Koh Chang Information

The Shrine of Jao Po Koh Chang
Leading up a steep road on the west coast to Ao Sapparos, not too far from the pier, you will see the shrine of Chao Po and Chao Mae Koh Chang on the right.

This is a highly revered shrine especially for local people. Chao Po Koh Chang (literally the Deity of Koh Chang) has guarded people on Koh Chang (Koh Chang), nearby islands and the mainland of Trat for generations. Fishermen struck by monsoon or lost their directions in the sea put their faith on Chao Po Koh Chang. Legend has it that many prayers have been answered, and the locals have been praying to Chao Po Koh Chang concerning various hardships, from low yield harvests to sickness or other miseries.

Koh Kood
Situated 80 kms southeast of the provincial capital of Trat, Koh Kohod is the farthest island from the mainland. It is also the easternmost island of Thailand bordering Kampuchea. With an area of 129 sq. kms Koh Kohod is the second largest island of the Koh Chang Marine National Park and fourth largest in Thailand, after Koh Samui. It is supported by essential infrastructure, which include a hospital, schools, police station, electricity (mainly for state-run facilities), water and telephone system. Fuel and solar energy are, the main sources of electricity here. Most resorts generate their own electricity.

Koh Rang
To the west of Koh Mak is a group of 12 islands known as the Moo Koh Rang. Of these, Koh Rang Yai is the largest. It is covered with tropical virgin rainforests and boast of the longest and most beautiful beach in the area, the Had San Chao or San Chao Beach, where the sand is powdery white and water crystal clear. Divers can enjoy its scenic underwater beauty up to 25 meters deep. Koh Rang Yai has a hilly terrain. Its only low-lying area are at the shores. Koh Rung is a small island at the west of Koh Maak. The isle has not enough flat area suitable for the setting up of any resort and bungalow. Koh Rung is place of concessions of bird nests, Charmed eggs and bat's dung. Stone knolls and deep-water coral under the sea of Koh Rung are very magnificent.

Koh Mak
Lying between Koh Chang and Koh Kohod, about 40 km from the mainland is a group of 9 islands called the Moo Koh Mak (Moo Koh Maak). Only 4 of these islands, including Koh Maak, Koh Kradard, Koh Kham and Koh Rayang Nok are occupied. Koh Mak, with an area of only 16 sq km and a 27 km coastline, is the third largest island of the Marine Park. It has a flat terrain with plenty of coconut and rubber plantations. The main attractions are the long beaches and clear seawaters. There are only a few hundred people living here, most of them related.

Just 1 km northwest of Koh Mak is Koh Kham, a small island with clear seawater, coral reefs and coconut-fringed sandy beaches that are excellent for swimming, snorkelling, fishing and angling for squids. The island is almost within swimming distance from Koh Maak's Ao Suan Yai beach. Aged lava exists on the island which means a volcano existed in prehistoric times. Big boulders believed to be volcano rocks are seen on its pristine beaches. During low tide a sand dune practically links the island to Koh Mak (Koh Maak)...read more »

Naval Battle Area is in the south of Koh Chang close to Salak Petch Bay. The zone is where the battle between Thai and French naval troops fought over the east border conflict on January 17, 1941.

Tan Mayom Waterfall is the three stories fall of medium size. The footpath up to the site, situated 500 meters from durian orchard, is near the office of the national park. King Rama V and VI once visited the place and singed their royal names on the highest cliff of the cascade.

Than Mayom Beach is a nice beach near the Than Mayom Waterfall which this waterfall is the most beautiful of Koh Chang. The waterfall there are the fresh water all the year and good place for swimming. This beach is good place for the travelers like the nice beach and nature life of waterfall.

Klong Nonsi Waterfall is a little fall in the northeast zone of the island. The side- walk to the area lies 3 Km. from Baan Daan Mai or 3 Km. from the national park office.

Koh Chang Noi and Leam Chang Noi lie in the north of Koh Chang. The sea between Koh Chang Noi and Laem Chang Noi is abundant with corals.

