Koh Chang – Thailand – Asia
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Koh Chang – White Sands – Chai Chet – Klong Phrao – Kai Bae – Lonely Beach – Bang Bao – East Coast – Links, Reviews & Hotels
Koh Chang belongs to the Trad province and has about 5000 habitats. I´m one of tease lucky ones, since four years i living here on the island in the northern Gulf of Thailand. It´s the fastest growing tourist and backpacker area in Thailand. Every year from October to February the tourists and traveler come from all around the world here to our island. The most are Europeans like Swedish, dutch, France and Germans but the Russians coming more and more like everywhere in world. My First time on Ko Chang was in 2006 and it was love on the first view! I enjoy here the easy island life and while high season i work as a Divemaster. The area around Koh Chang belongs to the “Mu Koh Chang National park” and is perfect for scuba diving. That means the reefs and the jungle should be protected by law, should be… But still we have here one of the most intact jungle in southeast Asia. And compared to other regions the underwater world and the reefs are in a acceptable situation. Another nice destination is the Wat Klong Prao Temple on the west coast of Chan Island in Thailand.
Jungle "Pool" on Tham Mayom Waterfall
The options what to do on Koh Chang (elephant island) are nearly endless. I can give you just a cut of the attraction’s what we have here. The main attractions on Koh Chang are: scuba diving, round flights, tree top adventure (challenges in the jungle), jungle trekking, snorkeling and of course elephant riding. I recommend the “Ban Kwan Chang” elephant camp because the owner give the money to projects in north Thailand where they bring elephants back in the wild jungle.
Elefant at Ban Kwan Chang
Jet ski and stuff like this they don´t have and they don´t want to have! Here you can still relax on the beach. For the girls: nobody want to see you in a string or without a bikini top!!! It´s too bad that i have to write but allot people don´t respect that part of Thai culture. If you want to lie half nude on the sands, go to Pattaya or to Phuket and not to Ko Chang!! As swell we have some waterfalls but actually in high season they don´t have that much water, it´s better to visit them during the rain time from April to September. The most travelers going to the “Nam tok Klong Plu” or to the “Nam tok than mayom” witch is my favorite. If you go there don´t forget swimsuit if you want to swim in a natural pool in front of the waterfalls.
Every time when i come with the taxi from the ferry the half of the people even don´t know witch beach on Koh Chang they want to stay, so i hope i can give some options where to stay.
Fishermans house at Klong Son
Where to stay on Koh Chang is a difficult question, anytime people ask me this question. My answer is always: what do you accept from your holidays? The possibilities reach from 100 baht for a windy beach hut with atmosphere to 20000 Thai baht per night for a first class luxury apartment.
Chinese style temple at Klong Son
If you come from the ferry and catch a taxi the first village is Klong Son, here are some hotels, resorts and restaurants but Klong Son haven´t that much tourists than other beaches. The follow list shows just the most visited beaches of Koh Chang, for more information visit this homepage.
White Sand Beach (Had Sai Khao)
White Sand Beach is the most popular beach on the Island. The beach is nearly white and you can relax on the sands or cool down in the warm Gulf of Thailand. Here You can find everything what you need during your holidays. On the main road there are many luxury hotels, boutique resorts, restaurants, tour booking offices, bars and souvenir shops. The most hotels here at white sands are family resorts with air condition and swimming pool. My recommendations are KC Grande, Alina Resort and Tantawan Bungalows witch is direct on the beach next to Tapas Bar with a good atmosphere. The restaurants serve farang and Thai food, in the evening there is sometimes live music.
White Sand Beach
The best location for live music is Oodies place in the north of the beach near cookies resort. Another option is Sabay Bar Disco witch open at 9pm till late in the night. Here you can dancing, make party or meet people. You can sit on the beach and smoke a Indian shisha with fruit tobacco. In south of Had sai kao there is a bar complex with many “girlie bars”. The people from Chang island call it “little Pattaya”. You can flirt with Bar girls, play free pool or just drink some Chang beers. Couples are welcome. White sand beach is the right choice for young people who will go out in the evening. Many families prefer had sai khao because of the good offer on high class hotels and restaurants from all around the world. Here on white sands you can find the biggest steak of Koh Chang, with one point two kilos “buffalo bill steak house” offer the biggest meat loaf here on the island. If you eat everything you get a free t-shirt from the Swedish owned steak house. Many Scandinavian people go here to buy Swedish salted candies. The most travelers on white sands come from Scandinavian and west Europe. This is the busiest beach on the elephant island, but some people like to have entertainment at holidays, for this traveler is Had Sai Kao the right option.
Chai Chet is between white sands beach and Klong Prao. Here you find some hotels on a quiet beach and fire shows at the beach bars and restaurants in the evening. The small center have everything what you need, a good choice of Thai and international restaurants, Thai massage shops, Internet Cafes, supermarket and some cocktail bars at the Koh Chang Plaza. The beach look with the many coconut palms like what you expect from a tropical beach in Thailand. From Chai Chet cape you have a nice place to watch the colorful sunset on the horizon of the Gulf of Siam at the Cape. Chai Chet is a good option for people who like it quiet but don´t want to miss the luxury and food from home. Here are many families, couples and honeymoon tourists.
