Koh Kood and Khao San Road in 3 Days

Day 1 – Relax in One of the Best Resorts of Koh Kood

Trat is the easternmost province of Thailand, which borders Cambodia and is located around 400 km away from Bangkok. It consists of around 50 mostly uninhabited islands in the Mu Ko Chang National Park, among which, the most popular ones are Koh Chang and Koh Kood. Koh Chang is famous for its white sandy beaches, and its vicinity to great places for snorkeling, diving, and jungle hiking; while, Koh Kood, also known as Ko Kut, is all about relaxing in resorts with private beaches – a great place for family vacation, but note that there is no nightlife. I took my parents and my bestie Sayantika, who also joined us from India, to Koh Kood.

Highlights of the Day

  • Transfer from Phitsanulok to Koh Kood
  • Away Resort in Koh Kood

Journey from Phitsanulok to Away Resort

Koh Kood is the easternmost island of Thailand very close to Cambodia and Phitsanulok – the small city where I stay in – is located in northern Thailand, and both are very far from each other, almost 800 km. Trat is the city from where you can get connected to the island, but there is no direct flight from Phitsanulok to Trat, so you may think of connecting to Bangkok first and then Trat. But I found out a direct way from Phitsanulok to Trat and then Koh Kood without getting to Bangkok.

  1. Take the overnight bus operated by Phetprasert tour, which leaves Phitsanulok bus station 2 at 9.15 PM and reaches Trat bus station the following day at 10.30 AM.
  2. There is a free taxi (it is actually a songthaew) transfer from Trat bus station to Laem Sok pier operated by the boat company that you would like to choose.
  3. Get the boat from Laem Sok pier of Trat, which departs at around 1 PM, and reaches the pier of Koh Kood at around 2.15 PM – note that the timing depends on the boat company you choose – we chose Ko Kut Express.
  4. There is another free taxi transfer from Koh Kood pier to the resort, operated by the boat company again.

It can be difficult for food if you do not have something packed as I did not notice the bus stopping anywhere for the food. We had our breakfast and lunch packed luckily, so we did not face any problem.

Look of Trat province from the bus
I always prefer the front seats of the double-decker buses – it gives a great view – here we see that we have entered Trat province
Hoarding of places on the highway
Trat province is the border of Cambodia, but we are heading to Koh Kood
The free taxi/songthaew took us to Ko Kut Express ticket office where we bought boat ticket to Koh Kood
Ko Kut Express Boat waiting at Laem Sok pier
The boat was big and it departed at 1 PM – there are faster speedboats also offered by other companies that cost more than the boats
Interior of the Ko Kut Express Boat
The seats were spacious and the aircon was working great – it was a very convenient journey
Traversing Gulf of Thailand by boat
I always have an extra attachment with the islands of Gulf of Thailand more than the islands of Andaman Sea
Welcome to Away Resort, Koh Kood
Finally, we were dropped to Away Resort by the free taxi from the pier – it took some 15-20 min from the pier

Relax and Unwind Yourself at Away Resort

Away Resort is one of the best places to stay at this beautiful island.

Koh Kood is an untouched island, which is not so touristy, known for its peace and tranquility, and is often referred to as Maldives of Thailand. Its tropical rainforests, breathtaking waterfalls, and traditional village life combined with white sandy beaches and emerald waters take guests back to the remote and untouched Thailand of old era.

Our first steps at the resort
Away Resort has proved to be the epitome of this island hideaway
Line of oceanfront bungalows at the resort
The resort offers spacious luxury bungalow villas, with private terraces and sea views from every room
Activity center is located near the entrance of the resort
It has the largest activity center on the island, so you can enjoy not only the beauty and peacefulness of the resort, but also everything the island has to offer

The resort offers three different types of villas:

