Koh Chang Island - vacation, how to get there, what to see, where to stay

General information about Koh Chang

Koh Chang Island (also Chang Island, Chan Island, Ko Chang, Elephant Island) is an island in the southeast of Thailand, a popular tourist destination for beach holidays (Koh Chang on the map of Thailand). Chang Island is the third largest island in Thailand after Phuket and Koh Samui. It is also the largest island of the Chang Archipelago and part of the Mu Ko Chang National Marine Reserve. It is not an independent province, but is part of the eastern province of Trat. The shores are washed by the waters of the Gulf of Thailand. Near Chang there is also a large number of exotic and peaceful islands for recreation, the most popular of which are Ko Kud and Ko Mak.

Holidays in Koh Chang

Unlike the noisy hangout Pattaya or a variety of entertainment Phuket, Koh Chang Island is the complete opposite of them. The fact is that for a long time the tourist infrastructure has not developed here, and most of Koh Chang is still a national park, so the construction of hotels, bars, roads, etc. is not carried out here as massively as in the above-mentioned resorts.

Most of the territory of Koh Chang is occupied by jungles. Surrounded by greenery, a quiet and peaceful island is what you need for those who appreciate a relaxing holiday and cool beaches. If you are tired of noisy places with nightlife in non-stop mode, then you are here.

About 4 hours by bus from Bangkok or 3-3.5 hours from Pattaya, and you are in paradise. Such an association arises at first sight of this island. Huge snow-white beaches, fine sand like flour, palm trees, it seems that they bowed in front of the holidaymakers. Colorful photos that can be taken against the backdrop of pristine nature – all this is him, Ko Chang.

Once on Koh Chang, tourists are waiting for small, but cozy and comfortable bungalows and hotels. Restaurants where you can enjoy seafood. But it is worth saying that all this is not in abundance. After all, in order not to destroy the ecology of the national park, the construction of hotels should be moderate.

Entertainment on Koh Chang is not thick. What makes it special is not this, but nature, a lot of waterfalls to which they offer excursions. One of the famous waterfalls of Koh Chang is Klong Plu. You can get to it by a path through the jungle. Very convenient for swimming. The depth in one of its bowls reaches seven meters.

Tan Mayom Waterfall is also beautiful. And the rest of the waterfalls of the island do not leave anyone indifferent, so if you get tired of relaxing by the sea, a walk through the jungle to the crystal clear cool water is what you need.

In addition to the many waterfalls on the island there are various beaches. You can get from one to the other by scooter or pleasure boat.

For lovers of the underwater world, there is an opportunity to dive with a mask or scuba in the national park near the southern islands of Koh Chang.

Local guides also offer to take an elephant ride through the jungle. Well, in the evening, everyone is taken to a fire show, which is arranged on the shore of one of the beaches. Everyone is placed on bedding right on the sand. You can order hookah or alcoholic beverages.

What are the beaches on Koh Chang

The beaches on Koh Chang are undeniably very cool! They are sandy (almost all), with beautiful palm trees, and sparsely populated. However, in order not to spoil your vacation, it is important not to make a mistake with the choice of a place for a hotel and a tourist area. Otherwise, you can find yourself on a cool beach, but completely out of the way, or vice versa in a noisy hangout area without a beach. The first thing to understand is that Koh Chang has a west and east coast, and they differ greatly in terms of recreation conditions:

• East Coast – this is what's on the right on the maps, in case you suddenly forgot. It is better to avoid it and not to choose hotels here. There are no normal beaches and tourist areas on this side, the infrastructure is remote, there is not even transport. And no matter how much you like the hotel on this side, and no matter how temptingly cheap it is, we advise you to think ten times and study the reviews before choosing it.
• West Coast is what's on the left on the maps. Here are the best beaches, cool developed tourist area, and all the infrastructure. But even on this side the beach is not all along the coast, and the areas are quite different in terms of arrangement, atmosphere, accessibility by transport. So choose the area and the hotel carefully too.

