Koh Chang still a paradise or not?
I visit Koh Chang regularly and as far as I'm concerned it's still paradise. And why then? I will explain this in the speech below.
The first time I visited Koh Chang was about 20 years ago. My first impression was, what a beautiful island. It really has everything you expect from a bounty island. Friendly, not expensive, many options and depending on what you are looking for from dirt cheap to luxury resorts.
It is quite a large island for a holiday to spend 1 or 2 weeks or more there. Very accessible for every budget. So what does the island have to offer for the average tourist? A lot. Let's start with the amount of beaches that have not yet been ruined by mass tourism. On Koh Chang you can still find really quiet beaches in many places.
But if you like more fun then White Sand beach is an absolute must, not really very busy yet and the food there on the beach is still very cheap. For an average of 400 baht per person (10 euros) you can get a great barbecue there with a truly fantastic fire show that gets better every year. And what could be better than taking a nice walk on the beach on White Sand beach after dinner.
But it doesn't stop there. For backpackers you have Lonely beach, where many nationalities come together who do not want to spend a lot of money on accommodation. There you can still rent a bungalow for around 400 bath. Very nicely decorated with nice lamps and nice seats with a view of the sea, for very little money. If you eat there it might cost 200 baht per meal (5 euros) in a very relaxed atmosphere.
An absolute must for people who love Seafood is the southern pier Bang Bao. There are many really classy seafood restaurants. I even dare to say that some of those restaurants deserve a Michelin star for the dishes they prepare. You can choose from the aquariums which shrimp or fish you want. So it can't get any fresher. Duration? No absolutely not. Bang Bao is also known for the fantastic snorkeling trips that they offer for about 500 baht per person (about 12,50 euros) including a meal, free use of snorkeling equipment, visiting 4 or 5 islands. Really recommended. Because snorkeling on Koh Chang is not really interesting, you really have to take a boat trip to the surrounding islands, such as Kok Maak Koh Kuud etc.
What else is there to do on the island?
You also have a restaurant Oedies on White Sand Beach. This is a restaurant where very good live bands regularly play. Really recommended. You also have a very good nightclub on White Sand Beach, Sabai bar. Located on the beach and very relaxed with a live band every day with fantastic music.
When I arrive on Koh Chang, the first thing I do is rent a moped for 200 baht a day.
Then you are nice and flexible and you can go where you want. But be careful on Koh Chang, because the roads there are very steep and especially if it has rained, all the oil will float to the surface and it will be very slippery. I have seen many accidents on Koh Chang especially when it has been raining.
Which is also worth making a trip on a moped to the non-touristy part of the island. So back to the pier and then exploit the other side of the island to the south.
There you have fewer beaches, but interesting to do once. You have a beautiful waterfall there and some very good restaurants. You also have a number of very interesting fishing villages there and once you have arrived in the far south, you also have beautiful nature and fantastic snorkeling. The disadvantage is that you have to drive all the way back because there is still no passage to Bang Bao, for example. It is only a 4 km bridging. But although there have been plans for years to realize this, you still have to go all the way back to date.
If you still have doubts about the beauty of Koh Chang. Just do it and find out for yourself.
I can only confirm. I've been to Koh Chang a dozen times and believe me it never gets boring
lovely beaches beautiful nature reserves with waterfalls nice monkeys that provide entertainment for the kids.
Shops with everything for sale at good prices. Even on white sand beach bungalows for 500 bath
For the single men little walkingstreet you can of course also bring your wife everything is possible,
Discotheques shooting ranges it's all there
With its 36 km in length and about 10 kilometers wide, there is something for everyone that you want from a holiday, I am convinced of that
Just a comment on the description of the size of koh 36 km long and 10 km wide, but unlike many other islands of the 10 km width, at most a small km on each side is passable. The roughly 8 km in between is jungle. Compare it with a bicycle wheel. The surface of that wheel is clear, but the tire surface is a fraction of the wheel surface. That does not detract from the valuation. For dot island! Ok have been staying there for years each to several months.!
I personally like Klong Prao beach the most. Is very vast, and very quiet with a few very nice resorts
Ko Chang still a great place to be. Lonely Beach is the best place in my opinion. If you are looking for a nice resort there I can recommend OASES. From cheap to luxury accommodation. The owners Floris and Marieke are super, as is their staff. Good cuisine, Western and Thai dishes at a good price. Even bitterballen, croquettes and many Belgian beers are available. Diving is also great on Ko Chang, good diving schools where you can get your Padi. Transport mopeds and taxis which are fine.
A note, not many restaurants with a Michelin star in THL, and in the least tasty but do not violate the truth.
Furthermore, the prices are anything but low, good for a few days and then you have seen it, does not mean that we regularly return with friends, but no longer than 4 /5 days.
Indeed, Koh Chang is very nice. Stayed on the island of K/C for two weeks last August. We were first on Kai Bae and we liked it very much. It was friendly, not too busy but lively. We were in Kai Bae resort and that was also highly recommended, very nice middle class hotel with a good restaurant by the sea. The main street of Kai Bae is also really nice, many good restaurants, bars, 7-11s, exchange offices, etc. On the beach the elephants are let out every day and they go into the sea, beautiful sight. Later we stayed at the stretch called Klong phrao in Panviman. This was truly a paradise resort with beautiful bungalows and a fantastic restaurant. However, I liked the main street here less than the main street in Kai Bae. There is plenty to do at K/C, trips with a speedboat to other islands or to the waterfall where you can also enjoy a swim. I did find the disadvantage that there are many mosquitoes and gnats (sand fleas?). But you're in the tropics, so it's part of it.
At the pier on Bang Bao Beach there is or was an agency of a Belgian who organized diving and snorkeling tours as well as a small hotel guest house with an adjoining Belgian restaurant. It started with buddha…..etc and looked nice. Ko Chang is a bit more expensive and the exchange rate in exchange offices is lower, but you don't get overcrowded beautiful beaches in return. Found a bar at the end of white sand beach towards the next beach where they had different Belgian beers at a certain price, of course. It is a nice island for a certain number of days.
Still sitting there.
Dive school is called BB Divers, and I got my license there years ago. Without advertising:
it is one of the best and most reliable diving schools on Koh Chang, with highly qualified staff (compared to other schools I have experienced in Thailand).
The Belgian one is called Kristel, by the way, and the bar where you can get various Belgian beers (indeed for a price) is located next to BB Gym in Lonely Beach.
Bar Oedies is called Oodie's Place
top tent, about 15 years ago the only first nightlife bar on White Sand Beach
lovely island,
When the pier in Bang Bao was not there yet,
you could eat fresh seafood directly from a fishing boat with its bbq, really super
pity that everything has become more expensive and the beautiful simple bungalows from Cookie (600bth)
demolished for a Spain resort (2500bth) on the sea
Hansie
concerning the bar where you could drink Belgian beers. This one is not on lonely beach. When you come from the pier you drive on white sand beach flat and at the end there is a slope. Belgian beers are available on this along the left. I think it is over top resort.
Lonely beach has bb tapas, which also has a wide choice of Belgian beers!
That there is still no “passage”, one cannot drive around the island indeed, I would rather call it an advantage than a disadvantage. For example, it remains wonderfully quiet on the "other side" due to the cumbersome accessibility.