Thailand: travel to Koh Chang Island, a gem!

After roaming around China and Taiwan for a little over 3 months, then spending a few days in Bangkok, the first signs of fatigue are starting to show… Yes indeed! We simply need a vacation! Koh Chang Island is the perfect place to recharge your batteries while enjoying its natural attractions, whether taking a break during a long journey or simply enjoying a holiday in Thailand! Here's our practical visitor's guide with things to do in Koh Chang, transportation options, and accommodations to help you organize your well-deserved break!

Introduction to Koh Chang

We arrived in Thailand two weeks ago, and after a quick stay in the capital, we immediately took a minibus to Koh Chang (or Ko Chang). We chose this little piece of paradise because we wanted to see the sea and enjoy beautiful beaches on an island close to Bangkok. Plus, we have plans to meet friends in Vietnam for New Year's, so it made sense to head in that direction.

We preferred Koh Chang because November means rainy season on the country's other islands located further south, like Koh Tao, Koh Lanta, and Koh Samui. The best time to visit Koh Chang is from November to April. Temperatures remain high the rest of the year, but rainfall is more frequent.

If you're looking for laid-back holidays on an island with beautiful beaches, activities, and more relaxed evenings than the Full Moon parties, then Ko Chang is perfect for you! Nicknamed "Elephant Island" because of its shape, it's Thailand's third-largest island at 217 square kilometers. Because of this, it also offers plenty of opportunities for walks and motorbike trips to more remote corners!

A week in Koh Chang in excellent company

In the minibus taking us from Bangkok toward the ferry to Koh Chang, we found ourselves in the company of two French speakers. Okay, nothing exceptional, you might say. Except that it didn't take me 30 seconds of conversation to detect a familiar accent: "Hey, these two are Swiss!"

We're not that many in Switzerland, and even fewer can boast (or not) of having a small Vaudois accent. Anyway, I was immensely happy to start talking like I do at home! Yes, you see, when we meet French people, we try to speak more properly. Well, mostly me—Ben naturally has less of an accent...

Whatever the case, we were super happy to run into Séverine and David from Eclagnens (pronounced "Ééé-Klâââaa-gneeeeennnnnn"!). We hit it off really well and had an amazing week with them.

Our vacation routine in Koh Chang

All four of us found a nice little routine: beach, siesta, and at the end of the day, meeting on our little terrace with our feet in the water for a fruit shake or a small beer at sunset... And when evenings don't end with buckets of mojitos, we enjoy playing jass, our 100% Swiss card game that's played with 4 people. Needless to say, we had missed it!

But we didn't just hang out at the beach and drink beer! For those who know us, you can easily picture the scene, but for others, let me explain. Ben is what you might call an endorphin addict and a fan of physical activity in general. Put him on a beach for 30 minutes and you'll see him already fidgeting and suggesting an activity: "Want to go in the water?", "Shall we go hiking?", "Do you want to check out what's at the end of the beach?"...

As for me, how can I put this... I'm a tiny bit less hyperactive! Give me a beautiful beach, a fruit shake, a good Thai meal, a good book, and I'm set for the day! In short, during our vacation, we did "moit-moit" as we say back home (half and half). Beach time for sure, but we also moved around the island a bit, took walks along the ocean, and did some activities!

What to do on Koh Chang Island?

We chose to explore the island by touring Koh Chang by motorbike! It's funny because in our guesthouse in Bangkok, almost all the backpackers had skin scabs and had experienced wipeouts on Thai roads. So I wasn't particularly thrilled about the idea of getting on a two-wheeler, since we're definitely not bikers! But given the topography of the terrain, doing it by bicycle was out of the question.

Anyway, we went for it and have no regrets! Koh Chang is definitely a very beautiful island that actually contains part of the Mu Ko Chang National Park. Several scattered temples are also worth discovering! In the end, there are still many little corners of paradise completely isolated and that you can easily explore if you're motorized. Here's our guide to activities in Koh Chang.

Explore the different beaches on the island

Koh Chang has about a dozen fine sandy beaches, but not all are necessarily accessible (rocks…). Here's our selection for enjoying the lounge chairs and crystal-clear waters!

Lonely Beach

We start this list with Lonely Beach on the west coast of Koh Chang. This beach is known for its very festive and lively evenings, highly appreciated by backpackers. However, during the day, enjoy the calm and sunset from one of the bars located directly on the sand before the atmosphere changes.

White Sand Beach

Do you have an image of a paradise beach in mind? Then look no further, it's White Sand Beach on the north of the west coast! Fine white sand, turquoise water… However, it's not the most beautiful beach in Koh Chang in the sense that many hotels have sprung up like mushrooms along the strip of sand and it's very crowded… For this reason, we prefer the next one.