  1. Duplex Bungalows: These are lined up atop the hillside and can accommodate up to 4 adults split across two spacious levels. I had booked this room for 4 of us for a night.
  2. Deluxe Ocean Facing Bungalows: These make up the second row bungalows lining up a little lower than the duplex bungalows, and offering great ocean views from the bedroom and private terrace.
  3. Deluxe Ocean Front Bungalows: These are the most expensive ones as they are located only few meters away from the ocean and offers the best ocean views from its bedroom and private terrace.
Map of the location of the bungalows at the resort
There was a small map provided in the room, detailing about the location of the bungalows at the resort
Bedroom of our bungalow
With a huge 62 sq m, this spacious oceanfront bungalow offers a large master bedroom with two extra beds for us as we are total 4 in number
Bathroom of our bungalow
The private bathroom looked very spacious and certainly clean and well-maintained
Shower room of our bungalow
The bungalow has a separate shower room with rain shower facilities
Private balcony of our bungalow
There is a private balcony with a seating area, offering breathtaking views of the ocean
Private terrace of our bungalow
The bungalow has an extensive private terrace, overlooking the vast tropical ocean

There are plenty of hammocks laid out in the resort – you can take up any of them and chill at your own pace.

View of the ocean from the hammock
The greenery and flora of tropical gardens over looking the sea is the highlight of this resort
View of the sky while I was chilling at the hammock
I took this picture while I was rocking at the hammock right in front of our bungalow
Coconut trees at the resort
You must be beware of the coconuts as it is mentioned on a board on most of the trees

I also strolled by the lovely place to click more pictures of the beautiful paradise.

Inside the resort
From the lobby and the restaurant to the bungalows, Away Resort has created a unique kind of tropical experience
The lobby and the restaurant of the resort
Beautifully laid out wooden platform extending out to the ocean for great photo moments
Lovely viewpoint at the resort
The resort reflects the local island and Polynesian themes of the property
Chilling areas at the resort
Over looking the sea, the resort has a spa that offers a wide range of exotic treatments and both ancient and modern spa experience
Chilling at the swimming pool in front of the ocean
This island paradise is fully equipped with a salt-water swimming pool where we chilled before we went out for kayaking

After taking rest for a while by the pool, we decided to kayak – which was free for the guests. The natural elements of the island provide the perfect setting to partake in many outdoor activities.

White sand beach on the other side
There is a white sandy beach on the other side of the resort that can be accessible by kayak that you can take from the activity center for free
Kayaking is our favorite sport
Me and Sayantika kayaked to the beach, spent some quality time there, and came back to our resort
Kayaking with mom was a thrilling experience
The sky was getting stormy, still I took mom out for kayaking
Kayaking with dad was fun
Finally, I and dad went for kayaking too – I was so tired after making three trips of kayaking back to back

After the salty water feeling that you get after kayaking for long, it is advisable to take a shower. Later, we hit the restaurant of the resort, known as Escape Restaurant, for an early dinner. The quantity and quality of the food was good. After dinner, you can go to the opposite side of the road near the entrance of the resort at the Castaway pub for a few relaxing evening drinks or may be enjoy a game of pool or darts by the waterside.

Dinner at the resort
The restaurant offers a view that pleases the eyes whilst enjoying simple fresh and delicious dishes
Just another beautiful picture in the dark
The resort was beautifully lit up in the dark
The bungalow lit up after dusk
Our bungalow looked more beautiful in the dark

Day 2 – Koh Kood to Khao San Road

Boonsiri High Speed Ferry connects directly from Koh Kood to Bangkok by a combined transfer of taxi from your hotel to the pier, then high speed ferry from Koh Kood pier to Laem Sok pier of Trat, followed by aircon bus transfer from Trat to Khao San Road of Bangkok. This takes almost the whole day, but it was the best option for us as we wanted to check the nightlife of Khao San – the backpacker mecca of Bangkok.

Highlights of the Day

  • Transfer from Koh Kood to Khao San Road
  • Khao San Palace Hotel, Khao San Road
  • Nightlife at Khao San Road

Brunch and Check Out at Away Resort

We all had a great sleep – the bed was super comfortable. I woke up once in the early morning to catch a glimpse of the sunrise, but then slept back again, was in love with the bed. We decided to have brunch at Escape before checking out. The resort staff informed us that we would be picked up by the staff of Boonsiri High Speed Ferry at 11 AM, so we were supposed to wait at the gate of the resort by the said time.

