East coast Thailand travel guide

East coast Thailand for a group

East coast Thailand is Rayong, Chanthaburi and Trat on the mainland, with Koh Samet, Koh Chang, Koh Mak and Koh Kood offshore: local night markets, seafood, old towns and quiet islands, with the party on Koh Chang and Koh Samet. Rayong's Ban Phe pier is about 186 km from Bangkok's Ekkamai, roughly 2¼ hours by car.

Here's how I'd plan it for a group: one evening in Rayong for the markets, one in Chanthaburi for the riverside, then the boats from Trat to the islands. For the big party, see our Koh Chang nightlife guide and Koh Samet nightlife guide, and ask Tanner to build the loop.

Rayong: the night markets

Yes: the Rayong night market to know is Star Night Bazaar, open every day from 4pm to 10pm. It's the town's largest open-air night market: about half street food (grilled meats, curry over rice, noodle salads) and half cheap clothes and trinkets.

On Saturday from about 4pm, Yomjinda Road in the old town closes to traffic for its walking street: food stalls, crafts, live music and murals lit up along century-old Sino-Portuguese shophouses. Both markets are mostly for locals.

Rayong is also the boat town for Koh Samet: the ferries cross from Ban Phe, and Sai Kaew is the island's main beach and its liveliest after dark.

Tanner's take: Eat at Star Night Bazaar early, then walk Yomjinda on a Saturday. Save the bars for Koh Samet, and ask Tanner to have the car waiting at Ban Phe.

Chanthaburi: the waterfront after dark

The Chanthaburi waterfront is the best evening on the mainland: a 1 km pedestrian street along the river, lined with old Sino-Portuguese shophouses, cafés, sweet shops and small restaurants.

The community is about 300 years old, founded by Chinese and Vietnamese refugees, TAT says (checked November 2026). The Chao Mae Kuan Im shrine is on the street, the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception stands opposite and the old gemstone market is nearby. Sleep at Baan Luang Rachamaitri, a historic inn on the street whose restoration won a UNESCO award, so the walk home is a few steps.

It's the natural stopover between Bangkok and Koh Chang, on the road east to Trat.

Tanner's take: Stay on the waterfront and eat along the river. Chanthaburi is the surprise of the trip, so ask Tanner to book the inn early.

Trat: the boat town

Trat is the boat town. Ao Thammachat pier for Koh Chang is about 40 minutes from Trat town (31 km), Google Maps shows, and Laem Sok pier for Koh Kood and Koh Mak is close by too. Trat airport is about 20 km from the Koh Chang pier. The island boats stop in the afternoon, so plenty of groups stay over here.

Ferries to Koh Chang run from Ao Thammachat pier from early morning to early evening, cash only, and most leave when full, so check the times on the day. The older Centrepoint ferry has been suspended since July 2024.

Tanner's take: Plan the day so the group reaches the pier by early afternoon. On long weekends, walk on as foot passengers and skip the car queue. Ask Tanner to time the run.

Koh Kood: sunsets, not a party

Koh Kood is sunset cocktails and a quiet bar or two: a handful of small cafés and beach bars, more hammock than party.

From October to May, Boonsiri leaves Laem Sok at 10:45am, 1:15pm and 3:45pm, about an hour to Koh Kood, Boonsiri's own timetable shows (checked November 2026). Island boats link Koh Kood to Koh Mak and Koh Chang at 11am and 2:45pm.

From June to September a separate low-season timetable runs on a rougher sea, and even in high season the last boat leaves mid-afternoon.

Tanner's take: Koh Kood is for the day after the party: a villa, a long lunch, a sunset bar. Ask Tanner for a villa on the water.

Koh Mak: one sunset, one last round

Koh Mak is quieter still: short evenings and a few small bars, and that's the appeal.

Koh Mak sits between Koh Chang and Koh Kood, and the island boats call there on the way between the two.

Tanner's take: Island-hop through Koh Mak for one sunset and one last round. Ask Tanner which boat lands you in time.

Getting around

East coast Thailand is easiest by car on the coast road, then by boat from 2 piers near Trat: Ao Thammachat for Koh Chang and Laem Sok for Koh Kood and Koh Mak.

For a group, a luxury van for up to 4 runs from ฿6,500 for 10 hours, with a party van for up to 10 or a coach for 20 and more, from Bangkok, Pattaya or Rayong to the piers. Ask Tanner to time the car to the boats.

Which part for your group?

For the party, Koh Chang and Koh Samet; the rest is for food, old towns and quiet island days.

• The big party: Koh Chang's Lonely Beach or Koh Samet's Sai Kaew.
• The food night: Rayong's Star Night Bazaar, or the Chanthaburi waterfront.
• The quiet island: Koh Kood for a villa, Koh Mak for one sunset.
• The whole loop: Rayong, Chanthaburi, Trat, then Koh Chang, Koh Mak and Koh Kood by boat.

Ask Tanner which loop fits your group.

When to go

November to April, with July the wettest month around Trat. Koh Kood's boats switch to a low-season timetable from June to September.

Insider tip: the Trat buses fill up before long weekends, so book the car early.

Ask Tanner which weeks the speedboats run.

Five days down the coast

Drive out of Bangkok and eat at Star Night Bazaar in Rayong on the first evening. Spend the second on the Chanthaburi waterfront, in one of the old inns by the river.

On day three, reach Trat by early afternoon and take the boat from Laem Sok to Koh Kood. Day four is the villa, a long lunch and a sunset bar on Klong Chao.

On day five, the island boat runs through Koh Mak to Koh Chang, in time for a big night at Lonely Beach. That loop, ending on Koh Chang, is Tanner's pick.

Ask Tanner to time the car to every boat.

East coast Thailand in short

• What it is: Thailand's eastern coast, from Rayong through Chanthaburi to Trat, with Koh Samet, Koh Chang, Koh Mak and Koh Kood offshore.

• Rayong's Star Night Bazaar opens daily from 4pm to 10pm; Yomjinda Walking Street runs on Saturdays.
• The Chanthaburi waterfront is a 1 km riverside street in a community about 300 years old.
• Ferries to Koh Chang run from Ao Thammachat, early morning to early evening; Tanner times the car to the ferry.
• Boonsiri's catamaran reaches Koh Kood from Laem Sok in about an hour; the last boat leaves mid-afternoon.
• November to April is best; July is the wettest month.

Checked October 2026.

The party islands and Pattaya

After the east coast, the group's big evenings are 3 short trips away: Koh Chang and Koh Samet by boat, and Pattaya by road.

• Koh Chang nightlife: Lonely Beach and the late bars.
• Koh Samet nightlife: Sai Kaew fire shows and Ao Phai.
• Pattaya nightlife: Walking Street and the clubs. Plan it with Tanner, and he sends back the route.