Koh Chang Travel Guide: Thailand’s Second Largest Island

Koh Chang: The Jungle Island of the Gulf

Koh Chang — ‘Elephant Island’ — is Thailand’s second largest island, a mountainous jungle island in the Gulf of Thailand near the Cambodian border. It is larger than most visitors expect: 30 km long, with peaks rising to 743 metres covered in dense forest that has never been logged. The coastline is irregular — deep bays on the west coast with good beaches, mangroves and fishing villages on the east. If you have spent time in Phuket or Koh Samui and want something quieter and more forest-heavy, Koh Chang delivers both.

The island is in Trat province, near the border with Cambodia. The crossing to Sihanoukville is possible from the nearby mainland port of Hat Lek for travellers continuing overland. This proximity to Cambodia gives the east coast of Koh Chang an unusual character — Cambodian fishing boats anchor in the bays, and the border trade is visible in the markets at Bang Bao.

White Sand Beach

Hat Sai Khao (White Sand Beach) is the main beach on the northwest coast — a kilometre of reasonably fine white sand backed by a strip of restaurants, bars, and guesthouses. This is the most developed part of Koh Chang and the social hub of the island. The beach is good without being exceptional; the water is clear in the dry season. The main road runs directly behind the beach, which means noise at night if you are sleeping near it.

Lonely Beach and Kai Bae

Lonely Beach, on the southwest coast, earned its reputation before the road was fully paved: a budget backpacker enclave tucked in a cove, with cheap bungalows and a full-moon party that has been running since the late 1990s. It is no longer lonely but it is still the most relaxed and least resort-like of the main beaches. The sand is narrow but the atmosphere is good.

Kai Bae, between the main beaches and Lonely Beach, is a quieter option with a shallow bay and a small islet (Koh Man Nai) visible offshore. The guesthouses here are less dense and the crowd younger and more independent-traveller-oriented.

Bang Bao Pier

At the southern tip of Koh Chang, Bang Bao is a fishing village built entirely on stilts over the water. The wooden pier has been colonised by restaurants, dive shops, and guesthouses, creating the most photogenic village on the island. Day trips to nearby islands — Koh Wai, Koh Kood, Koh Mak — depart from Bang Bao pier. Seafood restaurants here are among the best on the island: tables over the water, fresh catches brought in by the fishing boats moored alongside.

Trekking and Waterfalls

The interior of Koh Chang is protected national park. Several waterfalls are accessible from the west coast road: Klong Plu Falls (the most popular, entry 200 baht) has a large pool at the base of a 25-metre drop in a jungle setting. Klong Neung Falls and Than Mayom Falls (east coast) are less visited. Trekking routes cross the island’s interior through old-growth rainforest; a full traverse from west to east coast takes 5–6 hours on established trails.

Practical Information

Koh Chang is reached from the mainland pier at Laem Ngop or Thammasat Pier, near Trat city. Ferries run throughout the day (30–45 minutes, 80 baht per person plus 80–100 baht per motorbike or 200 baht per car). From Bangkok, buses from the Eastern Bus Terminal (Ekamai) go directly to Laem Ngop (5–6 hours, 250 baht). Minivans from Bangkok are faster (4.5 hours) and go from various pickup points. Trat has a small airport with daily flights from Bangkok.

On the island, songthaews run the length of the west coast road until around 21:00 (30–80 baht depending on distance). Motorbike rental is essential for exploring beyond the beach strip (250–300 baht/day). The road is paved around the whole island except for a short rough section on the southeast coast.

The best time to visit is November to May. June to October is the wet season — heavy rain, rough sea, and many guesthouses close. The east coast gets some weather in winter that the Andaman side (Phuket, Krabi) avoids — if you are crossing between the two sides of Thailand in November, check both forecasts.