Klong Prao Beach

Klong Prao Beach is just as idyllic as White Sand, but since it's large, you won't be stepping on each other's toes! If you're looking for a quiet place to enjoy the last rays of the day while dining by the water, we recommend Klong Prao! It's located between Lonely Beach and White Sand Beach.

Kai Bae Beach

Between Klong Prao and Lonely Beach, the small Kai Bae Beach is peaceful and uncrowded. In short, it's the perfect place to relax on the fine sand in tranquility. You might even be surprised to see elephants bathing! We didn't have the chance to see any, but we made up for it with a trek in Khao Yai National Park ;). By the way, if you're considering taking a ride on the back of one of these pachyderms, we invite you to read this before doing so.

Klong Kloi Beach

Located in the south of Ko Chang, Klong Koi Beach is still relatively unknown to travelers. Not very wide but long, it offers shady spots and the possibility to enjoy Thai food with your feet almost in the water, thanks to the restaurants. Here too, calm and tranquility are guaranteed.

Wai Check Beach

To reach Wai Chaek Beach, you need real determination! There are only 4 km separating this very isolated beach from the village of Salek Phet, but be careful if you're on a scooter, the road is completely destroyed… It can be done on foot for the most motivated: 4 km, 160 m of positive elevation gain. As a reward, you'll arrive at a little piece of paradise bordered by palm trees, and you'll likely be all alone in the world!

Long Beach

Located in the southeast of Koh Chang, Long Beach could have been a paradise beach with its crystal-clear waters, but numerous pieces of trash litter the strip of sand… It's up to you to see on-site if the pollution has been addressed. Otherwise, it's a little gem!

Watch the sunset

Whether from one of the beaches mentioned above or from one of the hotels in the west that we recommend below, you cannot leave Koh Chang without having seen a sunset! Our favorite spot remains the terrace of Warapura Resort. Just take a look ;).

Stroll through fishing villages

We can't deny that Koh Chang is touristy, but it has some places where Thai daily life resumes its course. This is the case with the fishing villages: Bang Bao in the south and Salak Khok in the east. The former is more frequented than the latter, but in both cases, houses on stilts are legion and you'll find a semblance of normal Thai life ;). Don't hesitate to walk around everywhere!

Note: it's actually from Bang Bao that numerous boat excursions depart for snorkeling, diving, and discovering the islands of Ko Wai and Ko Rang...

Visit the temples of Koh Chang

We only visited the Wat Salak Phet temple, a pretty colorful Buddhist temple in the south of Koh Chang, but other temples are worth a visit (free):

• the Chinese temple Chao Por at the very north of the island;
• nearby, Wat Khlong Son;
• Wat Khlong Phrao, on the west coast;
• Wat Bangbao, in the southwest;
• Wat Pa Rongtham, in the south, before Wat Salak Phet.

Hike in Mu Ko Chang National Park

Due to our laziness, we didn't put on our hiking shoes... Yet, we knew there were some nice spots to see waterfalls in Mu Ko Chang National Park, which covers a good part of the island. Real vacations, as we told you ;). Keep in mind that you'll have to pay an entrance fee at each waterfall, as they are mostly located in the park...

Khlong Phlu Waterfall is the largest in Koh Chang and is located near Klong Prao Beach. Here, it's more of a walk to access its foot than a hike, even if the 1 km path is very rocky. You can swim in it for a guaranteed refreshment ;). Among the other waterfalls, we also recommend taking a trip to Than Mayom, a waterfall with 3 pools on the west coast of the island. The other falls are not necessarily worth the trip or are closed.

But honestly, you'll see more beautiful ones elsewhere in Thailand. We particularly think of Heaw Suwat in Khao Yai Park.

Note: if you come before the rainy season (before May), there's a good chance that Koh Chang's waterfalls will look like nothing more than a thin trickle of water...

Walk through the mangroves

Ko Chang offers the possibility to walk through the mangroves on 3 different paths.

The first is the Mangrove Forest Boardwalk, next to the Wat Salak Phet temple, in the south. The red wooden walkway takes you through lush vegetation to discover the fauna and flora. Be careful where you step, though, as the condition of some planks leaves something to be desired... Entry is free, parking costs 20 baht per scooter. Count on a good 20 minutes of walking.

The second is called Mangrove Walk, located next to Long Beach, in the southeast of Koh Chang, and we only recommend it if you have nothing else to do... It takes 10 minutes to go around and the viewpoints are a bit less interesting. The ticket is also free.

