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bridge-connected Phuket, with its few meters of waterway, that seperates it from the mainland,
from the list. Koh Chang has a long personal history for me, as I was privileged to witness it
well before the Millennium. Back in my wild years, Koh Chang offered a lot of freedom and it
hardly had any significant developments, other than the fishing village of Kai Bae and the
Resort area of Hat Sai Khao. Hat Sai Kho turned into White Sand Beach by name at a later time
and a narrow asphalt road was replacing an off-road dirt track between the villages. Koh Chang
has changed a bit in the years between then an now, but it surely didn't get overtouristed like
Phuket or Koh Samui. There are now a number of Resorts and Hotels along the ring road, but the
immediate shore area is the only developed stretch of land on the island. Ferries are plentiful,
the one from Ao Thammachad leaving roughly every hour, the Centrepoint Ferry operates at a less
frequent schedule. A crossing is executed in well under one hour and costs 100 Baht one-way or
120 Baht return. Travelers have reported and complained about Centerpoint Ferry not offering
the cheaper return tickets to foreigners, but that is just a cheap scam and can be avoided by
chosing the right ferry. The Ao Thammachad ferry is the one the locals and expats use, I took
their advice and made sure, that we not got taken. Both mainlandside ferryports are in Laem Ngop,
easily accessible from Trat town, a little trickier from Chantaburi. Busses and scheduled
minivans service directly the pier at Ao Thammachad but when you arrive via Trat busterminal,
you'll have touts and scamsters luring you onto the Centerpoint ferry. Keep this in mind and
avoid being ripped-off. Further details on another Centrepoint scam islandside will follow here.
For the full report with more pictures and infos follow the link below:
Koh Chang, Trat – Transport Options & Issues
Text: Frank
Pictures: HINIGUGMA
TEAM SIAMPEDIA
