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Koh Chang (Large)

Koh Chang is a beautiful Island in the southeastern Gulf of Thailand near the Cambodian border. The Island is less built up than Phuket and Samui but that is changing fast as more and more tourists are discovering it. The Island is mostly rain forest and mountains with fruit and rubber plantations on the east coast and resorts on the wonderful beaches of the west coast. There are plenty of restaurants along the coast by the beach areas as well as in some of the fishing villages spread out along the coast. There is also enough nightlife, centered on the beach areas to keep things interesting after dark.

Ferry service to the Island can be a little confusing as there are a number of companies operating from different piers on both the mainland and Island. However, all of the ferries leave the mainland from piers near Laem Ngop and arrive at piers on the northeast part of the Island. So take any one.

Beaches: Most of the beaches have a small town along the main road where there are internet shops, banking, diving outfits, bars, restaurants, travel and tour shops and anything else you may need. Many or the resorts also have beachside restaurants. Boat and Kayak rentals can be arranged from most beaches. Some of the main ones are: Hat Klong Son is the first beach on the west coast and many people see it and go no further. The beach is nice and sandy with less people than some of the beaches further south. Hat Sai Khao, also called White Sand Beach, is the busiest beach with nice white sand except for the southern end where it becomes rocky. Hat Kai Mook is the next beach south of Hat Sai Khao and is much quieter. The drawback is that most of the beach is covered in small pebbles rather than sand. Laem Chaichet is the cape marking the southern end of Hat Kai Mook. At the end of the cape is a small secluded bay with a few bungalow outfits. Hat Khlong Prao is in the bay to the south of Laem Chaichet and is a fast growing beach area. The northern tip is jaggedly rocky but the rest is a fine sand beach split in two by a lagoon that you can wade across at low tide. Hat Kai Bae is only a short distance to the south of Hat Khlong Prao and is another great beach. There are some small Islands just off the beach that you can reach by kayak or swimming. Hat Tha Nam is a small beach to the south of Hat Kai Bae. The northern end has the best sand as well as being a great place to swim. Hat Salak Phet is located in a large bay on the southeastern tip of the Island, this area is harder to get to and there are fewer resorts. There are a couple of large fishing villages in the bay as well as a local ferry to the mainland.

Diving and Snorkelling: There are a lot of diving and snorkelling trips that you can take from any of Koh Chang's beaches. With all of the surrounding Islands and reefs, there is sure to be a place for everyone. You can dive some wrecks including a Thai ship sunk by the French in 1941 over a dispute about who owned the Island. There are also spots to dive nearby endangered turtles or coral encrusted seamounts. Diving is best done between October and April although there are still a few trips during the rest of the year, weather permitting.

Elephant Trek: You should do an elephant trek at least once in Thailand. There are a couple of outfits offering these treks through the jungle. The elephants are great and within a little while we began to see some distinct character traits in ours. Ours was rather playful and kept swatting the others. The trips are generally the same. On ours we saw some jungle, a rubber plantation, a pomello orchard and then we found a pool to cool off in with our elephant. The pomellos were great.

Ban Bang Bao: This picturesque fishing village built mainly on stilts is located in the southwest corner of the Island. There are a couple of stilted guesthouses, a few small restaurants, shops and dive outfits. The town is neat to see but is quickly becoming a tourist trap. Also check out the town of Salek Phet to the east.

Boat Trip: Going on a tour is a great way to see the coastline and the many nearby Islands in one outing. If you are looking for your own private beach or Island to chill at or to do some snorkelling on then rent a boat and get the driver to find you one. You can book a kayak trip to see some Islands and mangroves with a little snorkelling thrown in or you can rent one from the beach and go explore on your own. Renting a boat for a sunset cruise is ideal. There are also night excursions to see the fireflies.

Spas: With the new luxury resorts popping up, there is a wealth of spas on the Island. From massage on the beach to swanky long term health programs; everything can be found here.

Bird Watching: Koh Chang is ideally suited to this rapidly growing activity. With the Island's pristine interior, habitats have not been touched and one can get some great photos. Many tours and treks are available.

Chao Po Koh Chang Shrine: Located in the northwestern part of the Island on the road between the western beaches and Ao Sapparos is this Shrine dedicated to the deity that has, for generations, protected the people of Koh Chang.

Mu Koh Chang National Park: Most of Koh Chang and over 45 nearby Islands make up the park. The Koh Chang part of the park is loaded with some really neat waterfalls. Namtok Than Mayom, near the town Ban Dan Mai on the east coast, can be reached by a 50 minute hike. There are a few falls here that have attracted many members of the Royal family over the years which can be seen by the Royal inscriptions. Namtok Klong Phlu is a 3 tiered waterfall, also visited by Royalty which can be reached by an hour hike from Hat Klong Prao. There is a 6 km long nature trail through the Island's interior that connects the 2 areas. There are also many other hiking trails throughout the Island that range from short and simple to long and gruelling. You should consider a guide for the long ones unless you are experienced in jungle trekking. The park headquarters at Than Mayom has a restaurant and visitors centre. Accommodations are available at several spots within the park. Phone +66 2562 0760 to reserve.

Fishing: Charter a boat and head out into the Gulf and try to catch some large fighters. Trips can be booked everywhere.

Nearby Islands: There are over 50 Islands within reach of Koh Chang. Koh Phrao Nok is a small island with a surplus of sand in Ao Salak Phet that has only one resort but no bungalows. Koh Rung is too small for resorts and is mainly used to collect bird nests for soup. Koh Ngam has twin lagoons that are great for swimming and snorkelling. There is one resort here and little else but sand, sea, palms and a hammock. Koh Mai See Yai and Koh Mai See Lek are good places to go with a rented boat. You can kick back on their nice beaches or check out the nearby a pearl farm. South of Koh Chang you will find Koh Kut, the farthest island from the mainland and the second biggest in the area. There are a bunch of resorts, great beaches, a good waterfall and some fishing villages scattered across the Island. It is better visited for a few days rather than on a day trip. Koh Mak is between Koh Chang and Koh Kut and is filled with coconut and rubber plantations, long sandy beaches and a few resorts. Day trips from Koh Chang are plentiful and usually include snorkelling and lunch. Ferry service to Koh Mak and Koh Kut is from Bang Bao in the south of Koh Chang.