Koh Chang, Thailand, Travel Guide

It’s been 15 minutes since the ferry left Trat, a town and province in the Gulf of Thailand close to the border with Cambodia, and the island of Koh Chang is coming into view. It’s massive, seeming to stretch across the horizon, and painted with countless undulating mountains and hills that resemble the backs of slumbering giants. Smaller islands pepper the glittering turquoise waters around it like stars. As we get closer, I begin to notice how green the island is—more than 70 percent of it is covered in thick, protected rain forest, inhabited only by critters such as white-bellied sea eagles and crab-eating macaques.

Koh Chang, meaning “Elephant Island” in Thai because of its resemblance to the mammal from above, is Thailand’s third-largest island after Phuket and Koh Samui. It’s the anchor island in the Mu Ko Chang National Park, a marine protected area that includes 51 other islands known for their pristine beaches, rushing waterfalls, jungle treks, and more than six square miles of coral reefs. The island has no airport and is only reachable by a roughly 30-minute ferry from the mainland. It’s a trek that overall results in fewer tourists, a welcome respite from the crowds that are spreading across Thailandespecially following the premiere of the third season of The White Lotus. “Koh Chang offers a unique blend of relatively built-out tourist offerings without the crowds and impact of overtourism seen on other major islands like Phuket and Koh Samui,” says Grant Ekelunda Travel + Leisure A-list advisor and travel consultant at InsideAsia Tours. “This means that prices are much more reasonable than Phuket, even for luxury properties.”

Home to incredible stretches of white-sand beachesjaw-dropping viewpoints, and great seafood, here’s why Koh Chang may just be one of Thailand’s most underrated islands.

Best Hotels & Resorts

KC Grande Resort Koh Chang

This sprawling five-star resortwhich I stayed at, stretches across the island’s popular White Sand Beach and back into the jungle-clad hills. The grounds are ensconced in swaying palm trees and lotus ponds that offer panoramic vistas of the ocean from nearly every angle. Rooms are contemporary with Thai-inspired color palettes and balconies displaying hill and sea views. Upgraded rooms and suites have Jacuzzis and direct pool access, and mini beachfront villas are also available. The resort is located on the island’s main road, within walking distance of several bars, restaurants, shops, and convenience stores. Also on the grounds are two restaurants, a coffee shop, and four outdoor pools, including one infinity rooftop pool with a bar.

those Dance

those Dance is a beachfront resort that seamlessly blends rustic architecture with the natural surroundings. The property features multiple silo-like concrete buildings with sweeping ceilings accented by natural materials such as thatched roofs and wooden furniture. Rooms are spacious and feature modern Thai decor, floor-to-ceiling windows, private balconies, deep soaking tubs, and rainfall showers. Black-tiled pools are ensconced in lush tropical gardens and a full-service spa caters to those seeking next-level relaxation. The resort feeds into Klong Prao Beach.

Resort Chang Town

Tucked within landscaped tropical gardens, this 157-room resort offers direct access to a private stretch of Klong Prao Beach. The rooms are rustic yet elevated with wooden furniture and large breezy windows, and they feature balconies and terraces with garden and beach views. The resort has a bar and a restaurant located directly on the sand—arguably the best point to watch the sun sink beneath the waves. Good to know: Pets are welcome for a small fee.

Santhiya Koh Chang Resort

This serene resort is nestled between tropical hills and Klong Prao Beach. Villas and suites are decorated with ornate teak and rattan furnishings, and come with private pools and views overlooking tropical gardens, canals, and mountains. Guests can enjoy both a beachfront pool lined with palm trees and an infinity pool offering elevated vistas of the grounds.

Gajapuri resort

Designed to imitate a quaint village, Gajapuri resort is a tranquil retreat set among lush gardens, backed on one end by a natural rain forest reserve and on the other by the serene shores of Kai Bae Beach. The property features two saltwater pools and individual wooden bungalows connected by winding wooden walkways. Upgraded rooms have private villas and Jacuzzis, and there’s even a tent-like accommodation with an outdoor shower, a sink, and a mini waterfall.

Best Things to Do

Sunbathe on one of the island’s five main beaches.

Koh Chang is home to five main beaches, all of which are located on its west coast. These are White Sand Beach, Klong Prao Beach, Kai Bae Beach, Lonely Beach, and Klong Kloi Beach. “As a Thai island, the beaches of Koh Chang are exactly what you would expect—a truly idyllic landscape of soft white sand with warm waters rolling onto the shore all day,” says Ekelund.

White Sand Beach is the most developed and lively of the five. Stretching just under two miles, it boasts powder-white sand, gin-clear waters, and plenty of beachfront bars and restaurants. At dusk, the area is lit by colorful fairy lights strung between massive mangroves. Here, many restaurants offer barbecue meals where you can choose your own meats and freshly caught seafood from a display. Klong Prao Beach, a quieter alternative to White Sand Beach, is widely regarded as the island’s most beautiful with its two-plus miles of pristine sand. Lonely Beach has been coined the ultimate “backpacker scene” for its laid-back vibe, while Klong Kloi is known for being secluded and quiet.

Enjoy street food at the White Sand Beach night market.

