Trip report - Koh Chang - 15Jan2024 - 18Jan2024

[bkkmfj2648]

Trip Report – Koh Chang – 15 Jan 2024 – 18 Jan 2024

 

I am behind on my trip reports.  I present this one from Koh Chang (which was easier to prepare) and then I will have a bigger one from Christmas/New Years - 17 day trip report for Songkhla.  Sorry for the delays.

 

Up to now, my favorite island in proximity of Pattaya has been Koh Samet.

Hanging out with my volleyball friends at the Dongtan beach (Sea Rescue area), we were chatting about a new island place to go to and we decided to make a 4 day / 3 night visit to Koh Chang.

Aerial shot of the Trat island archipelago

One of them has a car, so that made the transportation modality easy. Note that a quick search in Google - notes that there are many busses that also go there – primarily from Bangkok but I believe that I saw one from Pattaya as well.

    -> Please note that their facial photos are included in this trip report with their permission given as well as their contact details in case any of you would like to use their services. <-

We departed Jomtien around 9:45am and we arrived at the Ao Thammachat pier in Trat at around 14:30pm, almost 5 hours – leisurely driving with breaks for the bathroom, iced coffee, and gas.

We were able to get onto the 15:30pm car ferry at a cost of 120 baht for the car and then 80 baht for the each of us for a total of 360 baht. The ferry crossing is about 30 minutes.  Ferry info can be found here at:  Koh Chang Ferries price list 2023 / 2024 

Map of Koh Chang and surrounding islands.  As you can see there are many ferry options to arrive onto the island from the mainland.

Above places highlighted with a red circle are the places that we visited

We booked our 3 night stay at the Klong Prao Resort    Klong Prao Beach Resort webpage 

We booked 2 rooms and paid 1,840 baht per night for a total of 11,040 baht for 3 nights.

This resort is lovely and very big with a beautiful sandy beach and lush tropical plants everywhere.  As we booked kind of at the last minute we were assigned to 2 older rooms.  There are 3 distinct zones around a large pond, where the zone we stayed in is the oldest and the other 2 zones are more modern.  My only complaint about our rooms were there were hardly any electrical outlets for all of our devices (electric razor, tooth brush, boom box, mobile phones, etc.).  Other than this inconvenience the rooms were perfect – air con worked very well, shower had hot water, and unlike my stay in Koh Samet and also in Songkhla (I still need to write this trip report) there were NO noisy geckos

to wake us up in the early morning with their annoying chirping sounds.  However, they are very handy for eating any annoying mosquitos, bugs and spiders.

Note that the 2 newer zones have many electrical outlets as they were probably built after the advent of the popularity of mobile phones and all of our electrical gadgets.

The highlights of this resort for us were:

• The pool and their pool bar with early evening 2 for 1 sunset happy hours – as evidenced in the below photos,
• The white sandy beaches and blue turquoise water.  Note that the Koh Chang municipality has strict rules that keep the noisy speed boats and jet skis away – thus rendering the beaches to be more in their wonderful natural state.

Day 1 (15 Jan 2024) itinerary

Arrive onto the island, check in unpack, enjoy the resort grounds, pool, beach, happy hour, fantastic sunset and eat at the resort dining facility = RimHad Restaurant.  Watched a great fire show performed by some hunky macho guys (similar to the familiar B-Boys, who perform all over Pattaya, Boyztown, Jomtien) on the beach in front of our resort restaurant.  Like when I visited Koh Samet, these fire show guys can be found traveling up and down the beach performing in front of the many resorts and beach restaurants.  It lasted about 10 minutes and was very entertaining.

I realized that I did not take any still photos so the above photo is from a movie clip that I made.

 

Then before going to sleep I received my customary massage – as both of these volleyball friends are also masseurs.

Day 2 (16 Jan 2024) itinerary

After the great resort buffet breakfast (an enormous selection of Western and Thai foods were available) we headed off to the Khlong Phlu Waterfall in the National Park.  It was nearby, and perhaps after 30 minutes by car we were already at the trailhead for our hike.  The hike took about 30 minutes and was rather easy. 