And here is a selection of popular areas and beaches that we advise you to pay attention to first.:

• Klong Son is the beach and village closest to the main pier of Koh Chang, where you can stay for rest, it's just a few minutes drive from the pier, and you can even walk. But this is not exactly a tourist area, but rather a "tourist reservation". The village and infrastructure are separate here, hotels with their own territory separately. Hotels are expensive, there are no budget hotels. The holiday is suitable for those who prefer tranquility and are ready to spend most of their time at the hotel and on the beach.
• White Sand Beach and Sai Khao district is one of the most popular and convenient places to stay. Here at once in one place there is a good sandy beach, and a well-developed urban and tourist infrastructure by local standards, and many accommodation options of different categories. In other words, if you do not know where to stay during your first trip to Koh Chang, then feel free to choose White Beach, you will find everything here.
• Chaichet Beach is our favorite beach. There is everything you might need on vacation: travel agencies with excursions and transfers on the street, exchangers and ATMs, motorcycle and car rental, chain supermarkets and markets, local inexpensive cafes and restaurants for vacationers. And what we especially liked here is that it's not very noisy in the evenings! The beach is also beyond praise.
• Klong Prao Beach is the very center of the island's tourist life, the largest area and the busiest place. It is noisy and active, there is always something going on on the main street, there is also entertainment. In general, this is another win-win option for accommodation if you are going to Koh Chang for the first time. Which is convenient, you can stay in a hotel away from the cent, and then you will relax in silence.
• Kai Bay Beach (Kai Bae) – this is now the most party district and the center of evening entertainment, because there is a street with bars and girls Kai Bay Walking Street, several night markets and large food courts. There is everything here, and this area can even be said to be more developed and saturated with tourist infrastructure than Klong Prao, however, everything is very tight and crowded here. But if you don't have a "thing" about such street claustrophobia, then it's quite possible to stop here, and then everything you need for a varied and active holiday on Koh Chang will be at your fingertips.
• Lonely Beach – used to be one of the most developed and youth areas, there is even its own "pedestrian street" with bars. But now the area is very dilapidated and deserted after the pandemic period. Many entertainment venues, shops, travel agencies and even guest houses have closed here, there is a sense of ruin and neglect. The beach here is still cool, and at night there are noisy bars all over the neighborhood that will not let you fall asleep, but there is no mass party and fun.
• Klong Kloi Beach is a place in Chang where you can stay in your bungalow on the shore. This is the farthest of the developed beaches on the eastern shore, from the main pier it is 25 kilometers or almost an hour away. It's a stretch to call this beach a full-fledged tourist area, it's more like a village that somehow reminded us of places that hippies used to love to populate, and now lovers of yoga and all kinds of spiritual and physical practices stop. In general, it's a pretty atmospheric place where you can make unusual acquaintances and chat with fancy tourists, and it's quite nice to relax even with your family.

In detail and reliably we tell you about all the beaches of Koh Chang here. There are a lot of photos, objective information and there are video reviews about each beach.

Infrastructure on Koh Chang

Although Chang Island is considered to be a much quieter, calmer and less developed place compared to resorts on the mainland, there is nothing wrong with the infrastructure here. As always and everywhere in Thailand, the entire urban infrastructure is concentrated along the main road, in Chang this road encircles the island (but does not close in the south). But the development of infrastructure here is very heterogeneous, and there are places where not a single shop or cafe can be found for many kilometers. Here are the most developed areas and beaches on Koh Chang, where there is everything: Khlong Son Village, White Sand Beach and Sai Khao district, Klong Prao Village, Kai Bae Beach. Other areas and beaches are less developed, and there are also very remote places. In our review of districts and beaches has everything about each district, study everything there.

Chang has 7-eleven chain stores, large Makro and Big-C supermarkets, many retail shops and markets. There are no shopping centers here, but if you really need to, then in principle you can buy anything, including electronics. There are pharmacies, medical clinics, dentistry. A very cool tourist market can be found at the pier in Bang Bao village, perhaps even the largest of the tourist markets in Chang. Here they sell ordinary small souvenirs, handicrafts, medicines, cosmetics, etc. SIM cards for local communication are sold in travel agencies and street communication salons, but they can be bought cheaper at the checkout of 7-Eleven supermarkets. In more detail about buying a local SIM card in Thailand, we have instructions with tariffs.

