Ko Chang in Trat Province sits close to the mainland in the east of the Gulf of Thailand, near to Cambodia. It is a national marine park, the second-largest island in the country and has loads of white sandy beaches.
Ko Chang is a laid-back tourist haunt for the time being, in stark contrast to the holiday islands of Phuket and Samui, and it’s this character that attracts the more discerning traveler. However, things are developing rapidly and it it is becoming more and more touristy.
Half of Ko Chang remains untouched and is inhabited by an abundance of wildlife such as deer, elephants, snakes and birds. The main appeal is the beaches while the options for getting active are also good. The diving and snorkeling, while not as good as in the Andaman, are nonetheless appealing and there is also some pretty good jungle trekking to be had.
The main draw on Ko Chang is Hat Sai Khao, which is the nicest and most developed beach here. There are some lovely resorts and restaurants on the beach as well as a few bars, and there are also several waterfalls to check out along with a national park.
Getting There & Away
Ko Chang is over 300kms southeast of Bangkok and the standard way here is to take a bus from the capital and then catch a ferry at the pier in Trat. Ferries run hourly in the high season and take about 45 minutes. You can also fly from Bangkok to Trat Airport and then take a taxi to the pier. Suvarnabhumi International Airport is the Thai gateway and is 4 hours by road from Trat, the closest major town to the pier.
Things to Do
Ko Chang Attractions
- Hat Sai Khao
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Aptly known as white sand beach, this is the main attraction on ko chang and comes with the best resorts and facilities.
- Mu Ko Chang National Park
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A large national marine park that encompasses a huge part of ko chang and many other islands.
- Klong Plu Waterfall
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Klong plu is the main waterfall on ko chang and the one most people travel to.
- Ko Mai Si
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A small island near ko kut that comes with idyllic beaches and nice clear waters for diving.