Trat Overview

Although Trat is not traditionally a hotspot for tourists, is a surprisingly enjoyable stopover for those bound for Ko Chang or Cambodia. The oldest and quaintest section of town conceals a fantastic array of shockingly low-priced guesthouses geared towards adventurous Western backpackers. Aside from these bargains, there are also opportunities to get laundry cleaned, break for a massage, and sample the delicious local cuisine at the buzzing night market. Trat is also home to Thailand’s famous yellow oil ointment Somthawin, a cure-all for everything from sore throat to indigestion to bug bites—no visitor’s first-aid kit is complete without some.

Trat’s new bus station (☎039 534 014) is 2km from the center of town. Songthaew (15฿ per person; 50฿ per vehicle) run there from Sukhumvit Rd., next to the market. Four companies operate buses to Bangkok’s Ekamai Station (5hr., every hr. 8:30am-11pm; second class 207฿, first class 260฿). Buses to Bangkok’s Morchit Station, near the airport, run less frequently (6hr., 267฿). There are also buses (5, 9:30am, noon, 3pm) to Pattaya (4hr., 173฿) and Rayong (3hr., 124฿). A slew of minibuses departs for various other locations from behind the station; they leave when full ( Leam Ngop, 50฿; Khlong Yai, 60฿; Ban Hat Lek, 120฿). For other destinations, take a minibus to Chanthaburi (1hr.; every hr. 8:30am-7pm; 80฿ from just south of the market, or 70฿ from old bus station) and change from there.

Two companies operate out of the old bus stops located on opposite sides of Sukhumvit Rd., close to the market and KFC. They will occasionally provide free transportation to the bus station and can book tickets to Bangkok.

Some other transportation departs from downtown Trat. Minibuses to Ban Hat Lek (1hr., every hr. 6am-6pm, 120฿), the recommended way to cross the border is to wait on Sukhumvit Rd., two blocks north of the market. Blue songthaew going to Laem Ngop (7am-8pm, 50฿) wait one block south of the market, next to the pharmacy on Sukhumvit Rd., and leave when full. To get around town, rent bikes (60฿ per day) from Friendly Guest House on Lhak Muang Rd.

Orientation And Practical Information

The main road in Trat is Sukhumvit Road, which runs north toward Bangkok and south toward Laem Ngop. It has two traffic signals, at its northern and southern ends. Most services lie between or near them. At the northern traffic light, Sukhumvit intersects Wiwattana Road, where the post office, telecommunications office, and police station are all clustered together. The southern light is at the intersection with Lhak Muang Road, the heart of the old town where tourists congregate.

• Currency Exchange: Krung Thai Bank, 59 Sukhumvit Rd. (☎039 520 542), opposite the pharmacy and next to the Trat Department Store. Cashes traveler’s checks (33฿ per check). Cirrus/MC/V 24hr. ATM. Open M-F 8:30am-4:30pm, Sa-Su 9am-3pm.
• Bookstore: Tratosphere Bookshop (☎039 523 200), near Ban JaeDee Guest House. French expat and owner Serge knows his stuff—ask him for advice on crossing the border into Cambodia, or for accommodation suggestions. Books in a variety of languages (100฿, or bring one to trade).
• Police: 13 Samtersook Rd. (☎039 511 239). From Sukhumvit’s northern traffic light, walk 3 blocks east on Wiwattana Rd. Open 24hr. Little English spoken.
• Immigration Office: The nearest immigration office (☎039 597 261) is in Laem Ngop and grants visa extensions (10-30 days, 1900฿). Open M-F 8:30am-4:30pm.
• Pharmacy: (☎039 511 356). South of the market opposite the Trat Department Store. Open daily 8am-8pm.
• Hospital: Trat Hospital (☎039 511 041) on Sukhumvit Rd., just past the northern traffic light.
• Telephones: Telecommunications Office, 315 Chaimongkol Rd. (}/fax 039 512 599), marked by its radio tower. International phones and fax. Open M-F 8:30am-4:30pm.
• Internet Access: Sawadee Guest House on Lhak Muang Rd. (below) has computers with ADSL access on the first floor. 1฿ per min., 50฿ per hr. Printing available.
• Post Office: (☎039 511 175). Go 3 blocks east on Wiwattana Rd. and turn left on Chaimongkol Rd. just before telecommunications office. Poste Restante. Open M-F 8:30am-4:30pm, Sa-Su 9am-noon. Postal Code: 23000.

Accommodations

There are plenty of excellent guesthouses in Trat, and almost all of these accommodations are in or around the old part of town on Thana Chareun Rd. and Lhak Muang Rd. To get there from the bus and songthaew stops, walk south on Sukhumvit Rd. and take a left at the traffic light on Lakmuang Rd.; Thanachareun Rd. is the next left.

