🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026
Trat sits at the far eastern tip of Thailand, on the Gulf of Thailand and the Cambodian border. Its islands lie in the lower Gulf, on a different rhythm from Andaman spots like Phuket or Krabi. The key thing to understand before booking: the southwest monsoon from May to October blows straight into these islands, bringing strong swell and heavy rain. We'll walk through it one topic at a time — from timing, to booking boats, to what to pack.
When is the best time to visit Trat?
The clearest seas and brightest skies come from November to April — the dry season, with calm winds, low swell, and boats running to the islands every day. It's the time for snorkelling over the reefs and swimming off the beaches. This is the real high season: resorts are all open, and prices peak over the year-end holidays and Songkran. In the rains (May–Oct), the swell picks up and many resorts on the smaller islands close for long stretches.
- Nov–Feb — the best: clear skies, cool breezes, calm seas, clear water. But it's crowded and pricey around New Year.
- Mar–Apr — still great for the sea; it starts getting very hot, Songkran is lively, and the water is at its clearest.
- May and Oct — the shoulder months: rain alternating with sun, prices starting to drop, swell building, and a risk of boats being postponed.
- Jun–Sep — full low season: lots of rain, strong swell, and many Koh Kood and Koh Mak resorts closed.
Straight talk
If your goal is the clear water of Koh Kood or snorkelling the reefs off Koh Mak, aim mainly for the dry season, Nov–Apr, because the rains bring both heavy swell and murky water. Koh Chang works year-round thanks to the big car ferries that run daily, but in the rains the water turns cloudy and it rains often there too.
Why Koh Kood and Koh Mak go quiet in the rains (Jun–Sep)
This is where a lot of people get caught out, assuming Thai islands are good year-round. The truth is that Koh Kood and Koh Mak rely mainly on speedboats — there's no big ferry like Koh Chang has. When the monsoon arrives and the swell hits 2–3 metres, speedboats can't manage it safely, so many operators cut their schedules or stop running from June to September, and a large number of resorts close for long renovations through the whole rainy season.
- Koh Kood — many resorts close Jun–Sep or Oct. The ones still open are few, with thinner boat schedules. Check before you book.
- Koh Mak — very quiet in the rains; many resorts and restaurants close, and boats drop to just a few runs a day.
- Koh Chang — open year-round, with car ferries crossing daily, but the water turns murky in the rains and some water activities are paused.
- Upside of the rains — what's open is much cheaper, the islands are lush and green, and there are few people — ideal if you genuinely want quiet.
Two things to check before booking in the rains
One: call or message the resort to confirm it's actually open on your dates — don't just trust that the online booking went through, because some places still take bookings even when they're about to close. Two: confirm with the pier that there's a boat that day and that you can reschedule or get a refund if the sea closes. Be prepared for your boat to be pushed to the next run.
How to book boats to the islands — each one works differently
Trat's boats leave from a cluster of piers around Laem Ngop and nearby districts, and each island's system is different. Koh Chang uses a big ferry you can drive a car onto, while Koh Kood and Koh Mak use speedboats you need to book ahead. Get this clear so you don't miss your boat.
Koh Chang — ferry from Laem Ngop
Board a car ferry from Centerpoint Pier or Ao Thammachat, running daily from morning to evening, with the crossing taking about 30–45 minutes. You can drive your car straight onto the ferry, or park on the mainland side and switch to a songthaew on the island. No advance booking needed on weekdays.
Koh Kood — speedboat, book ahead
Several speedboat operators leave from piers around Laem Sok/Laem Ngop, taking about 1–1.5 hours. Most run only a few times a day and need to be booked ahead; resort transfers can be bundled into the package. In the rains the schedule thins out a lot and some days are cancelled.
Koh Mak — speedboat / slow boat
There's both a fast speedboat (about 45 minutes) and a slow boat (slow boat/ferry) that's cheaper but takes longer. Schedules are sparse to begin with and thin out further in the rains, so always check the timetable with the pier or your resort first.
- Booking through your resort is best value — most Koh Kood and Koh Mak resorts sell packages that include the round-trip boat plus pier transfers, so it's all sorted and you don't have to arrange it yourself.
