Koh Chang Travel Guide

 

Koh Chang is the second largest island of Thailand, located on the Thai east coast 310 km away from Bangkok near the border to Cambodia in the Gulf of Thailand. The name means Elephant Island. Koh Chang was named for the elephant shape of its headland, although elephants are not indigenous to the island. At present, there are 8 villages in total. It is a mountainous island and Khao Salak Phet is the highest peak of all at 744 metres. Visitors are also met with several waterfalls, splendid reefs and rainforests. The island has an area of approximately 217 square kilometers. Koh Chang was previously an unsettled island but it is now important as a harbour for ships to escape from the monsoon, and dietary or fresh water resources, especially at Ao Salak Phet or Ao Salat which is well known to pirates, Hai Lam Chinese and Vietnamese.

The island is part of the Mu Koh Chang Marine National Park. During World War II, when Thailand was occupied by the Japanese, Koh Chang was the scene of a naval battle between the reluctant Royal Thai Navy and a Vichy France squadron, in which the Thais were decisively beaten.

Until the mid-1980s the infrastructure on the island was undeveloped, but tourism has increased significantly since then. Around the year 2000, malaria was eradicated, the area became a national park. The island now receives 655,000 visitors annually, about two thirds of them Thai. Koh Chang is one of the few places with virgin forest, but the mad rush to cash in on tourism has had a heavy toll on its virgin forests. Land prices have skyrocketed, there are also beautiful if not high end resorts now popping up all over the island.

Attractions

 

Klong Plu: The most popular, and the only one on the west side of the island. Namtok Khlong Phlu is a large and most breathtaking waterfall on Ko Chang with water cascading down 3 tiers of the cliff to a basin, with an entrance located 3 km. from Ao Khlong Phrao.

 

Klong Nonsi- On the east side of the island

Klong Nueng - said to be the most breathtaking

Khiri Petch - medium sized, about 3 kilometers from Salak Petch village

Kongoi - 5 waterfalls near Bangbao The Thanmayom - near Thanmayom pier

 

Ban Salak Phet: The largest and oldest community on Ko Chang located in the southern part. The villagers’ main occupation is coastal fishery in an advantageous area sheltered from winds and storms by islands and mountains. There is an old temple in front of the village known as Wat Salak Phet built in the reign of King Rama V on his royal visit to the island. Ao Salak Phet is the largest bay on the island.

 

Bang Bao Fishery Village at Bang Bao Beach: A village of houses on stilts built into the sea with bridges connecting them together. The villagers still live a simple way of life earning their living from coastal fishery. In the vicinity there is an abundance of cuttlefish and corals.

 

Ao Bai Lan: Located next to Hat Kai Bae and accessible by a pathway across the mountain has a scenic view of mountains along the way.

 

Hat Kai Bae: A sloping and long stretch of beach connecting with Hat Khlong Phrao, suitable for swimming.

 

Hat Khlong Phrao- Laem Chaiyachet: A long stretch of sloping beach connecting with Hat Kai Bae where swimming is possible. The northernmost end of Ao Khlong Phrao connects with Laem Chaiyachet with a scenic rocky cape but swimming is not possible. Laem Chaichet nestling between White Sand and Klong Prao beaches is a popular place to see the sunset and admire Klong Prao’s natural surroundings. Activities to do here include: snorkeling, kayaking and fishing.

 

White Sand Beach: Is one of the island’s longest beaches that attracts a lot of visitors. At the back or the beach are orchards of coconut trees and forests.

 

Things to do

 

Hiking: Hiking on Ko Chang is popular due to the natural pristine surroundings including waterfalls, especially the routes Klong Son to Kai Bae and Kai Bae to Bang Bao.

 

Elephant Trekking: Elephant Trekking is possible at the Ban Kwan Chang Elephant Camp at Klong Son, it is supported by the Asian Elephant Foundation to provide a natural environment for elephants and their mahouts.

 

Canoeing: Canoeing through the mangrove forests is most popular.