Finally, the third, Salak Khok Mangrove Forest, is unfortunately abandoned.

Treat yourself to a Thai massage

We couldn't possibly come to Thailand without trying Thai massage, could we? Yes, well, that's our opinion... Neither Ben nor I are really experts when it comes to massage. For me, it was probably only the second massage I had in my life, and for Ben, it was his first!

Let's be clear right away, Thai massage is a bit painful! The masseuse is a little 5-foot woman, but with lumberjack arms. She climbs on top of you, performs holds worthy of a Bruce Lee remake, and all your bones get a little cracking 😱. Clearly, we probably weren't the best clients... Not used to being handled in such a way, we didn't really know how to relax and, above all, we had some good moments of laughter!

At the same time, imagine when I saw the Thai masseuse, standing on Ben while he was lying on his stomach, lifting his legs to make his pelvis lift off the mattress... Well, seeing this little woman trying to contort Ben, who is about as flexible as a broomstick, was just priceless 🤣! At that moment, his eyes expressed a clever mixture of questioning (is she going to break my spine?), a cry for help, and suppression of hearty laughter...

Ultimately, we enjoyed Thai massage, but probably not for the same reasons as most of you. Guaranteed laughter on our side and muscle soreness the next day! Count around 300-400 baht for a 1-hour massage.

Go snorkeling

Thai islands are ideal for snorkeling in Southeast Asia! For our part, we preferred to observe what was happening from the beach 😉. Rest assured, we eventually explored the seabed at Gili Air, another paradise island but in Indonesia. And it was no mean feat for me!

If you're motivated to dive into the turquoise blue waters of Koh Rang Marine National Park and admire the underwater fauna, we recommend this tour for its good value for money. It includes transportation from the hotel, meals, an instructor guide, and equipment.

Other activities

If you want to be more active (unlike us), take a look at Getyourguide for activity ideas. They offer diving trips to explore the HTMS shipwreck or get PADI certification, discovering nearby islands by boat or kayak…

How to get to Koh Chang from Bangkok?

By bus

To get to Koh Chang from the Thai capital, the simplest way is to take a minibus that takes you to the ferry pier. The total journey to the island takes an average of 8 hours, including 30 minutes by ferry. Once on Ko Chang, you won't need to look for a taxi, the drivers will find you 😉.

By plane

If bus journeys aren't your cup of tea, you can opt for a plane. But honestly, we don't really recommend it. From Bangkok, flights go to Trat airport, the closest city to the port and which gives its name to the province to which Koh Chang belongs. You'll then need to take a taxi to reach Laem Ngop pier and take the ferry. The tickets are quite expensive and in the end, you'll take the same time to reach the island.

How to get around Koh Chang Island?

To explore Koh Chang, we opted for motorbike rental to be completely free in our movements. If you don't have the appropriate license, don't panic! You'll very easily find songthaews, the collective taxis, which will drop you off wherever you want for about ten baht.

If you rent a two-wheeler, you need to pay attention to certain points! We've detailed everything you need to know about renting a scooter in Thailand and riding safely. Otherwise, you'll find plenty of rental agencies, from when you disembark and also throughout the island; some hotels also offer this service. Count a minimum of 200 baht per day for rental.

Which hotel to choose in Koh Chang?

Ko Chang is very large, its circumference is over 50 km! So there's no shortage of accommodations, but one question remains: is it better to stay on the east coast or the west coast of the island?

Hotels on the East Coast

For guaranteed tranquility, opt for the East Coast, which is wilder! There are a few guesthouses, bungalows, and homestays from which you'll watch the sunrise ;). For their excellent value for money, we recommend:

• the bungalows of Blessed Koh Chang, which are directly on the private beach, quiet, with an excellent breakfast;
• the bungalows of Privacy Resort Koh Chang for the warm staff, the calm, the scooter rental, the comfort, and the beautiful setting;
• the rooms of MontView Koh Chang for the tranquility, the proximity to the lush jungle, the attentiveness of the staff, and the low price per night.

However, we advise you to be motorized if you stay on the east of Koh Chang. Indeed, distances are large and shopping and dining possibilities are few... See the section on how to get around Koh Chang to learn more!

