12 Oct 2023Â Â ||Â Â SOUTHEAST ASIAÂ Â |Â Â THAILAND
â—Š
The paradise dream of islands in Thailand is (sometimes unexpectedly) disrupted by the built-up, tourist-tat overload of places like Krabi and Phuket. This is where the 30-kilometre-long Thai island of Koh Chang, one of 52 islands in Trat, totally hits the mark where so many others fail.
Koh Chang, or ‘Elephant Island’ (so-called due to its form), is the third largest island in Thailand with relatively low-key tourist infrastructure. Lesser visited than its southern island cousins of Phuket and Koh Samui, development has moved at a much slower, slightly more sustainable pace. This has resulted in fewer international interests, a more ‘contained’ nightlife, far less traffic and distinctly local vibes.
For me, I had just spent a solid month on the back of a motorbike in northern Vietnam and urgently required a break. A quick hop over to Thailand for a few weeks of rest on a paradise island was (literally!) sorely needed. With shallow, turquoise waters and spotless sandy beaches encircling an impressively dense, hilly interior, Koh Chang was everything I hoped it would be.
It turns out that this island equally caters for the activity-adventure lover and the beach devotee. Koh Chang was a perfect blend of wild, rugged, natural landscapes alongside easy-going tourist amenities (I urgently needed some quality pizza, aircon and decent Wi-Fi, to go with the jungle hiking and motorbiking!).
This Koh Chang guide contains everything we discovered throughout several weeks hanging around on this beautiful island. We’ve included all the exciting things to do, beaches, accommodation, restaurants, transport advice and more!
â—Š
We definitely think Koh Chang is worth visiting! Below are some of our thoughts and reasons.
♦ A particular appeal of Koh Chang is that the island is specifically popular with Thai tourists, meaning the food is better on average and the vibe is, well, a little less excessively ‘Western’.
♦ It’s a short (ish) bus from Bangkok, compared with the equivalent overland travel to Phuket, Krabi and Samui.
♦ There is an untouched, wilderness ambiance that other well-known islands definitely do not have – reaching the rugged, scattered waterfalls, set within a massive, jungle-clad national park, was an adventure I didn’t even know I needed!
♦ Koh Chang island is large – there are ample things to enjoy for more than just a quick, three-day trip.
♦ The food is the absolute best of any Thai island we’ve visited (which is a lot of them).
♦ There are easy connections to Cambodia for any overland travellers heading to or from there.
♦ It has much quieter beaches than other Thai islands.
♦ Koh Chang island is perfect for avoiding the mainstream crowds and families, with an offbeat vibe for backpackers.
We exclusively book our flights through Skyscanner. It’s the cheapest way to book flights from anywhere in the world.
If you book your flights to Laos through our link below, we make a tiny commission that helps to keep this site running, at zero cost to you. Thank you!
Koh Chang is an island located in the province of Trat, in the Gulf of Thailand. Away from the highly trafficked areas of southern Thailand, Koh Chang is nearer Cambodia than it is Bangkok (less than 40 kilometres from the border). The nearest major mainland town to Koh Chang is Trat, around 32 kilometres from the ferry port of Ao Thammachat, which services Koh Chang. Trat airport is around 18 kilometres north of the ferry port.
Surrounding Koh Chang are lots of other islands, including Koh Mak and Koh Kood, both stunning examples of quieter island destinations in the Gulf of Thailand.
If you wished you’d visited Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao 20 years ago, consider Koh Chang as a base for some island hopping!
From our experience, the hotels and motorbike prices in Koh Chang were about standard for the Thai islands (we didn’t book in advance for our hotel though – so you could go cheaper/pricier depending on your luck!). However, we found the food in restaurants to be far cheaper and higher quality than other coastal destinations such as Krabi.
