Coming from Siem Reap, visiting Koh Chang in Thailand is a popular route to take before heading to Bangkok.
How to get there
Get ready for a long journey. Most people end up taking three forms of transportation to get there. It took us about 14 hours to get to Koh Chang. We booked the ticket from our hostel for $20 USD, including the ferry ride and pick-up.
1) Siem Reap to Poi Pet Border
We took a big bus to get there. It takes around 3-4 hours, including a long lunch break to get to the border. The lunch break was at the Tourist Passenger International Terminal. You can buy bus tickets, exchange money and food there.
After this break, it'll be another half hour to the Poi Pet Border. You'll be given a sticker to show where your next destination is (Pattaya, Bangkok or Koh Chang). There will be workers on the other side of the border to sort you out once you're done.
Once you get dropped off, you'll need to head into the building that says "Departure" where you'll line up to get stamped out of Cambodia. Just note that you'll get fingerprinted here.
After you get stamped out, you'll need to walk over to the Thailand border. It's a 10-15 minute walk to get there. You'll pass a casino along the way. Once you reach the border office, head up the stairs to the foreigner line-up. Depending on how busy it is, it can take quite a long time. It took us around an hour here. Just note that there's free wifi here. Just ask for the password!
Now that you're done, you'll need to head down the stairs where the bus drivers will sort you out based on your stickers. It might take a while before everyone is done, so feel free to grab some food from the stands or head to the ATM just down the street.
2) Poi Pet Border to Trat to Koh Chang
Now that you've been sorted into a mini-bus, the ride from here takes another three hours or so. We had a short 15 minute gas break in-between to pick up snacks and use the washroom.
You'll get dropped off at the Centrepoint Ferry Terminal. Just head down to the dock and make it onto the ferry. There will be seating on the second floor. The ferry leaves about every hour or so and takes 45 minutes.
3) Koh Chang to Lonely Beach
Once you reach Koh Chang, you'll need to take a songthaew to get to your destination. They head to every major beach on the island at a fixed rate. To get to Lonely Beach, it costs 100 baht and takes around 45 minutes.
Ta-da! It's not so bad right?