Koh Chang

The private Paradise of the AiyaPura Resort and Spa on the Tropical Island Koh Chang is nestling agreeably with nature and has the luxury of a 5 star hotel resort and it facilities.

Virgin forest, tropical Fruit trees and Thai architectural buildings share the same space in peace and harmony. Lush green trees are surrounding the gentle hamlet which is laid out with villas, suites and bungalows, equipped with all the amenities you could which for.

With its 84 rooms, including superior rooms, deluxe duplex rooms, villas & suites, the Aiyapura Resort & Spa is the most luxurious resort on Koh Chang. In combination with 3 restaurants and bars, an overflowing free-shaped swimming pool and a 500-meters sea shore.

Rooms and suites are equipped with all mode construction such as individually controllable air conditioning, color TV with International, Thai and Cable channels, an international telephone with 24-hour operator service, minibar and minishop and your own coffee and tea making facilities. The bathrooms have all the amenities, hot and cold water with outdoor shower or bathtub and much more.

For more information and make a booking click here.

Aiyapura Resort & Spa, Koh Chang, Thailand

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Nirvana Resort is a special place designed to surpass its name. Made with lovers of natural beauty in mind it also excels in cuisine, comfort and service. Oozing chic and style Nirvana is the special getaway for anybody who is yearning for peace and tranquility with comfort.

Discover Nirvana, the ultimate eco-friendly resort set in 8 acres of virgin jungle. Discover the long sandy beaches in the beautiful bay of Bang Bao in the south of the fabulous unspoiled island of Koh Chang, the second largest island of Thailand, only recently opened to tourism.

Nirvana, a sensitively developed eco-friendly resort nestled in part beside the tiny fishing village of Bang Bao and being a peninsula is also positioned on the deep blue waters of the South China Sea.

Every bungalow on nirvana resort has been carefully designed and structured using the finest materials available, from ancient timber flooring, to hand made Buddha roof tiles. Each bungalow is a new experience, as every one of them is different, yet all boasting super luxury standards. Interiors were carefully chosen from Bali, giving the feeling of comfort and total relaxation.

Bungalows Facilities:
* Sea view, Beach Front bungalows.
* Fabulous Balinese Interiors.
* Privacy glass on all bungalows.
* DVD/CD Dolby-Logic Home Theatre Systems.
* UBC Satellite.
* Free High Speed Broad Band Internet.
* Huge Balinese bath tubs with power showers.
* Generously stocked mini bars including fine imported wines.
* Silent Running Air-Conditioned, ceiling Fans.
* Large comfortable Couches/single beds.
* Digital in-room safe.
* Hair Dryer
* Room Service.

Every bungalow boasts a Sony Dolby Digital 5.1 home cinema system, with the latest DVD movies available. And for those who like to keep in touch with there business, a broad band Lan connection is situated in every room at the desk area. All internet usage is complimentary to Nirvana customers. Mini bars are generously stocked with a wide range of refreshments including spirits and imported wines. A full European and Thai menu is offered from our restaurant, all meats are imported from New Zealand or the UK, and fish is freshly delivered from the local fishing village. Located beach front, fabulous views of the bay make dining an enjoyable experience.

With customer satisfaction in mind, Nirvana boast, not one, but 2 swimming pools. Located beach front, over looking the bay is the salt water pool, offering a pool side bar with wi-fi internet connection. Located in the heart of the jungle is the fresh water plunge pool, with a rock waterfall. The poolside Rock bar offers cocktails and evening drinks.

For more information and make a booking click here.

Nirvana Resort Koh Chang, Thailand

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Mountain greenery, clear blue sky, refreshing breezes, sparking blue ocean and fine white sandy beaches. It’s paradise on the beautiful island of Koh Chang. KC Hotel & Resort gives you that clear vision of that paradise island. Luxurious bungalows for special people. Enjoy the refreshing blue of the sky from sunrise to sunset of the beach and feel your stress melt away. Top off your great day with our fabulous food.