Hotels on the West Coast

The west coast is the most touristy, it houses the majority of beaches and therefore hotels, and guarantees sunsets over the Gulf of Thailand! Around each stretch of white sand, a small village has been built. For our part, we decided to put down our bags on Lonely Beach, a beach known for welcoming backpackers like us. There are about thirty accommodations just on this beach: guesthouses, bungalows, luxury hotels… There's something for all prices and all tastes! However, you should know that Lonely Beach is also known for its wild nights, even outside the Full Moon parties. We first opted for accommodation in the heart of the nightlife of Koh Chang before changing to a quiet hotel. Here's our selection:

• for its excellent value for money near the festivities: Bhumiyama Plus, a nice hotel very well located with its restaurant, and which offers many services (spa, kayak...);
• for its excellent value for money in a quiet area: Sea Flower Resort with its rooms or bungalows. We opted for a nice bungalow located just steps from the water, with a larger room with a fan, a small private terrace, our own bathroom with hot water, and above all: the quiet 😌. Plus, our favorite spot for sunset, the Warapura Resort, is just 2 steps away!
• for more charm: Little Sunshine Boutique Beach Resort & Spa, a cute little hotel with its private beach, its excellent breakfast. In short, a little paradise in the north of the island!

Otherwise, you can look at the map below to find accommodation. Use the filters to refine your search ;).

5 reasons to take a vacation during your round-the-world trip

We're well aware that those who are at work will hate us for these comments, but when you're on a long journey like us, vacations are also an essential element! This moment is an opportunity to recharge without planning anything and to take stock of some small technical details for the rest of our adventures.

Put order in your backpack

Being a backpacker is great: you have your house on your back and you're free to move. But you should know that it also involves packing and unpacking your bag almost daily. As a result, a cheerful mess quickly sets in. Well, I'm mainly speaking for myself here, because Ben has an incredible ability to keep his bag organized.

You know that moment when you're looking for the little cable for the camera? For me, it generally leads to a complete unpacking of the bag. A few swear words to figure out where I could have put that damn cable, then the discovery of the Holy Grail in the last pocket scrutinized...

With Ben, when you open the bag, it's like in a museum: each thing has its well-defined place. The cable? Too easy, it's in the little gray pocket on the left, under the sock pocket...

So, vacations are useful for people like me. You take all your things and launch into a new frenzied game of Tetris and promise yourself that this time, "you'll maintain order." Yeah, sure…

Rest

Since the beginning of our round-the-world trip, we've done 30 days of visits in big cities, 23 days of pure and hard trekking, 7 days by bike, and for the majority of the remaining 30 days, we've done small walks and excursions. So, spending 6 days resting and wandering on Koh Chang Island without putting on our hiking shoes is honestly not a luxury!

Balance your tan

You probably imagine that world travelers like us have a tanned complexion throughout our journey. Well, not really! When you travel for a long time, the tan evolves by areas. 4 days of trekking in western Sichuan under a scorching sun at over 4000 m altitude? Oh, the beautiful sock and T-shirt marks! A week of cycling on the east coast of Taiwan? Welcome to the pretty cyclist tan!

In short, upon our arrival on Ko Chang, we looked a bit like transgenic Dalmatians. Super ultra-bronzed arms, golden legs, but pale thighs and feet so white they glowed in the night. And I'm not even talking about the belly/face contrast! A week spent at the beach is an excellent way to restore a bit of balance!

Find a routine

Don't think that we miss the commute-work-sleep routine! That's far from the case, but we have had no reference points for 3 months. Days follow one another and never look the same... So, it feels good to resume some little habits during these few days in Koh Chang!

For example, eating our little mango sticky rice bought from a small stand by the side of the main street of Lonely Beach every evening before going to sleep, always from the same little Thai couple who are too adorable. Or the fruit shake enjoyed on our favorite terrace at Warapura Resort at sunset...

Ask big existential questions

It's well known that it's when you have time and nothing to do that all these big existential questions arise. But what are we going to do when we return? Does Ben really want to finish his PhD?

We absolutely don't have the shadow of an answer to these questions. But at least, the discussions occupied part of our tanning days in Koh Chang. Our questions concerned our hypothetical return to active life, but also the round-the-world trip itself. During these few days, we concluded that we definitely didn't want to rush. At the risk of seeing Australia pass us by for budget reasons, we are more and more seriously considering extending our trip.

Yes! We would quite like to spend a few months in South America to learn Spanish. But before that, we would like to take our time to continue discovering the Asian continent. In short, Australia or not, the question remains open, but the debate is open. Eliminating Australia would add a fairly certain budget for language courses and an option to extend our journey.

And since we plan our wedding for the return, we tell ourselves that the land of kangaroos would make a good honeymoon 😊. Spoiler alert: we only made a hop to Sydney after touring Southeast Asia!

While waiting to find a semblance of an answer to these questions, we're heading to Khao Yai National Park, more than rested after this vacation in Koh Chang!

There you have it, now you know all about this little break during this round-the-world trip! And you, have you ever taken a vacation during a long journey?