How to Spend 4 Days in Koh Chang: A Complete Island Itinerary
Koh Chang: four days of beaches, waterfalls and island snorkelling
Koh Chang is a big island. It's about 30 km long, with jungle mountains in the middle, beaches down the west coast and quiet fishing villages in the east. Four days is the right amount of time to see it properly. You get a beach day, a waterfall and mangrove day, a full snorkelling trip and time to relax before heading home.
This itinerary covers how to get there from Bangkok and what to do each day. It also includes where to stay, baht prices for every activity and a sample budget.
- Ferry fares differ by source. Visit Thailand Today lists the Ao Thammachat to Ao Sapparot ferry at ฿90 per adult in 2026. Bucketlistly and Travelfish list ฿80. I've used ฿90 as the most recent figure.
- The Centrepoint ferry isn't running. Visit Thailand Today says only the Ao Thammachat ferry operates now. Since April 2026, boats between the first and last sailings leave when full, so expect waits at quiet times.
- Waterfall tickets. Bucketlistly says one ฿200 ticket covers both Klong Plu and Than Mayom. It doesn't say whether this works on different days. This plan visits them on different days, so budget ฿200 for each.
- Halal food is very limited on Koh Chang. I couldn't find any halal-certified restaurants on the island. Plan for seafood, vegetarian dishes or self-catering.
- Hotels and food aren't in the sample budget. I didn't find reliable baht hotel prices for Koh Chang's main beaches. The budget covers transport and activities only.
Getting to Koh Chang from Malaysia
Car ferry from Ao Thammachat to Koh Chang
Fly from Malaysia to Bangkok. Koh Chang has no airport, so every route ends with the car ferry from Ao Thammachat pier near Trat to Ao Sapparot on the island.
| Option from Bangkok | Time | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 999 bus from Ekkamai (07:45) or Suvarnabhumi (08:20) to the pier | About 6 hours | ฿329 + ฿90 ferry |
| Bus to Trat, then songthaew and ferry | 6 to 7 hours | About ฿315 + ฿60 + ฿90 |
| Suvarnabhumi minibus with ferry, to your hotel | About 8 hours | ฿700 to Kai Bae |
| Bangkok Airways to Trat + shared minibus | About 3 hours | From about ฿2,800 flight + about ฿1,000 minibus |
| Private car with ferry | About 5 hours | From about ฿3,200 per car |
| Ferry only (Ao Thammachat to Ao Sapparot) | 25 to 35 minutes | ฿90 adult, ฿40 child |
Prices from Visit Thailand Today. The flight and private car prices are 12Go quotes that include a booking fee.
The ferry runs from 06:30 to 18:30, roughly every hour. It's cash only, with no return tickets.
Where to stay
- Klong Prao: central, with a long, quiet beach. A good base for families and for reaching both ends of the island.
- White Sand Beach: the most hotels, restaurants and bars. It is also the closest beach to the ferry.
- Lonely Beach: budget stays and nightlife, near Treetop Adventure Park.
Getting around
Shared songthaew taxi on Koh Chang
Shared songthaews run from Ao Sapparot pier. Visit Thailand Today lists these fares per person.
| From the pier to | Fare |
|---|---|
| White Sand Beach | ฿50 |
| Klong Prao | ฿70 |
| Kai Bae | ฿80 |
| Lonely Beach | ฿100 |
| Bang Bao | ฿150 |
Scooters cost about ฿150 to ฿200 a day. Travelfish warns of sharp hairpin turns and steep hills, so only ride if you're experienced. Otherwise, hire a songthaew with a driver for the east coast day.
Day 1: arrive and relax on the west coast
Day 1: sunset at Klong Prao Beach, Koh Chang
MorningTake the 999 bus from Ekkamai at 07:45 or Suvarnabhumi at 08:20. It arrives at the pier at about 13:30. Take the ferry across to Ao Sapparot.
AfternoonTake a songthaew to your hotel. On the way from the pier, look out for the mountain viewpoint over White Sand Beach.
EveningWalk along White Sand Beach or Klong Prao for sunset. At Klong Prao, the best spot is Laem Chaiyachet cape at the north end.
