to get to from central Bangkok because it’s right next to Ekkamai BTS station.
The bus from Khao San Road
If you’re staying around Khao San Road, the travel agents and tour operators there all sell buses and minivans to Koh Chang with the ferry included, for around 850 to 900 baht. Boonsiri’s leaves at 5am, 7am and 9am and finishes at the Koh Chang pier. They take six to seven hours, and some drop you right at your hotel. It’s the easiest bus to get, but it’s about double the price of going from Ekkamai.
The bus from Bangkok airport
You can also get a bus straight from Bangkok airport. The bus station isn’t in the main terminal building, so take the free shuttle bus from outside arrivals on the ground floor. The same 999 government bus stops there at around 8.20am, and shared minibuses go direct to Koh Chang for around 600 to 800 baht, taking about six and a half hours.
Booking your bus ticket
You can buy your ticket at the bus terminal on the day, or book the ticket online through BusOnlineTicket or Omio. In high season it’s worth booking ahead, because the morning buses can sell out.
Private transfers from Bangkok to Koh Chang
A private transfer is the easiest way to get to Koh Chang if there are a few of you. A car costs from around 3,200 baht, and a minivan for up to eight or nine people is around 5,000 to 6,000 baht, usually with the ferry and tolls included. They pick you up from your hotel or the airport, the drive takes about five hours, and split between a group it can work out cheaper than flying.
Can you take a ferry from Bangkok to Koh Chang?
No, there’s no ferry from Bangkok to Koh Chang. You have to get to Trat on the mainland first, by bus, car or plane, and then take the short ferry crossing from Ao Thammachat pier. A lot of the buses and private transfers include the ferry ticket in the price, so check what you’re getting when you book.
The ferry to Koh Chang
Every way to get to Koh Chang ends with the car ferry from Ao Thammachat pier on the mainland to Ao Sapparot, the main Koh Chang pier. It’s run by Ferry Koh Chang. There used to be two mainland piers, but the other ferry, Centrepoint, has been suspended since 2024, so ignore any old timetables that send you there.
It’s a car ferry, with the passengers sitting up the top. You can buy soft drinks and noodles on board, but no beer though. The ferry is very quick, about 30 minutes or so.
Ticket prices are 90 baht per adult, and kids under 110cm go free, with older kids up to 150cm paying 40 baht. You’ll see older guides saying it’s 80 baht, but the price went up in April 2026. It’s cash only, and you buy your ferry ticket at the pier, because you can’t book ahead.
The first boat is at 6.30am and the last ferry is at 6.30pm. Since April 2026 the ones in between leave when they’re full, so you might wait a little while when it’s not busy. The crossing takes 25 to 35 minutes, depending on the boat.
Getting from the ferry to your hotel
The ferry to Koh Chang lands at the top of the island, and most hotels are down the west coast. From the pier, it took us about 30 minutes to get to The Retreat on Kai Bae Beach.
Lots of hotels will pick you up. The Retreat picked us up for free, which was lovely. I’d emailed them and didn’t hear back, but they messaged me on WhatsApp a couple of hours before we arrived to ask how we were getting there. So it’s worth messaging your hotel before you arrive.
Otherwise, shared songthaews (truck taxis) wait in the pier area and leave when they’re full. Expect to pay around 50 to 60 baht per person to White Sand Beach, 80 to 100 baht to Kai Bae and 100 to 150 baht to Lonely Beach.
Getting around Koh Chang
Getting around Koh Chang is the trickiest part. There are loads of little touristy areas around the island, but everything is spread out, so you’d need to rent a bike or you can book a taxi songthaew like above from your hotel.
The problem is Koh Chang is very steep and hilly, so you’d need to be a confident driver. I personally wouldn’t drive a motorbike on this island. The worst bits are from Klong Son to White Sand Beach and from Kai Bae down to Bang Bao, with hairpin bends that get slippery in the rain. The east coast is much flatter.
Scooters cost around 150 to 250 baht a day. If you do rent one, check your travel insurance covers you, because riding without the right licence can void your cover.
If you’re not riding, songthaews are the island’s public transport. They run up and down the west coast during the day but not at night, so ask your hotel to book you a taxi in the evenings. At The Retreat you can rent their golf buggies, and one of the staff drives you anywhere within 2km.
If you’re island hopping like us, speedboats run from Koh Chang to Koh Mak and Koh Kood, which is where we’re heading next.
Is it worth visiting Koh Chang?
Yes, Koh Chang is worth the trip. It’s Thailand’s third largest island, after Phuket and Koh Samui, and around 70% of it is still jungle, mountains and waterfalls in Mu Ko Chang National Park. You’ll also see it spelt Ko Chang.
The best beaches are down the west coast, from White Sand Beach to Klong Prao, Kai Bae and Lonely Beach. We loved Kai Bae area (not so much the beach). There’s a walking street with cheap Thai food and massage places a couple of minutes from our hotel, and the hotel itself felt like our own little private oasis.
The only downside is it takes a bit of effort to get here, and everything on the island is spread out, so pick your area carefully. The map above shows what each area is good for.
Where to stay on Koh Chang
Where to stay on Koh Chang is worth working out before you book your transfer, because everything is so spread out and each beach feels completely different. We stayed at two very different hotels on the west coast and paid for both stays ourselves. I would definitely choose both, with The Retreat first and then Sol Beach.
The Retreat Koh Chang, near Kai Bae Beach
The Retreat Koh Chang is a calm, upmarket, adults only hotel with breakfast included and shops a two minute walk away. We had a terrible time getting to Thailand, so it was the perfect stay to decompress. We paid AU$270 a night before high season started on 1 November, when the rates went up to over AU$400.
See prices and availability at The Retreat Koh Chang
Sol Beach Koh Chang, Klong Prao Beach
Sol Beach Koh Chang is right on the sand, with exceptional food, a DJ at sunset, a sauna and an ice bath, and it’s great when you’re ready to be around people. There’s no swimming pool, and you can’t just walk out to the shops like you can at The Retreat. We paid AU$220 a night without breakfast, and the staff will help arrange your transfer from the ferry on WhatsApp.
See prices and availability at Sol Beach Koh Chang
Where I’d stay next time
Lonely Beach was the biggest surprise of our trip. We only went for the day, but it’s where I’d stay next time, because it felt like the real Thailand we remember from 15 years ago. It’s further south than the other two and over a big hill, so it’s a longer drive from the ferry.
Koh Chang hotel reviews to read
If you want more detail before you book, these are my full articles:
- The Retreat Koh Chang: My Honest Review
- My Honest Review of Sol Beach Koh Chang Hotel
- The Retreat vs Sol Beach Koh Chang: Which Hotel is Better
What is the best way to get to Koh Chang?
The best way to get to Koh Chang depends on where you’re starting from.
- Flying into Bangkok from overseas: get an overnight flight and connect straight to Trat in the morning. It’s what I’d do every time.
- Already in Bangkok on a budget: the 999 bus from Ekkamai is the cheapest option.
- Staying on Khao San Road: the minivan with the ferry included is the easiest.
- Travelling as a group or a family: a private transfer, split between you.
Whichever way you go, sort your travel insurance when you book your flights.
Have you been to Koh Chang? Let me know how you got there in the comments below.
