Koh Chang or Koh Kood, Which Island is Better?

Koh Chang and Koh Kood are popular islands in the eastern Gulf of Thailand. These two islands have a more relaxed atmosphere compared to more tourist-heavy islands in the south Thailand like Phuket or Koh Samui. If you’re looking for a place to unwind, both offer peaceful settings.

Both islands are located in Trat Province and only a 1.5 hour boat ride apart. In this article, I will compare Koh Kooh and Koh Chang, focusing on the location, size, beaches, accommodations, nightlife, shopping, food, and cultural attractions.

I visited both islands, as well as many others around Thailand, so I hope to give you some useful information to help you decide which one is better for your visit.

Is it better to visit Koh Kood or Koh Chang?

I enjoyed my stay in both Koh Kood and Koh Chang. Each island has its own beauty and plenty of activities to experience. In my experience, Koh Chang has more nightlife, tourist amenities, great hiking trails, beautiful waterfalls, beaches and viewpoints.

Koh Kood is far quieter and less developed than Koh Chang, offering a more laid-back, untouched atmosphere. It has more local life with authentic fishing villages, pristine beaches, waterfalls, and cultural attractions.

Koh Chang is a more popular island because it is a bit closer and easier to reach from major cities like Bangkok and Pattaya. It also has a wide range of tourist amenities like accommodations, nightlife, shops, and restaurants, which attracts a broader range of visitors, from backpackers to families.

Generally speaking, Koh Chang is a better choice if you want a lively nightlife and easy access to a wide range of tourist facilities and activities. Koh Kood is a better option if you want total relaxation and don’t mind limited nightlife and restaurants.

I stayed in Koh Chang for a few days then took a boat to Koh Kood for a few days. A lot of people do the same. If you can, the best option is actually to visit both. You can spend 2–3 days on Koh Chang for adventure and fun, then 2–3 days on Koh Kood to unwind. Ferries connect the two islands directly.

My recommended places to stay in Koh Kood:

Best Hotels in Koh Chang:

Location & How to Get There

Both Koh Chang and Koh Kood are located in the eastern gulf of Thailand, in Trat Province, and close to the border with Cambodia. Koh Kood is located south of Koh Chang, around a 1.5 hour ride on a speed boat.

There are direct boat connections between these two islands, especially in the high season. During the low season, you may need to transfer to the mainland before continuing to another island.

Koh Chang is a bit closer to Bangkok and Pattaya, so it is easier to reach than Koh Kood. To reach both islands, you need to find the ways to the piers in mainland Trat Province first. To get to Koh Chang, you need to get to Aow Thammachat Pier. To get to Koh Kood, you need to get to Laem Sok Pier.

From Bangkok, you can take an airplane to Trat Airport, Bus/minivan to Trat Bus Station. From these locations, you will need to take an additional taxi or local songthaew to get to the piers.

It will take around 40 minutes from Aow Thammachat Pier to Koh Chang and around 1-2 hours boat ride from Laem Sok Pier to Koh Kood. Traveling from Bangkok to either Koh Chang or Koh Kood usually takes a full day, including time on the road, on the boat, and waiting for transfers.

Size & Landscape

Both Koh Chang and Koh Kood are big islands of Thailand. Koh Chang is a bit bigger than Koh Kood. Koh Chang is around 18 km wide and 30 km long. Koh Kood is around 12 km wide and 25 km long.

Koh Chang has a mountainous interior with dense jungle. Koh Kood is flat in the north, but some hilly forested areas in the south. Both islands have beautiful waterfalls to explore.

There are several great hiking trails in Koh Chang, including one that leads to the summit of Khao Salak Phet, which is about 700 meters high.

Both islands have beautiful beaches on the coastline where you can swim, sunbathe, and enjoy a beautiful sunset.

Beaches

Both islands have many beaches where you can enjoy beach activities such as swimming, sunbathing, paddle boarding, and snorkeling, and watching the magical sunset.

The beaches in Koh Kood are generally more peaceful than in Koh Chang, but you are also able to find a quiet beach in Koh Chang.

The most developed beach on Koh Chang is White Sand Beach, where you can find many shops, restaurants, and lively nightlife. Around sunset, rows of tables, chairs, and bean bags are set out on the sand.

Other beaches on Koh Chang are Klong Prao Beach, Kai Bae Beach, Lonely Beach, and Bang Bao Beach. Each beach town has lots of tourist amenities like restaurants, bars, and shops.

The most popular beach area in Koh Kood is Klong Chao Beach on the middle west coast of the island. Even though it’s the island’s main tourist hub, it doesn’t have as many tourist facilities as the other popular beaches on Koh Chang.

Other beaches on Koh Kood include Ao Taphao, Bang Bao, Klong Hin, Klong Jark, and Aao Phrao Beach. These beaches all have soft white sand, clear turquoise water, few resorts, relatively few crowds and tourist development.

