Ban Salak Phet (Ban Rong Than)

Open Days: Daily

Opening Hours: Open for daytime visits

 

Ban Salak Phet, also known in some local contexts as Ban Rong Than, is a large community on the southern and southeastern side of Ko Chang Island in Trat Province. It is located around Salak Phet Bay, one of the largest and most impressive bays on the island. Unlike the busy western beach areas of Ko Chang, Salak Phet offers a quieter and more local atmosphere, with fishing villages, small piers, seafood restaurants, bungalows, homestays, fruit gardens, mangrove areas, waterfalls, and mountain scenery surrounding the bay.

 

For foreign travelers, Ban Salak Phet is one of the best places to understand Ko Chang beyond beaches and resorts. The western side of the island is known for White Sand Beach, Klong Prao, Kai Bae, Lonely Beach, and Bang Bao, but Salak Phet shows another side of the island: a rural coastal community where people still live with the sea, fishing, orchards, boats, and local food. Visiting this area gives travelers a more balanced understanding of Ko Chang as both a holiday island and a living community.

 

Salak Phet Bay is the heart of the area. The bay is large, calm, and surrounded by mountains, making it one of the most scenic natural settings on Ko Chang. Fishing boats, local piers, seafood restaurants, and small accommodations are scattered around the bay. The atmosphere is slower and more peaceful than the main tourist beaches. Travelers who enjoy quiet coastal roads, local restaurants, and authentic island scenery will find Salak Phet especially rewarding.

 

The community is closely connected with fishing and local agriculture. Many residents have traditionally worked as fishermen, fruit growers, small traders, or tourism operators. Around the bay, visitors may see fishing boats, local homes, orchards, piers, and restaurants facing the water. The landscape reflects how people have adapted to the island’s geography, using the bay for fishing, transport, food, and settlement while living close to forested hills and waterfalls.

 

Ban Rong Than, mentioned together with Salak Phet, is part of the wider southern community area. It helps complete the picture of Salak Phet as a local region rather than a single tourist stop. The area is not heavily commercialized, which is one of its strongest charms. Travelers who come here should expect a rural coastal setting, simple local services, small restaurants, bungalows, homestays, and scenic nature rather than nightlife or large resort developments.

 

Fresh seafood is one of the main reasons travelers visit Salak Phet. Restaurants around the bay are known for seafood served with views of the water and mountains. Popular dishes often include steamed blue crab, grilled prawns, fried fish, steamed fish with lime, stir-fried squid with salted egg, scallops, spicy seafood soup, and seasonal local fish. The appeal of dining here lies in the combination of freshness, sea breeze, quiet atmosphere, and the view of Salak Phet Bay.

 

Salak Phet Seafood & Resort is one of the best-known places in the area and is often used as a landmark for visitors exploring the bay. It combines restaurant and accommodation services, and its waterfront setting makes it a popular stop for travelers who want seafood with a bay view. However, the value of the area is not limited to one restaurant. The wider Salak Phet community includes local eateries, homestays, small resorts, piers, and natural attractions that together make the area worth a longer visit.

 

Nature around Ban Salak Phet is another major attraction. Nearby places include Khiri Phet Waterfall, Khlong Nueng Waterfall, the Salak Khok mangrove area, Salak Khok Bay, Wai Chaek Beach, and the route toward Long Beach. These places allow travelers to combine local community tourism with waterfalls, mangroves, scenic coastal roads, and quiet nature. A full-day trip is more suitable than a quick stop because the area has several points of interest spread across the southern and southeastern side of the island.

 

Khiri Phet Waterfall is a natural attraction near Salak Phet and is suitable for travelers who want to experience the forested side of Ko Chang. During the rainy season or shortly after rain, the surrounding forest becomes especially green and the water flow is stronger, though visitors should be careful of slippery surfaces. In the drier season, access may be easier, but the water level can be lower. Proper footwear is recommended for waterfall visits.