Here i´m living, for me the beautifulest village on Koh Chang because of the quiet tropical beach with coconut trees and the good choice of bungalows and hotels. On Klong Prao Beach you can find from windy beach huts till 5star resorts everything what you like. The only think is that there is not a real center but with a scooter witch you can rent nearly everywhere or with a taxi its 5 minutes to Kai Bae or 10 minutes to Chai Chet. Here i was living 1.5 years direct on the beach at Thale Bungalows.
Party at Thale Bungalow
This was really the paradise on earth. The small Beach Huts was handmade from bamboo and a good choice for backpackers and people who like adventure. At Thale Restaurant they served good Thai food for a good price. At least two time per week here you found live music on a perfect beach. The question where to stay on Koh Chang don´t was any question for me when i saw Thalé Bungalows! But now the contract of the rented land is expired and Siri the owner have now new bungalows named Stone Free Bungalows at Pai in north Thailand. But still you can find some nice and easy bungalows on the beach, Tiger Hut is one of these. My restaurant recommendation’s are Yummy Hut, Nids kitchen on the main road and Baracuda Restaurant direct on the beach with a good view for the sunset.
Sunset from Klong Prao Beach
Both serve Sea- and Thai food, the prices are cheap for that what you get and the Thai owners are friendly and will invite you with a smile. Big Elk steak house on the road offer a good mix of Thai and Farang food and nice cheap wood bungalows with a swimming pool for a fair price. Here you can come in the evening for good food, good friends and good atmosphere. Every 1st and 15st here at big elk you have the “Chang Spirit Party”, enjoy by a Chang beer the rhythms of reggae, blues and rock n roll. The Chang Spirit Foundation helps to protect the nature on Koh Chang and bring Thai locals and foreigners closer together. Join this party and support this foundation to keep the nature on Ko Chang. Klong Prao Beach is for everybody who like it quiet and relax in holidays. Here you can lie on the beach or inside a hang mock to read a book or watch the beautiful sunset of Thailand‘s third biggest island!
Colorful sunset at Klong Prao
The village Kai Bae is a good option for couples, families and people who stay longtime over winter. Scuba diving schools, Internet Cafes, restaurants, supermarkets and souvenir shops are just some of the bright offer that Kai Bae have. Don´t miss a Thai massage at north Kai Bae near the KB Clinic at “Smai Burapa Beauty and Massage”. The possibilities to stay are endless, It starts with small beach huts like “Siam Cottage” go over the Sea Breeze rooms with comfort and style and ends with first class hotels like “The Chill”. In a suit with sea view at The Chill you can spent comfortable Thailand honeymoons or deluxe beach holidays. Hotels and Resorts are widespread on this honeymoon and vacation village. There are some bungalows who offer special prices for long stay tourists like the “Kai Bae Beach Resort” direct on white sand for around 5000 Baht per month. Many good Restaurants like “Sawadee Seafood” offer Thai food. There are as well allot of international restaurants like “O2″, “Jungle View” or “Oodies brothers” witch offer meals in European and western style. Oodies is famous for live music, every evening you can listen to Rock, Blues and Love Songs. The street invite for walking or shopping in the evening. Kai Bae Beach is much more quiet than White Sands but here are nearly the same kind of shops instead of the discos and the Nightlife on Koh Chang in Thailand. “Kai Bae Hut Speedboats” bring tourists for small money to a lonely island named “Koh Yuak” for snorkeling and relaxing. Direct after the 7eleven at the south end you can walk up a way to the jungle and a small but nice waterfall. Drink the best fresh coffee on Koh Chang at “Mochacchino” with a crispy salami baguette from “Papa” bakery and see how easy the life can be in this sleepy and familiar tourist village.
Lonely Beach (Had Tha Nam)
This beach is´t lonely anymore but still it´s number one of many backpackers. Nearly all travelers come to Lonely Beach because of the cheap huts and the bucked party’s at “Treehouse“, Joy Cottage, Stone Free Bar or Ting Tong Bar. In the center are many options to go out and rest. To meet people from all over the world is easy. Compared to other villages the resorts are rare, there are some but the backpacker huts, bungalows and guest houses dominate the city. The atmosphere of this village remember a bit of the 60s.
Lonely Beach near Nature Beach Resort
The most visited Bars at nighttime are “Treehouse” and “Nature Beach Resort”. At Treehouse you can sit direct over the water and drink some beers, meet open minted people or just read a book in your hang mock. At Ting Tong Bar (crazy bar) playing some solo artists live music till late in night. But my absolute favorite for live music and go in the evening to meet open minded people is the Stone Free Bar. Here at lonely beach you will forget the time! Feel a touch of the late 60´s at the Woodstock of Koh Chang.