As for the tourist infrastructure of Koh Chang, there is also everything here. Hotels and street travel agencies sell excursions, plane and train tickets, there are ready-made transfers to Pattaya, Bangkok, Trat and Bangkok airport. You can rent a bicycle, motorbike, car. In general, everything is the same as at any other resort in Thailand: everything is perfectly organized and accessible.

There is a conditional public transport on Chang – these are Songthaew minibuses, they replace buses. Their prices are fixed, from 50 to 200 baht, go constantly. But we tell you in detail about transport and what to use to move around below on this page.

Where and what to eat on Koh Chang

There are plenty of restaurants and cafes here, especially in the areas mentioned above. The prices are about the same as on the mainland, well, maybe a little more, so you don't even notice. To eat in a cafe for tourists with drinks from 300 baht / person, to visit a seafood restaurant will cost from 600 baht / person.

Meals in hotels depend on the specific hotel or guest house, its category and room rate. I.e. the same room in some hotels can be booked with or without meals. Of course, if you wish, you can buy breakfasts, lunches and dinners on the spot for a room without meals, but this usually comes out more expensive than immediately when booking.

If you are on a very "thin" budget, you can eat in budget street establishments where locals eat. It's tasty and safe there, you can eat from 100 baht / person. True, the assortment of dishes in them is rather monotonous: traditional padtai; rice with chicken, fish or vegetables; barbecue on wooden sticks. Also inexpensive (from 50 baht), but very tasteless dishes are sold in 7-eleven stores, they will warm it up for you there.

For dinner, you should definitely go to one of the street food courts, which are especially plentiful in the Klong Prao and Kai Bae districts. These food courts, of course, are far from the traditional night markets of Thailand, but at least they resemble them a little.

Bank cards, cash and where to change money on Koh Chang

Koh Chang is mainly settled in cash, cards are accepted only in supermarkets and 7-eleven chain stores, in expensive restaurants and hotels. There are ATMs on the island, you can withdraw cash. For each withdrawal operation, 200-220 baht is withheld by a Thai ATM, and the commission of your bank.

Russian UnionPay cards work only for the few remaining banks that are not under US sanctions, of the large ones these are Rosselkhoznadzor and Gazprombank. For more information about currency, money, which cards work, commissions, and everything else , see the updated article here.

Given the poor applicability of bank cards, it is better to take more cash with you to Koh Chang. You can exchange US dollars, euros and other world currencies at street exchange offices, there are a lot of them here. The exchange rate is so-so, about 2 baht lower than on the "mainland", so if possible, it's better to change on the mainland in big cities. You can even exchange cash rubles, at least the ruble is on the bulletin board of the exchangers, but we did not try to change rubles personally, because the exchange rate is very bad.

In general, it is more profitable to exchange money in Bangkok (Superrich network exchangers) or in Pattaya (network T.T. Exchange) before traveling to Chang. Even at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi airport, the exchange rate is better than at Chang if you change cash on the lower floor near the airport metro station in a number of exchangers, including one from Superrich. We told you in detail where it is profitable to change money in Bangkok and the airport here.

Hotels in Koh Chang, how and where to book

There are a lot of options for tourist accommodation on Koh Chang, you can easily find budget options from 400 baht/day (12.27 USD) for two people without air conditioning, and up to several thousand baht for a luxury room or bungalow in a hotel with its own territory. In general, there is a feature of hotels: there are no high-rise hotels on Chang, mostly these are 2-3 floors or individual bungalows in general. Private housing is also available for rent, you can rent a whole house or villa for the whole family or a large company.

During the high tourist season, which takes place on the island from November to February, we recommend booking hotels several weeks or months in advance. At this time, hotels are raising prices, demand is increasing. But this applies only to expensive comfortable hotels on popular beaches and with high ratings. If you are not very picky about the quality of hotels and rooms, and are ready to stay in any budget guest house, if only there was a place to spend the night, then you can easily book it before the trip even in a day or two, or even come and find it on the spot.