 

The nearby Salak Khok mangrove area is also worth visiting. Mangrove forests are important coastal ecosystems that protect shorelines, serve as nurseries for marine life, and support local fisheries. A visit to the mangrove area helps travelers understand that the beauty of Ko Chang is not only found in beaches and waterfalls, but also in coastal ecosystems that support local communities. Combining Salak Phet with Salak Khok gives travelers a broader understanding of the island’s eastern and southern landscapes.

 

Ban Salak Phet is suitable for travelers who prefer slow travel. The area is quiet, local, and less developed than the west coast. Visitors can drive around the bay, stop for seafood, take photographs of the water and mountains, visit waterfalls, explore mangrove areas, and stay overnight in simple local accommodations. This makes Salak Phet a good choice for travelers who want to avoid crowded beach districts and experience a calmer side of Ko Chang.

 

Traveling to Salak Phet requires planning because the area is far from the main west coast tourist zones. From Ao Sapparot Pier or the northern part of Ko Chang, travelers drive south and east toward Ko Chang Tai and Salak Phet Bay. Roads on Ko Chang can include curves, hills, and narrow sections. Motorbike travelers should ride carefully, especially after rain. Families and older travelers may prefer a car or local transfer service.

 

Travelers staying on the west coast, such as White Sand Beach, Klong Prao, Kai Bae, Lonely Beach, or Bang Bao, can visit Salak Phet as a day trip. However, travel time may be longer than expected because the route follows island roads. It is best to start in the morning, visit a waterfall or mangrove area, have lunch or dinner at Salak Phet, and return before it becomes too dark unless staying overnight in the area.

 

Accommodation around Salak Phet includes bungalows, homestays, small resorts, and local guesthouses. Staying in this area is different from staying at the main beach districts. It is quieter and more local, with fewer nightlife options and fewer large shops. This is ideal for travelers who want peace, bay views, seafood, and a more rural island atmosphere. Those who want nightlife and beach bars may prefer to stay on the western side and visit Salak Phet during the day.

 

Visitors should behave respectfully when exploring local communities. Do not enter private properties, block working areas, disturb fishermen, or leave rubbish near the water or mangroves. The appeal of Salak Phet comes from its local life and natural setting, so responsible behavior helps preserve the area for both residents and future travelers.

 

Overall, Ban Salak Phet and Ban Rong Than offer one of the most meaningful local experiences on Ko Chang. The area combines the island’s largest bay, fishing life, seafood restaurants, piers, bungalows, homestays, waterfalls, mangroves, and quiet roads in one destination. Travelers who visit Salak Phet will see Ko Chang not only as a beach island, but as a place where communities, forests, mountains, and the sea remain deeply connected.

 

 

A: Ban Salak Phet is located on the southern and southeastern side of Ko Chang Island in Ko Chang Tai Subdistrict, Ko Chang District, Trat Province, around Salak Phet Bay.

 

A: It is known for Salak Phet Bay, fishing village life, seafood restaurants, small piers, bungalows, homestays, waterfalls, mangrove areas, and quiet local scenery.

 

A: Ban Rong Than is an area within the wider southern community around Salak Phet Bay and is often mentioned together with Ban Salak Phet as part of the local area.

 

A: No. There is no admission fee to visit the community, although meals, accommodation, transfers, and activities have their own costs.

 

A: Yes. Salak Phet is one of the well-known areas on Ko Chang for fresh seafood served around the bay with local views.

 

A: Daytime to late afternoon is best because travelers can enjoy bay views, visit nearby waterfalls or mangroves, eat seafood, and return safely before dark if not staying overnight.

 

A: Nearby attractions include Khiri Phet Waterfall, Khlong Nueng Waterfall, Salak Khok Mangrove Walkway, Salak Khok Bay, Wai Chaek Beach, and Long Beach or Had Yao Ko Chang.

 

A: It is suitable for travelers who want a quieter side of Ko Chang, local fishing village atmosphere, seafood, waterfalls, mangroves, photography, and slow travel away from the main beach crowds.