Thailand Guides - Koh Chang

Koh Chang is the largest island in the gulf of Thailand and the second largest one in the country after Phuket. Visitors mostly travel for five and a half hours by road and take a 45 minute boat ride to the island. Nowadays, Bangkok Airways offers a 45 minute flight from the capital to Trat.

Its close proximity to the shore makes Koh Chang accessible all year round. The best time to visit the island is between November and April. The sea is less clear during the rainy season from August and October.

Touring the island on a motorcycle is also easy since the road network is now complete. Hat Sai Khao is famed for delicate white sand along a 6-kilometer beach. The beach is dotted with towering palms and coconut tress. At night Hat Sai Khao is illuminated with lights from pubs and bars, restaurants that are located along its beachside road. There are plenty of grocery stores, car and motorbike rental shops and petrol stations.

Hat Klong Prao, which means the bay of coconuts, derives its name from a number of coconut trees found along its beach. This beach begins at Chaiyachet Cape, which offers a good viewpoint of the island at sunset. The beach is less crowded than Hat Sai Khao and suitable for swimming and water sports.

Fifteen kilometres from Hat Klong Prao is Hat Kai Bae. It is a popular place among foreign tourists who come here for sunbathing. The beach has a slight slope into the sea that is favourable for swimming. Tourists who want to visit neighbouring islands such as Koh Yuak, Koh Man Nok and Koh Man Nai can hop in a boat from this beach. Hat Kai Bae is more colourful at night with restaurants and pubs vying for customers.