The city of Trat is a starting point for Ko Chang island
group or forays into outlying gem and Cambodian markets.
Those enthralled by shopping will be delighted as Trat has
more markets for its size than almost any other town in
Thailand due to Cambodian coastal trade.
Like Chanthaburi, Trat is a very important ruby-mining
province, with the most famous gem market located in Bo
Rai District, some 50 kilometers north of the Cambodian
border.
With an area of 2,819 square kilometers, the province is
administratively divided into the districts of Muang, Khao
Saming, Laem Ngop, Khlong Yai and Bo Rai, and the sub-districts
of Ko Chang and Ko Kut.
The weather in and around Trat is very comfortable with
warm temperatures throughout the year. The region is influenced
by the northeastern and southwestern winds, which sometimes
limit sea transport to a group of islands particularly from
May to October when the southwest monsoon blows. During
this period the western coast can be wet and stormy and
occasionally unsafe for ferries and smaller boats to lift
anchor. However, visitors can still visit the islands via
the normally more popular routes, most of which are to the
northeast of Ko Chang, anyway.