- Arrive at the pier 30–45 minutes early — leave time to find a ride, park, and check in for the boat, especially on long weekends when it's busy.
- Parking on the mainland side offers daily storage at around ฿50–70 a day, for when you can't take your car across to Koh Kood or Koh Mak (only Koh Chang allows it).
- Check the last boat of the day — miss it and you may be stuck on the mainland side, especially in the rains when boats run fewer times.
Straight talk on boats
Trat's boat schedules change with the season and the actual weather, so don't rely on old timetables from sites that aren't updated. The surest way is to confirm with your resort or the pier 1–2 days ahead. When the swell is up, boats may be postponed or runs merged, so leave buffer time for any onward flights or transfers too.
Daily budget — a realistic estimate for 2026
Trat itself isn't expensive — local food and seafood are good value. What blows the budget is the cost of the island boats and accommodation on the islands, especially Koh Kood, where resorts start higher than Koh Chang. Here are rough budget ranges per person per day (not including travel to Trat).
Budget
Stay in a cheap guesthouse or bungalow on Koh Chang around White Sand Beach or Kai Bae, eat at made-to-order shops and street food, get around by songthaew and on foot, and skip a snorkelling tour every day.
Mid-range
A 3–4 star beachfront resort with a pool and breakfast, a few meals at good seafood spots, a one-day snorkelling/island tour, and a rented motorbike or a hired ride on the island.
Comfort
A plush Koh Kood resort on a private beach, with a spa, premium seafood spots, a speedboat transfer package and a private boat tour.
- Round-trip boat to Koh Kood runs about ฿1,000–1,400 per person — a big chunk to add to the budget right away.
- Round-trip ferry to Koh Chang is much cheaper: about ฿160–200 round trip for a foot passenger.
- Renting a motorbike on the island is around ฿250–350 a day; Koh Chang's roads climb very steep hills, so you really need to know how to ride.
- A seafood meal runs about ฿500–1,000 per person depending on the place; eating at made-to-order shops is much cheaper.
About Koh Chang's roads
The road around Koh Chang has several very steep climbs, especially heading to the southern beaches. If you're not used to a motorbike, don't force it — accidents happen often here. Take the regular songthaew or hire one instead; it's safer and you won't be praying your brakes hold on the way down the hills.
SIM cards and internet — how well does it work on the islands?
On the Trat mainland and Koh Chang, AIS, True and dtac all work well around the main beaches and town, and Thai travellers can just use their existing SIM with no fuss. But on Koh Kood and Koh Mak further out, the signal is weak in some spots or only available on certain networks. Most resorts have Wi-Fi, but it's not as fast as in the city, so expect to drop offline now and then in the deeper corners of the islands.
- Thai travellers — your existing SIM works; AIS usually covers the islands best, then True, while dtac depends on the spot. If your data runs low, top up a package in your own carrier's app.
- Tourist SIMs start at around ฿49 (1 day) and go up to longer unlimited-data packages, sold at convenience stores and carrier shops in Trat town.
- An 8-day ~15GB SIM is around ฿299 — enough for a short island trip.
- eSIM can be set up in advance from home and works the moment you arrive — handy for foreign visitors who don't want to hunt for a SIM.
- On Koh Kood and Koh Mak, check with your resort which carrier has the best signal at that spot, since each corner of the island differs.
Straight talk on SIMs
For Thai travellers on a short trip, your existing SIM is enough — no need to buy a new one. If you're heading to Koh Kood or Koh Mak and worried about weak signal, carrying a spare AIS SIM as backup can help. And if you work and need to be online constantly, ask the resort about Wi-Fi speed before booking, and don't expect city-level speeds.
Packing checklist
- Reef-safe sunscreen + a hat/sunglasses (Trat's beach sun is strong)
- A packable rain jacket or small umbrella if you're going May–Oct
- Seasickness pills (the speedboat to Koh Kood can hit strong swell) + personal medication and mosquito repellent
- Heel-strap sandals for walking rocky beaches + sneakers for sightseeing on land
- A decent amount of cash — some spots on Koh Kood and Koh Mak have no ATM and take cash only
- A power bank and power strip + copies of your ID/passport, with the 1155 emergency number saved
Ready? Let's plan a full Trat trip
See the Trat travel guide →