Trat Thailand How To Have The Best Time

The resort town of Trat, in the southeast corner of Eastern Thailand, is known as the gateway to the southeast islands. That’s right, it boasts an archipelago of over fifty offshore tropical islands, both large and small. Furthermore, with long white sandy beaches, undisturbed coral ranges, and tropical rainforests, there’s nowhere quite like it. However, mainland Trat has hidden treasure you can’t ignore. I arrived in Trat just before the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic’s effect on tourism (1st week, March 2020). Two weeks from now, all tourism in Thailand would be shut down! But for now, I guess you could say, I was a lucky boy, already in Thailand and totally oblivious to the coming thump world tourism was about to feel. In this post, I’ll give you an introduction to Trat Thailand and show you how to find the ‘Go-see’ tourist hot-spots, some of which are hidden gems.

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Location of Trat

Trat provincial area is sandwiched between Chanthaburi province in the north and the Gulf of Thailand in the south. In addition, the Khao Banthat mountain range (Cardamom Mountains) forms a natural demarcation with Cambodia in the east. Further south you’ll find Trat province becomes the narrowest part of Thailand.

This was my first trip to Trat, and I was driving from Bang Saray. I was also on my way to Koh Chang. After checking into my digs on the Mangrove coast, I was off exploring!

Trat’s got a lot to offer the traveler looking to cut loose from the norm and do Thailand a little different? I’ll show you what I learned about Trat and the hidden gems I discovered, while passing through.

History Of Trat Thailand

Trat has played an important role in the development of Thailand’s stability and economy. Primarily due to its strategic location in the southeast of the country. Consequently, it’s a town steeped in a multicultural history of mixed ethnic communities of Thai, Lao, Chinese, Khmer, and Vietnamese with three years of French rule from 1904.

A predominantly Thai speaking community was too hard to handle, so the rumor goes. So, as part of an exchange for more desirable land (Siem Reap, Cambodia) along the border, Trat was handed back over in 1907. You can see Siamese flag’s around town with a single white elephant on a red background. A symbol of Trat’s independence.

Climate & Industry of Trat Thailand

With a totally tropical climate, Trat is considered the wettest corner of Thailand. In addition, you’ll easily get up to 1,000 mm of rain per month all over this province in the wet season, (May to October). Furthermore, your temperature is always going to be in the low to high 30’s degrees Celsius and humid. So, light clothing only required.

With super fertile land, it’s also the reason that Trat is a major farming and fruit growing region of Thailand, similar to Chanthaburi. But, don’t let all that rain put you off … that’s what a tropical climate is all about, right? In any case, it’s also the reason Trat has those exotic islands just offshore.

Mainland Trat, Thailand

OK, let’s talk about the old-town Quarter and the coastal mainland of Trat, Thailand, (Chanthaburi’s little brother). In other words, I’ll leave the ‘pretty Island’ talk to articles of their own. Because, every time I go to read something on Trat, most of the discussion centers on the offshore Islands, and yes, they are pretty! But guess what, the coastal parts of Trat ‘mainland’ (not the islands) and the old town have something to say as well.

Let’s face it, the main town itself is pretty ordinary and very similar to other Thai country towns/cities that you drive through. However, look hard and you’ll find those hidden gems.

About 1km out of town you’ll find the main bus station where you can go to Bangkok or to the Cambodian border through Hat Lek. Also, if you don’t have transport in Trat, you can easily head to the ferries for the southeast islands by songthaew from the town center.

Ban Phra Waterfront Community, Trat

The Bang Phra river snakes its way through the center of the old town Trat. Moreover to the north of the river and east of Hwy 3148, (Sukhumvit Road), you’ll find the ‘Thanon Thana Charoen road’ area. Also known as the Bang Phra Waterfront community.

If you’re staying in Trat town this is the place you want to be. Because it’s got pubs, little restaurants, coffee-shops and probably the cheapest guesthouses in Thailand. Moreover, it’s all within walking distance, along narrow quaint little streets. You’re most likely just here chilling out for one night, what more could you want?