Explore Koh Chang - description of Koh Chang waterfalls  

As it was not rainy season, the waterfall was a little bit subdued, but it was still cool and refreshing to take a dip and to swim with the millions of fish that were in the water.  You need to resist their lite nibbles at your skin – kind of like those tourist places that you see all over Thailand where the tourists put their feet into a fish tank to get their dead skin nibbled off.

There were about 20 to 25 people there when we visited with about half of them brave enough to enter the chilly refreshing water.  There is a lifeguard off to the left up on the rocks to prevent that tourists climb up onto the waterfall, as it can be quite dangerous as it is very slippery.

And there I am trying to acclimate myself to the lite nibbles by the fish before I dove in and swam

over to where the water was cascading down – as that end is very deep.

 

Entrance fee to the waterfall (which is part of the national park system) was 40 baht for each of my 2 Thai friends and 200 baht for me for a total cost of 280 baht.

Afterwards, back to our resort to relax, swim in the pool, take advantage of the 2-for-1 drink specials at the pool bar, and to watch the sunset.

For that night’s dinner we drove over to the popular White Sands Beach area – full of restaurants, hotels, resorts, markets, etc. to eat at the Beach Tango restaurant 

     Beach Tango restaurant Facebook page  

which became our favorite go-to place to eat.

Why?

The food and drinks were good.  There was interesting eye candy – one of the wait staff had our constant attention.  Plus, there were many interesting people walking up and down the beach – as there are many, many, bars and restaurants in this area.  Beach Tango is smack in the middle of all of the fun and is an entertaining place to be situated.

Then after dinner back to the room to relax for my nightly massage.  Life is good.

 

Day 3 (17 Jan 2024) itinerary

Enjoy the buffet breakfast and then head down to the extreme southern part of Koh Chang (on the opposite side of the island) to visit the very famous Koh Ngam beach.  It was a very long drive as we needed to cross the island to the other side (mainland facing), and this part of the island is not built up like the other side, so consequently, the main road became narrower and narrower up into the mountains to the point where there was only room for 1 car to pass one way with very steep curvy roads.  Scary, but well worth the reward to arrive at the tiny boat station to take the 10 minute boat to cross over to the breath taking Koh Ngam.

You can choose your mode of transportation – by kayak or by motorboat.  We chose by motorboat as we were too excited to already be on Koh Ngam.  I believe that we paid 80 baht for each Thai person, and I as a farang had to pay 200 baht, which included the boat ride over to the island.  Fee is paid to a ranger on Koh Ngam – as it is now part of the Thailand National Park system.

Here is a good short video with some drone footage of Koh Ngam:  Youtube video with drone footage of Koh Ngam 

And here is what awaits you on Koh Ngam – truly amazing.

After enjoying Koh Ngam (swimming, relaxing, and enjoying the view and the nature) – back on the boat to Koh Chang and then back in the car for the 1 hour trip back to our resort for those 2-for-1 pool bar cocktails and amazing sunsets.

Rinse and repeat the previous night at Beach Tango for dinner and drinks and then back to the resort for my nightly good-night massage.

Day 4 (18 Jan 2024) itinerary

Enjoy the last breakfast buffet and check-out of the resort for the long 5 hour drive back to Pattaya (Jomtien).

Phong says to me – do you want to see one more exciting place before we head back?  I say, sure, why not.  So, we drive over to the Kai Bae Viewpoint, which is famous for its spectacular view of 4 of the Koh Chang archipelago islands, Koh Yuak, Koh Man Noi, Koh Pli and Koh Man Nok.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Kai+Bae+Viewpoint/@12.0205768,102.2919516,15z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x3104105179b452c7:0x2b4a04572dce185b!8m2!3d12.0205768!4d102.2919516!16s%2Fg%2F11b6tz721w?hl=en&entry=ttu

Note that there is excellent coffee available at this Kai Bae viewpoint.

Before almost reaching Pattaya, my 2 tour guides noticed that we were all sad that our 4 day trip was coming to a quick end, so they said do you want to eat at a fun place that is near Pattaya (about 1 hour away) before we call it a day?  I said sure – as I really like to see and experience new places.