When the sun is yet to rise
We woke up to this beautiful view of the ocean – what else could I have asked for?
Lovely view of the ocean
The stretch of Gulf of Thailand looks excellent just a few meters away from our bungalow
Breathtaking stretch of the ocean
More breathtaking view of the ocean
Beware of sea urchins
When we walked to the waters, we found this board at a distance – so be careful
Delicious food at the restaurant of the resort
We ordered Vegetarian Green Curry and Vegetarian Dry Red Curry with Thai Jasmine Rice at Escape Restaurant at the resort and the food tasted excellent

Koh Kood to Khao San Road

Do not forget to put the stickers given by their staff on whatever you are wearing, as it indicates if you are going to be transferred only to Trat or to Bangkok.

The transfer was smooth and easy, as everything was taken care of by the Boonsiri High Speed Ferry.

High speed ferry from Koh Kood pier to Trat pier
The ferry was spacious enough and has a capacity of 400 passengers inside
Inside the Boonsiri High Speed Ferry
The seats of Boonsiri High Speed Ferry were comfortable and spacious, and the ferry was speedy enough unlike the boat we took the previous day
Near the Koh Kood pier
The high speed ferry departed from Koh Kood pier at around 12 PM, and this was a picture I clicked while we were sailing off Koh Kood
On the way to the bus for Bangkok
We reached Trat pier at around 2 PM, then we were taken to the bus by a motorized car with all our luggage
Aircon bus from Trat to Bangkok
The bus departed at around 3 PM and we reached Khao San Road at around 8 PM

Khao San Road

It was already 8 PM and we wanted to have dinner before checking in at our hotel. We were craving for some Lebanese food and I knew the right place to hit at Khao San Road for that – Shoshana.

Delicious Lebanese food at Khao San Road
I have had the best Baba Ganoush here, also the Pita Bread, Hummus with Falafel, and Hummus with Mushroom were excellent in taste
Sticky rice with mango
Trip to Thailand is incomplete if you have not tasted the king of desserts – sticky rice with mango, locally known as Khao Neeo Mamuang

The hotel I had booked was Khao San Palace Hotel, which cost a lot, but honestly, the hotel has nothing to offer apart from the excellent location – it is located right on the ever-happening Khao San Road. But we were not happy with the response of the staff and facilities too as compared to the price it charged.

Khao San Palace Hotel
The hotel has two towers – one with the usual name with elevator facility and the other one is violet tower with no elevator facility – so make sure of this point while booking
Interior of the hotel room at Khao San Road
The room looked nice with comfortable bed, clean bathroom, minibar, aircon, TV, and free WiFi, but I had requested for a room with balcony while booking, which the staff overlooked, and there was no water heater or tea/coffee in the room

At night when the area becomes more alive than ever, I and Sayantika decided to explore the happening streets of Khao San Road and its parallel road – Rambuttri Alley.

Crazy nightlife at Khao San Road
Our hotel exit opens to the intense nightlife of Khao San Road – nightclubs, street food, street shopping, bars, pubs, street performers – all in one stretch of road
Restaurants at Rambuttri Alley
Rambuttri Alley is mostly lined up with open-air restaurants with great music
Late night massage at Khao San
It was 1 AM and still the massage parlors were open – we got full body oil massage for an hour for 350 ฿ per person

Day 3 – The Day They Fly Back

It is always sad when your family members have to go back to their country – even after so many years of staying away from parents, it still feels bad – but this is how it is! Even Sayantika is flying with my parents back to India. We plan to chill at the hotel, have great vegan brunch, and then bid bye.

Highlights of the Day

  • Pool Session
  • Brunch at Ethos

Relax at the Hotel

Our stay did not include breakfast as I did not choose the option while booking, because I wanted to try out someplace else for food, and there are plenty options in Khao San Road. In the morning, first thing we did was to relax by the rooftop swimming pool the hotel has – I am glad!

Swimming pool at the hotel
You can either swim or chill by the rooftop pool situated at the 5th floor of the hotel
Bangkok skyline
The skyline was detailed with numerous skyscrapers of Bangkok
Relaxing area at top floor of the hotel
The top floor also has a huge seating area

Please note that Khao San Palace Hotel does not even have free luggage storage, like almost all other hotels have for their guests. Here they charge 20 ฿ per luggage to store in the luggage storage room – first time I came across something like this in Thailand. It is not only for this reason, but based on overall experience, I would suggest you guys to check out other places to stay in Khao San Road – there are plenty options. We decided to have brunch before 12 PM – the check-out time.