There’s also a cool little path along the river, and the architecture resembles that of the Waterfront Community in Chanthaburi. The old town is also renowned for its nighttime markets.

Summary

Trat town has a cool old-town feel to it once you discover the Thana Charoen road area and the Bang Phra Waterfront community. You Can easily wind down here after or before you head to the southeast islands or the coastal areas of Trat. A super one-night stop!

Eastern Apex, Trat Thailand

I found a super viewpoint in the Laem Ngop District of Trat, on the coast while looking for a restaurant. And it just so happens to be a popular tourist attraction. Turning around I saw a spectacular tall red and white lighthouse with views across the Gulf of Thailand. It’s known locally as the ‘Laem Ngop Lighthouse’, and Koh Chang sits proudly just offshore.

Landmark Location S.E. Thailand

This is a landmark location marking the “Eastern Apex“ of Thailand. It has fantastic scenery and a multi signpost (for the islands) for taking those happy snaps.  Arrive at the right time and it’s also a super spot for sunsets.

Summary

It’s the Eastern Apex of Thailand with fantastic scenery. If you’re in Trat and like me looking for a cheap restaurant on the coast, this spot is worth a visit, if for nothing else, to catch that memorabilia photo shot! Allow 30 mins, plus your lunch and you’ll be on your way!

Black Sands Beach, Trat Thailand

Not too far from the lighthouse, I found the ‘Black Sand Beach’, still in the Laem Ngop District of Trat. It’s documented as the only beach of its kind in Thailand, and one of only five in the world? Otherworld locations sharing the black sand secret are Taiwan, Malaysia, California, and Hawaii. A mangrove forest engulfs the beach (no surprise there) filled with trees, marine life, and natural resources.

History, Biology, & Community

Historically, the beach existed without the forest because the soil was not conducive to grow mangrove trees. Locals in the community assisted by students worked to cultivate and grow young trees in the forest. The project is now complete, and the beach and forest together provide work for the local community. Marine life such as the crab, fish, and shellfish have moved into this area as a safe haven for breeding.

Color Generation Trat Black Sands

The mineral composition of the sand is typically Iron and silica oxides (limonite), caused by the collapse and decomposition of shells and debris. Different shell types generate a variety of colors from brown, red to black during decomposition. This can be seen as you walk the trail to the beach.

The Beach & Trail of Trat Black Sands

Thailand tourist board has done a great job of developing the Black Sand Visitor Centre. So, you’ll find a cool walk through the mangrove forest, with the beach itself located at the end of a 500m forest trail. It’s well signposted throughout with views of the tree roots, where all this color gets generated. Following the trail will take you further around the forest and bring you back out to the entrance.

The original thinking was that the back sand could cure disease after a ‘Grandmother Mhom‘ covered herself in the sand and later recovered from paralysis. That put the spotlight on this place. But, since then no concrete evidence exists for medical cures!

Now if you want you can get down and dirty, honestly go on cover yourself in mud if that floats your boat. You won’t derive any health benefits, as historically thought, but hey think of the photos!

At the beach, you have majestic views across the Gulf of Thailand.

Summary

Worth a visit, but I’d go early morning if possible as that’s a little cooler for you to roll around the mud … perfect!

Red Hawks Trat Thailand

Are you a bird watcher? I don’t watch birds myself. But, given the chance to check out the ‘Red Hawks’ or ‘Brahimy Kites’ of Trat, I jumped at the opportunity. I wasn’t disappointed. They’re located in the Nong Khan Song district, with the added bonus of a restaurant. It’s well signposted from the main road.

Red Hawk Restaurant

The Khon Phlad Thin restaurant sits on wooden stilts over a lake full of fish. Not flash by any means, very country style, but importantly the food is great! If you go there any time after 12.00 noon, you’ll see a sky full of red hawks swooping down into the lake for food, putting on an aerial display. Now, why would they do that?