• Sawadee Guest House, 90 Lhak Muang Rd. (☎039 530 663). Conveniently located close to the market and run by a young family eager to please guests. 5 small but immaculately kept rooms are lovingly decorated. Shared clean bathrooms with hot, pristine showers. Bamboo walls are very thin—snorers and lovers beware. All rooms with fan. Singles 100฿, doubles 200฿, triples 300฿. Computers with Internet (1฿ per min.) and printer on the first floor.
• Ban Jaidee Guest House, 69 Chaimongkol Rd. (☎039 520 678). Turn left on Chai Mongkol Rd. from Thana Chareun Rd. and follow the signs. Relaxing common areas filled with friendly cats. The owner’s interesting teak wood crafts and warm staff make this beautiful guesthouse feel like a good friend’s home. Mattresses on the floor in airy, minimalist rooms. All rooms with fans and double beds. Singles 150฿, doubles 200฿. Luggage storage 10฿ per day.
• Residang Guest House, 87/1 Thana Chareun Rd. (☎039 530 103; www.trat-guesthouse.com), near the end of the road. Features enormous rooms with large windows. Some rooms with balconies. Strictly enforced lockout: 11pm during the high season, 9pm during the low season. Internet 40฿ per hr. Singles with shared bathroom and cold showers 120฿; doubles with private bathroom, hot showers, and TV 260฿.

Food

There’s no excuse for not eating in Trat’s markets. During the day, food stalls set up on the first floor of the municipal market building (soup with meat or fish 20-40฿). At night, the market moves to the square, two blocks north, and is packed with rows of vendors, some of which have English menus. With a banner proudly declaring ‘Food Safety Street’, the night market opens each evening at 6pm and closes down at 10:30pm. Treat yourself to a banana crepe (40฿) from any of the stalls at the market’s entrance. If, for some reason, the markets are not your scene, try one of the restaurants below.

• Krua Rim Krong (☎039 524 919), off Thana Charuen Rd., before Residang Guest House (above). This tasty Thai restaurant with enclosed garden and refreshing A/C is frequented by young Thai couples on dates and the occasional farang . Almost too trendy for its surroundings, boasting flavorful Thai dishes made with the freshest seafood (80-100฿). Delicious mixed drinks 80-100฿. Open daily 11am-10pm.
• Orchid Restaurant, 92 Lakmuang Rd. (☎039 530 474), next to Sawadee Guest House. Hang out and chat with Trat’s expats. Great place to congregate in the evening for a drink (50-100฿). Breakfast (100-140฿), Thai and Western meals (70-120฿).
• Sea House Cafe (☎039 525 577), conveniently positioned on the corner of Lhak Muang Rd. and Sukhumvit Rd., at the southern traffic light. Beachy feel. Tourist information desk and Internet access. Internet 1฿ per min., minimum 15min. Sea House offers good Western meals and tasty fruit smoothies (35฿). Open daily 8am-11pm.

Sights And Entertainment

Although Trat is usually just a stop-over on the itinerary, it provides some great options for the travel-weary. A small parlor near the Chinese temples, just down from Ban JaeDee Guest House (above), has a staff of blind masseuses who give fantastic traditional Thai massages. (Full-body, 250฿ per hr.) Closes at 6pm.

Trat also has several language schools, which are often looking for teachers with a variety of language skills. If the charm of this small town takes hold, inquire about teaching English or another language at TAYF Center, just beyond the southern traffic light on Sukhumvit Rd. (☎039 531 413).

Though quiet, Trat has a few venues for fun after the sun goes down:

• Samkanay Pub, 2 blocks east of the northern set of traffic lights on Sukhumvit Rd., turn left into Sri Suwanpis, Soi 1. Samkay is in the parking lot at the end of the lane; no English sign. This local spot is difficult to find, but worth it if you’re looking for a night out on the town with some Trat natives and Thai pop music. Samkanay Bucket mixed drinks 300-500฿, Singha 100฿; no cover. Open nightly 8pm-1am, live music Sa-Su.
• Cozy Corner (☎039 512 548), on Sukhumvit Rd. just past the southern traffic lights. For a few quiet beers and late night conversation with other backpackers, head to this mellow bar. Beers 45-75฿. Open 5pm-midnight.

Daytrip From Trat: Laem Ngop

Blue songthaew leave from south of the market in Trat (30min.; 50฿ per person, leave when full). Songthaew back to Trat wait at the pier for incoming ferries to arrive.

A quiet village with a chaotic pier, Laem Ngop is the spot to board ferries to Ko Chang. With Trat only a short songthaew ride away, there is no reason to dawdle here and certainly no reason to stay the night.

For visa extensions (10-30 days, 1900฿; bring 2 photos and a copy of passport) and official information on visiting Cambodia, head for the immigration office on the ground floor of a white building just down the road that leads to the pier. (☎039 597 261. Open M-F 8:30am-4:30pm.) The TAT Tourist Information Office, across from the intersection of the main road and the road to the piers, has a friendly and knowledgeable staff. (☎039 597 259. Open daily 8:30am-4:30pm.) Extensive information on and maps of Ko Chang. The Thai Farmers Bank, 500m from TAT, on the road to the piers, exchanges traveler’s checks. (☎039 597 046. 33฿ per check. Open M-F 8:30am-3:30pm. 24hr ATM ) Laem Ngop’s hospital (☎039 597 040), on Trat-Laem Ngop Rd., 2km toward Trat, has malaria medication, recommended for travelers en route to Cambodia. There’s also a malaria clinic in Laem Ngop, 800m from the TAT. (Open M-F 8:30am-noon and 1-4:30pm.)