Klong Son Community is set up in the area. Klong Plu Waterfall has three stories. The entrance is 3 Km. from Ao Klong Phrao Community. It will take about 20 minutes from the entrance to the site by walking.

Klong Son Bay which is rich with coral lines is in the northernmost of the west coast. Klong Son Community is set up in the area.

Set at the northern tip of Koh Chang, Khlong Son gets very low numbers of visitors with the bulk of the backpackers and tourists alike speeding south enroute to Koh Chang's finer and more popular stretches of sand.

At a glance it is fairly easy to understand why that is the case as the beach here, particularly at low tide when it runs out to mud flats, is not much chop at all. It is isolated, and as long as you stay above the mud, it is pleasant enough for a late afternoon stroll, but that is about where the attraction ends.

There is also a fishing village at Khlong Son where you may be able to arrange a homestay should you be interested.

Situated northwest of Koh Chang, this is the first beach as you disembark and head west of the island. It is approximately 1.5 kilometres wide, at the southern part scarcely 2 kilometres long and at the northern section easily 3 kilometres. Had Klong Son is a wide beach with plenty of coconut trees. Two small islands are located at each end of Khlong Son Bay - Koh Chang Noi in the northwest and Koh Mapring in the southwest. This is popular with the fishermen as a port, since it is quite well protected against the violent winds during monsoon. The Premwadi Resort has a pier suitable for fishing and a powdery beach safe for swimming.

Salakphet Bay
With hardly any sandy beaches and a more erratic transport system, the eastern coast of the island is visited by far fewer foreign travellers than the western coast. Most of the places to stay are in the south-east, in the villages of Salakphet, Jek Bae and the newly established Long Beach. The largest village, Salakphet, does not receive so many visitors and so it is less developed and commercialised than Bang Bao. Life for the welcoming locals revolves around fishing, eating and getting away with as little other work as possible. The town is quite spread out over flat terrain, ringed with mountains, and the bay on one side. Perfect for getting about on motorbike.

It is situated on the south of island around Ao Salak Petch (Salak Petch Bay) which is the largest bay on Koh Chang. Salak Phet measures 3 kilometres in length and is between 1.5 and 2.5 kilometres wide. The villagers are mostly fishermen. Ao Salak Petch is an ideal shelter for fishing boats. There are many piers that serve fishing boats as well as boats to neighbouring islands and Laem Ngob. Beautifully, the islands Koh Mapring, Koh Phrao Nai and Koh Phrao Nok are situated in the mountain-surrounded bay. 3 villages, Baan Rong Than, Baan Salak Phet and Baan Chek Bae, find protection in the bay. They are built mostly on stakes into the sea and are inhabited by fishermen, rubber- and coconut-farmers.

Salak Khok
Any exploration of the area wouldn't be complete without a visit to Salak Khok. A pint-sized fishing village that screams authenticity, houses are built along a series of boardwalks that snake around the canals of a mangrove forest. Red and aqua-painted fishing boats line the boardwalks and you stroll around gives the feeling that you've really discovered something special and unique. It's an incredibly pretty, unspoiled area.

A new business in Salak Khok has just started to rent out kayaks that you can use to go exploring in the mangrove forest. It's 100B for an hour's paddle or 200B if you want a guide along. The business also has a few traditional Thai row-boats in which you can enjoy a romantic Thai dinner while being rowed around the mangrove forest. It's like a strange juxtaposition of the Amazon Rainforest meets the canals of Venice. The dinner costs 1,200B. For more details call (01) 9193 995.

Dan Mai
Dan Mai is the largest Thai village on the island and is roughly half-way up the east coast. It's the home of services such as the BangKohk Koh Chang Hospital, the island's central police station and national park office. Internet access is limited and there aren't any ATM's on this side of the island, so get sorted out before you arrive.

Long Sand Beach is next to Sa Lak Kohk Bay. The area is covered with forest and orchards of coconut trees.