Brunch at Vegan Restaurant

There is a line of vegan-friendly and vegetarian restaurants on the road at the back of the other end of Khao San Road. We chose to have brunch randomly at one of the restaurants – Ethos Vegetarian Restaurant.

Menu at Ethos Vegetarian Restaurant, Bangkok
Vegetarian food has been marked red while vegan food has been marked green – so cool!
Ethos Vegetarian Restaurant, Bangkok
The interior of the restaurant looked so warm – we thought of checking it out – and our decision was fruitful
Pita bread with hummus
Pita bread with hummus can never go wrong, and is all-time favorite
Wholewheat veggie burger
The wholewheat veggie burger I ordered for myself was spectacular
Thai food
Also Thai red curry loaded with veggies served with brown jasmine rice was too good
Coconut ice-cream
Coconut ice-cream is a must-try for vegans and non-vegans too, though I like the one at Chatuchak Market more

After we are back, we checked out from hotel and off we went. My parents and Sayantika easily got a taxi from Khao San Road for the airport. Look for taxis that are ready to take you by meter and not by a rip-off price.

NET EXPENSE FOR 1 PERSON (IN THB)

Let us have a look at the expenses of  Days 1-2 in Thailand – Koh Kood.

  • Phitsanulok to Koh Kood (bus+ boat): 1000
  • Hotel in Koh Kood for family-room sharing (1 night): 1500
  • Koh Kood to Bangkok: 1oo
  • Hotel in Bangkok for twin sharing (1 nights): 800
  • Getting around: 80
  • Food: 550
  • Miscellaneous: 350

Total expense (roughly): 4380 THB

For a more customized itinerary, whether for solo or couple or group of any number of people, feel free to contact me on Contact Us page.

If you are planning for a much-organized, tastefully-curated, stress-free yet exciting vacation, consider booking your holidays at Travel Love Repeat. It is going to be a treat for sure!

36 thoughts on “Koh Kood and Khao San Road in 3 Days”

  1. Not been to Koh Chang side, but TRAT is a destination, I am slowly seeing on blogs this year. Khao san road is madness as ever. Was there for Songkaran

  2. Koh Kood looks amazing and that is awesome you were upgraded! Sounds like they were very good in their customer service. The upgraded room looked beautiful. I would want to stay here for sure!

  3. It looks like you really sorted your commute and travel options well. There are varied means like the free taxi, boat ferry etc. that you need to balance between. And the accommodation looks really good. You had a wonderful time, isn’t it?

  4. No need for nightlife if the place is as beautiful surrounded with nature like this in Koh kood and Khao San… You have comfortable and cozy accommodation as well..

  5. So much of Thailand is filled with tourists. It is so nice to hear about a place that you can have an authentic Thai experience without the crowds. I loved the photos of the food!

  6. The Away Resort comes across as a great getaway amidst nature. A great place to relax and rejuvenate. We did not make it to these parts on our last visit to Thailand. Hope to be able to get to this lovely region next time around.

  7. What a contrast to the first to the second third day, first quiet at nature in a beautiful resort and after in the middle of the crazy Khao San Road 😀 Thailand it’s like gold!

  8. Jane Dempster-Smith

    The Away Resort has grabbed my attention, my type of accommodation. We can’t get enough of Thailand and its islands, we havent done that many but we would definitely include Koh Kood. All the times we have visited Bangkok we have yet to make it to Khao San Road – we usually stay around Sukhumvit. There seems to be more food options in Khao San so maybe we will visit there next time.

    1. It is getting crowded, i think the travel package guys got a whiff of these islands. Lot of Russian tourists, not many Chinese. Few traveling on their own, not the package tour with 3 bus loads. I was the only indian are local thais holidaying. I guess you have to clear your bucket list before it becomes another swamp

  9. You should visit now , even a crappy room with fan is costing me 1200 Baht. Ko mak was at least beach bungalow, so 1800 seemed ok. Thailand is getting very costly for budget traveling. I remember it being pocket friendly just 1.5 yrs back.

  10. Pingback: Top 19 Koh Kood Express ⋆ Thú Chơi

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