Getting Around Koh Kood: Transport, Songthaews & Ferries
✅ Last verified on-the-ground: 2026-07-22
Koh Kood has no airport, no Grab, and no proper public transport. The only way to reach the island from the mainland is by ferry from Laem Sok pier (Trat). Once you land, songthaews, rented scooters, and resort minivans are your options. Koh Kood public transport is limited but manageable. For related planning, see our guide on Sea Backpacking Hub.
Subodh’s Pro Tip: Buy your Trat-to-Koh-Kood ferry ticket at the Laem Sok pier office the day before you sail. The next morning’s boats often sell out by 10 AM, especially in December and January, and the online agencies add a ₹286-₹572 (~100-200 THB or ~$2.97-$5.94) markup. You may also find Getting Around Koh Yao Noi Scooters Taxis Island Transport useful for this trip.
Quick Answers
| What | Answer | Price (INR) |
|---|---|---|
| Bangkok to Koh Kood (bus + ferry combo) | ~5h 15m via Laem Sok pier | ₹2,542 (~26.34 USD) |
| Koh Kong (Cambodia) to Koh Kood by ferry | Operates seasonally, route via Trat | ₹2,907 (~30.12 USD) |
| Songthaew between Koh Kood beaches | Shared pickup truck, set route | ₹286 (~100 THB or ~$2.97) |
| Scooter rental on Koh Kood | ~300 THB/day from beach shops | ₹858 (~300 THB or ~$8.90) |
| Bangkok to Trat (first leg, before ferry) | Standard bus 5-6h, VIP minivan 4-5h | ₹1,144-₹2,287 (~400-800 THB or ~$11.87-$23.74) |
How to Reach Koh Kood from Bangkok
There is no airport on Koh Kood (also written as Ko Kut). Every backpacker reaches the island the same way: get yourself to Trat town on the eastern Thai mainland, then take a ferry from Laem Sok pier to the island.
Step 1: Bangkok to Trat (₹1,144-₹2,287 (~400-800 THB or ~$11.87-$23.74), 5-6 hours)
Buses leave Bangkok’s Ekkamai (Eastern) terminal several times a day for Trat. The cheapest tickets are ₹1,144-₹1,429 (~400-500 THB or ~$11.87-$14.84) on a standard bus; VIP minivans run ₹2,001-₹2,287 (~700-800 THB or ~$20.77-$23.74) and cut an hour off the journey. Travellers report the overnight buses fill up two days ahead in peak season (November-February), so book at the terminal the morning you want to leave, or grab a seat through 12go which combines the bus and the ferry into one ticket.
Step 2: Trat town to Laem Sok pier (₹858-₹1,287 (~300-450 THB or ~$8.90-$13.35), 1 hour)
Laem Sok is the only pier serving Koh Kood ferries, and it sits 30 km south of Trat town. Shared songthaews run from a small lot near Trat’s main bus station down to the pier throughout the morning. A private taxi from Trat to Laem Sok costs ₹858-₹1,287 (~300-450 THB or ~$8.90-$13.35); the same trip in a songthaew is closer to ₹286-₹429 (~100-150 THB or ~$2.97-$4.45) per person but only leaves when the truck fills up.
Step 3: Laem Sok to Koh Kood by ferry (₹1,001-₹1,572 (~350-550 THB or ~$10.39-$16.32) one way, 1-1.5 hours)
Two operators run the crossing: Boonsiri (the larger fast catamaran) and Koh Kood Ferry (a smaller monohull that detours via Koh Mak). Boonsiri departs twice a day in high season (around 09:30 and 13:30), dropping to one sailing in the May-October monsoon. Return tickets are the same price and should be booked at the pier office a day ahead. See getting around Koh Mak for the related Mak-leg logistics.
Subodh’s Pro Tip: Buy the round-trip ferry ticket together. Single-direction tickets at the pier sometimes cost more than the combined return, especially on Boonsiri’s weekend sailings.
| Mode | Duration | Price | Operator | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| bus (Bangkok → Koh Kood, via Trat) | 5h 15m | ₹2,538 (~26.34 USD) | Combined bus+ferry | Book on 12go |
| ferry (Koh Kong → Koh Kood, seasonal) | varies | ₹2,902 (~30.12 USD) | Seasonal route via Trat | Book on 12go |
The Bangkok-to-Koh-Kood 12go bundle covers the bus to Trat, the songthaew to Laem Sok, and the ferry in a single fare. Travellers on a tight budget report savings of ₹429-₹572 (~150-200 THB or ~$4.45-$5.94) versus buying each leg separately.