Bang Bao Fisherman village
Pier at Bang Bao
Bang Bao is a small fisherman village build on a pier over the Gulf of Thailand. From while to while we go here to relax and to run away from the all day turn. If we have a day off we stay many times over night at the “Bang Bao Sea Hut” Hotel which is in the end of the pier. The Nirvana Resort is another top accommodation in Bang Bao on Kochang. The pier at Bang Bao is the biggest on Koh Chang. Many tour operators like snorkeling boats, scuba diving schools and of course fisher boats go out every morning from here to the sea.
Fisherboats at Bang Bao harbor
Many locals earn they money with fishing but like everywhere here the tourist boom come more and more. There are many Guest Houses, Hotels, Restaurants and Souvenir Shops on the walking pier witch invite for a day trip to Bang Bao for shopping and sightseeing. I recommend the “Bang Bao Sea Hut” hotel witch is direct on the pier. They serve the breakfast direct on the balkony with view of the harbor. In the evening You have a nice view of the sunset between two hills, beautiful. The Sea Hut charge at this moment about 1500 Thai Baht for a bungalow with TV, hot shower, fridge and air condition direct on the sea. For budget travelers i can recommended the “Cliff cottage” huts because of the nice view and the warm atmosphere. This small bamboo huts are build on a hill with view over Bang Bao village. They have a sunset terass on the water where you can relax and drink some Chang Beers in the evening.
Sunset from Bang Bao pier
The beach of Bang Bao is one of the nicest of Koh Chang. After 5m walk in the warm Gulf its already deep enough for swimming. The beach is still quiet and you get that what you expect from a tropical beach: white sand, blue water, coconut palms and beverage like cocktails or fresh fruit shakes are served from the cosy The End Beach Restaurant.
We always enjoy to go to Bang Bao because the pier is always busy, but still you have options to relax in the resorts and hotels or take a brake in one of the widespread seafood restaurants on the pier. In the morning you can watch the wife’s of the fisherman’s how they clean and sell fish and all kind of fresh seafood from the Gulf of Thailand.
The east coast is quiet and possibilities to stay are rare. The most popular beach on this part of the Island is Long Beach, this beach isn´t actually long but very beautiful. Here located is the “Treehouse Longbeach” witch offer easy beach huts for backpackers and a small restaurant for day visitors. Everyday there is a taxi from “Treehouse Lonely Beach” to this beautiful spot and accommodation on Kao Chang.
Long Beach Koh Chang
The coast is better to explore with a scooter because public taxis are really rare and you must be lucky to catch one. If you do a day trip don´t miss the “nam tok than mayom” waterfall in the middle of Koh Chan Island. Near the center point ferry pier there is “Funky Hut” hotel witch is my favorite on the east side. The view over the sea to the mainland is fantastic, a perfect destination for honeymoon because of the distance to the civilization. At Funky Hut Restaurant they serve all kind of food and fresh fruit shakes.
Fell like in paradise and visit Koh Chang for a vacation you will never forget!
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Koh Chang Hotels Booking & Reviews:
Hotel Bookings and Reservations
Koh Chang Hotels – Koh Kood Hotels – Koh Mak Hotels
Trat province Destinations
Koh Kood – Koh Mak – Mairood – Trad
Koh Chang Topics
Koh Chang Accommodation and Hotel Reviews
Aana Resort- Amari Resort – Banpu Hotel – Big Elk – Blue Lagoon – Chai Chet Resort – Chang Buri Resort – Chang Park – Chok Dee Resort – Cliff Beach Resort – Coconut Beach Resort – Cookies Hotel – Coral Resort – Dusit Princess Resort – GajaPuri Resort – Garden Resort – Grand Cabana Resort – Grand Lagoona Resort – Grand View Resort – Joy Cottage – Kacha Resort – KB Resort – KC Grande Resort – Keeree Ele Hotel – Klong Prao Resort – Koh Chang Resort – Koh Chang Sea Hut – KP Huts – Lagoon Resort – Mac Resort – Magic Resort – Mai Pen Rai Guesthouse – New Treehouse – Nirvana Resort – Nisa Cabana Resort – Orchid Resort – Panviman Resort – Paradise Resort – Plaloma Cliff Resort – Remark Cottage – Sang Arun Bungalow – Sanook Sanang Resort – Sea Breeze Bungalows – Sea View Resort – Siam Cottage – Sofia Garden Resort – Tantawan Resort – Thale Bungalows – The Chill Resort – The Dewa Hotel – Tiger Hut – VJ Hotel
Attractions, Activities and Sights
Ban Kwan Chang – BB Divers – Chai Chet Cape – Keeri Phet Waterfall – Klong Plu Waterfall – Koh Yuak – Nang Yom Waterfall – Scenic Area Kai Bae – Smai Burapa Massage – Than Mayom Waterfall – Tree Top Adventure – Klong Prao Temple
Clubs, Bars and Restaurants
Bar del Mar – Buffalo Bill – Cafe de Koh Chang – Mochaccino – Nids Kitchen – Oodies Brothers – Oodies Place – Paddys Palms – Papa Bakery – Sabay Bar – Stone Free – Tapas Bar – The End Beach – Ting Tong Bar – Treehouse – Yes Bar – Yummy Hut
we gone to the taxi stand at Chiang Mai station. Moun and me was staying at the 