Room facilities and amenities include:
* Bathroom with hot and cold water
* Mini-Bar
* Remote Control
* Cable TV
* Individually controlled air-conditioning
* Full stock of room amenities
* In room personal safe

Each room faces the sea with private balcony. All guest rooms are comfortably furnished with generous room amenities. All the standard rooms have been beautified lately to better service you. All superior villas are located in the midst of the seashore and the mountain. and the villas have their private balcony with its picturesque locale atop the mountain backdrop which give our guests a feeling of walking into the wilderness. All deluxe room villas are located just a few steps to the ocean which boasts a spectacular view of the Gulf of Thailand. The unusual large size of the room create the most relax experience one will encounter.

The Beach Cafe is open to ocean breezes and the scent of tropical flowers the most suitable place for all day dining and also to enjoy an evening cocktail or soft drinks while watching the sun slowly setting into the ocean. The sound of the waves is musical background giving our guests an experience of dining by the sea. The restaurant also features very fresh grilled seafood and international cuisines.

For more information and make a booking click here.

KC Grande Resort, Koh Chang, Thailand

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Koh Chang Kacha Resort is ideally located in the central region of the White Sand Beach. It is a beachfront resort with a great sea view and is a perfect place for those who love living by the sea with fine white sand and clear sea-water. The beach at Koh Chang Kacha Resort is ideal for sunbathing, swimming, playing or just lazing around. Each evening the beachfront attracts more people with some volleyball and football teams sweating out on the wide beachfront, courtesy of the low tide.

Koh Chang Kacha Resort offers 44 authentic eastern Thai style rooms in the middle of tropical style garden, except for the four beachfront Villas. Each house has 2 floors. Mostly each house has two rooms: one lower floor and another room on the second floor. All houses are parallel to the beach with the beachfront villas situated in the front row.

The rooms are equipped with individually controllable air conditioning, colour TV with local and cable channels, hair dryer, IDD telephone service, safety box, mini bar, coffee and tea making facilities and private balcony or terrace. The bathrooms have all amenities, hot and cold water with shower.

The rooms are:
Standard Room - 8 rooms
Superior Villa - 36 rooms
Beachfront Villa - 4 villas
Deluxe Building - 30 rooms
Deluxe Villa - 11 villas

Facilities and Services:
* Spa & Massage
* Swimming Pool
* Meeting Room
* Limousine Service
* Tour and Excursion
* Luggage Service
* Laundry Service
* Vegetarian Food
* Car Rental
* Internet

For more information and make a booking click here.

Koh Chang Kacha Resort and Spa, Koh Chang, Thailand

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Koh Chang used to be a backpackers’ paradise of bargain beach huts, massage on the beach and nights listening to Bob Marley. But things have changed as mainstream tour operators discovered its charms.

The Thai island of Koh Chang is the second largest in the country after Phuket, not far from the Cambodian border. If you haven’t heard of it, you soon will, as it’s what the mainstream tour operators call an ‘emerging destination’. If you are a cynic, that means a former sleepy backpackers’ retreat of simple beach huts has been swamped with a mid- to high-end tourists. And, if you like new places that are relaxed and relatively easy to get to, book now before the hordes arrive.

Flights from Bangkok to neighbouring Trat City on the mainland, where you catch a charming ferry to the island, run two or three times a day, as opposed to more than 30 daily flights from the capital to the better-known Koh Samui.

There is little resort-style development on Koh Chang because it is dizzyingly mountainous, making it pretty in a Gauguinesque South Seas way, and because it is a protected marine national park. There are still scores of cheap places, costing from as little as a couple of pounds a night for what amounts to no more than a garden shed with a bed. Most are on the west side as there are few beaches on the east, and the highest concentration is at White Sands.

Here the beach is clean, the roaming dogs are well fed and not after your leg, there’s little evidence of dubious girlie bars and everyone is friendly. The shopping is the usual tat with travellers’ clothes that fall apart after two rinse cycles but it’s all so cheap and easy that no one cares. If you want to go upmarket there are a couple of smart Italian restaurants. In short, it is perfect for a stop and flop.

That said, what the brochures don’t tell you is that the beach suffers from a strong tide and almost disappears on certain days in the lunar calendar. Also, those mountains mean lots of cloud and more rain than on lower-lying islands. White Sands reminded one of the Thailand of yesteryear.