If you have mastered our great overview of the beaches of Chang, then you have probably already decided for yourself where you will rest on the island. It remains only to find out how you can book a hotel or accommodation on the island now. Until sanctions were imposed on Russian banks, this issue was easily resolved on the websites of Booking, Agoda and other international sites. Now they are not available for most Russian travelers, but there are still excellent alternatives where you can book and pay for a hotel or accommodation with a ruble card:

• 🛌 Search hotels in Koh Chang on Trip.com
• 🛌 Search for hotels in Koh Chang on Yandex.travel
• 🛌 Search for hotels on Ostrovok.ru

Weather, tourist seasons on Chang Island

Chang Island is a year–round resort. It is always warm here, and, theoretically, you can relax all year round. But nevertheless there is a time when visiting the island is not very desirable.

High season and the ideal time on Koh Chang lasts from November to February. This period falls on the dry season, when there is little precipitation. Also, the temperature at this time is cooler.

Low season lasts from March to October. The rainy season is taking place at this time. And if in March-May you can still visit the island, then in the period from June to October you should not do this. The amount of precipitation at this time is maximum, and given the nature of the holiday on the island, there will simply be nothing to do here. In addition, many hotels even stop working at this time.

Seasons on Chang Island by month, when is the best time to go

Koh Chang weather and forecast

How and how to get to Koh Chang

Chang Island is located in Trat province, 330 kilometers from Bangkok and almost on the border with Cambodia (Koh Chang on the map of Thailand). Getting here on your own is not always easy and simple, especially if you need to get here not from Bangkok or Pattaya, but from other cities and resorts in the country. There is no railway leading here, planes fly only from Bangkok, and therefore in most cases on the way to Chang from other cities and provinces of Thailand you will have to make a transfer in Bangkok, and in most cases also with an overnight stay. The fact is that the route from Bangkok directly to the place of rest on the island can take a whole day (transport and ferries do not go at night), so it is likely that when planning a trip you will also have to consider an overnight stay in Bangkok in order to start early in the morning on Chang. Alternatively, you can come to the city of Trat, spend the night there, and take the ferry to the island in the morning.

Here, for starters, are brief instructions on how to get to Chang Island:

• From the city of Trat – there are minibuses from the bus station to the pier, but they will most likely have to be hired as a taxi. From the airport, it's a waste of either a taxi or a branded minivan, timed to the arrival of flights.
• From Bangkok – by regular buses to the pier on Chang, or by regular buses to Trat with a transfer by minibus/taxi to the pier, or by plane to Trat airport.
• From Bangkok Airport – twice a day there is a direct bus from the terminal to the pier on the island. Or we fly by plane to Trat.
• From Pattaya – there is a direct tourist bus transfer from the hotel door to the hotel on Chang once a day, or we take a regular bus to Chanthaburi in the city of Trat, and there we transfer to the pier.
• From Phuket – by plane to Bangkok, and then with a transfer by plane or bus as indicated above. But in this case, it is possible to spend the night at the Bcc.
• From Chiang Mai or Chinagrai – by plane, train or bus to Bangkok, and from there, as indicated above, possibly with an overnight stay at the Bcc. It is also possible to get to Pattai by bus, spend the night there and leave for Chang in the morning on a hotel-hotel transfer.
• From Chanthaburi – you can take a passing bus directly to the pier (2 times a day) or take a bus to Trat with a transfer to a minibus.

Detailed instructions about all the ways to get to Chang here...

Transportation on Koh Chang

• Songthaew minibuses

  The only public transport in Koh Chang is fixed-route taxis of the type known in Pattaya and other Songthaew resorts. Here it's all the same trucks for transporting passengers in the back with two benches. You can use them to move between the beaches, get from the marina to the hotel and back. They ply their routes along the ring road around the perimeter of the island from the main pier Ao Sapparod along the west coast to the very south to the village and pier in Bang Bao. Unfortunately, they do not go along the east coast at all, they can only be reached there if you hire them individually as a taxi.

  

  The price of the trip is fixed, depends on the distance at the points (i.e. where they got in and where they got out), ranges from 50 to 250 baht per person. If you hire a minibus entirely as a taxi, then the prices are also fixed from 500 to 800 baht. The pricing table hangs at the entrance inside the body of each minibus, but, of course, if you request a trip to the hotel along a non-standard route, i.e. with an exit from the main road, the driver will ask for an additional fee. Well, for a trip along the east coast, you will also have to negotiate the price individually.

