For me, the Trat archipelago has always presented something of a paradox. On one hand, it’s the first place I ever visited in Thailand—well, unless you count the night I slept at Suvarnabhumi Airport before I went there (I don’t).
On the other hand, most of my island hopping within the Kingdom has occurred elsewhere. In fact, I’ve thus far only been back to Trat on three occasions since my maiden voyage, which is far less often than I’ve returned to the Andaman Coast of Thailand.
In spite of this seeming contradiction, I’ve nonetheless done my fair share of exploration in Trat. Over the next several paragraphs, I’ll be helping you compare Koh Mak vs Koh Wai vs Koh Kood.
Understanding the Trat Archipelago
Before we get to whether you should visit Koh Kood or Koh Mak (or Koh Wai, as it were), we should discuss how the Trat archipelago is put together. Geographically speaking, you can think of these three islands as “satellites” of the larger Koh Chang. This is more similar to the situation in Chumphon, where Koh Tao and Koh Pha Ngan are more or less vassals of Koh Samui.
It is in contrast to the Andaman Sea, whose arrangement of islands makes contiguous island hopping possible, and even preferable. While it is theoretically possible to hop from Koh Chang, to Koh Wai, to Koh Mak and finally to Koh Kood, it is much easier (thanks mostly to boat schedules) to use Koh Chang as a base for exploring the islands that orbit it.
Ways to Compare Koh Mak, Koh Wai and Koh Kood
Getting there and around
No matter which of Trat’s islands you choose, you’ll need to take a boat to get there, whether from the mainland or from Koh Chang. Getting around is another story. Tiny Koh Wai is totally walkable, while Koh Mak is walkable as well, but easier to explore if you have a bicycle, motorbike or a golf cart (yes, that is a thing). Koh Kood is a huge island, and realistically requires a motorbike, unless you’re content to stay on just one beach.
Beaches
In some ways (particularly in the discussion of Koh Mak vs Koh Wai) I find this futile: No beach in the Trat archipelago really knocks my socks off. Still, if I had to choose one on each island, they would be as follows: Ao Soun Yai on Koh Mak; Paradise Beach (i.e. the beach in front of Paradise Resort) on Koh Wai; and Bang Bao Beach on Koh Kood.
Things to do
Of these three islands, Koh Wai is the one with the least to do—you can basically just hike from one beach to the other. On Koh Mak, you can explore attractions such as Wat Koh Mak temple, and take a half-day trip to islets like Koh Kham and Koh Kradat. Koh Kood offers the most diverse options for tourism, with dozens of beaches, several waterfalls and even its very own Big Buddha statue.
Accommodation
Given that Koh Wai is home only to non-air-conditioned beach huts (in other words, the same sorts of places, in spite of having different names), this is really a discussion for Koh Mak vs Koh Kood. Koh Mak is home to some very nice resorts, including Koh Mak Resort and Seavana Resort. However, in Koh Kood you find genuine luxury, from The Beach Natural Resort to Soneva Kiri.
Day trips and excursions
Earlier in this piece, I mentioned the fact that you can travel from Koh Mak to Koh Kham or Koh Kradat. What about for Koh Kood or Koh Wai? Well, there are definitely fewer options. In fact, I’d say that from either of these islands, Koh Mak itself would be the most realistic excursion, at least assuming you’re able to finagle limited boat schedules to finesse such an itinerary.
What About Koh Chang?
I like to think of Koh Chang less as a destination to explore—even though it is home to some very interesting and beautiful places—and more as a base or hub. In spite of the geographical differences I referenced earlier, I almost think of Koh Chang as the Phuket of the eastern Gulf of Thailand. Not somewhere you’d necessarily want to spend a long time, but a good place to arrive and plan, or to return to at the end.
Indeed, whether or not you dedicate any time to exploring Koh Chang will depend at least somewhat upon how long you spend in Koh Mak or Koh Kood. If, for example, you give yourself a week in Trat, but plan to spend two nights each in Mak and Kooh, and another 1-2 nights in Koh Wai, it’s pretty simple to see that there just isn’t much time left for Koh Chang.
Other FAQ About Koh Mak, Koh Wai and Koh Kood
Which is better, Koh Mak or Koh Kood?
I personally prefer Koh Mak. While its beaches might not be quite as dramatic or beautiful as those on Koh Kood, I like Koh Mak’s smaller footprint, which makes it easier to explore and digest. Additionally, I find the energy of the island—Koh Mak, this is—as a whole to be significantly more laid back.
Is Koh Kood overrated?
I love Koh Kood, but I can see why some people would say that it’s overrated. For one, it’s massive, which means that you will have a very hard time exploring it if you aren’t comfortable riding a motorbike. Moreover, while the beaches are very beautiful, they’re average compared to what you find on Thailand’s Andaman side.
Should you stay in Koh Chang or Koh Mak?
Although I prefer Koh Mak as a destination, there are situations where staying in Koh Chang makes more sense—namely, if you want to explore other islands. While there are a certain number of boats between Koh Mak, Koh Kood and Koh Wai, it’s much easier to visit other islands (especially as day trips) from Koh Chang, which serves as a sort of regional hub.
The Bottom Line
When it comes to Koh Mak vs Koh Wai vs Koh Kood, the internet can be a surprisingly quiet place. Indeed, while plenty is written about these islands (and the “mother” island) of Koh Chang individually, I’ve seen very few articles designed to help travelers differentiate between the islands of the Trat archipelago. Consider this, then, a sort of Rosetta Stone for island hopping in Trat, even if you’ve already read my main island guide. Need more personalized help putting you trip through Thailand’s paradise islands together? In that case, I do hope you’ll consider hiring me to plan your Thailand trip for you.