In terms of determining how much a trip might cost, it’s very subjective, because travellers to Thailand vary so much in terms of style. Koh Chang is certainly well-equipped for mid-range travellers and offers some very competitive prices. The hostels and restaurants around Lonely Beach are perfect for visitors on a budget. Below are some example prices from our longest visit:
Cheaper street food/casual restaurant meal – 40-80 baht (vegetarian meal with rice)
Motorbikes – 150-250 baht a day
Large beers at a beach bar – expensive at 120+++ baht but standard Thai-island pricing and cheaper than lots of Krabi and Phuket.
A nice quality pizza – 220+ baht
Street stall papaya salad – 50 baht
Street stall mango smoothie – 40+ baht
Rotis from a street stand – 30+ baht
Can of Coke Zero from shop – 16 baht
Can of Coke Zero from restaurant – 20 baht
♦
There are several ways to reach Koh Chang, either via bus or flight. Most people will either be travelling to Koh Chang from Bangkok or Cambodia.
Bangkok is connected to Koh Chang by a comfortable, airconditioned public bus. This bus takes around five hours and leaves from Ekkamai Bus Station, going via Suvarnabhumi Airport Bus Terminal. (There’s a free shuttle bus that goes from the airport arrivals entrance (Gate 3) at the main terminal, every 15 minutes or so, to the bus terminal).
Tickets can be bought in person at Ekkamai Bus Station, or from the bright orange Transport Co. kiosk at Suvarnabhumi Airport. During high season, it’s best to purchase them a day in advance, as they have been known to sell out. We paid 292 baht each in 2023 for the journey from Ekkamai Bus Station to the ferry port (Ao Thammachat) for Koh Chang. The bus drops off directly at the port, where a ferry ticket to Koh Chang then costs 80 baht per person.
This bus service was one of our favourite public bus journeys ever – the driver was friendly, funny and didn’t speed, the aircon worked well, it was spacious, plus we got free snacks and drinks!
Alternatively, it is possible is to book a bus/ferry combination ticket in advance online through 12GoAsia, a reliable travel aggregate company. This is the simplest way if you don’t want to go to the station in advance and the transport will usually pick you up at your accommodation. We’ve also heard that tickets are now available to purchase online at Bus Online Ticket. If you use this successfully, please let us know in the comments!
The ferry journey to Koh Chang from Ao Thammachat, in Trat, takes around 30 minutes. Songthaews/shared taxis wait on the other side to take groups of people to the required beach/accommodation areas. There are always two ferries moving in opposite directions during the day between Ao Thammachat and Koh Chang’s Ao Sapporot pier, so there’s never an extensive wait for the next one.
It is also possible to take a domestic flight from Bangkok to Koh Chang’s nearest airport (Trat Airport) with Bangkok Airways, which flies twice a day. From Trat Airport, it is a 20-minute taxi or bus journey to the ferry port for Koh Chang. This is technically the quickest way to get to Koh Chang, but also the most expensive and about the same level of hassle as just taking the bus.
It is also possible to visit Koh Chang from over the border in Cambodia. Often, travellers will be arriving from Siem Reap or Battambang. The simplest and most common way to facilitate this journey is to book a transfer on 12GoAsia to take you over the border. It’s a bit more work, but the border crossing by public transport is also possible.
Below is a saveable Google Map of everything mentioned in this Koh Chang guide, including hotels, restaurants, attractions, beaches and transport hubs.
♦ To save the map to your Google Maps, click on the star icon by the title.
♦ Select the screen icon in the top left to show or hide the breakdown of sections for this Koh Chang guide.
♦ Click on a tick box to hide/show a section.
With immaculate beaches lining the entire length of its western edge, there’s a perfect spot for everyone. Be aware that tides affect Koh Chang significantly, so sometimes the beaches can kind of disappear or be super wide depending on time of day! They’re still beautiful, it’s just the sandy strips are sometimes particularly narrow.
