In the Gulf of Thailand, close to the Cambodian border, four islands offer four distinctly different paces of travel: Koh Chang, the biggest and busiest; Koh Kood, quieter but still well set up for visitors; Koh Mak, small and genuinely relaxed; and Koh Wai, close to as remote as this part of Thailand gets. Whether you're travelling with friends, family, or as a couple, which one suits you often comes down to how much you want to do versus how much you want to switch off.

Koh Chang

The largest of the group, Koh Chang (also known as Elephant Island) has the widest range of accommodation, white sand beaches, and the most going on if you want an active trip. It's a solid base for kayaking, snorkelling and diving, and the island's interior — hilly and largely rainforest-covered — makes for genuinely good hiking, not just a beach backdrop.

Underwater, Koh Chang has coral reef, fish life and a few wreck sites worth exploring, with sea temperatures a comfortable 27-28°C for most of the year. The island's south and east coasts hold traditional fishing communities and some of the better seafood restaurants in the area — worth building an evening around rather than treating as an afterthought.

Koh Kood

South of Koh Chang and Koh Mak, Koh Kood (sometimes spelled Koh Kut) is smaller but shares the same appealing beaches and green interior — often cited as one of Thailand's larger outlying islands, though rankings vary by source. Klong Chao Waterfall is the standout activity here: a proper swimming, snorkelling and canoeing spot, with a rope swing over the pool for anyone who wants to jump in properly.

Two small fishing communities sit on the island's eastern shore — Ao Salad in the northeast, Ao Yai in the southeast — and both the reefs offshore and the deeper water further out are worth exploring if diving, snorkelling or fishing interest you. Koh Kood stays genuinely calm even at peak season, and its coconut-palm coastline photographs well if that matters to your trip.

Koh Mak

Roughly 40km from the Thai mainland, Koh Mak is small, flat, and easy to get around — a bicycle or scooter covers the whole island comfortably, which makes it a good pick if you don't want to plan much once you've arrived. Its beaches tend to be quiet even by the standards of this island group.

For sunset, a beachfront bar with Thai-style low seating on the sand is the standard way to end the day here — arrive a little early if you want a spot with an unobstructed view. Koh Mak also works well for families, given the flat terrain and generally calm, shallow water close to shore, and it's a solid base for diving and snorkelling trips further out.

Koh Wai

The quietest of the four, Koh Wai suits travellers who want very little on the agenda beyond swimming, snorkelling and doing not much else. Its north coast holds most of the beaches — small, sandy, and backed by a fringing coral reef close enough to shore to snorkel straight off the sand — while the rest of the coastline is largely rock and cliff.

A handful of walking tracks cross the island, including a steep trail near the island's main bungalow resort that climbs past rubber plantation land to a sunset viewpoint at the top — a good way to spend a late afternoon if you're staying more than a night or two.

Getting between them and choosing your base

All four islands are reached via Trat, on the Thai mainland, with boat transfers connecting onward to each island — Koh Chang has the most frequent connections given its size, while reaching Koh Wai or the quieter parts of Koh Kood typically means a smaller boat and a bit more planning. Given how different the four islands feel, it's worth being clear on what you actually want from the trip before booking: Koh Chang if you want range and activity, Koh Kood or Koh Mak for a calmer middle ground, Koh Wai if switching off completely is the whole point.

If eastern Thailand fits your plans, take a look at Quintrip's Thailand holiday packages to see how a multi-island stay can work.

Related Posts