Activities · Destination Guide

Trat And The Koh Chang Archipelago Thailand

Wrecks, coral gardens, and slow-island beach days in Thailand's eastern Gulf

Updated Jan 23, 202616 sources

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Trat and the Koh Chang Archipelago Activity Planning

Pick an activity mode to compare signature sites, skill fit, and gear planning notes before you lock your trip.

Scuba

What It Feels Like

Koh Chang is the eastern Gulf's wreck-and-reef playground: two-tank day boats hit the HTMS Chang Wreck for big structure and schooling fish, then switch to shallower national-park reefs for coral gardens and macro life. Add Koh Mak for easy training dives and park access, or Koh Kood for quieter sites and relaxed schedules. Operators like BB Divers (Koh Chang and Koh Kood) and Koh Mak Divers make it simple to combine islands on one trip.

Signature Sites

Start Here

  • Hin Gra Dueng Pinnacle

    A pinnacle dive often described as an underwater cathedral, with interesting structure and marine life down to about {{ 30 | distance:m }}.

  • Secret Reef

    A coralrich reef with a shallow profile down to about {{ 18 | distance:m }}, ideal for long bottom times, buoyancy practice, and relaxed photography.

  • Ko Rang North

    A sandy and rocky slope with hard and soft corals, generally maxing out around {{ 15 | distance:m }}.

Level Up

  • Soneva Reef

    A shoreaccessible reef around {{ 12 | distance:m }}, well suited to beginners and check dives, with a mix of hard corals and common reef fish.

Advanced

  • HTMS Chang Wreck

    A purposesunk former landing ship with a depth range around {{ 30 | distance:m }} to {{ 35 | distance:m }}.

Planning Playbook

Operator Checklist

  • Choose your base by dive style: Koh Chang for the wreck and a wider range of day boats; Koh Kood for shallow reefs and quieter schedules; Koh Mak for mellow training water and quick access to park day trips.
  • National park fee: Many reef days are inside Mu Ko Chang National Park. Operators may collect the fee for you, or rangers may collect it on the islands. Keep the receipt for the day.
  • Trip design tip: If you want both wreck and beach time, schedule the wreck early, then shift to shallow reefs later in the week.
  • What to book early: High season (December to February) fills faster for beachfront stays on Koh Kood and for popular boat schedules on Koh Chang.

Conditions Fallback

  • Trip design tip: If you want both wreck and beach time, schedule the wreck early, then shift to shallow reefs later in the week.

Avoid

  • Wreck discipline: The HTMS Chang profile is deep. Bring a computer, plan gas conservatively, and avoid entering overhead spaces unless you have wreck training, a reel, and a team plan.