Speed Boat To Koh Chang

[Longbow212]

Planning on spending the long weekend on Koh Chang. Expect to arrive in Trat around 10pm at night.

Is it worth getting a speed boat between a group of us? Anyone know a agency that can sort this out? prices?

The other option is to stay in Trat overnight. Does anyone know of a cheap and cheerful place to stay and how to smoothly (without dealing with tuk tuk vermin ripping you off) get to the pier the early the next day?

Thanks in advance.

[Bullie]

Hi.

Trat is well worth the overnight stay (nightmarket) . SA hotel (close to nightmarket) about 500 bath, decent airco room. Bungalow, POP guesthouse, from about 650 a night. It has the added advantage that they can arrange your transport easily to ferry koh Chang in the morning.

Cheapest option is to get a shared taxi in the morning to the ferry, they are stationed outside the COVERED market, just left of the big clock. All within walking distance. Mainstreet is 500 meters in length, with SA Hotel on the one side and Pop guesthouse on the other. No tuk tuks in Trat! I love my little town.

[thailandbluegrass]

Hi.

Trat is well worth the overnight stay (nightmarket) . SA hotel (close to nightmarket) about 500 bath, decent airco room. Bungalow, POP guesthouse, from about 650 a night. It has the added advantage that they can arrange your transport easily to ferry koh Chang in the morning.

Cheapest option is to get a shared taxi in the morning to the ferry, they are stationed outside the COVERED market, just left of the big clock. All within walking distance. Mainstreet is 500 meters in length, with SA Hotel on the one side and Pop guesthouse on the other. No tuk tuks in Trat! I love my little town.

Why would he want to spend 500 - 600 baht for a room when they are all over the place for 150 baht per night?

Go to the traffic lights hang a left and any one of them are cheap.

Why would he want to spend money on a taxi when they can jump on any songteaw on the main street and ask them to take you to the far ferry or even center point for around 100 baht?

Manin street is 500 meters? Hmmm I think your wrong there. The main street is called SUKHUMVIT and is the longest road in Thailand and runs the entire length from north to south.

Stop trying to give people false info dude. Do you own the SA hotel or the POP guesthouse or something?

[thailandbluegrass]

Sorry I forgot the main point. To get a speed boat that late would just be crazy. You wouldnt arrive in time to find any rooms and would most likely get ripped off. He was right about one thing, Trat is well worth spending the night and hang around the night market or trip around a little. Get on an early songteow (pick up truck taxi) and just head to the far ferry. The ferry ride is beautiful.

[Longbow212]

Thanks really appreciate your replies.

I will be getting a minivan from bkk, should i ask to be dropped at the bus station in trat or a specific place??

Thanks

[wimpy]

Why would he want to spend 500 - 600 baht for a room when they are all over the place for 150 baht per night?

Go to the traffic lights hang a left and any one of them are cheap.

Why would he want to spend money on a taxi when they can jump on any songteaw on the main street and ask them to take you to the far ferry or even center point for around 100 baht?

Manin street is 500 meters? Hmmm I think your wrong there. The main street is called SUKHUMVIT and is the longest road in Thailand and runs the entire length from north to south.

Stop trying to give people false info dude. Do you own the SA hotel or the POP guesthouse or something?

150 baht for a decent room with air? Not likely.

[yussiesamui]

Why would he want to spend 500 - 600 baht for a room when they are all over the place for 150 baht per night?

Go to the traffic lights hang a left and any one of them are cheap.

Why would he want to spend money on a taxi when they can jump on any songteaw on the main street and ask them to take you to the far ferry or even center point for around 100 baht?

Manin street is 500 meters? Hmmm I think your wrong there. The main street is called SUKHUMVIT and is the longest road in Thailand and runs the entire length from north to south.

Stop trying to give people false info dude. Do you own the SA hotel or the POP guesthouse or something?

150 baht for a decent room with air? Not likely.

So true, so true...but if your life is about spending 150 or 500 for ONE night, take the rathole for 150 - otherwise stick to SA or POP. (If somebody gets a HUGE commission on 500 - so what!java script:add_smilie("","smid_38")

[thailandbluegrass]

Why would he want to spend 500 - 600 baht for a room when they are all over the place for 150 baht per night?

Go to the traffic lights hang a left and any one of them are cheap.

Why would he want to spend money on a taxi when they can jump on any songteaw on the main street and ask them to take you to the far ferry or even center point for around 100 baht?

Manin street is 500 meters? Hmmm I think your wrong there. The main street is called SUKHUMVIT and is the longest road in Thailand and runs the entire length from north to south.

Stop trying to give people false info dude. Do you own the SA hotel or the POP guesthouse or something?

150 baht for a decent room with air? Not likely.

Did I say had Air? The OP is talking about as cheap as possable. How much time does one spend in the room when they arrive at 10:30 pm and leave at 5:00 am? These rooms have fans and are nice I think. Plus many other backpakers to sit with, have a beer and chat about Thailand. Can't say the same for the more expensive places. The OP is obviously a first timer here so why not experience this?

[wimpy]

[Did I say had Air? The OP is talking about as cheap as possable. How much time does one spend in the room when they arrive at 10:30 pm and leave at 5:00 am? These rooms have fans and are nice I think. Plus many other backpakers to sit with, have a beer and chat about Thailand. Can't say the same for the more expensive places. The OP is obviously a first timer here so why not experience this?

If the Op is talking about hiring a speedboat, He can likely afford a step above a dreary backbacker room. A nice clean air-conditioned guest house would be my choice. Clean western toilet, and you won't have to sit and chat with backpackers.

Edited May 27, 2010 by wimpy

[Bullie]

Have them drop you off in front of the night market! The busstation is quite a walk away, on the edge of town. A shared taxi would set you back 50 - 80 baht each from there to the city centre - provided there would be one available at this hour.

Trat is still very hot at the moment. Even my wife (Cambodian) can not sleep very well without airco at the moment. If you can afford it, I would suggest a room with airco. If you want to share a room: SA hotel has bigger rooms (4 beds) for about 800 baht.

They call it VIP rooms, but apart from 2 extra beds and a refrigirator they are the same as the cheaper ones.

As to the 150 baht rooms: I personally would not let my dog sleep there. But then I am picky.

As Thailand Blue grass pointed out, taking a songteaw is the way to go. I call them "shared taxi's". But then I prefer to write in english. There are no, or hardly any regular taxi's in Trat to be had.

Hope you have a good time!

[richard_smith237]

I took a speed boat at dusk a few years back (Phuket to Phi Phi). We hit a log, the propeller was damaged.

The pilot jumped out had a look at the prop, it was ok to limp on to Phi Phi.

At the time I never wanted to take a boat at night but was persuaded by others that we should get to the Island rather than spend an extra night before getting there.

Never again, I won't go in Mini-vans either but thats for a different thread.

The normal ferry takes 45 mins or so and there appeared to be plenty of people taking that option combined with the Songtaiw (shared pickup taxi) when I went to KC in Feb.

Overnighting in Trat and taking in the night market would be the smart choice IMO.