So, we stopped off at the Tamnanpar Resort & Restaurant – one of these many nearby Pattaya / Rayong restaurants that are tucked away in a jungle theme – various Thai friends have taken me to different ones as each Thai person swears that his/her’s is the best.

Tamnanpar resort and restaurant Facebook page 

This place is famous for their unique game cuisine where you can eat ostrich, crocodile, snake, and deer. All was good and our random waiter was someone that my 2 tour guides already knew and were teasing him about his in-the-bed attributes – he was quite shy but willing to tease back my 2 Thai friends.  I truly enjoy when the Thais do this to each other as it is very entertaining.

Then they dropped me off at my condo room in Jomtien and our trip concluded.

 

 

Trip summary:

Would I go back to Koh Chang?  Most certainly – it is a large island and there is still more to see. Especially to visit many of the many off-shore islands in the archipelago. Maybe stay for one more additional day to take some time to do kayaking.

Any regrets?  Yes, we did not have time to see the famous abandoned boat “ghost” hotel.   Nation Thailand article on the famous "ghost" ship on Koh Chang

 

Contact details (HORNET and Line) for my 2 Thai tour guides from the Dongtan volleyball field in Jomtien.  They can be available to be a tour guide, companion, or masseur. 

•  permission was granted to me by the both of them to publish their details for all of you

Also, come and visit them at volleyball (nightly from about 5:30 pm until 8pm to 9pm daily) – right next to the Sea Rescue in front of the Pattaya Park Tower on the beach road of our Dongtan beach. 

Phong Hornet ID is:  @m-thailand

Boat Hornet ID is:  @13hq91

 

[khaolakguy]

Really interesting report, thank you. I always heard that the mosquitoes on Koh Chang were HUGE! And real bloodsuckers! Was that your experience?

[siriusBE]

Thanks a lot for the report. I stayed on Koh Chang last week (in the very south, Chivapuri Beach Resort) and liked it very much. having your own car is great. The ferry for the car is only 120.

[bkkmfj2648]

5 hours ago, khaolakguy said:

Really interesting report, thank you. I always heard that the mosquitoes on Koh Chang were HUGE! And real bloodsuckers! Was that your experience?

Then I consider myself lucky - as I only recall a few mosquito bites that only left small bite marks - none of those large bloodsucker bite marks that I hate and itch for days.

[bkkmfj2648]

2 hours ago, siriusBE said:

Thanks a lot for the report. I stayed on Koh Chang last week (in the very south, Chivapuri Beach Resort) and liked it very much. having your own car is great. The ferry for the car is only 120.

Thanks for your feedback.  Could you elaborate some more about your choice to stay at the almost southern point on Koh Chang?

The reason that I ask is we are thinking of returning again to Koh Chang and maybe it would be nice for us to also stay at the Chivapuri Beach Resort.

Is there civilization outside of the resort?  We noticed that the farther away that you got from the 2 primary tourist areas; White Sands beach and Lonely Beach it becomes quite remote.  Was that your experience?

We truly enjoyed eating outside of our resort at the Beach Tango place at the White Sands beach as it was much more lively and genuine than the sterile type of experience you can have when you remain confined within a resort for too long.

Many thanks in advance for any ideas, suggestions, feedback you can share regarding this almost southern most point of the island.

[Olddaddy]

Fantastic 😊 thankyou 

[siriusBE]

22 hours ago, bkkmfj2648 said:

Is there civilization outside of the resort?  We noticed that the farther away that you got from the 2 primary tourist areas; White Sands beach and Lonely Beach it becomes quite remote.  Was that your experience?

We truly enjoyed eating outside of our resort at the Beach Tango place at the White Sands beach as it was much more lively and genuine than the sterile type of experience you can have when you remain confined within a resort for too long.

Chivapuri Beach Resort is quite a remote place. It's a very nice resort, clean, nice beach and a fast stable internet (important to me as a digital nomad). Not the cheapest one though. The hotel's restaurant is good and there are some small restaurants in the neighborhood , but that's it.

So, if you enjoy a diverse selection of restaurants and bars then I fear this is not the right place for you. But you can compensate for this to a certain extent by having your own car.