Completed just over a year ago, the 150-room Amari Emerald Cove hotel was the first international five-star hotel to open on the island and the first to be featured by Kuoni, Britain’s biggest long-haul operator to the Far East.

Rooms offer simple luxury with teak floors, large beds, generous bathrooms and balconies overlooking lily ponds. The pool is a 50-metre stunner, five times longer than the one at my local gym, and makes up for the smallish beach. The cocktails and the food are excellent, but the architect made a serious error of judgment when he put the main bar and the Thai and Italian restaurants at the back of the hotel.

Koh Chang means ‘elephant island’ and, even though they aren’t indigenous, there are three spots on the island where you can take organised rides. Chose Ban Kwang Chang, a simple clearing in the forest where they don’t do circus tricks.

Koh Chang, elephant island thailand

Few destinations can match Koh Chang for its sheer beauty. The islands of the south, with their silky white beaches and jungle-clad hillsides, are among the best on earth. Throw in one of the world’s finest cuisines, a tropical climate, good-humoured people and low prices, and you have a formula that inches close to perfection.

True, there are some ugly pockets of overdevelopment but these eyesores are easily avoided, particularly now that new roads and airports have opened up parts of the country previously seen only by backpackers. Idyllic beaches that once lay at the end of all-night bus rides are now less than an hour’s flying time from Bangkok.

Opening up new areas of Thailand to tourism has, in the past, been a double-edged sword. Unchecked development can spell disaster for the delicate ecology. But there is evidence that the authorities have learnt from previous mistakes: building regulations that used to be routinely ignored are now being enforced; and in some regions, the government is inviting luxury hotel groups to move in, on condition that they operate under tight environmental controls.

So where is the hottest “untouched” destination? Answer: Koh Chang, a swooningly beautiful palm-fringed island off Thailand’s east coast, close to the Cambodian border. Until recently, Koh Chang was known only to backpackers. Five hours by bus from the capital, the island was badly served by ferries, and the only way to get around it was on a single dirt road that flooded every time it rained. Today, the road is paved, an efficient car ferry runs every half-hour, and an airport has opened at Trat, on the mainland nearby. Flying time from Bangkok is just 40 minutes.

Hotels and restaurants are beginning to flourish. Although Koh Chang is Thailand’s second-largest island (after Phuket), it presents a headache for developers because it is so mountainous. More than 70% of the land is virgin rainforest. It is also protected: along with 50 surrounding smaller islands, it has been designated a national marine park.

Nature is abundant here. Trekking through the dense interior, you can find macaque monkeys and up to 70 species of birds. Get underwater and you might bump into reef sharks, barracudas and giant sea turtles. A short drive inland, passing fields of mango and durian trees, leads to the jungle camp of Ban Kwan Chang, where visitors can ride elephants into the rainforest and wash the animals under waterfalls.

Only one beach is busy. Haat Sai Khao, known as White Sand Beach, is mutating fast, with £5-a-night huts making way for mid-price hotels. The road is lined with clothes shops, internet cafes, food stalls and travel agencies. But even here there is little to do after dark, and the handful of girlie bars that appeared last winter are being shut down by the authorities and shunted to a designated area away from the resorts.

A 10-minute drive south brings you to Haat Khlong Prao, an utterly unspoilt picture-book beach with coconut palms, powdery sand and a handful of islands so close that they can be reached by kayak. Three or four tasteful low-key hotels have appeared alongside, and this summer, Haat Khlong Prao saw the opening of the island’s first sizable resort hotel, which is being managed by Amari, the excellent Thai-owned group.

The Amari has Olympic-size pool, three restaurants and sleek, contemporary-styled rooms. Because this is all national park, the authorities are very hot on environmental issues: the beach is clean but is not allowed to be altered in any way.

From here, the palm-lined coast road snakes southward past a series of untouched beaches to the fishing village of Bang Bao. Built entirely on stilts over a bay of iridescent turquoise, this is a perfect spot for lunch. Squid boats decked with lamps rock gently on their moorings beside jetties strewn with sun-dried shrimps. Restaurants serve tiger prawns, crab and rock lobster, all served fresh from the giant nets that dangle into the water from their wooden terraces. A crustacean can make it from the sea to your plate in less than five minutes.

