Eastern Thailand
How to Get Around Eastern Thailand
Getting Around
From Bangkok, minivans and buses run frequently to Pattaya, Rayong, Chanthaburi and Trat from the Ekkamai terminal. The drive to Trat takes around five hours, and Bangkok Airways flies to Trat in under an hour for the Ko Chang connection.
Ferries to Ko Chang run from Laem Ngop near Trat and take about 45 minutes, carrying vehicles. Boats to Ko Kut and Ko Mak are less frequent and reduce sharply in the monsoon. Ko Samet is reached from Ban Phe near Rayong in about 40 minutes.
On the islands, songthaews run fixed routes along the main roads and scooters are widely rented. Ko Chang’s west-coast road is steep in places and has a poor accident record — ride it carefully or not at all.
Driving is easy on the mainland, with good highways from Bangkok, and a car can be taken onto Ko Chang by ferry.
To Cambodia: the Hat Lek crossing near Trat serves Koh Kong and the coast.