🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026
Bang Bao was once a full-on fishing village. These days the fishing boats are fewer, and it has shifted toward being a dive harbour, a launch point for island-hopping tours, and a row of souvenir shops. But the old charm still lives in the stilt houses that have been turned into seafood restaurants — you eat on wooden floors above the water, sea breeze blowing through, boats passing beneath the pier. It's an atmosphere you won't find at the regular beaches on the island.
The food here is mainly fresh seafood. The bigger restaurants on the pier keep tanks of live fish, crab and shellfish out front so you can pick yours and have it weighed on the spot. Popular orders are grilled prawns, crab in curry powder, scallops fried in butter, sea bass steamed with lime, and sharp, spicy yum salads. Bang Bao prices run a little higher than the regular beachside places thanks to the location, but the seaside evening setting is what people happily pay for.
Check the price before you order
Seafood is charged by weight — especially tiger prawns, sea crab and shellfish. Before ordering, ask the price per kilo and have it weighed in front of you so there are no surprises at the bill. A seafood meal on the Bang Bao pier with a few heavy items usually runs from around 300–500 THB per person and up.
Bang Bao Seafood Restaurants People Actually Go To
There are plenty of restaurants on the pier, but only a few that people remember and come back to. We've ordered them by popularity and atmosphere — not a fixed ranking of who tastes best, since each place is strong on different dishes.
Chow Lay Seafood
One of the oldest restaurants on the Bang Bao pier, and a long-time favourite of weekenders from Bangkok and locals from Trat. Out front there are tanks of live fish and crab to pick from and weigh fresh. Popular orders are crab in curry powder, scallops fried in butter, grilled prawns, and pickled-crab yum salad. The atmosphere is lively, the tables reach out over the water, and it's one of the most popular spots for watching the sunset. Fresh ingredients, generous portions, prices in line with the seaside location.
Ruan Thai Seafood
Another big restaurant on the pier, right next to Chow Lay, with bold, generously seasoned cooking in the proper Thai style. Reviewers praise the deep, punchy flavours. Standout dishes are prawns in fish sauce (raw fresh prawns with a sharp, spicy seafood dip), shellfish stir-fried with roasted chilli paste, and sea bass in tamarind sauce. Seating looks out over the sea just the same. Good for people who like it spicy — if you want it to really bite, tell the staff to add more chilli.
Nongyim Seafood
A smaller spot around the middle of the pier, with only about 8 tables in a little room that juts out over the water. The kitchen is open so you can watch the cooking — fish, shellfish and squid prepared to order. Good for anyone who wants the Bang Bao setting but away from the bustle of the bigger places. The atmosphere is warm and friendly, and reviewers like it because it feels more like eating at a local's home than a tourist restaurant.
Seafood spots at the pier end (near the lighthouse)
Walk to the very end of the pier near the Bang Bao lighthouse and you'll find small restaurants and cafés scattered about. Some serve seafood and made-to-order dishes, with the draw being the wide-open view of Bang Bao Bay and the surrounding islands. Good for sipping a drink or having something light while you wait for the evening light. The menu may not be as full as the bigger restaurants, but the view is broader. Check that a place is open on the day you go, since some close during low season.
Made-to-order & noodle shops at the pier entrance
At the start of the pier, before you reach the village, there are made-to-order shops, noodle stalls and cheap snacks. Good if you don't want a full seafood meal, or if you're there midday and want something to tide you over before a boat tour. Dishes run in the low hundreds for simple fare — filling and easy on the wallet.
Want the atmosphere without paying a lot
If you're on a budget but still want the Bang Bao setting, try ordering just 1–2 main dishes — say one fish and one plate of stir-fried vegetables — and take your time soaking up the view. You don't have to order heavy prawns, crab and shellfish every time. The seaside view comes free, and it's the same at every table.
Want to taste deeper? Try a Koh Chang food tour or cooking class
Half a day with a local who knows the lanes — or cooking a dish yourself — teaches you more than just eating. Book ahead on Klook or GetYourGuide.
