Koh Mak, a beautiful island in Thailand, was once a hidden gem that remained almost untouched at the beginning of the century, giving the impression of a true deserted island paradise. While it has become more well-known today, it still retains its unspoiled charm.
This is partly because it’s not the easiest place to reach. So, we’re here to guide you on how to get from Bangkok to Koh Mak in the simplest way possible.
There are just under 400 kilometers between Bangkok and Koh Mak, with about 350 kilometers by road to reach the only port that connects the mainland with the island. The boat ride to Koh Mak isn’t as long as the journey to Koh Kood, but it still feels like a decent distance from the mainland.
The combined bus and ferry option is undoubtedly the best way to get to Koh Mak from Bangkok. Although the entire journey can take up to eight hours, it’s manageable for those who don’t mind a long drive, especially since the latter part of the bus ride offers some beautiful views.
To make this trip, while you could technically do it on your own, it’s best to go for a combined ticket that covers the entire journey. This service is operated by the Boonsiri agency. There aren’t many departure options, so you’ll need to leave early, as the buses depart from their office in the Khaosan district at 6 a.m. You can purchase tickets on 12GoAsia for around 30 euros.
Depending on traffic, the journey to the port in Trat province can take around five hours. After that, the boat ride to Koh Mak usually takes between one and one and a half hours, depending on sea conditions. The total journey time is partly due to the buses arriving at the port well in advance, ensuring there’s enough time to make the transfer.
While it’s possible to arrange the bus and boat trip from Bangkok to Koh Mak on your own, it would be a bit more complicated, and the savings would be minimal. First, you’d need to purchase a ticket from the Mochit Bus Station en Bangkok to the city of Trat. Then, you would have to take another bus to the pier before finally catching the boat to Koh Mak.
This option is tricky because there are very few boats departing to Koh Mak each day, so you’d need to plan your timing very carefully. In reality, the cost of the bus ticket to Trat combined with the boat ticket already exceeds 20 euros, not including the local bus fare to the pier.
You could also consider the fastest way to get from Bangkok to Koh Mak, which is by flying from Bangkok to Trat. However, this route is quite expensive, costing up to 100 euros per trip, as it’s exclusively operated by Bangkok Airways.
In any case, covering the 300 kilometers between the Thai capital and Trat by plane just to save a couple of hours isn’t very eco-friendly, especially since you’d still need to take a bus to the pier and then a ferry. That’s why, among all the ways to get from Bangkok to Koh Mak, we recommend choosing the combined bus and boat option.