Koh Chang holiday destination

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Scubadive Thailand is a British owned and operated, PADI and BSAC diving center which conducts diving trips and PADI diving couirses from Bang Bao, Koh Chang by speedboat !.

Our training is setup to promote safe learning to international standards, using all the latest training aids and materials.

We have a purpose built air-conditioned dive school on Bang Bao pier with a good selection of equipment for sale at competitive prices, and a well fitted out equipment service workshop.

All our staff are trained to the highest of standards and we use a swimming pool for all of the confined water training dives. Our new, 37 foot purpose built, well equipped speed boat will be used to transport you to the open water dive sites.

On the boat you will find life jackets of various sizes for all customers, a well stocked first aid kit, oxygen, vhf radio, fire extinguisher and a well thought out emergency plan for your safety as well as an onboard w/c, drinks cooler box, good food and ample space for your comfort.

From Koh Chang Divers

PADI BSAC scubadive diving center thailand

South of Koh Chang, some 40-odd islands are dotted around the clear waters of the Trat Sea including the private islands of Koh Lao Ya, Koh Wai, Koh Sai Khao, Koh Kham and Koh Ngam.

Koh Lao Ya, south of Koh Chang
Koh Lao Ya, made up of three small islands off the southern tip of Koh Chang, forms part of the 52 islands dotted around Trat province.

Depending on the type of boat (speedboat or regular boat) you choose, Koh Lao Ya can be reached in 40 minutes or two hours from the ferry point at Laem Ngob in Trat Province. These small islands are a wonder to explore with their white, sandy beaches, private surroundings and just one beautiful resort called LaoYa Island Resort. This is a veritable corner of peace and tranquility, in the bosom of nature, yet with good facilities.

Koh Lao Ya Nai
Koh Lao Ya Nai provides the only pier and stepping-off point for the other two islands, and is the center of activity. As your boats nears the pier, you will immediately be attracted to the colorful, marine world below your feet and the island-linking, quaint wooden bridge with signs marking a shallow coral reef parallel to the beach.

A kaleidoscope of colorful corals and fish are found here and it is quite safe to swim in the shallow waters. The white, sandy beach provides an excellent viewpoint to admire sunrises over distant islands in the Trat Sea.

After a full day’s activities, you can choose either to spend an evening fishing for cuttlefish, or relax watching others do so. After dinner, the lights from the bridge, Lao Ya Island Resort, and the moon all seem to add to the intrigue of an evening on this private island.

Moving across to neighboring Koh Lao Ya Klang is quite easy using the bridge, known as Saphan Song. Watch a sunset, which can be quite spectacular from this vantage point as the sun slowly disappears between the two islands. At low tide, it is sometimes possible to walk from one island to the other without using the bridge.

Koh Ngam
Location: Koh Ngam is located about 200 metres off the southern tip of Koh Chang the biggest island in the area. Here, the sea between the islands offers an inviting gateway to the open waters of the Trat Sea.

The mention of Koh Ngam, to well-traveled tourists, brings to mind an island of the same name in Chumphon province. But Koh Ngam in Trat province is quite different, particularly in its geographical features consisting of two islands linked by a huge sand dune that brings to mind Koh Phi Phi in Krabi province. Not surprisingly, therefore, Koh Ngam off the coast of Koh Chang has earned the title “little Phi Phi in the Gulf of Thailand”.

The beach linking the island is 150 metres in length and 50 metres wide, with several plantations of coconut palms. The layout of the island forms semicircular bays known locally as Dream Lagoon, to the east, and Sweet Lagoon to the west.

Blessed with ample freshwater from rivers and small waterfalls, the island is covered with lush, green jungle year-round. An island trail leads to a small beach covered with coral fragments that wash ashore from nearby coral reefs.

The island is an excellent vantage point for viewing the stunning scenery on the neighboring islands of Koh Mak, Koh Wai and Koh Lao Ya.

