It's Such a Beautiful Day in Koh Chang, Thailand
- Feb 10, 2017
- 2 min read
Koh Chang is the second largest island after Phuket. This is because most of the center of the island is a National Park, and no-one is allowed inside it, which also means no-one can build there. That’s not to say that there aren’t plenty of places to stay, there are, but these are on the coast and is one of Thailand's most beautiful islands with long white sandy beaches! it’s not too far from Bangkok.
Koh Chang beaches and development are on the west coast, with White Sand Beach, Klong Prao Beach, Kai Bae Beach and the backpacker centre at Lonely Beach, the most popular. Each beach has its own atmosphere and all visitors should find somewhere to suit their needs and tastes.
White Sand Beach (Thai Name: Hat Sai Khao (hat : beach, sai : sand, khao : white) is by far the most built-up, with its resorts, small hotels and bungalows along the seafront and restaurants, shops and bars lining the road behind.
Klong Prao Beach stretches for several kilometers, with two canals or klongs at the northern and southern ends. It has the highest concentration of high end resorts on the island and up on the road, a large selection of shops and restaurants, but it does feel less crowded.
Kai Bae Beach continues to develop, has great sand at its southern end but a much narrower strip in the north and its main street bustles with activity.
Lonely Beach is Koh Chang’s nightlife center, with bars, parties and live music. Its accommodation is much cheaper than elsewhere on the island, so it pulls in the travelers and backpackers.
Bang Bao Koh Chang is the original fishing village which now serves as the departure point for diving and island hopping. The Koh Chang East Coast and south east corner, which do not have comparable beaches, are still very local areas with fruit farming and fishing the principal sources of income.
The Elephant Bay hotel at Ao Bai Lan
Koh Chang is really for chilling out on a beach with the odd bit of sightseeing with relaxing evenings sitting on the beach enjoying a drink while watching the sun set.
Sunsets in Koh Chang are stunning!!!
The sun disappears under the ocean or behind the hills, giving it a special aura. This view from front of The Elephant Bay hotel as I stay in Bai Lan Bay (Ao Bai Lan) below Kai Bae Beach. It is a small village in the southwest of Koh Chang between the party zone of Lonely Beach and the old fishermen village, Bang Bao with seafood restaurants and souvenirs and handcraft shops and gas stations.
How to get there!
In Bangkok, you can take a public buses or share minibuses depart regularly from the Eastern Bus Terminal at Ekamai, the Northern Bus terminal at Morchit that I decided to take.
Koh Chang is served by two car ferries at Centrepoint and Ao Thammachat which run from 06.00 am till 07.30 pm Once on the island, public share taxis or songthaews (literally two rows in Thai) depart when full from the piers to the different beaches. These are also available all day and late into the night so you can easily get about and of course, it’s also very easy to rent a motorbike.
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