The Trang Islands are a group of small islands off the coast of Trang Province in southern Thailand, south of Koh Lanta and north of Koh Lipe. They form the quietest yet easily accessible stretch of coastline in the Andaman Sea. Most visitors choose one of three islands: Koh Kradan with its beautiful beach, Koh Mook with a fishing village and the Emerald Cave, and Koh Ngai, a long beach with numerous resorts, which is closest to Koh Lanta.

The islands are reachable by longtail boat in 15 to 30 minutes, allowing you to stay on one and visit the others. Further south lie Koh Libong and Koh Sukorn, which are larger, flatter, and less developed for tourism. Here you'll find more of a village atmosphere than beach resorts. You can fly to Trang or take the night train and from there continue your journey by van and boat, or island hopping from Lanta by speedboat. The boats operate from mid-October until around May 20th. I would recommend traveling between December and April and spending at least four nights on the islands.

Arrival at the Trang Islands

Accommodation on the Trang Islands

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Key facts

December to April

The dry season offers the calmest seas. Speedboats offering island hopping from Lanta and Lipe operate from mid-October until around May 20th, and some resorts close during the monsoon season.

Islands spaced 15 to 30 minutes apart

Kradan, Mook and Ngai are only a short longboat ride apart, and speedboats shuttle between them for about 300-400 baht each way.

Trang is the gate

Trang Airport is about 1 hour 30 minutes from Don Mueang in Bangkok, and the piers are about an hour's drive from the city.

Bring cash.

There are no ATMs in Kradan and Ngai, and while there is one in Mook, it is unreliable. Boats, massages, and meals in the village must be paid for in cash.

National park fees

Kradan and the Emerald Cave are located in Hat Chao Mai National Park. Entry costs 200 baht for adults and 100 baht for children. The tour includes entry.

The Kradan Reef is closed.

Following the coral bleaching event in 2024, the park closed the reef off Kradan's main beach to snorkelers. Snorkel instead off Ngai or on a boat trip to Koh Chueak and Koh Ma.

Which Trang island is right for you?

The comprehensive guidebooks for Kradan, Mook, and Ngai include all resorts, beaches, and boats. Libong and Sukorn are located outside the speedboat route for island hopping.

The Trang Islands, one by one

First, the three most popular options, then the two quieter ones in the south, and finally the best day trip. Each option is briefly introduced here, and the first three each have their own guidebook.

