Koh Chang looks nice

[George Pill]

Ko Chang does look like a beautiful paradise to escape the crowds. Too bad there's no train from Pattaya and the van or taxi rides takes 5-8 hours. Wonder if there's a small town on the mainland coast where one can rest and sightsee before boarding the boat to the island. Seems the cost is about $150 total.

https://www.bing.com/search?q=how+tr...UQlp1V&PC=ASTS

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopi..._Province.html

Definitely need a train form BKK to Pattaya, Ko Chang, and beyond. Funny they got one from BKK to the Malaysian border and beyond.

[Rockheart]

George i have written 3 trip reports on Koh Chang and the last one here tells you about almost everything there.
https://theladyboyforums.com/asiaboa...-november-2017

I cost me 8700 baht return from central Bangkok right to the hotel on Koh Chang island INCLUDING ferry ticket.
It takes 5 hours from central Bangkok and less from BKK. From Pattaya it is just under 4 hours to your hotel.

You can fly on Bangkok Air to the city of Trat which is about half an hour drive to the ferry pier.
Bus is possible for very cheap but takes over 8 hours from Bangkok to Trat.
I'm sure there is some train options too but that would take a really long time.

Koh Chang is far cheaper and far nicer than most islands near Phuket, plus far less busy.
You can always find accomodations right on the beach and not have to pay through the nose.
It is a little out of the way but it is very worth it.
Using a car or van service is pretty much the best option especially if there is more that one person.

There is plenty of baht bus type transportation once you are on the island.
I would recommend going from Pattaya if you don't like the long drive from Bangkok.

Here is more of my trip reports from Koh Chang:
https://theladyboyforums.com/asiaboa...1242-koh-chang

[P&G]

+1
When I came back from Cambodia in November 2016, I used the "cheap Charlie" way to go to Pattaya. A van came and picked me up in the morning around 9 am. It takes tile to go to the ferry and ride across the sea before riding on a highway. The van followed a highway all the way up to Pattaya and we arrived early in the afternoon, just a little bit late for lunch.
BTW, you can't expect good prices, especially for ladyboys in a developing country and complain that trains are missing or transportations are not so well developed. Having lived in America, I am not so sure that every nice place in America can be reached easily too.
Spending time in a van and watching landscapes or chatting with travel mates is a part of the holidays. If you don't like it, you cab also spend more money and travel with an airline as above explained. I wish British forum mates with whom I sometimes shared in the past were as pleasant as the British mate in the van going to Pattaya.

[Rockheart]

In this case i don't think flying saves you much.
Assuming two people leave Bangkok at the same time, one flies and one takes a car.

The person going to the airport would have to arrive at least one hour before their flight.
I would say it would 3-4 hours before you were in Trat off the plane and ready to take a car to the pier.
Then you take about 30 minutes to the pier and then wait for the next ferry and pay for the ferry.
Once you get to the island you would have to find more transportation to get to your hotel.
So it would still take over 5 hours to get there by plane i think.

Taking the car from Bangkok you would get to the pier in about 4 hours. Then you would wait with the driver and all take the ferry together.
The driver will take you right to your hotel and the cost of the ferry is already included.
Overall a private car is your best option to Koh Chang.

[outlander5]

If it was easy to get to it wouldn't be paradise, if your ladyboy gf or date has a driver's license rent a car in Pattaya or Bangkok its the best way then you have transportation all over the island to see all the little gems it has.

[P&G]

In this case i don't think flying saves you much.
Assuming two people leave Bangkok at the same time, one flies and one takes a car.

The person going to the airport would have to arrive at least one hour before their flight.
I would say it would 3-4 hours before you were in Trat off the plane and ready to take a car to the pier.
Then you take about 30 minutes to the pier and then wait for the next ferry and pay for the ferry.
Once you get to the island you would have to find more transportation to get to your hotel.
So it would still take over 5 hours to get there by plane i think.

Taking the car from Bangkok you would get to the pier in about 4 hours. Then you would wait with the driver and all take the ferry together.
The driver will take you right to your hotel and the cost of the ferry is already included.
Overall a private car is your best option to Koh Chang.

Traveling by car/van from Bangkok is certainly much longer and not so easy. I just pointed out that the cheap solution was interesting and not so long to go to Pattaya. I would certainly think differently if flying from my country to go to Koh Chang.

[Rockheart]

Travelling by car from Bangkok to Koh Chang was incredibly easy.
I can't see that you would save any time by flying and would probably find it more difficult.
As George was asking about different options, I don't think anything is faster than a car to Koh Chang.
Bus is extremely cheap but takes many more hours, and you still have to get to the island from Trat.

The best solution to Koh Chang is to find a ladyboy with a car.
This is what i did the first time.