We’ve ridden the night train to Chiang Mai, slept with Karen tribe families after trekking through the jungle and island-hopped our way round the Trat islands in Thailand’s quiet east corner neighbouring Cambodia in February 2025. At the other extreme, we’ve been lucky enough to stay in converted railway carriages at the plush Intercontinental Khao Yai as well as some other wonderful hotels along the way.
This page gathers some of those stories, the stays we have scored using our bespoke TripWorthIt tool, and every film in one place, to help you decide whether or not your next trip is worth it too.
The Trat Islands
Trat’s three islands sit off Thailand’s eastern coast, a long way from the Phuket crowds. We did them in one loop: Koh Kood, then Koh Mak, then Koh Chang. This group of islands is a little tricky to get to, which is what makes them so special and relatively unspoilt.
| Island | Feels like | Getting there | We stayed | Read |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Koh Kood | Quiet, healthy reefs, fishing villages | About 75 minutes by catamaran to Ao Salat Pier | High Season Pool Villa & Spa, 2 nights | Why visit Koh Kood |
| Koh Mak | Tiny, flat and laid-back | Seudamgo ferry to Ao Nid Pier, then a 50-baht songthaew | Lazy Day The Resort, 2 nights | Koh Mak travel guide |
| Koh Chang | The biggest and busiest; Ko Rang snorkelling | 30–45 minutes by ferry from Ao Thammachat | KC Grande Resort & Spa, 3 nights | Is Koh Chang worth visiting? |
Why Koh Kood Should Be Your Next Thai Island Stop
Koh Mak Travel Guide | Thailand’s Most Laid-Back Island?
Koh Chang Thailand Travel Guide: Beaches, Where to Stay & Our Verdict
Koh Chang, Koh Kood, Koh Mak: Which Thai Island Should You Visit?
Can’t choose? Our island-by-island comparison matches each one to a travel style.
Where we stayed, scored
| Stay | Where | TripWorthIt™ score | Our verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| InterContinental Khao Yai Resort | Khao Yai | 4.40 Superb | Railway-carriage rooms, and a gesture from the staff we didn’t see coming |
| High Season Pool Villa & Spa | Koh Kood | 3.68 Great | The best hotel in the best location on Koh Kood |
| KC Grande Resort & Spa | Koh Chang | 2.80 Decent | Prime beach, but short on food, value and personal touch for a 5-star |
| Lazy Day The Resort | Koh Mak | Not scored | Under $100 a night on the island’s best beach; exactly what we needed |
| Chai Lai Orchid | Near Chiang Mai | Not scored | Ethical elephant sanctuary stay |
Beyond the islands
- 12 hours in Bangkok: street food and one of the world’s wackier hotels, between the Philippines and Trat.
- InterContinental Khao Yai: a Bill Bensley train hotel on the edge of Khao Yai National Park.
- Chai Lai Orchid: overnight train from Bangkok, then an ethical elephant sanctuary in the hills near Chiang Mai.
Watch the films
Six of our films cover Thailand, from the Trat islands to the elephants at Chai Lai Orchid. Each card opens the film on YouTube.
Koh Kood: visit before it’s too late (opens YouTube in a new tab)
Which Trat island has the best beach? (opens YouTube in a new tab)
Koh Chang: paradise or overrated? (opens YouTube in a new tab)
InterContinental Khao Yai: better than luxury (opens YouTube in a new tab)
12 hours in Bangkok (opens YouTube in a new tab)
Staying with elephants at Chai Lai Orchid (opens YouTube in a new tab)
Getting around, in brief
From Bangkok, Trat is 5–6 hours by bus or car, or a short flight. Ferries and speedboats link the mainland and the three islands; each island guide has the piers, operators and prices we paid. For the north, the overnight train to Chiang Mai saves a night’s hotel, and is an experience in itself. We’d recommend doing it in style, so try and travel in 1st class, but train tickets sell out fast, so recommend booking at least 3 months in advance.
Would You stay in a primitive hut with the locals?
We still talk about our incredible experience, walking through the jungle heat and meeting the local Karen tribe and staying in their hut. We cooked the meal that night on an open fire, next to the floor where we would sleep. At least the smoke kept the mosquitos out! But would you try this experience yourself?