Long Beach isn't actually all that long, but it's beautiful and virtually untouched an has recently become a new hippy haven thanks to a relocation of Treehouse from Lonely Beach. Long Beach is a long way from anywhere and Treehouse management hope that will prevent the beach, as many people fear is happening to the western beaches overdevelopment (though this concern doesn't appear to have stopped them from constructing dozens and dozens and dozens of bungalows themselves).

Some of the best views on Koh Chang can be had on the road that links Long Beach with Salakphet, revealing breathtaking scenes of the bay and its few tenant teardrop islands.

Lonely Beach
Rising popularity and rapid expansion means that Lonely Beach is lonely no more and traditional bamboo beach huts sit flush with expensive resorts. Like the rest of Koh Chang, Lonely Beach has gone ahead in leaps and bounds in the past few years, but it's still a chilled-out, laid-back little place with a village atmosphere -- by day at least.

By night is a different matter -- things get pretty raucous with parties tend to spring up randomly on any given day; so bear this in mind when choosing the location of your accommodation. Some people have started to call this place the Haad Rin of the East, (Haad Rin being the home of the Full Moon Party and related hedonism). With the ever more frequent party scene developing fast, the emergence of some very funky parties as well as the newly opened Vitamin Club, it certainly looks to be following in Haad Rin's footsteps. Light sleepers beware!

A collection of shops along the main road are set in a scenic spot between the steep, jungle-decked hills and the mostly rocky coastline. The road veers upwards and away from the beach as you head south through the town, so it's a downhill walk to go for a swim. Just north of the ever-popular backpacker hangout Treehouse is where the real beach begins, already taken up with several expensive resorts.

From the Treehouse southwards, the coastline is all rocks. It looks quite rugged and beautiful but isn't really suited for swimming. There are regular fire-shows on the beach where talented locals and a few game tourists tempt their luck by swinging alight balls on the ends of chains, called pois, around their heads.

Lonely Beach is an enclave of simple beach huts, sporadic generator electricity, and limited running water. The best day really depends on the person. You can bask in the sun while intermittently slipping into the beautiful ocean, spend a few hours sea kayaking along the rugged coast, embark on a day in the jungle, or get a taste of how Thai people truly live in one of the small fishing villages populating the area. Lonely Beach provides the opportunity to indulge in every imaginable aqua activity while at the same time being content with a good book.

Bailan Bay
One of the few truly peaceful hideaways on Koh Chang's west coast, Bailan Bay is perhaps taking over where Lonely Beach has left off. The rocky bay has less to offer in terms of beach activity, but the chilled out atmosphere and secluded bungalows make for a tranquil and private spot to relax. There's a small strip of sandy beach at the northern end of the bay, but that's about all. Low-tide reveals a rocky landscape that extends hundreds of metres from the shore, giving the bay a unique character.

Bailan Bay is mainly for people who want to get away from all the hustle and bustle, and many people stay for a month or more. Things are about to get busier, though, with the massive Dusit resort newly opened at the southern end of the bay and plans for a shopping plaza.

Currently there's only one small grocery shop and a few independent Thai eateries along the main road. All accommodation options have their own restaurants. Bailan Bay is a short songthaew ride south of Lonely Beach, or about a 15 minute walk.

Klong Phrao Beach This beach is south of the Hat Sai Khao beach, and it is not a busy beach. The bay, tropical vegetation and beach-line are very beautiful. There is a nearby fishing village, but not many services. ( Hat Khlong Phrao ) Laem Chaiyachet is the long seaside adjacent to Kai Bae Beach. The beach is rather steep. The northern most of the each which has beautiful landscape but swimming is not recommend.

Klong Phrao, or Coconut Canal, has sprung up in recent years as a centre for major upmarket resorts and health spas. The mostly private expanse of beach is quite narrow, particularly when the tide is in, but is covered with soft white sand.