Accommodations

Both Koh Kood and Koh Chang have accommodations for all budgets, but Koh Chang has wider choices for budget travelers. It is easier to find backpacker hostels in Koh Chang than in Koh Kood. Most accommodation on Koh Kood falls within the mid-range to high-end category.

Wherever you choose to stay, make sure to book well in advance as accommodation often in high demand in the peak season. When I booked last minute, most places were already full. Everything left was either low quality or overpriced.

So, if you plan to visit these islands, make a good plan and book a hotel in advance for the best quality hotel and good price.

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Shopping

In my experience, Koh Kood is definitely not the place to go for shopping. The island has limited tourist shops, minimarts, and restaurants. It is all about beaches, nature, and relaxation.

Koh Chang is more tourist-oriented so you’ll find a range of shops along the most developed beaches like White Sand Beach, Lonely Beach, Kai Bae, and Klong Prao Beach. You can easily find typical Thai souvenirs like beach-wear, T-shirts, sunglasses, and bags.

Nightlife

Koh Chang has a better nightlife scene than Koh Kood. You can find a range of bars in the main road and the beachfront in popular areas like White Sand Beach or Lonely Beach.

Places like White Sand Beach have many beachfront restaurants and bars where you can enjoy the meals, drinks, and watch fireshows right on the sand. There is also a cluster of bars on the main road near Makro food service or Pearl Beach.

The nightlife in Koh Kood is extremely quiet, and relaxed. I stayed in Ao Taphao Beach and could hardly find any bars in the area. There are just a few good restaurants nearby my hotels like The Fisherman Hut where I can enjoy dinner and watch some live music.

You can find some laid-back beach bars along the beachfront that belong to the resort where you can grab a drink and enjoy the peaceful sunset. You’ll find more restaurants in popular spots such as Klong Chao or Bang Bao, though still far fewer than in Koh Chang’s main tourist areas.

Food

Koh Chang has more food options with both Thai food and international dishes. Koh Kood has more local Thai food and fresh seafood options.

There is a small market on the main road in White Sand Beach on Koh Chang where you can try some street food. Popular dishes are grilled meat, seafood, vegetables, ….

Both islands have nice fishing villages where you can try seafood. In Koh Chang, you can check out famous seafood restaurants at Bang Bao Fishing Village.

In Koh Kood, you can visit the Ao Yai and Ao Salat Fishing Villages. These places have nice restaurants sitting on floating houses overlooking the water and the mangrove forests.

Waterfalls

Both islands have mountainous terrain so they have several beautiful waterfalls to explore. In Koh Kood, you can visit Khlong Chao Waterfall, Khlong Yai Kee Waterfall, and Huang Nam Khiao Waterfall.

Popular waterfalls in Koh Chang include Khlong Phlu Waterfall, Khlong Chao Lueam Waterfall, Khlong Nonsi Waterfall, and Than Mayom Waterfall.

I prefer the waterfalls in Koh Kood more because they are all free. Koh Chang is more touristy, and to access most waterfalls on Koh Chang, you need to pay an entrance fee around 200 baht as foreigners.

Cultural Attractions

Koh Chang has some nice Buddhist temples to explore like the Chinese Temple San Chao Pho near Ao Sapparot Pier and the Wat Salak Phet at the southern part of the island.

Koh Kood is home to Wat Ao Salad and the Big Buddha near Ao Salad Pier. Additionally, it has a couple of ancient trees, and historical attractions to visit such as the Giant Maca Tree, Sai Yai – Big Chai Tree, and Khao Ruearab (Battleship Mountain).

All cultural attractions in both Koh Chang and Koh Kood are free to explore. They are great places to learn about the history, culture, and spirituality of each island.

Island Hopping

There are many island hopping opportunities around Koh Chang and Koh Kood. The popular island day trip is the snorkeling and diving tours to the Koh Rang. This island is located closer to Koh Kood but is also a popular day trip from Koh Chang.

It is easy to find the 3-4 Islands Tours from Koh Chang at many travel agencies all around the island. These trips typically take you to islands like Koh Wai, Koh Lao Ya Nai, Koh Klum, or Koh Rang. These tours offer activities like swimming, snorkeling, and beach stops.

Getting Around

The taxi rides are expensive in both Koh Kood and Koh Chang. But it is easier to get shared local songthaews and taxis in Koh Chang than in Koh Kood. You can find taxi drivers almost everywhere in popular tourist areas like the piers, White Sand Beach, Klong Prao beach, Kai Bae, or Lonely Beach.

In Koh Kood, if you need to get a songthaew, you likely need to ask your hotel to help. To travel between the pier and the hotel, the boat operator often sells combination tickets that include boat ride and road transfer from/to the pier.

Koh Kood is also flatter than Koh Chang, and tourist amenities are spread out over long distances. It is best to rent a scooter if you want to explore the island. If you just want to relax at the beach and at your resort’s facilities, choose to stay in a central area like the Klong Chao Beach area.