Months of confinement and finally the possibility of travelling again.
I take you to discover the island of Koh Chang, located in the southeast of the Gulf of Thailand.
I will look for hotels and beaches for my future stays on the island.
A hotel on White Beach and 2 on Klong Prao beach are on the programme of this first getaway.
How do I get there?
From Bangkok, you can go to the island by road or by plane.
By Plane
There is no airport on the island, the nearest airport is Trat, an hour’s flight from Bangkok.
The Bangkok Air flight cost me just over 3,000 THB round trip. I used a transfer service between the airport and my arrival hotel.
Krungthep Limousine offers this transfer for 500 THB in a small modern van, including ferry prices. This company serves only the western part of the island.
It will take 1 to 2 hours of transfer depending on the location of your hotel.
By the road
You can find Bangkok-Koh Chang ferry deals for just over 400 THB in mini van. There is also more comfortable bus transport which is around 1,000 THB. It’s a 5 to 6 hour drive to the ferry.
Be careful!
Thailand has a very high rate of road accidents.
Bus or van drivers have a very bad reputation. Often overworked, they drive like crazy and/or tend to fall asleep at the wheel.
Beaches and hotels
All the rooms in the stay were standard rooms, often the cheapest on offer. Hotels are between 3 and 4 stars on Tripadvisor.
White Beach – 15 Palms resort
My first hotel is on the white white beach in the northwest of the island.
Although it is called “resort” it is actually an 8-bedroom Boutique hotel, feet in the water.
The rooms are comfortable and modern. The small restaurant, which looks directly onto the beach, is cozy with its patinated wooden furnishings.
The setting is heavenly, the White sand beach is superb – probably the most beautiful on the island. You will find plenty of bars big and small, and plenty of entertainment.
Covid obliges, the beach was deserted, which should not be often the case in this season.
The hotel is ideal for chilling the day and having fun as soon as night falls.
Pros
- Very cozy general atmosphere
- On White Sand Beach
- Good value for money
- Small hotel
Cons
- Small hotel (probably difficult to book in high season)
Price: 1,700 THB/night
Web: 15 Palms Resort
Klong Prao Beach – Santhiya Tree resort
The second hotel on my list, the Santhiya Tree resort is located on the Khlong Prao beach. This time it is really a “resort”, with a large area and infrastructure.
The setting, architecture and atmosphere of this Thai-style hotel are truly superb. I loved it.
From the entrance the imposing main building immerses you in a magical atmosphere.
The rooms and villas are scattered in the tropical garden that leads to the beach.
The hotel is a bit far from everything, but offers its own entertainment.
The whole deserves its 4 stars.
Pros
- Crazy charm
- Beautiful room
- Service worthy of a 4-star
- Isolated
Cons
- Isolated but offers its own animations.
Price: 2,400 THB/night
Web: Santhiya Tree Resort Koh Chang
Klong Prao Beach – Klong Prao resort
This 3rd hotel was the least interesting of the 3.
My room was a standard room, clean and with a small terrace on a lagoon.
There are also small bungalows that look much nicer.
The setting is pretty ordinary. The resort’s limited infrastructure includes only a restaurant and a swimming pool with staff who didn’t seem to be very concerned.
Probably family oriented, I did not like it without hating it.
Pros
- The cheapest of the stay
- Room correct and clean but without charm.
Cons
- The resort doesn’t have much charm
- Unmotivated staff
Price: 1,400 THB/night
Web: na
So, Koh Chang?
A week is obviously very short to get an idea, but I have a great memory of the White Sand beach and the Santhiya tree.
Now I have spotted hotels there, I will return to discover the island.
I have a weeklong stay planned in Koh Samui next week, but the Covid is talking about it again and I don’t know if the island will be accessible.
We’ll talk about it.
Ciao!