  • 1. Koh Kradan, Hat Chao Mai National Park: The most beautiful beach. A long, soft, white sand beach on the east coast, named the best beach in the world by the World Beach Guide in 2023. Behind it are a few resorts, but otherwise nothing – no village, no roads. My absolute dream beach, perfect for relaxing and reading. Plan to stay at least one night, as the beach gets busy with day trips from midday onwards. My Koh Kradan guidebook describes the five resorts, the route to Sunset Beach, and the snorkeling spots. Getting there: By speedboat from Lanta to Lipe at approximately 11:40 am (about 1 hour 10 minutes from Saladan) or by boat from Khuan Tung Ku Pier (40 minutes to 1 hour 10 minutes). Best time to visit: December to April. Island-hopping boats operate from mid-October to approximately May 20th. Koh Kradan: 4.7 (442) Directions
  • 2. Koh Mook, Trang coast, partly within Hat Chao Mai National Park: The Emerald Cave and a village. Koh Mook has its own unique charm. On the east coast lies a predominantly Muslim fishing village with about 1,000 inhabitants, affordable restaurants, and most of the accommodations of the three islands. The Emerald Cave is famous: After swimming 80 meters through the darkness, you reach a hidden lagoon, which can be accessed by kayak before the tour boats arrive around 9:00 a.m. You can admire the sunset at Charlie Beach. The Koh Mook guidebook describes the cave, the beaches, and accommodations. Getting there: By speedboat from Lanta around 11:20 a.m. or by a 30-minute boat ride from the Trang coast, which runs approximately every two hours from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Best time to visit: Late November to April. The Emerald Cave is usually closed from June to September.
  • 3. Koh Ngai, Krabi Province, accessible from Trang or Lanta. Comfortable resorts and an offshore reef. Officially part of Krabi Province, Koh Ngai is considered part of the Trang Islands due to boat connections. This car-free resort island boasts a long east-facing beach with nine resorts, a reef just a short swim away, hornbills in the trees, and a jungle walk to Paradise Beach. Koh Ngai is the most comfortable and expensive of the three islands and is easiest to combine with a trip to Lanta. The Koh Ngai guidebook compares the resorts. Getting there: First stop for the Lanta speedboat around 11:00 AM or King Travel ferry at 9:00 AM from Pak Meng Pier (approximately a 1-hour journey). Best time to visit: November to April. Some resorts close from May to October. Koh Ngai 4.6 (319) Directions
  • 4. Koh Libong, south of Koh Mook, off Hat Yao: Village life away from the boats. The largest of the Trang islands, it boasts about 34 square kilometers of mangrove forest, rolling hills, and Muslim fishing villages, with a few basic resorts and homestays, and very few foreign visitors. Come for the village pace and the mangroves, not for a white sand beach. It's also Thailand's most important habitat for dugongs, whose population has declined sharply in recent years. Therefore, consider the dugongs more of a reason to behave respectfully than a reason to visit (more on this below). Getting there: By longtail boat, about 15 to 30 minutes from the pier in Hat Yao, south of Trang town. Speedboats for island hopping run continuously. Best time to visit: December to April, during the same monsoon season as the other islands.
  • 5. Koh Sukorn, at the very southern tip of Trang's coast: Agriculture and hardly any tourists. This flat, agricultural island of about 12 km² features watermelon fields and small rubber plantations. The west-facing beaches are home to mostly Muslim fishing villages and a few small resorts. There are no limestone cliffs, and snorkeling opportunities are scarce. The island is perfect for walks along the fields and enjoying a peaceful sunset on the beach. However, it is also the most difficult to reach. Getting there: By longtail boat (approx. 20 minutes) from Tha Se Pier on the mainland. Ask your resort to arrange the transfer from Trang. Best time to visit: December to April.
  • 6. Koh Rok, about 15 km west of Koh Ngai. Crystal-clear water, ideal for a day trip. Two national park islands with no resorts and the clearest water in the Trang Islands area. There is no accommodation outside the campsite, so most visitors take day trips, either by speedboat from Lanta or by longtail boat from Ngai (about 4,000 baht per day). Best time to visit: November to April, when the park is open and the sea is calm. Koh Rok: 4.7 (436), open 24 hours daily. Getting there.

    • Island hopping between Kradan, Mook and Ngai

    The three islands are located close to each other: Ngai in the north, Mook in the middle, and Kradan in the south. This makes island hopping very easy. From mid-October until around May 20th, the Lanta-Lipe speedboats stop at all three islands every morning. A trip between them costs about 300–400 baht, from Mook to Ngai about 350 baht, and from Kradan about 400 baht. It's best to book a day in advance at your resort, with an agency on Mook, or online via 12Go.

    The longtail boats fill the gaps. Kradan is about 15 minutes from Mook and about half an hour from Ngai. A day trip by longtail boat from Mook costs around 800 baht and allows you to visit the Emerald Cave and Kradan in any order. On Ngai, snorkeling trips by longtail boat start at around 600 baht. If the cave is on your route, ask the boatman to leave as the first or last boat to avoid the tourist boats.

    Libong and Sukorn are located off this route. Most travelers reach them from the mainland, Libong from Hat Yao and Sukorn from Tha Se, so I would place them at the beginning or end of a trip rather than in the middle.