Klong Phrao is strung out over about five kilometres of beach of varying quality. Though there are plenty of shops around VJ Plaza at the Chai Chet end, there's no feeling of a centred community here like on White Sands Beach or Kai Bae. The emphasis is on top-end resorts that cater for their guests' every whim. Much of the northern end of the beach is privately owned.

Despite the proximity to the water, many of the larger resorts have stunning swimming pools and because most of the accommodation is resort style, there are not too many independent restaurants or other shops in the area.

A highlight of a stay in Klong Phrao is a visit to the canal at night to see masses of fireflies dancing around in the twilight. As well as the usual beachside activities, there are a few excellent cooking schools towards the southern end of the beach. Klong Phrao is also the place to access the Khlong Phu waterfall and Chang Chutiman Trekking elephant camp.

Klong Phrao Beach starts where the gently curving Laem Chaichet ends. Coconut trees line the beach, and the northern end has a beautiful rocky landscape. Resort development has grown rapidly, although the beach itself does not get very crowded. Between White Sand Beach and Klong Phrao Beach is the 18-unit Remark Cottage , built with natural materials that mix with its secluded environment. The resort is outstanding for its traditional Thai spa and massage by well-trained staff. The Coconut Beach Resort has a variety of units which include the very simple wooden huts raised from the sandy beach by stilts at the seafront, the fanned bungalows and the air-conditioned bungalows with a refrigerator and a TV. VIP rooms by their new beachside swimming pool were recently open. The upmarket Koh Chang Resort & Spa provides packages for three days and two nights including meals and round-trip transfer from BangKohk. The bungalows have air-con, hot water, and satellite TV. The luxurious Klong Phrao Resort has cottage-styled rooms of different sizes, bungalows around a lagoon, VIP rooms by the pool and beach and a conference room for up to 200 people. Its long and wide beach is ideal for a leisurely walk or athletic activities. There is also a two-storey house that can hold up to 15 people.

Panviman Koh Chang Resort , a very pleasant hideaway, offers unique Asian architecture featuring three-tiered roof of reddish brown tiles. In addition to the swimming pool, there are the Jacuzzi and sauna. The 50-villa resort has been successful in attracting many European travelers, who usually spend a week to three weeks there. Rooms have wooden floors and four-poster beds. Another spa place is now located in the V.J. Hotel & Health Spa . Guests can enjoy the many contemporary comforts the hotel has, including a swimming pool and restaurant on the beach. The 39 boutique-style villas at Barali Beach Resort is nearby as with two other more upscale accommodations on this strip of beach. The Magic Resort on Klong Phrao Beach has bungalows for up to four persons but larger ones sleep up to five. The pride of Magic Resort is its beachfront restaurant built over a bay.

This is another long sandy beach. They are situated south of White Sand Beach. Klong Phrao Beach, growing rapidly into popularity after White Sand Beach. The area is covered with coconut grooves and wild vegetation. At the northernmost part of the beach is the rocky Laem Chaiyachet or Chaiyachet Cape which is an ideal site to watch the magnificent sunset or the sunrise above the southern hills of Bang Bao. Laem Chaiyachet is a favourite on-shore fishing ground. A fishing pier is erected near the cape which is also a great viewpoint for the whole of Klong Phrao Bay. The road runs almost everywhere in suitable distance from the beach and accommodation. Two small islands, Koh Suwan and Koh Rom are located at the southern end of Klong Phrao Beach.

Kai Bae Beach is close to Klong Phrao Beach. The beach, like that of Klong Phrao, is steep but swimming is safe.

Kai Bae has become one of the better areas on Koh Chang for those wanting a bit of excitement, nightlife, restaurant options and easy access to tourist services. While not as busy and developed as Haad Sai Khao, Kai Bae is upgrading fast.

Kai Bae's beach is decent, with a range of accommodation from budget huts through to upscale resorts, and the main street is busy with bars, restaurants and shops, while the town itself is divided by a low, narrow bridge. On either side are clumps of mostly unnamed bars in small bamboo huts from which ladies and lady boys will becKohn you to come in from the street before charging 100B or more for a beer.

