Ban Salak Khok Community

Ban Salak Khok sits on the quiet eastern side of Koh Chang, tucked into a mangrove bay rather than on a beach. It is one of the island’s best-known community-tourism spots — a working Thai fishing village that has built a low-key ecotourism offer around its mangroves, well away from the resort strip on the west coast. Don’t come for sand: the draw here is the mangrove estuary, the stilt houses over the water, and the slow pace of a real fishing community.

The signature activity is exploring the mangroves by kayak or on the community’s traditional gondola-style rowboats (reua maad), winding through the channels among the roots and birdlife. Back on shore, fishing families run simple seafood restaurants over the water serving the day’s catch, and you can watch net-mending and crab-trap work or arrange a homestay. Income from the tourism activities feeds a community fund that helps protect the mangrove forest.

Tranquility defines the Ban Salak Khok experience, with a pace of life that moves to the rhythm of fishing tides rather than tour schedules. Children play by the water while grandparents mend nets in the shade. The absence of jet skis, parasailing and beach vendors creates a meditative quality, and conversations with friendly locals often lead to impromptu invitations to watch traditional fishing or sample homemade specialties.

Reaching Ban Salak Khok means taking the ferry from the Trat mainland to Koh Chang, then driving across to the island’s east coast — noticeably quieter than the western beaches. The cool, dry months from November to February are the most pleasant. Bring insect repellent for the mangroves and sun protection, and book a kayak or gondola trip through the Salak Khok Kayak Station.