Thailand’s Tropical Island Getaway: Why You Should Visit Koh Chang

One of the last remaining, less touristic Thai islands -

Koh Chang literally means: elephant island. It is a cool place to recuperate from traveling or a hot spot to prepare yourself for it. This Thai island getaway offers great diversity on a small scale. From cheap backpacker bungalows to luxury hotels and resorts. From secluded beaches to more crowdy ones. From rainforest to ocean. From Thai curry to pizza. From yoga, reiki and meditation to a beach party. The tropical island is situated about a 5 hour drive south/west of Bangkok, 8 km from shore and close to the Cambodian border. It offers something for everyone or everything for someone. Yes, that includes elephants. To get to Thailand by air, you can check flights to Thailand.

Thailand's Tropical Island Koh Chang

Your stay on serene Koh Chang can be a relief compared to busy and happening Bangkok, or to your long and rough bus ride from the Lao border across Cambodia. If you haven’t arranged your stay in advance, finding the right transport and accommodation can be experienced as somewhat confusing for just a minute. Where is the transport to my yet to book backpacker hangout or hotel? On which songtaew taxi should I jump? It is at least good to know beforehand at which beach you want to stay so you can ask the driver in which direction he’s heading and inform him where to stop.

Koh Chang Getting Around

There is just one main road on the island that almost goes all the way around. Almost. Except for a small stretch on the south side of the island. The good condition of this paved road and the lack of a steady form and schedule of public transport makes it an ideal place to explore by car or motorbike. In this jungle setting, rainforest meets ocean and due to the mountainous interior, especially the west side of the islands has winding roads that are, at times, very steep.

Places To Stay

Koh Chang’s tourist accommodation is located on the west side of the island. If you haven’t figured out where to stay, your best bet is to head towards White Sand Beach and take if from there. This is the most developed and touristy spot on the island. More catered to backpackers is Lonely Beach. A nice spot about 40 minutes from the pier by car that offers even cheaper accommodation, a wild party scene  and a great beach. Here, the true backpacker does not have to miss out on massages, cheap clothing and Thai curry or pad thai.

Things To Do

Next to the obvious activities like sunbathing, snorkeling, diving, elephant trekking, taking a boat trip and shopping, you can also choose other activities. Go Local and visit a (touristic) fishing village at the most western point of the island and don’t skip the more remote and authentic local villages on the east side. Go Zen and practice yoga or meditation, get a massage at the beach or enjoy a spa treatment in a professional run establishment. Go Active and hike through rugged, hilly terrain covered by pristine rainforest. Go Back to Nature and visit one or more of the scenic waterfalls. Klong Plu waterfall is the closest and easiest accessible one from the west coast beaches and offers a great natural pool for dipping and swimming!

Thailand

If you’re ready to leave this tropical island, you can choose to go into Cambodia. The Temples of Angkor are just a day of traveling overland away! You can also stack up on more Thai experiences like shiny and ancient temples, tropical beaches, great food, heaps of activities, historical places, green rice paddies, nice people, great shopping and national parks. The buzzing capital Bangkok is a great hub to return to during a longer trip through South-East Asia. It does not only attract travelers because of its central location, but also because it is a great place to get to know an interesting part of Thailand: the tourism industry in all its abundancy. The green and lush jungle in the north houses some great towns and cities where you can enjoy a more relaxed pace of life. In Northern Thailand, authenticity is not far away and Thai life can be experienced in the villages. A home stay is always a good way to learn about local life. The South is home to more islands for you to enjoy.

To me, Koh Chang and Thailand in general are places to enjoy and even to return to because they’re not at all difficult to travel to and through. Here, you’ve got the possibilities and means to relax and prepare for further traveling. Whether you need your party scene shot or you’re tranquillity of mind shot or whether you’re searching for authentic culture or for modernization. Look no further, because you’ve found it!

Travel Tips

A great place to stay at Lonely Beach is the Nature Bar. This recently expanded yet still compact and atmospheric bungalow park is a backpacker’s hangout. It offers a nice common open-air area that also acts as a restaurant with great food (try the sweet&sour chicken), motorbike rental, massages, ferry tickets and bus tickets to places on the mainland and Cambodia and Laos. It has a small bar that is not as much the party scene as some of its neighbouring accommodation. But it’s a short walk further south (bring a torch) on the beach or the main road (if you want to head out a bit further) to a more happening scene.