    The 4-island tour from Koh Lanta or Trang

    The "Four Islands" tour is the most popular way to discover the Trang Islands and is offered from both sides. From Koh Lanta, boats snorkel at Koh Chueak or Koh Ma, swim through the Emerald Cave on Koh Mook, have lunch on Koh Ngai, and—depending on the option—finally spend about 40 minutes on Koh Kradan. From Trang, the same route departs in the morning from Pak Meng Pier, and many tours offer a pick-up service in Trang Town for an additional fee.

    It's a long day with limited time on each island, and you'll be swimming through the cave during peak season. I'd consider it an exploration trip, then return and stay overnight on the island you enjoyed most. The 200 baht national park fee for adults is usually included, so double-check to avoid paying twice.

    The speedboat from Lanta to Lipe through the islands

    From mid-October to May 20th, the island-hopping speedboat departs from Bundhaya at 10:30 AM from Saladan Pier on Koh Lanta, heading south. It stops at Koh Ngai around 11:00 AM, Koh Mook at 11:20 AM, and Koh Kradan at 11:40 AM, before reaching Koh Lipe at 1:30 PM. A second boat departs at 12:30 PM from November 1st to May 4th. From Lanta, the fare to Ngai is 650 baht, to Mook 900 baht, to Kradan 950 baht, and to Lipe 1,700 baht. Tigerline and Satun Pakbara offer the same route at similar times.

    This makes the Trang Islands an ideal stopover between Lanta and Lipe. Buy a ticket from Lanta to an island, spend one or two nights there, and the next day take the boat south for about 1,400–1,600 baht. The northbound boat departs from Lipe at 9:00 AM and stops at the islands on its way to Lanta. The larger boats cannot dock at Kradan; if this is not included in your ticket, a longtail boat will take you to the beach for about 50 baht.

    Check the boat connections from Koh Lanta to Koh Mook.

    12Go lists the speedboats from the pier in Saladan to the Trang Islands, including departure times and e-tickets, so you can see which boats are running on your desired date. Prices include a booking fee.

    Sponsored link – We may receive a small commission if you book, at no extra cost to you. Learn more.

    Getting to the Trang Islands

    The prices for vans and boats offered by 12Go include a booking fee. Prices for speedboats are set by Bundhaya itself. Libong and Sukorn are not on the speedboat route; they can be reached from the Trang coast.

    Trang Airport, train and piers

    Trang is the gateway to the island. The airport is about 1 hour and 30 minutes from Bangkok's Don Mueang Airport. The Night Express train No. 83 departs Bangkok Aphiwat at 6:50 PM and arrives in Trang shortly after 8:00 AM. Van and boat tickets from 12Go offer pickup in the city, at the train station, or at the airport, providing the easiest way to reach the island.

    Which jetty you use depends on the specific island. Pak Meng, about an hour's drive from Trang town or the airport, is the jetty for Koh Ngai and the starting point for most tours from Trang. Khuan Tung Ku, also about an hour from the town, is the jetty for most boats to Koh Kradan and Koh Mook. Hat Yao, further south, is the jetty for Koh Libong, and Tha Se is the jetty for Koh Sukorn. Hat Yao and Tha Se have limited transport options of their own, so you should book your transfer through your resort.

    If you're arriving from Koh Lanta or Koh Lipe during peak season, skip Trang and take the speedboat for island hopping. The return journey can take longer than the arrival, as the boats stop at the other islands first. Therefore, avoid booking a flight with a tight flight time on the same day.

    How many nights and how to divide them up

    Plan at least four nights for the Trang Islands. I would spend two nights on Koh Mook and two on Koh Kradan, first visiting the village and the cave, and then enjoying the beach. The boat trips take about 15 minutes each way. With five or six nights, I would prioritize Koh Ngai for its reef and resorts, then visit Koh Mook, and take a day trip to Koh Kradan by longtail boat.

    Libong and Sukorn are suitable for a second trip or a more relaxed tour. Plan two extra nights on Libong if you want to experience an island in the Trang region that relies on fishing rather than tourism, and travel there from the mainland instead of via the other islands.

    When should you go?

