Thailand Musings » Koh Chang

Getting to Koh Chang | Koh Chang Island

Steve — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 17:29:45 +0000

Phuket is the largest and most well known of Thailand’s islands, but on the other side of Thailand in the Gulf of Thailand lies the second largest and less well known island of Koh Chang.

Koh Chang lies just off Trat in eastern Thailand and close to the Cambodian border. It is part of a range of 52 islands that are off the coast of Trat, like a string of sparkling jewels. The island is 30km long and 14km wide, but most of the resorts are along the west side of the island and getting around is quite simple. Koh Chang has a much more intimate feel than Phuket in my opinion.

Reaching Koh Chang is quite easy from Bangkok. I would recommend taking the bus, it is comfortable and cheap and doesn’t take too long at all. You can get the bus almost every hour from 6:00am until midnight at the Ekamai Bus Terminal which is located at the Ekamai section of Sukhumvit Road which is easily accessible by the BTS Skytrain.

Round trip tickets cost 456 baht (US $13) and one way tickets are 241 baht (US $7) on first class air conditioned busses. The trip takes about 5 hours and the busses are definitely comfortable enough to sleep on.

Once you arrive at Trat you’ll have to take a shared taxi from the bus station because it is located about 1km outside town. The cost is just 40 baht to the pier. Please note that after 5:00pm you may need to rent a private taxi which will cost you 300 baht so it is in your interests to arrive early.

Ferries depart from the pier about every hour during the high season (Nov – Apr) from 6:00am until 7:00pm. The ferry costs just 50 baht per person and takes around 30 minutes. Once you land on Koh Chang you will be able to get a songthaew to anywhere on the island. Please note that when returning from Koh Chang there are no Songthaew available to Trat after 6:00pm and you could get stranded at the pier. Make your plans accordingly.

You can find very detailed information at Koh-Chang.com

The atmosphere on Koh Chang is very relaxed and laid back and both Golf and I like it a lot. I’ll be posting photos from our last trip there later as well as more detailed information about places we’ve stayed, eaten and partied.

Is there anyone else out there that has been to Koh Chang and has something to share with us? I would love to hear your stories.

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Merry Christmas from Remark Cottage – Koh Chang

Steve — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 13:18:21 +0000

It is often said that the level of customer service at Thailand’s hotels is sub-par compared to the rest of the world. Well, judging by the email I got yesterday it seems that some hotels are out to change that perception.

I received the above email from Remark Cottage even though the last time Golf and I stayed there was April 2006, over 1 1/2 years ago. I can assure you that I did not receive any Christmas cards or emails from any of the other hotels I have stayed at over the past 2 years, Thai, European or American. Here’s a small bit I wrote in October about Remark Cottage – I should really do a whole post reviewing the resort.

What a wonderful personal touch from a small boutique resort. It’s now virtually guaranteed that not only will Remark Cottage stay in my mind, but will be my first choice for a hotel next time I go to Koh Chang.

Kudo’s to Remark Cottage!

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Had Sai Khao | White Sand Beach

Steve — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 14:02:09 +0000

Just 5 days until we fly off to the warmth and smiles of Thailand and I’m in that “don’t want to do anything” frame of mind. I’m ready to go NOW and keeping my mind focused is a huge chore. Since my mind is off on the beaches of Thailand I thought I might as well write about them so today it’s time to learn a bit more about Koh Chang’s beaches.

As I wrote before in the post Beaches of Koh Chang there are seven major beaches on the island. The largest, most well known and busiest of these is Had Sai Khao or White Sand Beach. It is the commercial center of Koh Chang and there are many restaurants, beach bars, hotels and bungalows here. Really something for everyone from the more upscale Chang Buri Resort and Spa (formerly Koh Chang Hillside Hotel) to the budget conscious Alina Resort or Baan San Sabay Resort. If you’re on a budget, rooms can be had for as little as $15 a night in the off season if you don’t mind forgoing luxuries like air conditioning.

Had Sai Khao is a long and gently sloping beach. An easy stroll will take 20-30 minutes to go end to end on the beach and during high tide it is very wide as well. Many activities can be found on the beach from football to frisbee or volleyball. People bring their dogs to play in the water as well and Golf and I find this quite fun to watch. And if you get thirsty in the heat there is an assortment of beachside bars to stop at for a quick, or lingering, drink.

The water close to the beach is quite gentle, but beware as you go out deeper that the current can be quite strong and there are no lifeguards at Had Sai Khao.

As the sun sets the beach becomes transformed as tables are set out on the beach, candles and lanterns are lit and a relaxed party atmosphere descends. You’ll find a multitude of beach side restaurants all with tables set up in the sand and great food, especially the seafood. Having dinner on the beach while you watch the sun set into the Gulf of Thailand is truly amazing.

You’ll find that Had Sai Khao can be just as crowded at night as during the day. As the night goes on there are two bars that have fire dancers which are very entertaining to watch, even if you’ve seen them before. Several bars will also have live bands playing and during the full moon the Sabay Bar will bring the band and the party out to the beach itself.

If you’re looking for quiet and serenity then Had Sai Khao is not for you. If however, you want to party and have a good time this is the beach to hang out at. And thanks to the small size of Koh Chang you can actually have both if you want. Simply stay at the northern end of Had Sai Khao, Remark Cottage and Baan San Sabay are both good choices, and travel 5 minutes by motorcycle to Had Sai Khao.

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Beaches of Koh Chang

Steve — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 15:03:35 +0000

Now that you know how to get to Koh Chang let’s talk a little about what to do once you’re there. Obviously sand and surf and partying are on the menu, but where should you stay? Koh Chang has a fair number of resorts and hotels to meet any budget, so let’s start looking closer at Koh Chang.

Koh Chang is the second largest island in Thailand after Phuket. It is part of a chain of 52 islands off the coast of Thailand near Trat and in the Gulf of Thailand. Almost all of the development on Koh Chang is on the west coast which is more sheltered and has clearer water as well, making it better for swimming, snorkeling and the like. The east coast remains the same as it has been for decades so if you want to really get away take a look at the few hotels and resorts on the east coast such as the Funky Hut and Than Mayom Resort in the north, The Spa Koh Chang Resort in the center and Tan Ta Wan Bungalow or Haad Sai Yao Resort at the far southern tip of the island.

Otherwise you’ll be staying at one of the many hotels and resorts on the west coast which includes the following 7 major beaches:

Klong Son
Hat Sai Khao (White Sand Beach)
Klong Prao
Kai Bae
Bai Lan
Tha Nam (Lonely Beach)
Bang Bao

Each has pluses and minuses, but the really nice thing is they are so close together that it won’t take more than 10-15 minutes to travel from one to the other if you choose. For example, Golf and I will stay at Remark Cottage which is just south of Hat Sai Khao and it takes just 5 minutes to get there if we want the activity and party atmosphere or we can head south to Klong Prao which is MUCH quieter. Many days we see less than a dozen people on the whole beach which stretches several hundred yards.

Remark is very nice, especially for lovers. Nice rooms and great service, but you’ll want to go somewhere else for the beach and also for food. The beach at Remark Cottage is stones and no fun at all, although they will provide you with snorkeling gear for free and the reef off the beach at Remark is small, but nice. I saw clown fish, angelfish, eels and lots of the brain type coral. The food at Remark Cottage is average at best, you can do much better elsewhere. Overall it is very quiet and private, the staff is quite accommodating and the atmosphere romantic, especially at dusk.

I’ll be writing more about the various beaches and what to expect from each in later posts. In the meantime if you have any experience with Koh Chang and any of the hotels or restaurants there I’d love to hear about them, so please leave a comment.

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