The tourist beaches in Koh Chang are predominantly dotted along the western coast of the island, similar to Phuket. The most well-known are:
White Sand Beach – the most popular on the island, this beach is lined with (mostly) low rise restaurants and bars. It’s lively enough to feel like stuff is happening in the evening, but not rammed with people and excessive pumping music. There are a few resort-style accommodations around here, like the KC Grande Resort & Spa, but mostly it’s chill and even then, the resorts are less obnoxious than the usual Western choices in Phuket. Parking is straightforward and obvious for the beach and the northern end is quieter and more idyllic in our opinion.Â
Klong Prao Beach – a little further from the road, with a more private vibe and fewer people, Klong Prao is wide, wild and pretty, lined with a few resorts and their corresponding beach bars. The water is shallow and calm, plus the curvature of the beach with the mountains in the background just makes the island seem even more magnificent. Getting to the beach isn’t so obvious, compared to other beaches, and parking is tricky if you have private transport, because larger resort entrances line the front. Park on the main road around 12.064389, 102.286645 and walk, or go through one of the restaurant bars, like Flora.
Kai Bae – our favourite beach, strategically located between the populated centres to the north and the hippy, backpacker spots in the south. The small village feel of the area behind the beach is just perfect, with small, high-quality restaurants, a street food centre and a 7-Eleven. It’s just *all* the vibes. The beach itself is not as large as the two above, but is pretty and lined with palms, although occasionally you’ll see elephants posing with tourists in the water there, which is disappointing. There are also good kayaking opportunities to the opposite islands from this beach.
Lonely Beach – the backpacker haven! This whole area is a complete vibe unto itself – think fire shows and mystery buckets. With huts, hostels, cottages and cabins, this is the place to hang out if you’re young, on a budget or just really into the whole nightlife scene. The atmosphere is absolutely a little livelier than other beaches and in high season it can be busy, so you’ll definitely hear some late-night music from the hostels and bars. A little south of the actual beach is the main accommodation area, away from the resorts.
Klong Kloi/Bang Bao Beach – at the far south-western point of the island is a small beach, just past Bang Bao with remarkable views of the offshore islands. The area surrounding it feels rustic, pastoral and simple, perfect for a little time to disconnect. There is a very residential vibe, with fisherman, homes and dirt roads.
The best time to visit Koh Chang is in winter, between November and February. This season brings the least rain and the prevailing wind from the north makes for slightly cooler daily temperatures, skirting around 30°C (still absolutely boiling, in our opinion!). Our most recent visit was during the month of November, where it rained most days but only for a short while, usually in the afternoons. There were some incredible thunderstorms though and the rain dropped the temperatures a little bit, which was welcome.
Koh Chang can be particularly rainy during the summer months of June to August, meaning that accommodation prices dip significantly during this time.
The sea temperatures are great for swimming all year round so snorkellers and divers have plenty choice for when to visit.
–
There are several ways to get around Koh Chang. The main two are shared taxis (or songthaews) and the other is motorbike. It is also possible to rent a car locally.
Renting a motorbike on Koh Chang will set you back around 150-250 baht a day. The motorbike quality varies hugely on the island. The bikes were surprisingly nice, for Thailand standards, around Kai Bae, which cost towards the upper end of the price bracket. In White Sand Beach, several bikes we rode were appalling, broke down and didn’t have enough power for the steep hills. Check them carefully before renting!
Around every beach/hotel region there are people renting bikes out – just ask around for prices. Most accommodations will also rent motorbikes. Our best bike was from ‘Sawadee Koh Chang Travel and Family Transport’. We kept this one for nine days. It was nearly new, kept in great condition and the owner, Mr Moon, was very sweet and friendly.
The island has a roughly 80-kilometre main road that runs *nearly* all the way around its perimeter. However, there are a few kilometres at the furthest southern point where this road does not connect. So, to explore the entire island, you’ll need to drive all the way to the north and head back down south on the opposite side!
Be aware that the roads between some of the beaches are extremely sharp and steep on Koh Chang. Due to the combination of extreme road inclines and the often-horrible quality bikes, we do not recommend attempting to ride a motorbike here for the first time. Our first motorbike rental in Koh Chang physically would not get up the hill north of White Sand Beach!