    From December to April, it's the dry season with calm seas and clear water. January and February are peak season, as the best accommodations on Kradan and Ngai book up quickly. In November, the transition period, the rainy season subsides and boat services resume. Speedboats for island hopping from Lanta and Lipe operate from mid-October until around May 20th.

    The southwest monsoon prevails from May to October, with the heaviest period being August to October. The Trang weather station records approximately 285 mm of rainfall per month, totaling around 2,250 mm per year. During this time, speedboats do not operate, the sea becomes rough, several resorts close, and the Emerald Cave is typically closed from June to September. Every year in February, around Valentine's Day, an underwater wedding takes place on the seabed near the Emerald Cave in Trang, so book well in advance for this week.

    Koh Libong's Dugongs and responsible visiting

    The seagrass meadows around Koh Libong are Thailand's most important habitat for dugongs, and their population is critically endangered. In 2023, approximately 194 dugongs lived around Libong. Between 2020 and 2024, the island's protected seagrass shrank by up to half, many dugongs starved, and by early 2025, experts estimated that only about 10 animals would remain on Libong. An aerial census in early 2026 revealed 33 dugongs. The residents of Libong's eight villages operate the "Dugong Guardians" network to protect the animals.

    I wouldn't plan a trip specifically focused on spotting a particular animal. If you're staying overnight on Libong, choose a local boat operator who respects designated protected areas, travels slowly, turns off the engine near seagrass meadows, and never chases animals. Snorkel on the islands only where the park permits, don't walk on coral, use reef-safe sunscreen or a UV-protective shirt, and take your plastic waste back to the mainland, as everything on these islands is transported by boat.

    The island guides and the routes through them.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Frequently asked questions about the Trang Islands travel guide.

    A group of small islands off the coast of Thailand's Andaman Sea, south of Koh Lanta and north of Koh Lipe. The best-known islands are Koh Kradan, Koh Mook, and Koh Ngai; further south lie Koh Libong and Koh Sukorn. Koh Ngai officially belongs to Krabi province but is only accessible via Trang.

    Koh Kradan is known for its beach, Koh Mook for the Emerald Cave, a village, and more affordable accommodation, and Koh Ngai for comfortable resorts and an offshore reef. The islands are only 15 to 30 minutes apart by longtail boat, making it easy to stay overnight on one and visit the others.

    Fly from Bangkok's Don Mueang Airport to Trang (approximately 1 hour 30 minutes) or take the night train followed by a minibus and boat from Pak Meng or Khuan Tung Ku piers. From mid-October until around May 20th, the speedboats between Koh Lanta and Koh Lipe also stop at Koh Ngai, Koh Mook, and Koh Kradan.

    Yes. The speedboats for island hopping depart every morning from Ngai, Mook, and Kradan during the season and cost approximately 300–400 baht each way. For shorter trips, such as the 15-minute journey from Mook to Kradan, longtail boats are available. A day ticket for a longtail boat from Mook costs approximately 800 baht.

    At least four nights, two on Koh Mook and two on Koh Kradan. For five or six nights, Koh Ngai is recommended. The three main islands can be visited on a day trip from Koh Lanta or Koh Trang, but you'll spend less than an hour on each.

    From December to April, the sea is calm and clear. Speedboats for island hopping operate from mid-October until around May 20th. From May to October, the monsoon brings rough seas, the boats cease operations, and many resorts close.

    Sometimes, but don't count on it. The dugong population in Libong has declined sharply since 2023 due to the die-off of seagrass. Recent counts have found no more than a few dozen animals. If you do go, hire a local boat operator who will respect the designated protected areas and maintain a safe distance.

    No. Koh Lanta is located in Krabi province, north of the Trang Islands, and is the easiest starting point for them. Speedboats from Saladan Pier on Lanta reach Koh Ngai in about 30 minutes.

    Where to stay overnight on the Trang Islands

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    I lived in Bangkok for four years and traveled throughout the country from there. The guidebooks reflect my personal opinion and are written as I would explain things to a friend planning a trip.

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