Seafood Dishes Worth Trying at Bang Bao
- Grilled prawns / prawns in fish sauce — fresh prawns grilled over charcoal, or raw with a sharp, spicy seafood dip. Always ask the price per kilo before you order.
- Crab in curry powder — sea crab stir-fried with fragrant curry spices, a dish the bigger Bang Bao restaurants do well.
- Scallops fried in garlic butter — fat scallops fried in fragrant butter, easy eating with a cold beer once the sun softens.
- Sea bass steamed with lime / in tamarind sauce — pick a fresh fish from the tank, steamed with soy and spicy lime, or fried with sweet-and-sour sauce.
- Squid with salted egg / grilled — fresh squid from the bay, stir-fried with salted egg or grilled with a seafood dip. An easy order that rarely disappoints.
- Mixed seafood yum / pak kood (fiddlehead fern) yum with fresh prawns — sharp, spicy yum salads to wake up the appetite. Pak kood is a local vegetable around the Trat area.
Beyond Eating — What Else Is on the Bang Bao Pier
Bang Bao isn't only restaurants. Strolling the 350-metre pier before or after a meal is a pleasant way to spend time, with souvenir shops, dive operators, and plenty of waterside photo spots.
Bang Bao Lighthouse
The white tower at the end of the pier — walk up for a 360-degree view of Bang Bao Bay, the village, the mountains and the surrounding islands. A popular spot for photos and the sunset.
Dive shops / tour pier
Bang Bao is a launch point for snorkelling and island-hopping to spots like Koh Wai and Koh Rang. Boats leave in the morning — always check the weather before booking.
Souvenir shops
Both sides of the pier are full of shops selling shirts, gifts and crafts. A nice place to browse while you wait for the evening light, and there's some room to bargain.
Planning a Bang Bao Dinner to Catch the Sunset
Bang Bao's charm is in the evening. Time it well and you'll get a stroll, a climb up the lighthouse, and a sit-down meal watching the last light of the day without rushing. Here's a rough timeline.
A stroll + seaside dinner at Bang Bao
How to Get to Bang Bao + Rough Transport Costs
- Songthaew (red pickup taxi) runs from the main beaches to Bang Bao. Rough prices — from Lonely Beach around 70–100 THB (10 min) · from Kai Bae around 100 THB (20–25 min) · from White Sand Beach around 150 THB (40 min). Agree the price before you get on, every time.
- Renting a motorbike is the most flexible option, but the road to Bang Bao is steep with several hairpin bends. If you're not a confident rider, don't push it — especially on the way back in the dark.
- Renting a car is more comfortable and safer if you're travelling as a family, but parking at the Bang Bao entrance is limited. In the evening you may have to park further out and walk in.
- Heading back in the evening — songthaews running late get scarcer and pricier. If you plan a long, lingering meal, ask the driver about the return trip beforehand, or get a number to call.
Watch the weather and the season
During the monsoon (roughly May–October) the wind and waves pick up, island-hopping boats often don't run, some seafood is limited and prices rise, and some restaurants and accommodation in Bang Bao close for long stretches in low season. If you're coming then, call ahead to check a place is open. In the dry season (November–April) the sea is calm and ingredients and restaurants are more fully available.
Things to Know Before Eating Seafood at Bang Bao
- The road to Bang Bao is steep with hairpin bends — one of the hardest stretches to drive on the island. Take great care by car or motorbike. If you're not a confident rider, avoid driving it at night — a songthaew is safer.
- Many places take cash mainly — bring cash to be safe. ATMs around Bang Bao are few and the queues run long in high season.
- It's busy at sunset — the big restaurants fill up fast. If you're in a group, call to book or arrive before 6pm for an easier shot at a seaside table.
- Ask the price before ordering anything by weight — prawns, crab and shellfish are charged by weight. Ask to have it weighed in front of you and get the total price before cooking, so there's no shock at the bill.
- Tour boats — check the weather — if you're heading out snorkelling or island-hopping from Bang Bao, check the weather and sea conditions first. Boats often don't run during the monsoon.
Plan a full eat-and-explore Koh Chang trip
See the Koh Chang travel guide →