Getting Around the Island
Koh Kood is small (roughly 25 km long, 12 km wide) but the roads wind through dense jungle and rubber plantations, with no street lighting outside the resorts. Two practical options exist for moving around once you’ve checked in.
Songthaews (₹286-₹572 (~100-200 THB or ~$2.97-$5.94) per trip)
Shared pickup trucks act as the island’s de facto public transit. They don’t run on fixed schedules; you flag one down on the main road or ask your resort to call one. A typical cross-island hop (say, Ao Tapao pier to Khlong Chao beach) costs ₹286-₹429 (~100-150 THB or ~$2.97-$4.45) per person when you share with other travellers, and ₹1,144-₹1,715 (~400-600 THB or ~$11.87-$17.81) if you charter the whole truck for sunset.
Resorts in the south (Bang Bao, Ao Phrao) and the north (Khlong Hin Dam, Ao Salat) keep informal songthaew networks running at check-in and check-out times. Travellers report that the drivers wait at the main pier (Ao Soun Yai) between the ferries, so if you skip pre-booking a transfer you can usually find a ride within 20 minutes of docking.
Scooter rental (300-400 THB/day)
Koh Kood’s beaches are spread out, and a scooter is the most flexible way to get around. Rental shops sit along the main road in every village, and most will deliver a Honda Click or a Yamaha Fino to your resort for ₹858 (~300 THB or ~$8.90) a day. Fuel is sold in bottles at roadside shacks for ₹143-₹172 (~50-60 THB or ~$1.48-$1.78) a litre; the whole island fits on one tank.
Subodh’s Pro Tip: Photograph the scooter with a phone time-stamp before you ride off. The shops are honest, but pointing at pre-existing scratches in 4K video saves arguments at return, especially on older Click scooters that already have cosmetic wear.
Scooter Rules, License Reality & the Police Question
Koh Kood has almost no police checkpoints compared to Chiang Mai or Phuket. That’s the good news. The less good news: every Thai scooter rule still applies if you happen to ride past a checkpoint, and the rental shop will not be liable for the fine.
Do you need an International Driving Permit? Technically yes. An Indian car license is not valid for any two-wheeler in Thailand, full stop. The IDP stamp for motorcycles must come from the RTO in India before you fly. Travellers report that Koh Kood’s relaxed roads mean checkpoints are rare, but they do appear, especially near Laem Sok pier. Fines for riding without a license sit in the ₹1,429-₹2,859 (~500-1,000 THB or ~$14.84-$29.68) range, paid at the local station. Hospital bills from a scooter accident without an IDP can be significant; travel insurance with motorcycle coverage (SafetyWing’s Explorer plan does, the Nomad plan does not) only pays out if your license was valid.
Helmet and the rest
Helmet is law in Thailand. On Koh Kood, enforcement is casual but real: a ₹1,429 (~500 THB or ~$14.84) fine applies if you’re caught riding without one. The strap must click. Sunglasses at night do not exempt you.
Boat Links to Koh Mak, Koh Chang and Koh Kham
Several small islands sit within day-trip range of Koh Kood.
Koh Mak is the closest inter-island connection, about 12 km northwest. Boats leave Ao Soun Yai pier most mornings in high season (November-April), with the trip taking 45 minutes to an hour. Return tickets are ₹1,001-₹1,287 (~350-450 THB or ~$10.39-$13.35). See getting around Koh Mak for what to do once you land.
Koh Chang sits further away, roughly 60 km northwest of Koh Kood. No direct ferry runs the full route in a single hop in 2026; the standard connection is Koh Kood → Koh Mak (1h by boat) → Koh Chang (1h 30m more), with the total journey running 2.5-3 hours and a single combined ticket around ₹2,001-₹2,573 (~700-900 THB or ~$20.77-$26.71). You change boats at Koh Mak. During the May-October monsoon this route drops to one sailing weekly or is suspended outright. See getting around Koh Chang for what to do once you land.
Koh Kham is a tiny private island with a single beach, about 5 km offshore from Koh Kood’s northwest coast. Longtail boats charter from Ao Salat for ₹4,288-₹7,147 (~1,500-2,500 THB or ~$44.51-$74.19) round trip, more for the half-day. There is no scheduled service.
