| I stand on the deck of the gently rumbling
ferry and watch as the sky slowly changes
hue, streaks or red and orange mingling
as the light blue background darkens to
indigo. The air smells fresh and clean,
lightly spiced with salt. Much as I love
Bangkok, there are times when I just have
to get away, and I can think of few better
places than Koh Chang. |
| |
| It takes about 40 minutes to cross the
stretch of sea from the quiet mainland port
of Laem Ngop to the island's Centerpoint
Pier. From there, I heft my rucksack aboard
a songthew and hold on tight as the driver
negotiates the impossibly steep and winding
roads, actually seemly to accelerate into
the tight, blind bends. For once, I am glad
for the trend of packing the vehicles as
tightly as possible, relying on my neighbours
to keep me from falling out of the open-backed
mini bus. |
| |
It's been four years since I last visited
Koh Chang, but as we speed through the village
of Sai Khao - White Sands -
I can see that it has changed a lot. What
was previously a sleepy village sprinkled
with privately owned restaurants, quiet
bars and cheap accommodation has been transformed
into a replica of Pattaya. There are neon
signs everywhere, signs promising western
food and a
lot more besides. I sigh at the price of
progress as we swerve to avoid a large westerner
staggering in the road. But soon enough
we are past this village and I am treated
to spectacular views of the bay as we top
an unbelievably steep hill. |
| |
| It takes about 25 minutes to reach my
destination, the naturally beautiful Lonely
Beach - Hat Thanam. I check into my room
and spend the evening relaxing on the rooftop
of the newly built Ting Tong bar, looking
at the starts and listening to the sounds
of nature compete with the distant Techno
beat from Tree House Bar. |
| |
| After spending a long time in the city,
waking up in a wooden hut in the middle
of the forest feels magical and exotic.
There are many places to explore on Koh
Chang and the best way to do it is by hiring
a motorbike, which can be obtained for 250
baht per day. You can follow the road almost
the entire way around the island, stopping
at the many lookout points to take in the
spectacular views. Although the roads are
in good condition, they are very steep and
not for beginner drivers. |
| |
| About a 20 minute drive down the coast,
the beautiful beach at Ao Bang Bao is definitely
worth a visit. Practically deserted, this
is a great place to get away from it all.
In the other direction, Kai Bae beach, Klong
Phrao beach and White Sands beach are also
beautiful, if more crowded. |
| |
| Also worth a visit is the Koh Chang National
Park, which covers 192 square kilometres
of land and 458 square kilometres of water
and contains 47 islands. The best way to
explore this unspoilt area is to walk with
a ranger. The tour goes from Than Mayom
Waterfall to Klong Plu waterfall and lasts
for 98-10 hours. |
| |
| Day snorkelling tours are also a lot of
fun, although it is better to pay extra
for a small boat as the bigger boats take
a lot of people and tend to get quite crowded.
Anyway, these tours are a great way to see
the islands and the fish and coral are stunning. |
| |
| In the evening there are a range of entertainment
options, from lively parties on the beach
at White Sands or Tree House bar, sipping
cocktails under neon signs or simply relaxing
with dinner and a movie at one of the island's
quite restaurants. |
| |
| The only problem is, with all this relaxation,
you might never want to return to the frantic
pace of Khaosan Road. |
| |
| Information: |
| |
| To get to Koh Chang from Bangkok, either
book a mini bus and ferry package at one
of the many travel agencies around Khaosan
Road or go to Ekamai bus station and catch
one of the regular buses, which leave about
once an hour. It takes 5-6 hours to reach
Koh Chang, so you should leave Ekamai by
1 pm to catch the last ferry, which is at
7 pm. Expect to pay about 250 baht. |
