Perched
at the bottom of the western side of Koh Chang, Bang Bao is
the island's diving mecca and a jumping-off point for other
islands in the area. Tourism has all but replaced fishing
as the village's main industry, but it's still not so busy
as the beaches in the north and Bang Bao retains a laid-back,
breezy feel to it.
Most
of the action is on a long pier stretching out into the same-named
bay. The pier is lined with private houses, shops, restaurants
and guesthouses -- all on stilts; until about half way out.
Beyond that the pier has been extended in recent years to
allow for larger boats to moor safely.
Once
the morning madness has subsided and the dive/snorkel boats
have embarked for the day, Bang Bao can make for a pleasant
place to unwind - the end of the pier sports a cute light
house and stunning views looking back to the island, and the
abundance of Sea Eagles diving for sprats in the shallows
are a photographer's dream.
Time
and an over-abundance of travellers and day-trippers have
resulted in Bang Bao shifting from being a fairly charming
little fishing village into a bit of a tourist trap with overpriced
seafood restaurants and no shortage of trinket shops. Despite
this rising commercialism, Bang Bao remains interesting -
at least for a short visit. There is a photogenic collection
of colourful fishing boats moored at the end of the pier,
both genuine working boats and those for tourists' pleasure.