There were no police checkpoints fining people for not wearing a helmet or having an incorrect license on Koh Chang, like they have in Phuket and Chiang Mai. However, to ride a motorbike legally in Thailand *and* be insured in the event of an accident, you need a motorbike license from your home country, the corresponding motorbike endorsement on a 1949 International Driving Permit and be wearing a helmet.
We do not recommend you ride a motorbike uninsured in Thailand, however many people do it every day. Before you decide, read up on some of the Go Fund Me cases where people have not been able to pay for their own lifesaving hospital treatment after their insurance refused to pay out.
Fundamentally, it’s your call, just be aware that the roads around Koh Chang are not great for beginners.
♦
Shared taxis, or songthaews, run the length of the western side of the island from the ports at the northern end (Ao Sapporot and Centrepoint), stopping at all the main beach areas listed below. These are super convenient and well-marked with ‘taxi’ signs. Simply hail one going in the direction you want, tell the driver your destination, jump in the back and then pay the driver at the end (bang on the cabin to tell them when to stop).
These aren’t super cheap but are efficient and regular (they seemed to have fixed prices, at least for tourists). At the port, these will wait until they are full before leaving, though you can pay extra to leave before they are full. We hitched a lift from the village just south of the ferry port (Klong Son) to Kai Bae Beach, which cost us 80 baht.
There are up-to-date metal signs in English at the Ao Sapporot ferry port with prices to each beach area. Below are the current 2023 prices per person for songthaews and the cost for the private car option for 1-6 people:
White Sand Beach – 50/500 baht
Pearl Beach – Chai Chet – 60/500 baht
Klong Prao Beach – 70/600 baht
Kai Bae Beach – 80/600 baht
Lonely Beach – 100/700 baht
Bailan Beach (where the Mercure is) – 120/700 baht
Bang Bao Bay – 150/800 baht
Bang Bao Beach – 200/800 baht
For public transport to the eastern side of the island, there are three songthaews a day from the port. These leave at 9 am, 11 am and 3 pm, heading all the way down to Salak Phet Village. The return songthaews leave at 10 am, 12 pm and 4 pm. Each journey costs 100 baht per person, while a private car from the port to Salak Phet Village will cost 1000 baht each way.
Koh Chang has some upscale hotels, for sure, but there’s also beach huts and quiet, untouched regions that can comfortably cater for the more budget-conscious traveller looking for some peace.Â
There is a vast array of accommodation types, from larger resorts on impeccably manicured grounds, to small budget huts and lively, activity-heavy hostels. In our opinion, it’s best to choose the area/beach that suits you most, then check for accommodation surrounding that region.
White Beach has lots of mid/upper-range hotels and is the most popular area to stay, whereas Lonely Beach is the opposite and more oriented towards backpackers and budget travellers. Klong Prao has some quality, quiet resorts and Kai Bae is somewhere in between. We have stayed in a bunch of hotels in several areas and our personal favourite was Kai Bae.
Depending on what you are looking for, there is a small ‘red light district’ type area that you may want to avoid, located a little north of Klong Prao Beach – around ‘Bar Racuda’. It’s a bit grim at night (in our opinion).
We had a good nosey around lots of Koh Chang accommodations, so these are hotels we have either stayed in and recommend, or have had a look around and would choose to stay in next time:
Evergreen ($$, North of White Sand Beach) – this little hotel consisting of individual huts dotted around a pretty pool in beautiful gardens, is located inland away from the beach, in a rural residential area. It’s the epitome of chill and a short walk to the small village at the bottom of the road, where there are a few restaurants and an extremely well airconditioned 7-Eleven.
Garden Resort ($$, Kai Bae Beach) – our favourite place on the island, with a super nice pool and cute well-maintained huts throughout the gardens. The location is a several-minute walk from the beach and, despite being smack-bang in the centre of the little Kai Bae village area, is super quiet (and adjacent to a 7-Eleven). The European owner is friendly and speaks perfect English.
