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| Aboard the ferry bound for Koh Chang |
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Koh Chang is an island on the eastern seaboard of the Gulf of Thailand near the Cambodian border. It is big and known as being the second largest island in the country. It is quite mountainous as the highest peak is at 744m above the sea level. Despite its relative development, it has kept its natural environment. A good part of the island is covered by a rainforest and there are a few scenic waterfalls to visit.
Strangely its name [ช้าง, chang] means 'elephant', not because there are
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| Map of Koh Chang |
elephants. It is because the shape of the island looks like the head of an elephant. There are also elephants on the island but they have been imported as a shameful tourist attraction that should frankly be avoided! In reality, Koh Chang is the main island of an archipelago made of some 52 different islands. It is a district [อำเภอ, amphoe] of the Trat [ตราด] Province.
There are different ways to get there. You can of course drive or take a bus. The best option is to take the bus line from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Koh Chang. They have two departures every day: on with a minibus and a second with a coach. The other alternative is to fly Bangkok Airways from Suvarnabhumi. It is more expensive but the flight only lasts 40 minutes.
This is the option I chose this time since airfares go down during the low season.
From Bangkok to Koh Chang with BANGKOK AIRWAYS.
To avoid traffic, you may want to use the Airport Express Line either from Phaya Thai or Makkasan station. But early morning, the traffic is smooth to go from the city to the airport and taxis are cheap in this country.
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| Bangkok Airways F72 |
Bangkok Airways is a private boutique airline that has got quite a good reputation for service. First, they provide an airport lounge and then they serve a small snack on board, even for such a short hop.
Once at Trat Airport, you must still continue the journey to the island. There is a transport desk at the airport that provides this service. It costs THB500 for one way or THB900 for a return trip. This includes the minibus to the ferry, the cost of the ferry, and a dispatch/pick-up to your hotel on the island. [Trat Airport guide]
Of course, the Suvarnabhumi Airport BKK coach service is far less cheap and offers the same service.
It takes about 30 minutes for the car-ferry to cross the strait to Koh Chang. And then, depending
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| Ferry crossing to Koh Chang |
where you stay on the island, it takes a good while to reach your destination as the only road is quite narrow at times, crosses many villages and resort areas, or is quite winding due to the mountains. It took me a good one hour and a half to get from the airport to my final destination after Lonely Beach on the western side of the island.
At the MERCURE HIDEAWAY, Bailan Beach.
There are plenty of different accommodations for all types of budgets on the island. I chose to be at the Mercure's, a mid-range
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| Room view at the Mercure Hideaway |
resort because I had been there before and I like its relative seclusion. It has a nice, little sandy beach, a view both on the sea and the rainforest. Some more, there are a few nice Thai restaurants or convenience stores nearby, and you can also rent a motorcycle in the village (THB150/per day only).
There are quite a few things to go to or visit on Koh Chang. But this time, I just wanted to go and see one of the main waterfalls, and then return to the fishing community of Bang Bao.
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| Mercure Hotel cove on Koh Chang |
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| Reception area |
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| The small sandy beach |
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| Sunset view |
Khlong Phlu Waterfall.
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| At the waterfall during the rainy season |
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| The mountain stream |
About mid-way on the west coast, there is a small road leading to the interior. It ends at a national park with many Thai eating places, a usual sight in this country. After paying an entrance fee (THB200) – of course officially higher for visitors (!) - a footpath along the mountain stream takes you to the waterfall. It is well marked and safe to go, although it requires a good physical form. It is a 30 minutes' walk across the rainforest, with a few signs in both Thai and English, explaining the life of the tropical jungle. The waterfall is truly spectacular – particularly, in the rainy season. It falls into a pond between the rocks, which many are using as a swimming hole. [Khlong Phlu waterfall]
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| About the 'Buttress roots' in the forest |
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| Tree roots |
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| Forest mushrooms |
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| Khlong Phlu Waterfall |
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| The stream in the rocks |
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| A view of the rainforest |
Baan Bang Bao.
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| At Baan Bang Bao |
This picturesque fishing community is at the southernmost tip of Koh Chang. It is also a major harbor for tourist boats, scuba divers, or commuters to the other islands of the archipelago, mainly Koh Mak and Koh Kood. The term baan [เพอร์] means a 'house' or a 'village' – or simply 'home' – in the Thai language. [map]
Although it has become more commercial in the recent years, it is still an
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| A shell curtain |
eye-catching sight. Built in a large, open bay it is a stilt-house community of fishermen. All the wooden, traditional houses connect to a long, central pier, which ends with a lighthouse. Nowadays, there are many souvenir shops, cafés, and seafood restaurants, as well as a few guest-houses. This type of community was once common but it tends to disappear, making Baan Bang Bao a sort of local oddity.
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| Stilt houses |
Christian Sorand
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| Beach at sunset |
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| Koh Chang archipelago |
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| Leaving the island on a ferry-boat |
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| Westernmost cape at Koh Chang |
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| Sailing across the strait to the mainland |
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