Had Sai Khao | White Sand Beach

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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