Beach Jungle ($+, Lonely Beach) – a superb hostel with attentive staff, decent private rooms and dorms. Set just across the main road from the nightlife hub in Lonely Beach, this place is ideal for travellers looking for a decent night’s sleep to accompany their social outings (it’s quieter at night, music-wise, than a lot of other Lonely Beach locations!). There are lots of activities and refillable water (super-important!). It’s also a short, ten-minute walk to the beach.
KC Grande Resort and Spa ($$$+, White Sand Beach) – okay, so we didn’t stay in this one (way too expensive for us). However, we love to do the bougee thing and pretend that we are staying at high-end places. We had a good look around the various White Sand Beach resorts and rooms for the sake of this blog and felt that this is the nicest resort, especially for the money you’d spend elsewhere on a different island. It’s classy, has some seriously nice rooms and the staff are thoughtful. We’d definitely recommend our parents stay here!
As Koh Chang is a reasonably large island, there are a decent number of things to do if you’re looking for an adventurous holiday.
Waterfalls – there are seven waterfalls you can hike to in Koh Chang, sometimes through some pretty exhausting, humid, jungly fun. Klong Neung, the highest waterfall in Muk Ko Chang National Park, in the south east of the island, requires some strenuous scrambling up the riverbed to get to. Klong Phlu (in the west) and Than Mayom (on Koh Chang’s eastern side), require National Park entrance fees to visit. The Mu Ko Chang National Park entrance fee is 40 baht for adults and 20 baht for children and you can use the same ticket to visit both waterfalls during the same day.
Kai Bae Viewpoint – turn off the main road south of Kai Bae, around 12.020919, 102.292281, into the free parking lot. There are views of the sea and nearby islands of Koh Man Nai and Koh Nok, Koh Pli and Koh Yuak further in the distance. A second area up away from the parking lot provides better views and involves some easy paved stairs behind the café to get to.Â
Hiking – there are mountains in Koh Chang and, inevitably, with those elevations come some epic hiking. The summit of Mount Khao Laem is 625 meters high and steep in places, so along the route, ropes are available. As of 2023, it is necessary to hire a guide to hike Khao Laem. Khao Jom (Chom), overlooking White Sand Beach, is a longer trek at just over 10 kilometres round trip and this also requires a guide to trek. The guides can be arranged through various tour operators on the island. Expect to pay around 1200 baht per person including lunch and transport from your hotel or hostel.
Kayaking – kayaks can be rented from any beach but Kai Bae, in particular, gives you easy-ish access to some pristine, uninhabited islands just offshore that you can visit for the day. In 2023, Kai Bae Beach Resort was renting kayaks for 100 baht per hour for two people, perfect for a sunset kayak to the island of Koh Man Nai.
Island hopping – there are some 52 inhabited and uninhabited islands you can visit from Koh Chang with Koh Mak and Koh Kood being probably the two most well-known islands nearby to stay on. An island-hopping snorkeling day trip might involve Koh Wai, Koh Yak Yai, Koh Rang, Koh Yak Lek or Koh Mapring for example. These trips start from 800 baht per person.
Temples – there are a scattering of Buddhist temples located all over Koh Chang. We particularly liked Wat Salak Phet, which is found on the furthest southeastern side of the island.
The Pier at Bang Bao – this has become a bit of a tourist thing now, so there’s 20-baht parking charge outside it. There are shops, restaurants and nice views, but can be a bit tourist-tatty to be honest.
Abandoned boat – along the far south western coast is a super weird, abandoned boat resort. The road is long and you’ll want your own motorbike to reach it, but if you’re into strange, abandoned sites, this could be for you! Check out ‘Koh Chang Ghost ShipVova lady’ on Google Maps. In 2023, it cost 100 baht to have a look around.
