arrived at the ferry terminal at Ao Tammachat at 1pm, not much traffic heading towards the island, while on the ferry we were overtaken by an empty smaller ferry heading to the island, by the time we arrived the smaller ferry was loaded and on its way back to the mainland, when we were driving off the ferry there were vehicles parked anywhere there was a space, as we drove towards white sands beach the traffic was queuing for 3Km, by now it was 1.45pm, 

sounds like the perfect time to go to the island. :)

6 minutes ago, stoner said:

sounds like the perfect time to go to the island. :)

and its overcast but no rain a yet,

I left the island on Sun 30 July myself. I am so glad I anticipated this and managed to get to the ferry terminal at 8.15 am. I was able to park inside the terminal and was on a boat by 8.50. 
 

At the mainland terminal at Aow Yhammanat the system for paying was more efficient. Just drive past a booth and pay cash. No ticket issued. On the Koh Chang side you have to park and walk to a ticket office where you are pointlessly asked for your car registration number which no one looks at on the ticket. So you can give them any 4 digits, if you can’t remember it. (Mine was slightly wrong).. A woman has a full time job going up the queues asking to see tickets and sending people who thought there would be a drive past pay booth scuttling off to queue at the ticket office, hoping to get back in time before their row rolls off creating a queue of irate drivers behind.

Just to remind all I did post about Centre Point ferry is back running and they issue return tickets. Very limited service at the moment only 4 a day (unless they put on more for the holiday). earlier this month I used it and it only had about 10 vehicles on it. You can only buy tickets on the Trat side, from Koh Chang just drive straight on pay other side. You don't have to get out the car and the nice lady selling tickets Smiles, which is more than I can say of the miserable lot at the other ferry.

4 hours ago, Dogmatix said:

Just drive past a booth and pay cash. No ticket issued.

Really then what happened when you drove another

10 meters to hand them a ticket, unless they are.... ? oops better not say. 

11 minutes ago, brianthainess said:

Really then what happened when you drove another

10 meters to hand them a ticket, unless they are.... ? oops better not say. 

We  went to Koh Chang a few months ago via the route described by Dogmatix, and it is exactly as he said. At the mainland terminal you pay at a booth, then join the lanes awaiting the next ferry - no ticket issued. At the Koh Chang terminal you park in a lane and go to buy the ticket, which is collected as your lane is waved on to the ferry.

2 minutes ago, Eff1n2ret said:

We  went to Koh Chang a few months ago via the route described by Dogmatix, and it is exactly as he said. At the mainland terminal you pay at a booth, then join the lanes awaiting the next ferry - no ticket issued. At the Koh Chang terminal you park in a lane and go to buy the ticket, which is collected as your lane is waved on to the ferry.

Are you talking about Tammerchat ferry? I 'had' to use it a few weeks ago. Out comes the hand held net with your change and ticket drive 10mtrs hand the ticket to more staff. Has always been this way. We were waiting for a couple of hours until my wife's car was delivered there and unloaded. I walked over to the ticket office to buy tickets for 2 cars, they refused and made me drive back up, U turn and drive back to the ticket office. no big queues that day either. Mrs B had to pull over until I came 2 cars behind as I had the tickets. 

 

If there is a storm forecast, people will rush to get off the island in case the ferry service gets suspended.