Koh Wai
Koh Wai is another interesting island south of Koh Chang. There are two beaches on this island. The beach on Koh Wai is reddish. However, it’s very clean and suitable for snorkeling since it is home to various kinds of fish and shallow water coral like lump corals. Bungalows for rent are available here.Article by Circle of Asia

islands around Koh Chang

Thailand’s second largest island after Phuket, Koh Chang’s pristine natural beauty is beginning to attract foreign travellers in ever increasing numbers.

Exotic and fresh, Koh Chang island off Trat province is an emerging holiday destination. It is now on the itinerary of most intrepid European travellers to Southeast Asia. What lures them is a sense of being castaway on a remote island with thick jungle cover that until not long ago few people dared to penetrate. And after spending a week on the island they can move on to Cambodia overland or by boat.

Although Thai tourists seeking peace of mind have long treated Koh Chang as a castaway island, it’s only two years ago that tourism tookKoh Chang and surrounding Islands in Trad, Thailand, near Cambodia. off in a big way there now that the question of accessibility is no longer a factor since it’s linked to the mainland by regular ferry service.

The name Koh Chang, or Elephant Island, derives from of its sheer size ― 30 kilometres long and 14 kilometres wide ― the second largest in Thailand after Phuket. It’s situated eight kilometres off Laem Ngob district in Trat. The Robinson Crusoe-style aura that initially surrounded it has now taken a more touristic overtone helped in part by the building of a metalled road around the island to facilitate travel and exploration.

Because the island is huge, visitors arriving there first time can expect a hard time deciding which way to proceed. To the west of the island are the beaches Khlong Son, White Sand, Khlong Phrao, Bai Lan and Lonely.

Between Khlong Phrao and Bai Lan Bay is Kai Bae, a peaceful white sandy strip that still retains much of Koh Chang’s original charm, while the White Sand beach is full of bungalows, luxury resorts and tourist shops. The resorts offer basic amenities combining peace and comfort for the visiting tourist.

Off Koh Chang lie several islets that can be visited on a day trip.

The sky was overcast this mid-February morning. Converted fishing vessels moored at Bangbao village on the southern tip of Koh Chang. Each had a sign pointing to where they would be heading. Then it started raining, effectively ending any hopes of setting out to sea. I had travelled six hours from Bangkok to be here and the heavens weren’t willing.

“I’m sorry. It’s better if we wait until tomorrow,” suggested Ming, the boat tour salesman.

With that my mood sunk further. I had rushed there from White Sand beach early that morning not even caring to stop for breakfast in order to be there in time for the boat’s departure. I repaired to Blue cafe restaurant to seek shelter from the rain and ordered food.

Shortly afterward a band of tourists arrived hoping, like me, the rain would soon stop and so it did and we were given the good news that the boats would set off soon.

A boat was preparing to leave for Ko Mak. It was packed with beach lovers. Another vessel was full of dive and snorkelling buffs. At about 10:00 a.m., well behind schedule, we departed heading into the silvery grey realm of the sea.

The sky was still cloudy and intimidating but the rain had stopped. The fishing boats handled the strong winds and rough sea well. We were still in Bangbao cove but some of the passengers were already throwing up suffering from sea sickness. Most islands around here are actually hills rising from the sea bed, as is Koh Chang. Shortly afterward, the boat sailed past Ko Khoom and an hour later we made our first stop at a cluster of rocks called Ko Kra.

The treasures under the sea here may not be as beautiful as those around Phuket but they are still worth admiring nonetheless. Most of the marine life we see in aquariums around the country can be found here, although it’s a bit of a let down when it comes to live coral. The seabed was full of giant clams. The currents were pretty strong, driving snorkelers off-balance.

By noon we were back on board. Lunch was served as we headed for our second stop, Ko Rang. On the way we passed Ko Mak, visible in the distance.

“Where is Ko Kut? Can we see it from here?,” I asked a boatman. “You can’t see it today. It’s hazy,” he replied.

We sailed past Ko Yak, a small cluster of rocks in the direction of the larger Ko Rang, and stopped at Ko Loan for a second round of snorkelling. Ko Loan is an islet on the fringes of Ko Rang.