Diving and snorkelling – Koh Chang has a number of diving and snorkelling spots, including both soft and hard coral reefs, and shipwrecks too. In 2023, snorkelling tours start from around 1000 baht and 3000 baht for scuba diving trips. If you’re staying on the island long enough, PADI certifications are also available. Our friends have used and recommended BB Divers, who are the most reputable on the island.
Thai cooking class – we thoroughly recommend the energetic Bunny, who teaches cooking classes at her Napalai Thai Cooking School. She offers a variety of cooking options and caters to gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan budding chefs. In 2023, morning cooking classes were 1500 baht, shorter afternoon courses 1200 baht and fancier evening classes were 2000 baht.
Traversing the eastern side of Koh Chang is super tranquil, due to the local district which put a strict emphasis on responsible development. It is easiest by motorbike though as there are few transport options. The region has few beaches or hotels, just miles of quiet roads with tiny businesses and residential areas.Â
Explore the remote, furthest east peninsular – heading east and south eventually ends in some steep, narrow, damaged roads that lead to a surprisingly modern, but abandoned, war memorial and small beach with some drinks and a kayak vendor (around 11.953432, 102.433542). It’s all kind of odd, but the drive is fun and pretty. There is also the attractive Long Beach, with the resident ‘Fuck You Bar’ and Tree House hotel. This simple resort is cute, with lovely owners, and is a nice place to grab a drink after your drive. It’s super remote, rugged and wild – we didn’t have cell reception anywhere around here.
Salak Khok Fishing Village – a small fishing village with traditional stilted housing around the southeastern part of Koh Chang, with a couple of seafood restaurants. This is not very touristy or scenic but an interesting place to have a short wander around – be sensitive because people live here and don’t see as many tourists.
Salak Khok Mangroves – a few kilometres north of Salak Phet lies the fishing village of Salak Khok. A more adventurous alternative to walking through the mangroves below is to rent a kayak from the Salak Khok Seafood restaurant for paddling around the mangroves and bay.
Salak Phet Mangrove Village – a free to enter (20 baht to park a car), 500-metre-long nature trail to the ocean through a mangrove forest habitat – probably not great for small kids because the pathways are a little sketchy.
Salak Phet Village – part of Koh Chang’s southern district, so towering concrete buildings won’t be found in this area. The village instead relies on more traditional means such as bountiful orchards, fishing and the ubiquitous palm tree plantations. You’ll find the small but impressive Wat Salak Phet here.Â
Khiri Phet Waterfall – a free to access waterfall with pools for swimming in located near Salak Phet village’s western side. Be aware, the track in is poorly signposted for the 15-minute walk to and from the waterfall and there are no facilities so pack accordingly.
Don’t let the name fool you – Koh Chang is no place for elephants.
There are five elephant ‘camps’ on Koh Chang. Please, please do not visit any of them – they’re horribly unethical. They offer elephant riding as standard, don’t even try to hide the spine-damaging riding seats and bullhooks. Their elephants are chained up on the side of the road to entice unknowing tourists. It’s grim. I’m not going to name any here, but they are easy to find on Google Maps – read the reviews and check out the accompanying pictures if you’re in any doubt.
We’ve written more about it on a post about the Koh Chang elephants if you’re interested in finding out more.
♦
MORE POSTSÂ Â |Â Â THE MOST UNIQUE TEMPLES IN CHIANG RAI
We were pleasantly surprised by the restaurants on Koh Chang. We expected the usual island fare, which we did get, but everything just seemed a little better priced and tastier. This may have been due to an entire previous month of struggling for vegetarian food in Vietnam – but everything we ate on Koh Chang exceeded expectations!
Little Italy (Kai Bae) – this slice of happiness serves up delicious, large, thin crust pizzas from their stone oven to satisfy all the Italian cravings. Absolutely top-notch owners and staff too.
Restaurant Terrace (Kai Bae) – located just past Indian Chef is a little strip of Thai restaurants. This place was always heaving with diners and was probably the most budget friendly place we visited. All the restaurants seem to serve the same dishes at similar prices, so choose whichever one you want.
