Overview

While Koh Chang's sights tend to centre around its sublime beaches, spectacular coastline and breathtaking sunsets, there is plenty to occupy those visitors who need a break from relaxing, swimming and sunbathing. The island is home to some of Thailand's most beautiful waterfalls and also operates as the centre point of the Mu Koh Chang National Marine Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site in its own right.

Koh Chang National Marine Park

One of Thailand's best-kept secrets and a stunning natural work of art, the islands of the Koh Chang National Marine Park comprise an incredible landscape. Immaculate beaches, exquisite, unspoilt rainforest, high mountain peaks hosting breathtaking waterfalls and magnificent marine life are all present within the island's scenery. Off the coast, visitors can enjoy the warm emerald waters and colourful coral reefs.

Waterfalls

Koh Chang's inland mountain and rainforest is home to some splendid examples of the waterfalls Thailand is famous for. A short songthaew (shared taxi) ride inland takes visitors to Klong Plu, the most popular waterfall on the island and the only one on the west coast. On the east side of Koh Chang are Klong Nonsi and Klong Nueng waterfalls, the latter reputed to be the most breathtaking. At Kongoi visitors can experience five beautiful waterfalls for the price of one. Yet another example of natural beauty is the waterfall park at Namtok Khlong Phlu, set over three tiers starting over 200 feet up. Walking shoes are advised for walking up the natural staircases alongside all waterfalls, and don't forget your camera.

Koh Kood

One of the islands located to the south of Koh Chang, Koh Kood is a short boat ride away and home to some perfect beaches, crystal water and great snorkelling and scuba diving. The largely unexplored reef off the northwest coast boasts some spectacular breeds of coral, while the jungle of the island boasts dozens of untouched coconut and rubber tree plantations.

Koh Maak

Different from the hilly and jungle-covered Koh Chang and Koh Kood, Koh Maak is a pretty island with more coconut and rubber plantations to visit. The flatter terrain makes for a slightly windier coastline so windsurfing excursions departing from the resorts on the west of the island can be enjoyed. Like Koh Chang, the beaches here are also first class.

Koh Wai

A tiny island with two picturesque beaches, Koh Wai offers more beautiful snorkelling and scuba diving among its coral reefs and is reckoned by many to be the most beautiful island of the Koh Chang range. While the island sees a lot of day-trippers, plan for an overnight stay and you will see it at its quietest and nicest.

Baal Dan Kano Village

This is a small, pretty village home to native Koh Chang folk who fish the waters off the island for blue spotted sea bass. The village is a taste of the authentic on Koh Chang as visitors get to watch locals fish with floating baskets then cooking the day's catch in numerous small restaurants. A visit here is a must for seafood fans.

Overview

The stunning waters of the Gulf of Thailand and Koh Chang's unspoilt rainforest make the island an amazing destination for lovers of the great outdoors. Highlights include scuba diving, snorkelling, sailing and windsurfing, but there is also fantastic hiking and trekking to be had and the gourmet can indulge their passion for Thai food by learning the essentials at one of the excellent cookery schools.

Scuba diving

The waters off Koh Chang are one of the finest spots in all of Thailand for scuba diving. Off the southwest corner of the island are numerous coral reefs and deep dive sites, and there are plenty of trip organisers and diving schools available. Many of the dive centres offer specialist tuition in PADI certificates, and the best time of year to enjoy diving is during the cool season of October to April.

Golf

Koh Chang is a small island so has no full-size, 18-hole courses, but the golfing addict can still indulge their passion on a small pitch-and-putt course located at the north tip of Kali Bae Beach. While not necessarily a place to improve ones handicap, it is nevertheless fun for golfers of all abilities.

Canoeing and breaking

The warm Gulf waters and the pretty inland lagoons of Koh Chang provide great locations for pottering about in a canoe, which is a great way to see the island. Some resorts provide canoes and kayaks to guests free of charge, so take advantage of a pleasant and unusual way to get around.

Elephant trekking

Another fun way to explore the fantastic landscape of Koh Chang is by elephant safari. Trek operators run excursions from Klong Prao to the interior jungles of the island complete with guides and handlers (mahouts). Alternatively, for the keen hiker, local guides will take visitors on walking treks of the island's mountains and jungle starting at the southern end and working up.

Sailing

The waters around Koh Chang offer some spectacular sailing and in the steady winds prevalent between November and March, visitors can enjoy yachting excursions off the west coast of the island. For the less experienced seafarer, boats complete with skippers can also be chartered to see the islands of the national marine park.