Zooming in closely at the photos, I soon realized how these guys pick their food (or prey) up. They swoop down close to the water, then throw the claws out in front and snatch and grab! Pretty cool to watch in slow motion.

How The Show Evolved

The owner originally had a plan to provide a lake full of fish to entertain the fishermen with food and beer nearby in the restaurant … a good plan … a good business … But, it didn’t quite work out that way.

The Red Hawks, pretty smart and cunning had other ideas and made the mangroves at the back of the lake their home. So, with a lake full of fish that the owner had to feed, you can guess what happened, can’t you?

Someone now gets in a boat every day and heads out into the middle of the lake to throw out the remains of the chicken meat etc. The hawks arrive and start swooping down to grab the food. So, the plan changed! It’s still a restaurant, you can fish, but that’s not the priority here anymore!

I nearly missed the show, arriving here late at 3:30pm. Lucky for me somebody was out in the boat still feeding the hawks.

Summary

Worth a visit, both for the food, the view, and the aerial entertainment from the hawks. Get there earlier than I did, you’ll need your camera!

For more info on the Hawks check this post out!

Ban Nam Chiao Village, Trat Thailand

The Ban Nam Chiao Village is a riverfront fishing community located in the Laem Ngop coastal district of Trat. Their homes classically line the river/canal front and they are a friendly bunch of mixed Muslim and Buddhist religions. Follow the river here and it will, of course, lead you to the sea. Besides, that’s actually the meaning of the Ban Nam Chiao name.

Frozen In Time

When I walked through this village it was a bit surreal, it’s like stepping back into a time machine! These people actually live, fish, and do life together right here like a riverfront community. I wondered ‘have these people ever been in a plane or seen Bangkok?’ I really don’t know. I’m not saying they need to do that. Rather, they may have found something special about life that the rest of us have not!

They have everything they need right here!

Things To Do

If you want to learn more about this community, there are several activities you can get involved in. For example, weave your own Ngop Nam Chiao Hat from palm leaves, or try making and eating the local dessert, Ban Nam Chiao-style crispy crepes. You can also hop on one of the traditional boats and go sightseeing through the mangrove forest.

The locals also open up their homes for tourists to stay overnight. Here you can enjoy home-cooked local meals in a family-friendly environment and further experience their lifestyle. What a great idea! Have the Ban Nam Chiao people found a little piece of magic that the rest of us don’t have? This is one way to find out, spending time with them!

Summary

An absolute must-visit location. If you can step out of your ‘comfort zone’ for a night. I’d suggest booking in with the locals to get that ultimate village experience. Regrettably, I haven’t tried this yet, but there will be the next time because now I know it’s possible!

Ao Tan Khu Beach, Trat Thailand

A super little beach on the mainland, yes, the mainland, we’re not even on the islands yet! Ao Tan Khu Beach is located in Bang Pit, in the Laem Ngop province of Trat.

I discovered this little beauty even though I was running out of time. You see, I wanted to catch the last ferry over to Koh Chan, but I didn’t want to miss it! You know, I’ll be perfectly honest; I didn’t really think I’d find anything like this on the mainland. Little restaurants, a coffee shop, and accommodation right across the road.

With half a km of beach to myself and a view of Koh Chang, it was time to chill.

What’s The Beach Like

A fine yellow-brown sandy curved shaped bay stretching half a km with pretty blue-green water is what you’ll find here. Also, lined with some coconut palm trees, leaning out to the water, giving a really tropical relaxing feel.

There’s a good road with car parking, right along the length of the beach. Restaurants are located on one side of the road and the tables for eating on the opposite, right beside the water.

Thai locals frequent the beach on weekends. My trip was in the middle of the week and it was super quiet.

Where To Stay

If you want to plant yourself right down by this beach, and I wouldn’t blame you, you have two options. A resort smack bang in the middle called ‘Ao Tan Khu Resort’. At the northern end of the beach you’ll find the Sai Kku Resort. A third option is the TKK Resort located in the next cove. You’ll also find low key guesthouses ‘backrooms’ to the little restaurants as well.