There's rarely a footpath, so pedestrians are forced to share the road with the traffic. The town was built on a platform of red clay that turns very muddy after rain and makes getting to the beach a very sticky experience.

During low tide in the morning the water receeds about 50m from the string of bungalows along the shore, revealing a moonscape of moss-covered rocks. This is great if you want to wander out and spot the shallow sea life, but means it's not such a nice place to swim later on. You have to be careful you don't cut your feet or fall face-down on the submurged rocks.

From the northern end of the beach it's possible to walk across to an uninhabited island during low-tide.

Kai Bae Beach (Haad Kai Bae) is situated south of Klong Phrao Beach. It is an almost 2.5 kilometre-long beautiful sand beach, which is partially lined by over-hanging palms and broad-leaved trees. Beaches on the southern coast are also guaranteed of its beauty and tranquility. Like all beaches on the west coast Kai Bae- Beach is flat, but nevertheless all the time suitable for bathing. In the dryer months, at low tide however, one must walk up to 100 metres to the deeper waters. Four islands, Koh Yuak, Koh Pli, Koh Man Nok and Koh Man Nai, are idyllically placed in the bay. At low-tide Koh Man Nai can be reached by foot... (www.kaibaeresort.com)

Koh Lao Ya lies at the south of Koh Chang. The group comprises Koh Lao Ya Nai, Koh Lao Ya Klang and Koh Lao Ya Nok. The transportation from Laem Ngob takes about 2 hours and a half. The islands has beautiful beaches, crystal-clear water a cololurful corals, Lao Yo Resort provide accommodation service here.

Koh Wai situated next to Koh Lao Ya is a big island most of Beach which are plenty with stones. The area occupies many bay which has beautiful beach lines and wide wonderful coral zones. Koh Wai is also the best source for fishing. As for accommodations, Koh Wai Pakarung Resort is ready to server tourists.

Koh Khlum is a historical island during the Thai-French Naval Battle like Koh Chang. The island is proper for fishing. The landscape comprising stone yard is worth a visit.

Koh Phrao is in front of Salakpetch Bay from Laem Ngob, it takes two hours to the island, Koh Phrao has clean and calm seaside, and is cool and shady because it is plenty of coconuts trees.

Koh Ngam is situated in the south of Koh Chang. The place comprises of two islands with a huge sand knoll at the middle. The little bay formed by the lines of the mountain stretching into the sea is a splendid and serene site without storms. It takes two hours to go from LaemNgob to the place.

Koh Chang Scuba Diving. A group of about 10 islands south of Koh Chang have coral reefs and are ideal for diving and fishing. Boats to the island can be hired from Ao Cho, Laem Sok Pier or Laem Ngop Pier that will take you to the islands where the diving is good. Diving season in Koh Chang is from October until May. The diving around Koh Chang is at reasonably shallow depths at 5 - 25 meters. Visibility is between 7 and 30 metes. There are fantastic reefs with a variety of corals. The main dive sites are Hin Luk Bat, Hin Sam Sao, Hin Raap and Koh Rang - Koh Chang Dive Guide ...Click here  »

Koh Chang Yoga, Wellness & Spa Treatments. In Asia, spa has evolved into a concept focussing on the spiritual and natural, drawing from traditions of meditation, respect for nature and the desire to achieve physical and mental well being, the key to maintaining health and beauty. In Thailand, the concept of spa blends with the ancient traditions of natural healing through herbal baths, massage, meditation, and the continued pursuit of inner and outer beauty. Before the arrival of modern medicine in Thailand, the temple was the the centre of learning for all disciplines, including medicine. Monks therefore played the role of doctor and pharmacist, prescribing herbal remedies, steam compresses, massages and other such treatments for the relief of various ailments. Spa therapy is another choice to feel relaxed and rid away your aching. Most up-scale hotels and resorts offer their unique therapeutic session.