Koh Chang Elephant Island

Koh Chang Elephant Island

Ko Chang, a very popular tourist destination is located in the southeast of Thailand near the border with Cambodia. Elephant Island doesn't get its nickname because of the numerous "Elephant Camps" you'll find on the island, but because of its shape. Compared to other tourist islands such as Phuket or Ko Samui, Ko Chang is much calmer. Beaches for swimming are only in the western part. The eastern side is covered by mangrove beaches, where you don't want to swim too much.

Transport to the island Ko Chang- you can get here from Bangkok by bus and then by ferry from Laem Ngop port. However, if you were heading to Ko Chang by air from another destination, I recommend using the Bangkok - Trat air connection. The flight with Bangkok Airways takes about 50 minutes, during which the flight attendants even manage to feed you :). This airline also offers pre-departure lounges where snacks and wifi are available. You can then buy a transfer to Ko Chang at the tiny Trat airport. One way costs approximately 650 BTH and they will take you directly to the hotel. The journey by minivan and ferry takes approximately an hour and a half.

Transport around the island Ko Chang- you can move around the island either by motorbike or by taxi. Traffic on the roads is normal by Asian standards, so there's nothing to worry about :). Just watch out for the dangerous bends between White Sand Beach and Klong Son - they are steep both up and down. We saw a lot of caroms in this place. Expect a sharp turn between Kai Bee and Lonely Beach.

West Coast Beaches from North to South of Ko Chang:
White Sand Beach – the largest tourist center of the island. Here you will find many luxury hotels, but also smaller, cheaper resorts. White Sand beach lives up to its name and the sand on the beach is almost white. Along the main road, you will find lots of different tourist attractions, such as clothing stalls, a food market for tourists in the evening (unfortunately, it has nothing to do with a typical food market), bars, restaurants, etc.

Klong Prao - a long sandy beach with a large number of accommodation capacities of all categories. You will also find very quiet places here. There are also many shops and restaurants along the main road.

Kai Bee - my favorite beach of Ko Chang. Compared to White Sand or Klong Prao, it is a smaller beach with a gradual entry into the water. It is suitable for children and very calm. You can visit the Kaibae Elephant Camp not far from it. Several times during the day, you will see baby elephants brought here to bathe. Mostly with tourists who paid for it. It's such an elephant circus. If you want accommodation right by the beach, I recommend KB Resort. I prefer the Coral Resort - it does not have direct access to the beach or actually to the sea, but it has a beautiful pool - good price versus quality.

Lonely Beach - a beach sought after mainly by young people who want to party. I personally find the beach quite dirty. So if you want to party, I can only recommend, but otherwise, go elsewhere.

Bang Bao pier (lighthouse) - a pier to which they added several shops and restaurants. Boats also depart from here to the neighboring islands of Ko Mak and Ko Kood. Boats also depart from here for trips to the surrounding islands, for snorkeling, etc. It is worth a visit, you can buy some souvenirs here. If you arrive on a motorbike, the lady at the 7/11 will ask you for parking money - it's better to pay her than to argue with her...

Klong Kloi Beach - the last southernmost beach you can reach. The road doesn't go any further. You can find this beach just behind Bang Bao Pier. Over the last few years, it has grown greatly in terms of tourism. You will find many restaurants and bars right on the beach. So is accommodation. Definitely worth a visit.

Khong Son Beach - a hidden beach of Ko Chang in the northern part of the island. You will find several hotels and accommodation in the vicinity. The best part of the beach is near the built "Residence with villas" of various sizes. The beach is open to the public. I recommend it, because it is a beautiful beach, where most tourists do not come.

Elephants - if you are in Ko Chang, you should definitely enjoy contact with elephants. It depends only on you, which form you choose. Just stop by, buy a basket of bananas and feed them, ride them or bathe with them. For me, the ride is not much and the elephants don't enjoy it either. You can reach for them while feeding. Then bathing. You can take beautiful pictures from the sea on Kai Bee, but too big circus and trained animals for me. I personally recommend Elefant camp - Klong Son in the north of the island. Here you can feed the elephants a basket of bananas for about 100 THB or go for a swim with the elephant in the nearby pool.

Monkeys - you can meet monkeys along the road, mainly in the section near Lonely Beach and further south. They mostly climb the wires lining the road. However, they will also allow themselves to sit on a parked motorcycle, etc. I know it's cool to have a nice photo, but be careful with them. They have quite sharp teeth and are mostly interested in food.

Food - there are many shops on the island - 7/11, Tesco and even Makro. You will also find a huge selection of restaurants here. For the more daring, I recommend trying the "eat what you can" Thai barbecue - prices range up to 400 THB per person and you can really eat to your heart's content. You will get a grill with coal or you can buy another grill with a special ceramic structure, where they will pour broth in which you can cook anything you can think of. All seafood is included (many times we didn't even know how to get into what or how long to grill it), meat you can think of, vegetables, noodles, Thai jelly for dessert, etc. Some soft drinks are also included in the price. When visiting Thailand, you should not miss tasting the so-called Thai Tea. In Europe, a substitute called Bubble Tea is sold. But the original is made from real Matcha tea, which is supplemented with sugar and condenced milk. It is then poured into a cup in a very strong concentration, which is softened by a large amount of ice.

Waterfalls - there are several waterfalls on Ko Chang. Honestly though, none of them is anything special. All are also subject to a fee. If you decide to visit one, I recommend Klong Plu Waterfall. The entrance fee is 200 TBH per person and you can reach it from the parking lot after about 20 minutes of walking.

Warning - if mosquitoes and other vermin like you, watch out for the so-called "sandflies" on the beaches. These are tiny black and white flies that bite perhaps more than mosquitoes. They live in the sand, so you should lie down on a towel or a deck chair on the beach. You can also often meet jellyfish on the beaches, but this depends on the season. Then I recommend bathing in a T-shirt. As in most places in Thailand, here, too, payment is mostly made in cash. There are many ATMs on the island, so making a withdrawal is not a problem. If you change money, I recommend a bank. There are several on White Sand and they have better rates than the exchange offices.