  In the evening, it's already somewhere after 18 hours, minibuses basically stop working as a fixed-route taxi, and pick up passengers only at the price of a taxi.

• Rent a motorcycle, car, bicycle

  However, for active tourists, the main way to travel on Koh Chang is not by minibus, but by renting a motorcycle (motorbike or scooter) or bicycle. Rentals can be found on all developed beaches, there is also a rental near the main pier (described above), so you can rent a motorbike immediately upon arrival on the island and take it to the hotel. But there are no rentals on the remote east coast, so if you are unlucky enough to book a hotel on that side of the island, then it's better to rent a transport right at the pier.

  

  You can rent a motorcycle on Chang from 150 baht for a few days (4.6 USD), from 250 baht for one day (7.67 USD), bike from 50. The rights and availability of category "A" when renting are not asked here (although they should be by law). We have not met any policemen on the road here either, and we have not heard about cases of checking documents from other tourists. But you must remember that if you rent a motorcycle without a license, you automatically become the culprit in any accident and will pay for the repair of both the rented motorcycle and someone else's transport. And, of course, your insurance will not work in this case. Learn more about renting a motorcycle in Thailand and what rights we need here.

  

  

  When renting, they may ask to show a passport (take pictures), and a deposit in the form of money and documents on Koh Chang is rarely asked. Prices between different rentals are slightly different, so if you need to save money, it makes sense to check in several rentals. For example, from my experience, the hotel offered us rent for 250 baht / day, but literally a hundred meters away they found a rough rental, where they agreed on 150 baht / day for a new motorcycle when renting for 5 days, and this is a very good price.

  And now here's what's important to know about roads. In general, the ring road (well, almost a ring road) around the perimeter of Koh Chang is excellent, completely asphalt. But the conditions for driving motorbikes here are not the simplest, rather the opposite. Between the beaches of Kai Bae and Lonely Beach, as well as between White beach and Klong Son, there are very steep descents-ascents and serpentine. We personally witnessed how in the evening, during a light rain on the Kai Bae and Lonely Beach section, three young hot tourists on motorbikes fell off their motorbikes and flew into the fences, and all this literally in half an hour. So do not overestimate your strength, drive here very carefully at any time of the day, but especially in the dark and after rain. Leaves, small stones and sand are a great danger on sharp turns and descents, even in dry weather, and you can slip on them like on ice!!! Well, one more delicate point: if you have a lot of weight, then it's better not to take the cheapest scooter 125, at least 135 or 150 is better, otherwise it just won't pull you downhill.

  Fuel on Koh Chang costs a couple of baht more than on the mainland. You can refuel from "bottle" gas stations along the road, but there are also large network Ptt gas stations, they are cheaper and accept bank cards.

  

  

  Finally, if you wish, you can rent a car. Mostly small jeeps are offered for rent here.

Sights of Koh Chang and what to see

It would be unfair to tell in our guidebook that Koh Chang is filled with interesting tourist locations and attractions. Unfortunately, everything is not at all the way guides and low-grade guidebooks on the web tell about it. There are no historical places here at all, consider that there are no beautiful Thai temples either. Only natural beauty and viewing points remain, you should not count on more here. From entertainment, tourists are offered boat tours to neighboring islands and beaches of Koh Chang, diving and snorkeling, elephant riding, snake farm, quad biking, jungle walks to waterfalls in the national park. In general, in our opinion, experienced tourists Koh Chang will not be surprised by the variety of attractions, but if you are in Thailand or in Southeast Asia for the first time, then in principle it will be interesting and you will find what to see and what to do for a week of rest.

If you need excursions to Koh Chang, then you can find a lot of options at an affordable price in street travel agencies and hotels. Prices are about the same everywhere, the FPGA will differ by a hundred baht for similar tours, so you can take it wherever you feel more comfortable. According to the programs, tours are also not particularly different in principle, all travel agencies offer approximately the same set.

You can also visit some locations on your own by rented transport or minibus. You can rent a motorbike from 150 baht /day, there are a lot of rentals here. There are cars too, but there are few rentals. On regular minibuses you can move freely along the west coast, where all the main beaches are located, but to the east they will have to be hired as a taxi.

Learn more about all the sights of Koh Chang and how to visit them here...