Trat
Trat offers almost everything a Thailand traveler could desire. The most beautiful beaches, tranquil dream islands, impenetrable jungle, waterfalls and sweet fruits. If you are looking for culture and history, it is not far from here to neighboring Cambodia, where the gigantic Angkor Wat temple complex is located. The Cardamom Mountains, which stretch along the border of Thailand and Cambodia, offer even more nature and wildlife.
The numerous rainfalls and the longer journey probably keep the big tourist rush away. The province of Trat is one of the most beautiful Thai provinces for us.
The sun bathes the Gulf of Thailand in golden light, our ferry pushes lazily across the water. A small fishing boat with an outboard motor passes us by. The air tastes salty and a warm wind is blowing. When we arrive, the ferry empties quickly. Cars and people disappear into the darkness that now lies over the island. The chirping of the singing cicadas resounds like a siren from the dense jungle. A small village with a petrol station, then a slope uphill and we drive through absolute darkness. It seems as if we have landed on a distant planet.
The first day on Koh Chang. Insurmountable mountains rise up in the middle of the island. There is no circular road, so we drive from our accommodation in the west once around the island to the southern tip to Salak Phet. Chris has been coming here regularly for over twenty years. The small fishing village is changing, albeit slowly. Back then, the few visitors slept in simple wooden shacks over the water. Now they have air-conditioned rooms.
We sail out of the bay on the Shearwater, a two-masted sailing ship, towards the midday sun and the islands. Koh Wai, Koh Mak, Koh Kradat, all the way down to Koh Kut. Time has not stood still here either. In the past, Koh Kut was nothing more than a few fishermen’s huts and a brothel. In the meantime, luxury resorts have found their way onto the island. And yet: those who venture into the jungle on a trail are rewarded with crystal-clear and sometimes lonely waterfalls. A small paradise, a finite oasis.
The days in the Pardies pass by. Weeks on the sailing ship are a break in life, another world to slip into. Until you step onto mainland. Sometimes it comes in your sleep: a rocking and turning. The body has become adapted to the swell. It takes a while to realize that the earth is solid again, the horizon immovable.
Back on Koh Chang. It would only be a stone’s throw over from Salak Phet – but there is no road around the southern tip. So we go all the way back until we reach Bang Bao. A small village characterized by dropouts and hippies. The roads are dusty with deep potholes. Our car touches the ground several times, so we turn around and follow the main road to its end.
An old cruise ship lies rusting in the water. Small boats have been pulled ashore and converted into hotel rooms. This is an abandoned resort that is gradually being reclaimed by nature. The Ghost Ship Beach has become an insider tip for all those who are not afraid of ghosts and are looking for a secluded beach without distractions. Is that what we take away from our trip? A constant back and forth. Men conquer nature, ramming steel and pouring concrete into its soil, cutting down its trees and building houses out of them. One day they lose interest and move on. Decay and destruction until the next man comes.
The water goes with the tide. Crabs burrow out of the wet sand. Children collect shells and couples walk along the coast in quiet intimacy. The sky is reflected in small puddles. A calm sunset over the Gulf of Thailand. Night comes quickly and with it the chirping of thousands of cicadas. An orchestra of the forces of nature. Fire wheels on the beach. Sparks flying. Koh Chang will continue to change. Men will push back nature until one day a small walled garden will remain. Travelers will be able to marvel at everything that is left of the jungle here. Paradise must have been unimaginably beautiful.
We leave Koh Chang the way we came – by ferry. There is only an airport in Trat on the mainland. Before heading back north, we make a short detour to the Saphan Hin waterfall. A sweat-inducing short walk. Mosquitoes on our skin, the humidity is unbearable due to the waterfall. Spider webs cling to the trees, ant trails run across our path. It’s just us here, the jungle and the water.
Trat is not Phuket or Koh Samui. Anyone traveling to the southeasternmost province of Thailand should bring time with them. The roads can be long. Cool rain showers too often sweep across the island. The sunsets are sometimes overcast. Paradise has many faces.
