Dan Mai Pier

Open Days: Daily

Opening Hours: Open as a public community area with no fixed sightseeing hours

 

Dan Mai Pier in Trat Province is a small pier and coastal community on the eastern side of Koh Chang. Located in Ban Dan Mai, Ko Chang Subdistrict, Ko Chang District, Trat Province, it sits north of the Than Mayom area and offers a very different impression from the well-known beach resorts on the western side of the island. This is not a place for white-sand beach activities or large resort facilities. It is a working coastal village where visitors can see a small pier, fishing boats, fruit orchards, seafood restaurants, fish cages, and the everyday life of local Koh Chang residents.

 

Dan Mai Pier has long been part of the island’s east-coast transport and community network. Older local information describes passenger boats running between Laem Ngop on the mainland and Dan Mai Pier, with the trip taking about 40 minutes and one daily boat in the early afternoon. For present-day travel planning, however, visitors should use the main Koh Chang ferry services and check current ferry schedules directly before departure, as island transport routes, operators, and boat services have changed over time according to demand, weather, and modern travel patterns.

 

The defining character of Dan Mai is its community atmosphere. Many local residents are connected with fruit orchards, especially rambutan, durian, mangosteen, and other seasonal tropical fruits grown on Koh Chang. Others work in coastal fishing and small-scale marine activities. Along the shore, visitors can often see sea grouper fish cages, which are among the most recognizable features of the Dan Mai coastline. These cages show how the community uses the sea not only for transport, but also for livelihood, food production, and local seafood culture.

 

Compared with Ban Dan Kao, Ban Dan Mai feels denser and more active as a local settlement. It has more houses, shops, community services, roads, and everyday facilities. The wider Dan Mai area is also associated with administrative and public services on the eastern side of Koh Chang, including local government, police, healthcare, and other practical services. For this reason, Dan Mai feels more like a functioning local town area than a quiet fishing hamlet.

 

The landscape at Dan Mai is not a long sandy swimming beach. Instead, it is a rocky coastal zone used for boats, fishing, fish farming, and community activities. Because of the rocky shore and the working nature of the coastline, it is not suitable for swimming. Travelers should visit Dan Mai as a cultural and local-life stop rather than a beach leisure destination. Its value lies in seeing the real east coast of Koh Chang: the pier, fish cages, local restaurants, orchards, and village roads that connect coastal life with the island’s interior.

 

Dan Mai is especially rewarding for travelers who want a slower and more authentic route around Koh Chang. From here, visitors can continue to nearby east-coast attractions such as Ban Dan Kao, Khlong Nonsi Waterfall, Than Mayom Pier, Than Mayom Waterfall, Dan Kao Bay, Salak Khok Mangrove Forest, and Salak Phet. This side of the island is quieter than the west coast and is best explored by private car, rental car, or scooter. It allows travelers to stop at small viewpoints, local restaurants, community areas, and natural sites along the way.

 

Food is another reason to visit Dan Mai. The fishing character of the community and the presence of sea grouper cages make the area interesting for travelers who enjoy seafood and local Thai coastal cooking. Instead of eating seafood only in a tourist zone, visitors can experience a closer connection between the sea, fish cages, small restaurants, and local ingredients. Dishes made with fresh fish, shrimp, crab, shellfish, and local seafood reflect the daily rhythm of the community.

 

The fruit season adds another layer to Dan Mai’s identity. Koh Chang is not only known for beaches and waterfalls, but also for tropical fruit orchards. During the fruit season, the roads around Dan Mai and the east coast become more closely connected with rambutan, durian, mangosteen, and other produce. This makes the area especially interesting for travelers who want to understand Koh Chang’s agricultural side, where mountain slopes, humid forest, streams, and island soil support fruit growing.

 

Getting There is easiest by traveling to Trat Province, taking a ferry to Koh Chang, and then continuing by car, local songthaew, rental car, or scooter to Ban Dan Mai on the eastern side of the island. From the ferry arrival area or Khlong Son, drive along the east-coast road through Ban Dan Kao toward Ban Dan Mai. If you are staying on the west coast, such as White Sand Beach, Klong Prao, or Kai Bae, allow extra travel time because the route crosses the main island road and includes hilly or winding sections in some areas.

 

The best time to visit Dan Mai is from morning to late afternoon, when the light is suitable for coastal views, community photography, and seafood dining. During the fruit season, the surrounding orchards and local produce give the area a stronger sense of island livelihood. In the rainy season, the east coast becomes greener, but visitors should check road and weather conditions before traveling because some roads may be wet and slippery.

 

Visitors should remember that Dan Mai is a real working community. Avoid walking into private homes, private piers, fish cage areas, or working spaces without permission. Do not leave litter along the coast, do not disturb fishing activities, and ask before photographing local residents at close range. Respectful travel helps preserve the community character that makes Dan Mai meaningful in the first place.

 

Overall, Dan Mai Pier is suitable for travelers who want to see a deeper, quieter, and more local side of Koh Chang. It brings together a small pier, rocky coastline, fruit orchards, fishing life, sea grouper cages, seafood culture, and east-coast travel routes. Although it is not a swimming beach, it is an excellent stop for understanding Koh Chang as a living island shaped by people, sea, orchards, and local work as much as by tourism.

 

 

A: Dan Mai Pier is located in Ban Dan Mai on the eastern side of Koh Chang, Ko Chang District, Trat Province.

 

A: No. The shoreline is rocky and used for local pier, fishing, and community activities, so it is not suitable for swimming.

 

A: It is known for its small pier, local coastal community, fruit orchards, fishing lifestyle, and sea grouper fish cages along the shore.

 

A: Travelers can take a ferry from Trat to Koh Chang, then continue by car, rental car, songthaew, or scooter to Ban Dan Mai on the east coast.

 

A: No. The community area does not charge an entrance fee.

 

A: Travelers can combine Dan Mai with Ban Dan Kao, Khlong Nonsi Waterfall, Than Mayom Pier, Than Mayom Waterfall, Salak Khok, and Salak Phet.

 

A: Yes. The community has a fishing lifestyle and sea grouper cages, making it a good area to experience local seafood and coastal Thai food.

 

A: Morning to late afternoon is best for community sightseeing, coastal views, and local food. The fruit season is also a good time to experience Koh Chang’s orchard culture.