Ok, yesterday (Friday) I endured a 3 hour wait to get on the car ferry at Ao Thammachat pier, would like to avoid the same going back, which would be the least busiest day to return, Sunday or Monday ?

 

Any advice from Koh Chang locals or frequent visitors would be appreciated.

Many if not most Thai visitors will go back on Sunday, definitely Monday will be not as busy.

Sunday people flock back to Bangkok, Monday many merchants are on the trip to Trat or Chantaburi. Monday late morning or noon should work out. You could also use the Centrepoint Ferry, just make sure you are there at least 15 mins before departure to avoid the wait for the next one.

Never visit islands without bridges in Thailand; Samui had us for seven hours waiting and Koh Chang was another disaster - many years ago. Consequence was = no more islands but fly to Bali, Langkawi or Penang ???? 

Koh Chang is a rubbish tip, has to be one of the dirtiest oceans I've ever swum in, beaches covered in all manner of flotsum, few beaches except the ones controlled and cut off by resorts. The other small beaches are crap compared to hundreds of beaches around Thailand the thousands around the world I've had the pleasure of visiting.

Lived in Koh Chang for a little over a year. Nice locals when you get to know them away for the main tour areas. But the beaches ... yeeeeuuuwwww!

Hundreds of other places in Thailand with heaps better sea and beaches. Why the f would you sit on a frigin' ferry for ages to get to that dump, or fly there?

I always use Centrepoint. It adds a few km and sailing time to the journey, both sides, but rarely any great queue. Ferries are in better condition, (not saying much). I believe there is a mafia war going on, signs to the ferry keep disappearing. 

The shortest road to centrepoint is quiet, but very potholed. Mr Google is your friend!

Avoid Monday on any three day weekends

Tropposurfer, funny that, I’ve found Koh Chang beaches and water to be some of the cleanest in Thailand, and in my 35 years been to nearly all of them. Of course, they were all clean years back ! Also you do not sit on a ferry “ for ages” the crossings pretty quick. 

Otherwise , yes, Weekends are the busiest times for ferry crossings.  

5 hours ago, Tropposurfer said:

Koh Chang is a rubbish tip, has to be one of the dirtiest oceans I've ever swum in, beaches covered in all manner of flotsum, few beaches except the ones controlled and cut off by resorts. The other small beaches are crap compared to hundreds of beaches around Thailand the thousands around the world I've had the pleasure of visiting.

Lived in Koh Chang for a little over a year. Nice locals when you get to know them away for the main tour areas. But the beaches ... yeeeeuuuwwww!

Hundreds of other places in Thailand with heaps better sea and beaches. Why the f would you sit on a frigin' ferry for ages to get to that dump, or fly there?

Fly there? when did Kho Chang get an airport?

He meant Trat I suppose.

Thanks for the tips guys. I’m presuming there is only one pier in Koh Chang that services both Ao Thammachat and Centre Point ? (Which are actually quite a distance from each other). When I search in google maps for the Centre Point pier in Koh Chang I only get the mainland location.

5 hours ago, taxin said:

Thanks for the tips guys. I’m presuming there is only one pier in Koh Chang that services both Ao Thammachat and Centre Point ? (Which are actually quite a distance from each other). When I search in google maps for the Centre Point pier in Koh Chang I only get the mainland location.

There are 2 actually, about 3 Km. between them.

Btw, i heard from a local that the massive delays of few days ago were caused by mechanical failures on 2 or 3 of the 4 ferries available on the Thammachat-Sapparot route.