If you’re looking for a more laid-back meal, the Koh Chang Night Market, located right off of White Sand Beach, is a great place to sample street food among locals and tourists. Illuminated by fairy lights, the market is small but lively and features several stalls where vendors offer everything from desserts, fresh fruit, and cocktails to spring rolls, seafood, and meats that are grilled right before your eyes. Local delicacies like horseshoe crab, which is served as a salad or grilled, and barbecued crocodile skewers are some of the more unique options. You can either take your food to go or eat at provided benches and tables.

Explore Bang Bao fishing village.

Bang Bao is a fishing village built on wooden stilts that stretches between dramatic hills and along a 1,100-foot-long pier on the southern tip of the island. While tourism has now replaced fishing as the community’s primary source of income, the area is a great way to see the island away from the resorts. “Being remotely located, Koh Chang has developed its own unique culture as an island over hundreds of years,” explains Ekelund. Here, you’ll find plenty of souvenir shops, quaint guesthouses, and seafood restaurants offering panoramic views of the bay.

Go snorkeling and diving among vibrant coral reefs and wreck sites.

There are several coral reefs that can be visited right off the beaches in Koh Chang or by taking a short snorkeling day trip. Clownfish, parrotfish, and angelfish are just some of the tropical species you’ll see flitting between vibrant corals. Adventurous divers will enjoy exploring the HTMS Chang wreckThailand’s most famous and largest shipwreck dive site. A former U.S. World War II and Korean War tank that was later sold to the Thai Navy, it was intentionally sunk in 2012 to create an artificial coral reef. Stretching 328 feet, it’s now home to a wide variety of marine life, including giant groupers, barracudas, and graceful whale sharks.

Swim in waterfalls tucked within the rain forest.

As Koh Chang is mostly composed of rain forest, it’s no surprise the island is home to several waterfalls. The most popular is Klong Plu, located down a short winding trail a short distance away from Klong Prao Beach. Completely sheltered in dense vegetation, the waterfall has a gushing 130-foot drop and a large basin that’s perfect for swimming. A word to the wise: The trail, while well maintained, can be quite uneven and steep in some places, so it should only be attempted with proper footwear and a decent level of fitness, especially if you plan to see the waterfall from a higher vantage point.

Best Restaurants

Once bar

Enjoying a prime location on White Sand Beach, this bar and restaurant puts out cozy chairs and tables directly on the sand at sunset, and colorful handmade light fixtures hang from the mangrove trees to provide a calming glow as dusk falls. The restaurant serves great cocktails, soft drinks, and local Thai beers, which are best enjoyed as an aperitif in the evening, and at night you can choose typical Thai dishes from the menu or select your own seafood, meats, and vegetables from a display to be barbecued before your eyes. Fire dancing performances take place on the beach every night.

Jae eaw seafood

This long-standing family-run establishment is a favorite among locals, known for its affordable prices, large portions, and great quality. Here, you’ll find a wide variety of fresh seafood and typical Thai dishes, including grilled tiger prawns, garlic fried calamari, and tom yum soup.

Nong bua seafood klong prao

Set in a small but airy space with high ceilings, this cozy restaurant is located along Klong Prao Beach, a sister location to its original that opened on White Sand Beach more than 20 years ago. It’s known for serving plates heaped with seafood, including clams, squid, tiger prawns, and more. Traditional Thai dishes like pineapple stir-fried rice or pad Thai are also on the menu.

Best Time to Visit

It’s best time to visit between November and early April, during the island’s dry season, for clear skies, calm seas, and temperatures averaging between 82 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit. While the months between December and February are considered peak season, this also coincides with a livelier atmosphere and more open bars and restaurants. November and April are the island’s shoulder season and great for fewer crowds and slightly cheaper prices. Ekelund recommends avoiding May through October—the rainy season—as heavy showers and rough seas can disrupt outdoor activities. However, if you’re willing to get wet, this is when budget-conscious travelers will be able to find the best deals on accommodations.

How to Get There

The only way to reach Koh Chang is via a ferry from the town of Trat. The closest airport, the regional Trat Airport (TDX), is about 20 minutes north of Ao Thammachat Pier, the main ferry point for the island. You can fly into TDX directly from Bangkokand the airport itself is a roughly four-hour drive from the metropolis. Most accommodations on the island offer private transfers from Trat Airport to the ferry pier. It’s also possible to cross the border from Cambodia to Trat and then travel to Koh Chang via ferry, which is what I did.

How to Get Around

Koh Chang is almost entirely encircled by one main road, and the island doesn’t have any private tuk-tuks or taxis. Rather, there are songthaews, which are basically modified pickup trucks whose beds have been outfitted with benches and feature a canopy-like structure for protection and to store luggage. These operate like buses with fixed schedules and destinations, and can be flagged down on the side of the road.

The easiest and cheapest way to get around, however, is by renting a motorcycle. This offers the most flexibility and costs between 200 and 300 Thai baht (THB), roughly between $6 and $9 a day, although shops typically offer discounts for longer rentals. Gas is sold in old glass liquor bottles at small kiosks around the island for as little as 40 THB, or about $1.22.