Koh Mak Boats Ferries

Koh Mak Boats & Ferries

Koh Mak is one of most stunning islands in the Mu Koh Chang National Marine Park, inserted from the UK's Sunday Times in the ranking of the 10 most beautiful beach resorts in the world and still unknown to mass tourism. The beautiful island lies off the coast of Trat Province, in eastern coast of Gulf of Thailand near the Cambodia border, about 310 km from Bangkok. Located only 15 km from the southern tip of Koh Chang, it is the third largest island in the archipelago. Koh Mak is connected to mainland with speedboat services throughout the year. In recent years, with the increase in tourists the connections have been intensified and improved. Several private companies operate up to five daily departures in high season from the Krom Luang Pier in Laem Ngop District. The pier is located just 12 km south of the piers to Koh Chang, and about 17 km from Trat centre. During high season, usually from 16th October till 15th May, the boats are increased with two other companies that operate from Laem Sok Pier in Ao Yai District, 39 km south of the Krom Luang Pier and about 26 from Trat. In high season Koh Mak is also connected to Koh Chang, Koh Kood and Koh Wai by other ferry services that leave from two small piers in Bang Bao Village and Kai Bae Beach, both on the southern tip of Koh Chang. To reach the piers to Koh Mak you can choose between two travel options, one that provides the use of planes and a more economic that provides the use of the buses. Trat Airport serves the city of Trat and the homonymous province which includes the islands of Koh Chang, Koh Kood, and Koh Mak. The airport consists of a small asphalt runway and an open-air terminal. It is owned by Bangkok Airways, which carries three daily flights to/from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport. Tickets are quite expensive, considering only an hour’s flight, and have rates of about 3,100 to 3,500 THB per person, depending on the time of year. Trat Airport is located 25 km from the Krom Luang Pier in Laem Ngop, and about 52 km from the Laem Sok Pier in Ao Yai District. At the moment we have no information about minibus services from the airport to the docks, so you'll need to take a private taxi to reach them. The cost of service is between 1.000 and the 1.500 THB, depending on the destination and your bargaining skills.

Buses are definitely the preferred mode of transportation by tourists to approach Koh Mak from Bangkok, but also from other locations in Thailand. Buses are cheaper of flights, also less than a sixth of the price, and considering the time needed to go to the Suvarnabhumi Airport and from Trat Airport to the piers the time difference is not significant. Several private companies, and even the governmental, offer different choices to get to Koh Mak, with direct lines to Trat Bus Terminal or in alternative to the piers in Laem Ngop. Notwithstanding buses stop only at piers to Koh Chang, you can still easily reach the piers to Koh Mak with a shared song-thaew, Krom Luang Pier is 12 km to south and Laem Sok Pier is located about 50 km in the same direction. VIP buses, with few comfortable seats, toilet and air conditioning, first-class buses or minibuses depart from three terminals in the capital, Ekkamai, Mo Chit and Suvarnabhumi Transportation Centre, but also from Khao San Road in Bangkok, Arcade Bus Station Chiang Mai and North Pattaya Bus Station. You can buy tickets directly at the departure terminal or at any travel agency, prices are not negotiable. The companies are different but the service is the same, with a comfortable non-stop journey till Trat or Laem Ngop. The trip from the terminals in Bangkok to Trat is about 5-6 hours, four hours from Pattaya and seventeen from Chiang Mai, same travel times to reach Laem Ngop. Trat bus station is located just off Sukhumvit Road to the northeast of town, about thirty minutes journey with a shared song-thaew till Krom Luang Pier and Laem Sok Pier, about 100 THB for both paths. For more information on timetable and fares please see our web page Koh Chang-Trat Bus Terminal.Read More