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Koh Chang travel guide
Guide me around Koh Chang
Welcome to Elephant Island. Beautiful jungle-covered mountains, emerald waters, cascading waterfalls, and rugged terrain make Koh Chang a remote paradise in the Gulf of Thailand. Despite only gaining popularity with tourists in recent years, Koh Chang has maintained its traditional spirit and still holds hidden gems waiting to be discovered. As Thailand’s third largest island, there is ample space to escape the crowds and find your favorite spot on the island.
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Best beaches to visit on Koh Chang
Beaches & Bays
Here’s a brief run-down of Chang’s main beaches:
White Sand Beach or Hat Sai Khao Beach: A beautiful beach with a highly developed touristy infrastructure. Most popular beach and therefore busy. Restaurants, hotels, bars, shops, and nightlife. The northern end is for a quieter and more beautiful beach, the southern end is for seafood and cocktails in a deckchair without the spectacular beach.
Klong Prao Beach: Longest beach on Koh Chang. Resorts, shops, and restaurants on the northern end. Good for swimming. Possible to find a quiet spot. The northern section is busier, the southern section is to get away from people.
Kai Bae Beach: Best beach quality on the southern end. Few resorts, shops, and restaurants behind them. Quieter than White Sand Beach or Klong Prao. For families and independent travelers that don’t prefer a hotel environment.
Lonely Beach: The nice and quiet beach. Good for swimming. Backpacker scene. Restaurants, cheap accommodation, and shops further down south. Enjoy the beach by day, and party at night.
Klong Son: Picturesque bay in the same named village. Quiet and secluded, with no touristy infrastructure. Many activities are close by elephant camp, waterfall, fruit farms, trekking options, and golf.
Bailan Bay: Peace on a budget. Rather stony bay with reddish sand than the beach, so not ideal for swimming. Drinking and dining options.
Klong Kloi Beach: Short and laid-back beach on Chang’s southern coast. Touristy infrastructure can get busy during the daytime.
Salakkok: East side. Small bay surrounded by mangroves far away from the crowds. Robinson Crusoe feeling and kayaking. You’ll need (to organize) your transport.
Salakphet: In Koh Chang’s southeast. Huge bay with a small port. Fishermen villages and waterfalls are close by. Long beach (eastern end) is the place to go when you wish to relax on a quiet beach with less infrastructure.
Best nature to explore on Koh Chang
Stunning Nature
Koh Chang, as part of the Mu Ko Chang National Park, offers a unique combination of accessible wilderness, a beautiful beach holiday destination, and vibrant nightlife. If you’re interested in experiencing the more traditional side of Chang, you can explore the remote islands within the marine park, visit the mangrove forests of Ban Salak Kok and Ban Salak Phet, or discover the southeastern villages of Koh Chang.
The island’s mountainous terrain is home to several stunning waterfalls nestled within the thick jungle. Some noteworthy falls to visit include Khlong Chao Lueam, Kai Bae, Khlong Nonsi, Khlong Plu, and Than Mayom (with an entrance fee for Khlong Plu and Than Mayom within the national park).
For water activities, you can go diving to witness the incredible and still colorful coral reefs that are part of the marine park, or take a snorkeling tour to explore the underwater beauty.
As Koh Chang is part of its own National Park, hiking is a fantastic way to discover the island’s more secluded areas and enjoy the splendid nature. For a breathtaking experience, consider hiking Salak Phet, the highest mountain on the island, or join a full-day trekking tour to explore the island’s waterfalls and jungle inhabitants.
While on the island, make sure to visit the Mu Ko Chang National Park Viewpoint. From this vantage point overlooking lush forests, the emerald ocean, and distant islands, you can enjoy stunning sunrise or sunset views. Don’t forget to bring your swimwear and spend some time at the cozy beach lined by palm trees near the viewpoint.
more fun activities to do on Koh Chang
more activities
If you’re an adventurous type, there’s plenty to do away from Koh Chang’s beautiful beaches. You can soar through the tropical rainforest like a monkey and walk along the forest canopy at Treetop Adventure Park. For some fun on the water, you can join a catamaran trip around the island or kayak to Kho Suwan or Kho Rom from the southern end of Klong Prao Beach or Kai Bea. If all of this is still too touristy for you, you can escape to more secluded islands like Koh Maak, Koh Rang, Koh Wai, or Koh Khlum for a true Robinson Crusoe feeling.
As for food, the White Sand Beach Night Market is the place to go. Open every evening, food stalls at the night market sell your favorite Thai dishes and a selection of tasty BBQ kebabs and fish. If you want to take home the flavors of paradise, join a cooking class to improve your culinary skills. To dive even deeper into Thai culture, you can take a Muay Thai lesson or join a fight with professionals.
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Transportation tips for Koh Chang
Getting There
Take a bus to Koh Chang Ferry Pier. Large car ferries operate daily from the mainland (morning till afternoon) throughout the year. If you are flying from Bangkok, Trat Airport is the place to go, followed by a minibus ride to the pier and the ferry to Koh Chang.