Don’t expect the frills, bells and whistles of the island resorts. Check this super post out for further info on the beach and accommodation.

How To Get To Ao Tan Khu Beach

Getting there is pretty simple, because the beach is just 4km off Hwy 3156 (Ban Saen Tung -Laem Ngop). Keep driving straight once you turn off the highway. Now if you look at google maps, you’ll see that Hwy 3156 is the main ring road around that area.

Summary

Ao Tan Khu Beach is a top spot to relax. Nobody knows this beach is there … Go check it out!

Trat Airport, Thailand

‘You are kidding me’, I hear you say. ‘Did you go in your car to check out the Trat airport’? Yes, I did, that’s exactly what I did, while I was in the area before shooting off to catch the ferry to Koh Chang. I’ve heard about this airport, run by Bangkok airways, but I’ve never used it yet. So, what did I find?

Location & Services

Trat Airport is very small and is run privately by Bangkok Airways. It services the eastern islands of Koh Chang, Koh Mak, and Koh Kood and or course the Trat and nearby Chanthaburi province. It’s located about 30 mins by car out of Trat town in the Laem Ngop district of Trat.

Flight Schedules

All flights are to and from the Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport. Normally, there are four flights per day each way. From Bangkok to Trat, 8:30am through to 5:00pm, and from Trat to Bangkok from 10:00am through to 6:30pm. This was of course before the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic’s effect on tourism. I’m optimistic all flights shall return back to normal operation, post, Covid-19.

You’ll find you can easily match in your flight times to the ferry schedules for all the islands. It’s just a matter of working out where you’re going, and what time you want to be there. A handy website for assisting with all this info is explorekohchang.com.

Customs & Immigration

If you’re an international traveler coming through Bangkok, you can elect to have your bags checked straight through to Trat. Immigration also gets sorted there as the airport is designated for CIQ (Customs, Immigration, and Quarantine).

Facilities & Ambiance

With a tropical, open plan design, and a laid-back informal atmosphere, this airport would have to be one of the smallest commercial airports on Thailand’s East Coast. Airport facilities are what you’d expect and pretty good, but hey you won’t be spending your holiday here, will you? You’ve got a car park, a small cafe, ATM, a transfer desk and toilets.  Free wifi is also available.

Summary

A great little airport, with customs and immigration taken care of. C’mon, let’s face it if I were an international traveler coming to the southeast region of Thailand, for a couple of weeks. I wouldn’t think twice. I’d land in Bangkok, catch the next flight, no immigration, and straight to Trat. It’s a no brainer! Yes, you may argue around the price, but in the end, this would have to be the trip with no hassles, and hey you might end up with a good straight-through deal with your particular airline.

Where To Stay In Trat Thailand

Where would you like to stay? I said before I’m a sucker for the sea and hence the coastal resorts $$. But given one night in the old town, I’d be heading to the guesthouses ($) of Thanon Thana Charoen road’ area, in the old quarter. One particular guest house there with great reviews is the Pop Guesthouse. It’s located right at the top of theThanon Thana Charoen road. If you continue further down this road right into the old quarter area, you’ll find more great places to choose from.

If your more cashed-up ($$) and want a hotel within the old town area, try the Rimklong Boutique Hotel. Step out of the old quarter off the Thanon Thana Charoen road area and you’ll still find some hotels or motels. But you’ll be out of the ambiance attributed to the old quarter in my opinion.

This trip, I stayed at the Banpu Resort on the Mangrove coast of Trat. I had a bungalow style room around a central lake, and Trat town was a mere twenty minutes away. Also, the coastal attractions were pretty close by. Besides all that, the Nong Khan Song district is perfect for a short stay.

Now if you want to stay close to the Ao Tan Khu Beach, go check out the three resorts I mentioned earlier.

There are some great options for accommodation right beside the Piers were the ferries depart. So, if you’ve missed your ferry to the islands, no worries!