Thai cookery classes

Visitors who love Thai cuisine can learn the basics and hone existing skills at Koh Chang's excellent cookery schools. Two of the most renowned are the Blue Lagoon at Klong Prao Beach and the Aiyapura at Klong Son, where expert tutors teach how to mix spices, create basic and more advanced Thai dishes and also how to decoratively carve fruit and vegetables.

Dining and shopping

Hand in hand with Koh Chang's tourist infrastructure development over the past few years, a number of fantastic restaurants have sprung up. Being a coastal location, Koh Chang is naturally home to fantastic seafood and the beach fronts of the island are liberally scattered with picturesque restaurants all serving up great Thai food.

Koh Chang offers visitors a wide cross-section of typically delicious food, from traditional Thai curries to western fare via Swedish, Mexican and Italian tastes. Many of the fine beach front resorts have their own restaurants built into their complexes but for a taste of real island life, it's often worth heading a little off the beaten track to one of the many small local eateries dotted around the beach resorts.

As with accommodation on Koh Chang, places to eat can be found on and set back from the various beaches of the island, and with Koh Chang being a relatively small place, it's easy to take a songthaew (shared taxi) between resorts if you fancy trying somewhere different of an evening.

Klong Prao Beach offers quiet, candle and fire-lit beach restaurants where diners can enjoy seafood straight from the Gulf and sip cocktails to the sound of waves lapping at the shore. For a different take, Kai Bae Beach is home to a number of fusion restaurants, from Thai to Swedish to French plus Koh Chang's most well-known bakery, where fresh bread is on sale each morning.

For the shopper, Koh Chang offers visitors typical tourist trappings in the form of souvenirs and handmade goods available at numerous street side stalls and night-time markets at Kai Bae, Lonely Beach and Bangbao. Many visitors to Koh Chang's beaches take advantage of the clothing, craft and tailoring bargains which can be had, but the shopping doesn't extend much beyond this.

Thailand is, of course, famed for its fine tailoring, and Koh Chang is no departure from the rule of there being tailor's shops at most resorts. Many visitors drop into a tailor on arrival in their resort, get measured up for suits and shirts, pay a visit back to the tailor for adjustments and then collect their bargains before heading home.

White Sand Beach on Koh Chang's west coast is home to the island's Portobello artisan outlets, two air-conditioned boutiques selling hand-crafted furniture and unique silver jewellery.

Koh Chang has a fine selection and variety of places to eat, offering a blend of traditional Thai cooking, fantastic fresh seafood and international fusion restaurants, most of which enjoy spectacular sea views. If idyllic locations, great quality food and relaxing atmospheres are your bag, then you won't go far wrong on Koh Chang.

Overview

One of the main reasons for Koh Chang's peace, quiet and unspoilt natural beauty is that the island has no airport. The island's main access point is via ferry, with the port being located on the north tip, and there are regular daily boat connections from Trat on the mainland. Trat is home to a domestic airport and can also be reached from Bangkok by bus and by the efficient State Railway of Thailand overnight train services.

Airports

The airport at Trat is a fairly recent addition to the province. Opened just five years ago, it has made getting to Koh Chang far easier. Trat Airport services connecting flights on Bangkok Airways from Suvarnabhumi International Airport.

Trat Airport is small but does have basic facilities in its single open-air terminal including currency exchanges, ATMs, telephones, duty-free and gift shops.

Transfer from Trat Airport to Koh Chang is a simple process, with taxi or private minibus provided by Bangkok Airways connecting to Koh Chang via ferry.

Public transportation

One of the joys of Koh Chang is its privacy and feel of exclusivity, something that is reflected even in the ferry crossing to the island from Trat. The crossing takes around 45 minutes and the boat docks at Koh Chang ferry port on the north coast of the island. Services leave Trat every 30 minutes from 07:00 to 19:00. Transfer from the pier to the various resorts of the west coast is by songthaew (shared taxi), an experience in itself as trucks wind up and over the island's mountains en route to the beach.

Alternative methods of travelling to Trat include overnight VIP coach services from Bangkok and also overnight sleeper train from Bangkok Hualamphong train station. Transfer to Koh Chang is then by ferry.

Songthaew are the main means of transport around Koh Chang and can be hailed in the street. Ensure that you agree a price to your destination with the driver before boarding. Alternatively, for those wishing to get around and see Koh Chang under their own steam, scooters are available for hire at most resorts and some of the larger hotels provide car hire services. Be aware if hiring a car that the island can be driven right around in about 40 minutes.