I’ve never been shy when it comes to my honest opinion of Thailand’s islands: The “Andaman” side—so, islands from Phuket all the way down to Koh Lipe—are simply on another level when it comes to beach quality and scenery in general. There are gems in the Gulf, but it’s just a less amazing place to hit the beach in Thailand.
Likewise, there are major differences between the two major Gulf archipelagoes: Chumphon (to which Koh Samui belongs) and Trat, in Thailand’s far east. It’s hard to say which is better. And anyway, that’s not the focus of today’s post.
Rather, what I want to do is compare Koh Chang vs Koh Kood, the two largest and most popular islands within the Trat archipelago. Spoiler alert: I don’t adore either.
Why Both Chang and Kood Leave Me Cold
I’ll be frank: For me, there’s not a lot of daylight between Koh Chang and Koh Kood. Both of these large Thai islands are among my least favorite ones in Thailand, albeit for different reasons. I’ll outline these more specifically below, but in general I’d say that they are as follows. For Koh Chang, it’s that the island simply isn’t that impressive. It’s chill enough, and is the most convenient of the Trat islands, but its appeal really ends there.
Koh Kood, meanwhile, rubs me the wrong way precisely because of the hype built up around it. While no one expects much of Koh Chang (and they’re right not to do so), videos of Koh Kood would have you believing that it was home to the best beaches in Thailand, and maybe the world. Unfortunately, the reality of the life on Koh Kood is quite a bit different than what you see from the perspective of some dudebrotographer’s drone.
Ways to Compare Koh Chang with Koh Kood
Ease of access
It’s much faster to reach Koh Chang than it is to reach Koh Kood. This is primarily because there is a vehicle ferry; you can literally take a single bus from Bangkok or Suvarnabhumi Airport, or stay on the same shuttle from Trat Airport to your hotel. By contrast, reaching Koh Kood requires a speedboat ride of at least an hour from the Trat mainland.
Getting around
Both Koh Chang and Koh Kood are much easier to explore if you have your own set of wheels—most people use motorbikes, though I rented cars on both. If you are smart enough not to rent a motorbike but too cheap or impatient to rent a car, the only other realistic option is the songthaew pick-up taxis that circle both islands periodically.
Beaches
Koh Chang’s beaches are…fine. The most attractive one is probably Lonely Beach but it’s appealing mainly because it is ostensibly virgin, not because its beautiful. Koh Kood, by contrast, has many objectively great beaches; in my opinion, however, not even famous Bang Bao Beach can hold a candle to ones on Thailand’s “Andaman Side.”
Crowds
Neither island is “quiet”—Koh Chang is easy and cheap enough to reach that lots of backpacker, grey-packed and other lower-end visitors can easily go there from Bangkok. The issue on Koh Kood, to be sure, is not the number of people, but the sorts of people: Unfriendly young heterosexual couples who, to this old queer, all basically look like clones of one another.
Onward excursions
From Bang Bao Pier in the south of Koh Chang, you can take speedboats or ferries to all the other islands of Trat—Koh Wai; Koh Mak; and yes, Koh Kood. Realistically, you can’t island hop—the boat schedules aren’t suitable for this. By contrast, the only realistic excursion from Koh Kood is a one-way ticket to another island on the way back to the mainland.
Why I Prefer Koh Mak and Koh Wai
I’ve been pretty down on Chang and Kood islands, but don’t get it twisted: I love Trat province as a whole, both its islands and underrated Trat town on the mainland. In particularly, I love Koh Mak and Koh Wai, the two smallest of the main islands. Koh Mak, for me, is what Koh Kood should be: An island with enough to explore to keep you busy for a few days, and nice to very nice accommodation, but small enough to be walkable if you’re fit and motivated.
Koh Wai, meanwhile, offers something that neither Koh Kood nor Koh Chang (or even really Koh Mak, if we’re being honest) can: The genuine feeling of being shipwrecked. There’s just one main beach, and no roads on the island; you’ll have little more on your agenda then bathing in a shallow lagoon, relaxing under the palm trees and eating a simple, local meal. It’s heaven, albeit more heavenly on a short visit than a long one.
Other FAQ About Koh Kood and Koh Chang
Is Koh Chang the best island in Thailand?
Koh Chang is many things, but the best island is not one of them. It’s a relaxed island that’s relatively convenient to visit; it has devoted fans who swear, probably in a genuine way, that it is their favorite island in Thailand, and maybe their favorite place overall. But it simply isn’t a top-tier place, in my opinion.
Can you go from Koh Chang to Koh Kood?
Both slower ferries and faster speedboats depart several times a day from Bang Bao Pier in southern Koh Chang for Koh Kood. Depending on which vessel you take, the journey can take under an hour or just over it. However, I do suggesting stopping en route on Koh Wai and or/Koh Mak.
Is Koh Chang better than Koh Kood?
In a sense, you could say that Koh Chang is better than Koh Kood. There’s less hype out there about Koh Chang, which means that most people have very few expectations upon arriving there. On the other hand, as ambivalent as I am about Koh Kood, it’s probably objectively “better” than Koh Chang.
The Bottom Line
The Koh Chang vs. Koh Kood debate, at least as told by me, is somewhat anticlimactic—neither of these islands are my favorite in Thailand. I’m slightly more generous in my appraisal of Koh Chang, since it isn’t an island that has much hype around it in the first place. I’m less kind when it comes to Koh Kood, which according to social media is some kind of forlorn paradise. It has its charms, of course, but on its best day is not on the same level as Thailand’s best Andaman Sea islands on their worst. Want to get personalized advice on which Thai island(s) might be the best fit for you? Consider commissioning a custom Thailand itinerary today!
