Koh Chang Travel Information
 

Trat is the province situated at the east border of Thailand, 315 kilometers from Bangkok. The town occupies the area of 2,819 kilometers or 1,761,875 rai. In the province, there are 5 districts, namely Muang, Khao Saming, Laem Ngob, Klong Yai, Bo Rai and 2 sub-districts; Ko Kud and Ko Chang.

The province is close to Chanta Buri and Cambodia in the North and adjacent to the Gulf of Thailand in the South. The east is seperated from Cambodia by Buntud Mount Range eastwards from the middle of the province. Weru River seperates the west Trat from Chanta Buri.

There are 52 islands with delightful natural scenery including waterfalls and forests in the area, other than that Trat has little to offer, except as a jumping-off point for the Koh Chang island group or forays into outlying gem and Cambodian markets. Market fans will note that Trat seems to have more markets for its size than almost any other town in Thailand - again partly due to the Cambodian coastal trade.

Ko Chang is the ideal location for a real rest as the weather there is very comfortable with the average temperature around 28 deg. Between May and October which is the period of south-western monsoons, the west coast is always stormy and thus, not safe for ferries travelling to the islands. November to April on the other hand is the best time to visit them.

The province is also the source of red sapphire, fine shrimp paste and sweet rakum, a kind of palm of the genus Zalacca with a sweet yet acidic taste.

Accommodation is available and there are a few guesthouses as well as the odd hotel here and there, but there isn't a vast choice. Trat's tourist industry co-insides with gem purchasing although there are a few sightseeing spots worth mentioning.