Tofu Kitchen (Kai Bae) – puns galore on the sign inside the café and some delicious, different vegetarian food offerings make this one of our favourite places on the island.
Everflow (Klong Prao) – another restaurant with a wide range of great vegetarian options for both lunch and dinner.
Rasta View (Bang Bao) – ultimate chill-out vibes emanate from the friendly proprietors of this stoner café with sea views. The smoothies here were a particularly good respite from the island heat.
Sea Paradise (Bang Bao) – beachside relaxation near the fishing village of Bang Bao. A great place to unwind with a smoothie or two for a few hours on the bean bags and loungers.Â
The CoCo Restaurant and Bar (Lonely Beach) – a bit of a treat place but the stunning evening views across the sea and the fresh seafood totally justify the cost.Â
Sea Bar Koh Chang (White Sand Beach) – super relaxed restaurant you can walk straight off the beach into. We ate here a couple of times (papaya salad and stir-fried morning glory) because we enjoyed it so much.Â
A special shout-out for the papaya lady outside the 7-Eleven in the Kai Bae Beach area. We had several of her delicious, freshly made (and suitably spicy) papaya salads almost every day for 50 baht – the best we have ever had in Thailand.
If you are visiting Koh Chang on a tight schedule or just like to have things organised in advance, consider booking a tour through Get Your Guide (and transport through 12GoAsia).
Lots of visitors to Thailand miss the Trat islands, including Koh Chang, off their itineraries, even when they have plenty of time. I think it’s because Koh Chang just hasn’t had the hype that it deserves (I’m actually pretty thankful for this, to be honest). I guess writing this article kind of goes against the idea of keeping the island a ‘secret’, but then, I don’t agree with gatekeeping. It’s also not like people don’t know about Koh Chang, and the Phuket crowds will keep on crowding Phuket!
It’s a magnificently rugged, slightly wild island, combined with comfortable tourist infrastructure, multiple ATMs, plenty of grocery stores, paved roads and plenty of exciting sights to discover. To me, it offers the perfect balance between relaxation and adventure, with fewer people, great prices and easy access.
If we’ve neglected to answer something, please let us know in the comments below!
Have a fantastic trip to Thailand (how could you not?)!
Hi, thanks for visiting our blog! If this post has been of help to you, or you’ve just enjoyed our random ramblings and musings, say thank you by buying us a coffee! It helps keep The Restless Beans blog up and running without ads.
Thank you, Claire + Nick
If you book through the links above, we make a small profit, at zero cost to you, which helps us write these posts with no advertising! We only endorse products and companies we *actually* use regularly. For more information, read our position on affiliates.
Copyright © 2024 The Restless Beans
Sorry for the annoying pop-up. Just click on out if it’s not for you.
Sign up for a monthly round up of new posts, travel updates, guides, tips and quirky travel news – never any junk or spam. We hate that stuff.
– Upcoming content from: Morocco, Oman, Sri Lanka & Saudi Arabia –
Thanks, Claire + Nick
6 thoughts on “Discover Koh Chang – An Essential Guide”
This was incredibly helpful for my upcoming trip. Thanks for writing this!
Hi Mick, thanks so much for your comment! Really appreciate it and happy to help 🙂
Hope you have a fantastic trip!
We really love your blog! So many great articles
I have not been to Thailand yet and would like to thank you for a most imformative and grear blog both well written and so informative with beautiful presentation and s visial and layout delight!!
Thank you so much !!
Hi there,
Thanks very much for the post and recommendation you provided.
I am considering doing the hike to Khao Laem, I wonder if it’s really necessary to hire a guide as we are experienced hikers in Taiwan.
Hi Vivian,
The hike wouldn’t be that difficult for experienced hikers. It is unfortunately a new law that a guide is required for the hike to Khao Laem. As far as I know, there is pretty hefty fine for not having a guide if caught without one.
I hope this helps you with your trip to Koh Chang 🙂