Location: Island of Ko Chang is in the eastern gulf
Location: Ko Chang, the 'elephant island', is the second largest island of Thailand after Phuket. It is close to the Cambodian border in Trat province, approximately 300 km southeast from Bangkok.
Activities:
Admission: $
Camping:
Dive Shops:
Area Hotels: Rooks Koh Chang Resort: For $50 a night we received our own little air conditioned private cabin on the beach with a full breakfast for two included - if you ask for it when you book the room. Although very affordable, Rooks is considered one of the more luxurious resorts on Koh Chang. If $50 a night fits your budget, you can't go wrong here.
Contact:
Ko Chang in Trat Province near the Cambodian border is the largest island in Thailand after Phuket. Although it is big, beautiful and only 400 kilometres from Bangkok, it remains serene and undeveloped, Almost 70 percent of Ko Chang is undisturbed inland rainforest, some of the best preserved in Thailand. With steep hills and cliffs reaching as high as 744m Khao Jom Prasat. Beach forest and mangrove are also found in abundant. Notable wildlife includes the stump-tailed macaque, small Indian civet, Javan mongoose, monitor lizards, water monitor, Burmese and reticulated python, king cobra, barking deer and wild pig. Avian species (61 resident plus 12 migratory species) include Pacific reef egret, nightjar, green imperial pigeon, white-winged tern, blue-winged pitta, hooded pitta and three hornbill species.
Most of the scenic beaches and bays of Ko Chang are on the west side spreading from the north to the south. They include Ao Khlong Son, Hat Sai Khao, Hat Khlong Phrao and Hat Kai Bae. A combination of steep terrain and year round stream creates several scenic waterfalls.
During the rainy season from May to October, visitors are not allowed to the islands south of Ko Chang, however the boat trip to Ko Chang can be made all year round.
To travel to Ko Chang, you will catch a ferry at the Laem Ngop terminals. In Laem Ngop there are 3 piers. The oldest, directly situated at the port of Laem Ngop, is not in operation at present. The second pier, Tha-Khrom-Luang or also Tha-Laem-Ngop, is situated 700 metres west of Laem Ngop. The third, Center-Point-Pier is about 3.5 kilometres in the northwest. These piers serve both car and passenger ferries.
The mini busses from Bangkok arrive at Center-Point-Pier, the local pickup-taxis head for Laem-Ngop-Pier. A further pier for car ferries is in the Thammachat-Bay approximately 15 kilometres west of Laem Ngop.
Ko Chang has various piers, which are almost all situated on the eastern side of the island. The majority of traffic is handled at the two Dan-Kao-Piers. The boats from Laem Ngop take approximately 45 minutes to the Dan-Kao-Piers. The car ferry takes about 50 - 60 minutes and arrives at the Dan-Kao-Ferry-Pier.
Tourist spots in Ko Chang:
White Sand Beach
is one of the longest and most crowded beaches on Ko Chang. Bungalows and resorts are easily found. At the back or the beach are orchards of coconut trees and forests. The beach is easily accessible due to many roads passing to it.
Klong Phrao Beach
The beach is rather steep. Swimming is safe. The northernmost of Klong Phrao Beach is adjacent to Chaiyachet Bay and Beach which has beautiful rocky landscape but swimming is not recommend.
Kai Bae Beach
is close to Klong Phrao Beach. The beach, like that of Klong Phrao, is steep and swimming is safe.
Ko Mun Nok-Mun Nai - small isle opposite Kai Bae Beach. The Beach around the isle can be seen at low tide. The sea in the area is some what shallow and plenty of gold-colour corals.
Bang Bao Fishery Village - Residents in the area build up their houses with poles pitched into the sea and the bridge reaching to every house is set up to link the community together.