Quick Itinerary: Bangkok to Your Koh Kood Beach in One Day
Most backpackers do this in reverse: ferry off Koh Kood at 09:30, songthaew to Trat by 11:00, overnight bus back to Bangkok arriving around dawn. If you are heading in:
- 06:00. Bus from Ekkamai to Trat
- 12:30. Songthaew from Trat to Laem Sok pier
- 13:30. Boonsiri fast ferry to Koh Kood
- 15:00. Songthaew from Ao Soun Yai to your resort
- 17:00. Sunset, swim, dinner
Plan an extra half-day in Trat on the way back if you take the morning ferry: Laem Sok to Trat at 09:30 means you reach Trat at 10:30, and the afternoon bus to Bangkok arrives late evening.
Practical Tips for Indian Travelers
Money: Songthaew drivers and most scooter shops on Koh Kood want Thai baht cash. There is one ATM at Ao Soun Yai pier and a handful around Khlong Chao village, but they run out of small notes on weekends. Withdraw ₹14,295-₹20,012 (~5,000-7,000 THB or ~$148.38-$207.73) in Trat before crossing.
Data on the island: AIS and TrueMove both have patchy 4G on Koh Kood, and the resort wi-fi is generally faster than mobile data. Buy a tourist SIM in Bangkok or at the Suvarnabhumi airport and you’ll have coverage along the coastal road; inland villages drop to 3G or no signal.
Vegetarian food: Most Koh Kood resort restaurants offer a veg fried rice or a veg pad thai, but the local town around Khlong Chao has a Jay-food kitchen serving proper Thai-style vegetarian curries for under ₹286 (~100 THB or ~$2.97) a plate. Travellers on stricter Indian diets pack a few days’ worth of snacks from Bangkok’s Big C, because options on the island are limited. Giant Summit Restaurant serves Indian dishes with mountain views if you need a proper curry fix. For casual beachfront dining, Chacha Beach Café & Restaurant and Sunny Turkish Restaurant near Khlong Chao are solid local picks.
Visa and entry: Koh Kood is reached through mainland Thailand, so the standard Thai tourist visa applies. Indian passport holders need a visa (e-Visa or visa on arrival); check the latest rules before you fly. Carry your passport on the ferry crossing.
FAQ
How do I get from Trat to Koh Kood without buying a full tour? Buy a Trat-to-Koh-Kood ferry ticket directly at Laem Sok pier (₹1,001-₹1,572 (~350-550 THB or ~$10.39-$16.32) depending on operator and season), then catch a shared songthaew from Trat town to the pier for ₹286-₹429 (~100-150 THB or ~$2.97-$4.45). Bypass tour-bundle markups.
Is there an airport on Koh Kood? No. The island has no airstrip. The nearest airports are Trat (TKK), which has Bangkok Airways flights to Bangkok, and Bangkok itself.
How long is the ferry from Koh Kood to Koh Chang? No direct ferry runs the full route in 2026. The standard connection goes via Koh Mak and takes 2.5-3 hours total. During monsoon season the link can be suspended.
Can I rent a scooter on Koh Kood without an International Driving Permit? Yes, every rental shop on the island will hand you a scooter with just a passport deposit. Whether you should ride without an IDP, given that fines run ₹1,429-₹2,859 (~500-1,000 THB or ~$14.84-$29.68) and insurance is void in a crash without one, is a different question.
What’s the cheapest way to get around the island? Songthaews, when you can find them. A single shared songthaew seat is ₹286 (~100 THB or ~$2.97) between most beaches, and the trucks run all day. If you want flexibility, scooter rental at ₹858 (~300 THB or ~$8.90) a day is the next-cheapest.
When is the ferry season? Boats run year-round but at reduced frequency May-October. Boonsiri’s two-daily schedule collapses to one boat on most monsoon days, and the Koh Chang connection often pauses entirely between July and September.
Do songthaews on Koh Kood run after sunset? Not reliably. Most drivers stop around 18:00-19:00. If you plan a sunset dinner on the opposite side of the island, book a return songthaew in advance through your resort.
Subodh’s Take
Koh Kood is the rare Thai island where absence of public transport is a feature, not a bug. Skip the rush, take the morning ferry from Laem Sok, hop on a songthaew at the pier, and spend the next four days reading on a beach with no agenda. Scooter for the days you want to move, songthaew for the days you don’t. The only thing you should not skip: the IDP stamp from your home RTO before you fly. It costs around ₹500 (~$5.19) and a morning of paperwork; a single checkpoint fine on Koh Kood is more, and a hospital bill without one is far, far more.