The conditions underneath were appalling. The seabed was strewn with dead coral and black sea urchins. I made a quick tour and got back on board where I was told that there were more colourful coral reef in another part of Ko Loan. It’s getting late. I was hopeful that my luck would hold at our next stop. Later in the afternoon, the sky cleared and it was sunny again.

We were now moving in the direction of Ko Wai. Unlike Ko Rang and Ko Khoom, Ko Wai has a fishing village and a few bungalows. The beach was sandy white lined with coconut trees and the water a clear emerald inviting me for a swim. I spotted a few tourists snorkeling in the shallow water of the cove. A young tourist was fishing by the pier. We got off the boat and wandered around the island. If Koh Chang is a retreat from cities, Ko Wai is an escape from Koh Chang with only basic amenities at your disposal.

“Electricity is available only from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.,” said the bungalow owner as I called in for a glass of fruit juice. No juice or shake before 5:00 p.m., I was told. The bungalow, made from wood, had thatched roof. It had no electric fans. You can come here straight from Laem Ngob pier on the Trat mainland.

It was 4:00 p.m. and we were craving for action again. Some went swimming, others snorkelling and still others for a game of beach volleyball. Then we headed back for Bangbao. The breeze was cooler on the return leg. We changed into outfits we had started the day in and enjoyed the ride back.

When the boat reached Bangbao pier the crowd quickly dispersed. Some tourists went shopping before heading off to their bungalows and hotels. Soon all activity at the pier came to a standstill.

Outside pick-up trucks stood waiting ready to take passengers to Kai Bae, White Sand and other beaches.

“You come back here next time and you will see the place has turned into a coffee bar or a restaurant,” said Kan, who lives by the pier and works as a salesgirl for boat tour operators.

I headed for Kai Bae which has some lovely bungalows and resorts by the beach. The bungalows offer two to three-star amenities with rates ranging from 500 baht for a simple room with fan to 1,500 baht for an air-conditioned bungalow.

One of them is KB Bungalow. Kaibae Beach Resort, on the other hand, has a dining pavilion that has thatched roof right by the beach. It has both bungalow and modern resort-style accommodation.

Article by Learn in Asia

Snorkelling in Thailand

White Sand Beach is quite a long strip of beach with powdery white sand that slopes gently into the sea. The beachfront becomes much wider during low tide and consequently attracts lots of beachgoers. Many tourists choose to take a stroll while watching the sunset. Some visitors use the beach in the evening for football, volleyball and frisbee.

As a leisure island resort within a Marine National Park it is natural for Koh Chang to be well-stocked with fresh seafood at economical prices. Dining and wining in Koh Chang is quite an experience. Good food is just one facet. The other is the laid-back environment created by some innovative restaurants which inspire a very relaxing and romantic atmosphere. These include dinning right on the beach by night or on a hill overlooking the coastlines or practically off-shore on a table setting of your own above sea-water.

The ‘mini-capital of Koh Chang is White Sand Beach, which hosts an assortment of luxury resorts and bungalows and resorts. Along the main road are bars, pubs, restaurants, shops, diving tours, tour operators, vehicle rentals, minimarts, a police kiosk, foreign exchange counters and ATMs and a shopping plaza. Four full-service banks in the area are the Siam Commercial Bank at the entrance of the White Sand Plaza and sub-Branch at V.J. Plaza, the Bank of Ayudhya, the Thai Military Bank (both near Cookies Hotel) and Siam City Bank opposite Alina Resort. Also located here is the Koh Chang International Clinic, under the supervision of the Bangkok Trat Hospital.

Koh Chang can be a great hideaway for a quiet retreat or an adventureland for the hyperactive. It is a land of sheer holiday, a real leisure destination. It is a calm and peaceful island for those who wish to take their own pace just lazing around, sunbathing, sleeping on a hammock between two coconut trees or having a rejuvenating massage on the beach.

And when you feel like you need to spend off some of your energy there is a host of activities you can indulge in, such as scuba diving ,snorkelling, canoeing, kayaking, deep-sea fishing, boating, trekking, elephant trekking, cycling, jogging along
the coast, visit other islands or rent a motorcycle for a tour of the island.

White Sand Beach, Koh Chang