 

Diving & Snorkeling: The area may not have the best diving site in Thailand but it is still worth it. There are quite a lot of courses around of various different skills. For e.g.: Hin Kuak Maa, Hin Luk Bath, Hin Rap South, Hin Run Tek, Ship Wreck. Snorkeling in and around Koh Chang is great, don't forget to take a little bit of bread or rice with you on the trip. When you go into the water the fish will eat it out of your hands. Although there is better places in Thailand to snorkel, Koh Chang is still good.

Spa: Ko Chang has plenty of spas comprising of various forms of massage, aromatherapy, herbal scrub, and reflexology. Spa service is found at many of the top resorts and hotels.

 

 

Getting to Koh Chang

 

By plane

 

Bangkok Airways flies three times a day from Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport to Trat. The flights takes about 1 hour.

Direct door-to-door minibus transfers from Trat airport to Ko Chang resorts cost about 500 baht/person one way and 1000 baht/person return including the ferry crossing.

From Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport, take the free express shuttle bus from outside the arrivals concourse to the airport's own bus terminal, and from there the next available bus to either Trat or Chanthaburi, then proceed as described below.

 

By bus

 

From Bangkok the easiest, most direct, and most economical way to get to Laem Ngop (where the Ko Chang ferry piers are) is to take a 1st class bus from the Eastern (Ekamai) Bus Terminal direct to the Centrepoint pier. The fare is 268 baht and takes just over five hours. Departures from Ekamai are at 07:45 & 09:45, and return at 14:00 and 16:00.

Alternatively, there are 1st class (approx. 5 hours, around 250 baht) and 2nd class services from both the Eastern Bus Terminal (Ekamai) and Northern Bus Terminal (Moh Chit) direct to Trat, and frequent songthaew services from Trat to Laem Ngop (approx. 30 minutes, 50 baht/person). Departures from Ekamai are more frequent than from Moh Chit. If coming by bus from the south, the #511 air-con bus can be used to connect directly between Bangkok's Southern (Sai Tai Mai) and Eastern (Ekamai) bus terminals.

Connection in Trat can also be used if coming from Pattaya (2nd class bus, 4 hours, around 200 baht).

There are direct minibus services to Laem Ngop from Pattaya, Ban Phe (gateway to Ko Samet), and Bangkok's Khao San Road. They, however, are less comfortable and spacious than public buses, and you may be charged significantly more by travel agencies selling tickets to these, as often with any tourist-oriented transportation in Thailand.

It may also be possible to proceed directly to Laem Ngop by minibus or songthaew from the Hat Lek / Koh Kong border crossing with southern Cambodia, depending on the time of year, time of day, etc - enquire locally. Price around 120 baht (one way) from the border to Trat bus stationBy boat

 

By boat

 

Most ferries operate from Laem Ngop, which has three piers . The Laem Ngop (Tha Khrom Luang or Tha Laern Ngop) pier is approximately 700 metres west of Laem Ngop. The 'Centrepoint' (Tha Centre Point) pier is located about 3.5 km north-west of Laem Ngop. These piers serve both vehicle and passenger ferries.

Koh Chang vehicle ferry pier is located in Thammachat Bay (Ao Thammachat), around 15 km west of Laem Ngop.

All piers on Ko Chang are situated on the eastern side of the island. The major piers are the two Dan Kao piers, Tha Dan Kao and Tha Ferry Dan Kao, who handles most of the traffic. To take a boat from Laem Ngop to the Dan Kao piers take around 45 minutes. The car ferry from Laem Ngop take around 1 hour and arrives at the Tha Ferry Dan Kao pier, situated 400 minutes southeast of the Tha Dan Kao pier. The car ferry from Thaachat Bay stops at the Ko Chang Ferry Pier (Tha Ferry Ko Chang) in the Sapparot Bay (Ao Sapparot), 3 kilometres northwest fom the Dan Kao piers.

Light meals, fruit, fruits and beverages are available at all the piers and on the car ferries.

 

By taxi

 

From Bangkok or Suvarnabhumi international airport the ride takes a total of about 5-5.5 hours by Limousine or Taxi. Most Taxi's will decline this ride as the risk of empty return is too high for them. Most (airport) limousines will deliver you at the hotel or resort on Koh Chang, especially if they can make it back to the mainland before the last ferry sails.