Info about our trip
It is about a six-hour drive from Bangkok to Koh Chang, including the ferry crossing. The roads on the island are now well developed, but poorly lit and very winding. It is therefore better to avoid driving at night. You can either book a seat on a minibus from Bangkok or rent your own car. Then the Koh Chang Ferry (Aow Thammachat) is the best way to get to Koh Chang. The main island offers relaxation and a program for about three to five days. There is only really a tourist infrastructure on the west side of the island. If you are looking for complete privacy, you can stay in the east. We recommend Salak Phet as a day trip or as your main base if you want to do water sports.
From Bang Bao, you can reach the other islands by speedboat. If you want to travel from the mainland to Koh Kut, you don’t have to take the detour via Koh Chang, but can cross directly from Laem Sok Pier.
There isn’t really much to see on the mainland or in the town of Trat itself. We stayed overnight in the town several times when we arrived too late to take the ferry to one of the islands. The last ferry departs in the late afternoon around 5 / 6 pm (times vary).
The price level on the islands ranges from average to expensive by Thai standards. All the food etc. has to be transported to the islands at great expense. On the mainland, however, you can eat and stay overnight rather cheaply.
Of course there is fish and seafood wherever you go. Be sure to try a deep-fried fish with the appropriate sauces. If you’ve never tried lobster or sea cucumber, this is your chance. Otherwise, you will also find a selection of bars and international restaurants on the touristy west side. For example, you can get a good pizza at Pizzeria Spaghetteria Toscana Koh Chang. A cute little vegetarian restaurant is Tofu Kitchen Vegetarian Food. And El Barrio serves Mexican food that has nothing to hide (although it is a little more expensive).
One restaurant that we have been going to for over twenty years is Salak Phet Seafood & Resort. As the name suggests, you can eat freshly caught fish here.
Almost every time we have traveled to Koh Chang or the surrounding islands, we have either stayed with Chris’s family in the fishing village of Salak Phet or on the sailing ship. On our last trip, we treated ourselves and stayed at Barali Beach Resort and Spa. It’s a lovely resort, albeit a little outdated and overpriced. But the breakfast and dinner on the beach are really good.
We got talking to the manager of Flora I Talay. An absolutely great woman, which is why we want to mention her resort at this point, even though we didn’t stay there.
Many decades ago, things were rougher on the islands and in the fishing villages, with smuggling and illegal trade with neighboring Cambodia flourishing. Today, the area is safe and you don’t have to worry about anything. We haven’t heard of any crime either.
Thai society is very open-hearted and fond of children. It was not uncommon to see a bunch of Thais (mainly women) standing around our boy. The way Thais treat children is different to what we are used to in Europe. We would never go up to a stranger’s child and want to take it in our arms. This happens all the time in Thailand – people don’t even ask beforehand. You should also be prepared for Thais to take photos of your children – often without being asked. They will quickly whip out their smartphone and take a selfie with the blond, little farang (foreigner). Think about how you want to deal with this – from our Western perspective – cross-border behavior. You won’t always be able to prevent it. Be respectful and smile and let your counterpart know that you would like a little more distance. At the same time, you are even more welcome everywhere with children and we were often given preferential treatment (e.g. in queues).
However, don’t expect extra changing rooms anywhere – the sanitary facilities are often in an inadequate condition anyway. So take wet wipes and disinfectant gel with you. You can buy basic baby supplies in any 7/11 or supermarket. Diapers are not cheap and are often only available in large packs. It’s best to leave the baby carriage/stroller at home. The sidewalks are usually too bad and there are too many pedestrians and cars, especially in Bangkok, so you won’t have much fun with it. The most flexible option is a baby carrier.
Almost all tourists arrive by minibus or have organized return transport via their hotel. This is the easiest way. Once on site, you can then rent a scooter for the duration of your stay. This will give you enough mobility to explore the island. If you are traveling with your own car: It doesn’t cost much to take the car with you to Koh Chang.
- A very good introduction to Thailand’s history in general can be found in Thailand’s Political History: From the 13th Century to Recent Times by B. J. Terwiel