Trat was the first province I ever visited in Thailand (if you don’t count the night I slept in Suvarnabhumi Airport—I don’t), so the fact that I had not as of 16 years later visited its provincial capital seemed strange. I thus decided to earmark some time for it after my recent trip to Koh Chang and Koh Kood.
I’ll be honest: I had basically no expectations. And no frame of reference if we’re being honest, save for my visit to nearby Chanthaburi the previous September.
Below, I’ll not only provide you with a practical round-up of things to do in Trat Town, but also hopefully some impressions of why my short time here stuck with me. Spoiler alert: If you haven’t been here, you’re missing out.
How to Get to Trat Town
On the off chance that you aren’t concerned about visiting any islands, you can take a bus or minibus directly from Bangkok to Trat Bus Station. You’ll start your journey either at Ekkamai Bus Station or Suvarhabhumi Airport, and can expect the journey to take anywhere between 5-6 hours one-way. Trat is Thailand’s furthest east province—it sounds like a long distance because it is a long distance.
More realistically, you’ll be visiting Trat Town after spending some time in Koh Chang, Koh Kood, Koh Mak and/or Koh Wai. In this case, you can get a songthaew directly from the pier where your boat docks to Trat Town—just tell them you’re going to the bus station, and walk from there to the attraction of your choice (if you’re day-tripping) or your hotel (if you’re staying overnight). A further songthaew can take you to the airport, assuming you don’t return to Bangkok by bus.
How to Spend Your Time in Trat Town
Head for the river…er, khlong
Located just to the south of Trat’s town center, Khlong Bang Phra is surprisingly clean as urban canals in Thailand go and is certainly not as…fragrant as the ones in Bangkok. I find this a nice place to start your exploration, as it’s quiet and tranquil, and will allow you to center your mind.
Don’t prioritize “sightseeing”
The bad news? Although I’d mapped out some attractions as part of my Trat Town itinerary, many of them ended up being off-limits. In some cases, this limit was existential; the Trat City Museum was closed indefinitely for repairs. In other cases, namely that of Wat Phai Lom, the attraction itself seemed more ordinary than I expected.
Chat with the locals
What’s not ordinary? The kindness of people here. From the girl at 7-Eleven who tried to chat me up in Thai, to locally famous J’Saeng (who informed me that her legendary fried squid would not be available until dinner time—I visited her for lunch), Trat’s citizens are completely unjaded, which makes sense, given that the town has been spared by mass tourism.
Eat, drink and be merry
While I wasn’t able to have my first-choice lunch, I did make the wise decision to enter the relaxed Laan Yen Jid eatery, where I was able to enjoy bla muk (aka squid) as part of a pad gapao (spicy stir-fry with Thai basil leaves). It was delicious and the environment was nice, though some of my fellow diners seemed not to know what to make of me.
Arrange onward transport
When I arrived via songthaew from Laem Ngop Pier, the man on the corner spotted me before I even got out. This would’ve made me feel preyed upon 17 years earlier, but this time, it was a relief: It allowed me to arrange a ride (albeit it an expensive one) to the airport at a fixed time, giving me a set sightseeing window—and great peace of mind.
Should You Stay Overnight in Trat Town?
As of this moment, I have not yet slept in Trat Town, though I very much want to do so. In fact, as I’ll explain in the outro to this piece, I regret not having done so in the first place. Trat is not the most exciting town, and certainly not touristic in the least, but it’s inviting and friendly and basically devoid of tourists. I can’t imagine how special it would be to enjoy the evening and morning here—like a smaller version of Chanthaburi, I assume.
To be sure, I have started looking at Trat hotels. The one I’ve considered most seriously is the Orchid Guest House, which is attached to an awesome restaurant of the same name. I’ve also investigated the possibility of staying at the simple Baan Jaidee (which really seems to reflect the Thai translation of its name, “Kind House”) and the slightly more upmarket Rimklong Boutique Hotel.
Other FAQ About Visiting Trat Town
Is Trat Town worth visiting?
Trat Town is definitely worth visiting—I’m sad I waited so long to come! It’s delightfully un-touristic, and whether you’re walking along the khlong, exploring the market or simply chatting with locals, you’ll get a sense of true, unvarnished Thai hospitality. Definitely a hidden gem!
How do I get to Trat Town from Bangkok?
There are two ways to get from Bangkok to Trat Town. The first is to take a direct bus or minivan from either Ekkamai Bus Station or Suvarnabhumi Airport, which takes between 5-6 hours depending on traffic. Alternatively, if you fly Bangkok Airways from BKK to TDX, you can get a songthaew from the airport to town.
How can I go from Trat Airport to Trat Town?
You can ride a songthaew from Trat Airport to Trat Town or vice-versa. This will generally cost around 500 THB per vehicle, which means that if many people are riding at the same time as you, you’ll pay a lot less than if you were to make the journey all by yourself.
The Bottom Line
As I got into my songthaew to leave Trat Town for the airport, I noticed that the man who’d made it so easily for me to facilitate my exit was limping. This made me feel sad, but also happy that I hadn’t tried to haggle—he clearly needed the cash. Speeding off, I noticed that the friends he’d been sitting with were smiling and waving, and not in a put-on or performative way. Although I was exhausted from a marathon week in Koh Samui, Koh Chang and Koh Kood (and from what was, at that point, over six weeks in Thailand), I wondered for a moment whether I should turn back and stay the night. Wondering whether I might be able to help you plan your trip? Learn more about how you can work with me.
