Thai Flavours of Trat and the East Coast

Ask a Thai traveller where to eat well and Trat will often come up. This quiet province at the eastern tip of the Gulf of Thailand is a place of sea, river, orchards and mangroves. Its cooking draws on all four and the best of it is simple, fresh and full of character.

A table shaped by the sea

Trat's kitchens lean on the Gulf. Crab and prawns arrive daily and they are cooked with lime, chilli, ginger and fragrant herbs.

•    Pad sen chan: silky rice noodles stir-fried with crab, shrimp, egg and bean sprouts. A Trat favourite worth ordering first.
•    Gaeng pu: a rich crab curry fragrant with betel leaves.
•    Steamed fish with lime and chilli: bright, sharp and best shared.
•    Khao tom gung: shrimp rice soup with ginger and celery, a gentle start to the day.

The taste of the trading route

Trat sits on old trade routes, with Thai, Mon, Chinese and Muslim merchants all leaving their mark on the local table. You can taste it in dishes such as tom som rakum, a sour soup made with salacca fruit and seasoned with Koh Chang shrimp paste. Even the sweets reflect the land. Sticky rice dumplings are made with alkaline water filtered from mangrove ash, then served with cane sugar over ice.

Orchards and markets

Trat's orchards produce durian, mangosteen, rambutan and the province's signature salacca, also called snake fruit. Peak season runs from May to July and a Sweet Salacca Festival in May celebrates the fruit.

For the most authentic taste, head to the markets. Trat's morning market serves rice porridge and breakfast dishes before the sun is high. The night market lights up from around five o'clock with grilled skewers, som tam and sweets such as coconut pancakes and crispy crepes. Fresh fruit juices are only a few baht.

From the mainland to the island

The east coast rewards a slow pace. Eat at a market stall in Trat town, then take the ferry to Koh Chang and follow the coast road to the fishing villages. Local seafood tastes best beside the water and the island's pier restaurants make a natural place to stop.

When the day is done, return to the beach. Centara Koh Chang Tropicana Resort sits on Klong Prao Beach, where Sea Breeze Restaurant serves Thai and international dishes and the Sunset Beach Bar & Restaurant offers dining at the water's edge. It is a gentle way to end a day of eating your way along the east coast.

Tips for the food trail

•    Go early to the morning market for the freshest dishes.
•    Visit between May and July if you love tropical fruit.
•    Try one new dish at every stop, and share plates so you can taste more.
•    Carry small notes, as most market stalls take cash.