Day 2: east coast waterfalls and mangroves
Day 2: Than Mayom Waterfall, Koh Chang
Fill up your scooter on the west coast first. Services are scarce in the east.
MorningHead to Than Mayom Waterfall on the east coast. It has four tiers, a swimming pool and royal monograms carved into the rocks. Entry is ฿200 for adults and ฿100 for children.
MiddayRide south to Salak Khok fishing village. Rent a kayak for about ฿100 an hour and paddle through the mangroves. Have lunch at a café over the water.
Day 2: Salak Phet mangrove boardwalk, Koh Chang
AfternoonWalk the Salak Phet mangrove boardwalk to the ocean viewpoint. Parking costs ฿10 for a motorbike or ฿20 for a car. Watch for loose planks.
EveningRide back to the west coast before dark.
Day 3: snorkelling trip to Koh Rang and Koh Wai
Day 3: snorkelling at Koh Wai near Koh Chang
Full dayJoin a snorkelling trip from Bang Bao pier. Hotel pickup is around 08:00 to 08:30. The boat leaves around 09:30 and returns at about 17:00. Most trips visit the islands around Koh Rang Marine Park and finish at Koh Wai.
| Boat type (I Am Koh Chang) | Price per person |
|---|---|
| Mr. Khai (small group) | ฿700 |
| Budget wooden boat | ฿800 to ฿900 |
| Speedboat | ฿800 to ฿1,100 |
| Marine park fee | ฿200 adult, ฿100 child |
Trips include transfers, lunch and a mask and snorkel. Fins cost about ฿100 extra. Book a weekday to avoid the crowds.
Day 3: seafood dinner on Bang Bao Pier, Koh Chang
EveningStay on at Bang Bao pier for a seafood dinner.
Day 4: Klong Plu Waterfall, Kai Bae and departure
Day 4: Klong Plu Waterfall, Koh Chang
MorningVisit Klong Plu Waterfall early, before the crowds. It's a rocky walk of about 600 m to the plunge pool. Entry is ฿200 for adults. It opens at 8am.
Late morningStop at Kai Bae Viewpoint for views over the southern islands. If you have time, rent a kayak at Kai Bae Beach for ฿100 an hour.
AfternoonHead home. Hotel minivans to Bangkok cost about ฿700, with pickup from 08:20. The 999 bus leaves the pier at 14:30 for Ekkamai.
Staying an extra night? Spend the afternoon at Treetop Adventure Park near Lonely Beach. It costs ฿900, or ฿1,050 with transfer.
Sample budget per person (transport and activities)
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| 999 bus + ferry to Koh Chang | ฿419 |
| Songthaew, pier to Klong Prao | ฿70 |
| Scooter for Day 2 | ฿150 |
| Than Mayom Waterfall | ฿200 |
| Salak Khok kayak (1 hour) | ฿100 |
| Salak Phet parking | ฿10 |
| Snorkelling trip (wooden boat) | ฿800 to ฿900 |
| Marine park fee | ฿200 |
| Klong Plu Waterfall | ฿200 |
| Hotel minivan back to Bangkok | ฿700 |
| Total (excluding hotels and food) | ฿2,849 to ฿2,949 |
Tips for Malaysian travellers
- Plan your meals. Halal food is very limited. Bring snacks from Bangkok and ask restaurants how food is prepared.
- Carry cash. The ferry, park fees and many restaurants are cash only.
- Avoid long weekends. Visit Thailand Today reports a 7 km car queue for the ferry on 1 May 2026. Go midweek or take the first boat.
- Best time to visit: November to April for calm seas. Waterfalls are fullest from May to October, but boats run less often.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Arriving at the pier after the last ferry at 18:30.
- Riding the east coast loop without filling up on the west coast first.
- Booking the snorkelling trip on a weekend or public holiday.
- Forgetting cash for the ferry and park fees.
- Expecting halal restaurants on the island.
Sourced from Visit Thailand Today Bangkok to Koh Chang, Travelfish Ko Chang transport, Thai Holiday Guide Things to Do in Koh Chang, Bucketlistly Koh Chang, Byklo Koh Chang Waterfalls (2026), I Am Koh Chang Snorkelling Trips and I Am Koh Chang Treetop Adventure Park. Prices checked in October 2026 and may change.