Summary

So, there you have it, the old town quarter guesthouses ($) by the river, the beachside resorts of Ao Tan Khu Beach ($$). And finally, the resorts of the Mangrove Coastal District ($$). Honestly, Trat has you covered for a one or two night stay, you might even stay longer. One night doesn’t really cut it if you want to see the sights for yourself.

How To Get To Trat, From the Cambodian Border, Bangkok & More

If you’re coming from Chanthaburi, just keep driving through on Hwy 3 to get to Trat. It’s about an hour out of Chanthaburi, and approx. 5 hrs in total from Bangkok, a distance of 315 km.

Cambodian Border To Trat

Travelers coming from the Sihanoukville beach area in Cambodia, typically come through Koh Kong to the border town of Hat Lek (probably on a bus). Once in Thailand, they can make their way to Trat via Route 3, a 1½ hour trip.

The cost of a bus or taxi from Koh Kong to the Hat Lek border is ~ US$10. After that, cross the border and catch the silver minibus through to Trat for ~ US$5 (120baht). They run every 40 mins from 7.00am. I recommend you check out the rome2rio.com website because it’s pretty reliable info and this will ensure you’re completely up to date.

Bangkok To Trat

By Car, Taxi or Bus

Get out of the airport onto the Bangkok – Chonburi highway (Toll road) No 7 and just keep driving south. I’m making this seem very simple because it is. Drive this road out till you are almost in Pattaya. After that, head for Rayong and Route 3. Once you’re on Route 3 keep driving till you get to Chanthaburi, (I know it rhymes), now keep going for about another hour and you’ll arrive in Trat. A 5-hour drive in total, yes, my friends that simple!

A bus can cost (US$6-9), a taxi (US$76-92), driving your own car or hired car. Allow (US$18 – 30) for fuel, toll fees are about 150 baht, ($5), that’s plenty.

Public buses are available from the Bor Khor Sor public transport service, at the airport passenger terminal. Also, other daily buses are available from the Bangkok city center, Eastern Bus Terminal (Ekamai) on Sukhumvit Road. Again, check the rome2rio.com website for the latest info. Then again, you could get a taxi directly at the Suvarnabhumi airport.

I recommend booking your travel in advance through 12GO Asia – an online travel agent that makes traveling around Asia very easy.

By Flight To Trat or Pattaya (U-Tapao)

You might not want to drive or take a bus! Ok, you can fly in that case from Suvarnabhumi airport to Trat, with four flights daily from 8:30am. That’ll cost ya anywhere between US$70 – US$230. See details in ‘this post‘ re: Trat Airport.

Now you have another option. Which isn’t so bad, and that is to fly from Bangkok to U-Tapao airport south of Pattaya. After that, take the taxi from there! Your in the taxi longer therefore, that’s going to be more expensive. But that may suit you if you intend to travel through all of Eastern Thailand. Again, always check online for other info and updates, and where possible book your travel in advance.

You can, of course, fly directly into U-Tapao airport from overseas and get a taxi or car from there. Not a bad option but check and compare prices for that compared to the other options.

Best Time To Visit Trat Thailand

The best time to visit Trat Thailand purely from a weather point of view is December through to early February. Because it’s not so hot. Now, having said that, it’s always going to feel hot due to the tropical location. This is Thailand after all!

If you’re chasing the Trat tropical fruits fairs you need to be there in June. If you’re just passing through en-route to the Islands, then any time is a good time to visit Trat. Although, take note: in the monsoon season, the heaviest rain falls from June through to September.

Getting Around Trat Thailand

Getting around the old town quarter is pretty easy. Besides, motorcycle taxis are available for 30 baht. Although there are no tuk-tuks, you’ll get a songthaew at the bus station for 50-60 baht per person into town.

Having your own car is by far the best method of transport throughout the Trat province. Contrary to popular beliefs, driving is also pretty safe. So, if you like that option, hire a car straight from the get-go in Bangkok, or if you prefer, pick one up when you get to Trat.

Are you just finished Trat and still driving around Eastern Thailand? Then, you might want to check out Chanthaburi, Trat’s big brother.