The Best Island to Visit in Thailand: Koh Chang

The Island of Koh Chang is the second largest Island in Thailand. It lies 192 miles southeast of the capital city Bangkok. Koh Chang means Elephant Island and was so named because the island's shape resembles an elephant head. The terrain offers splendid views of jagged mountains, beautiful waterfalls, long sandy beaches and a bounty of lush jungles.

The main reason I enjoyed visiting Koh Chang Island so much was because of the relaxed and refreshed atmosphere I experienced during my entire stay. There are plenty of tourists to the Island throughout the year but not quite as many as the beaches of Phuket. You will be able to enjoy the island of Koh Chang without having to compete with the crowds.

There is not an airport on the island of Koh Chang , transportation to the island from the mainland involves a ferry ride. The ferry I took over is located at Ao Thammachat, the ferries depart daily at Ao Sapraros pier. Click here for timetables. Round trip per person is 120 baht. Once on the island your transportation choices are motorbike taxis or you can rent your own motorbike. Also there are public passenger pick up trucks called Songthaews. These are small trucks where passengers ride on benches placed in the bed of the truck and large racks are placed on top of the bed to hold everyone's luggage. The Songthaews run up and down the 2 main roads taking visitors to their accommodations, return trips to the ferry or just along the beaches, or to the many shops and restaurants.

About 85% of Koh Chang is part of a National Forest. This helps the island to remain pristine and unspoiled. Sights not to miss on the Island consist of Hat Kai Bae Beach, Hat Khlong Phrao- Laem Chaiyachet Beach, Bang Bao Fishery Village, and Klong Plu Waterfall.

Activities that you will want to do while visiting Koh Chang are hiking, elephant trekking, renting motorbikes, snorkeling and diving, kayaking, sunbathing and swimming, and a spa treatment.

Here are my recommendations of things to do while visiting Ko Chang:

• Hike the 20 minute, ¼ mile trail to the Klong Plu Waterfall. The trail follows a tranquil stream and along the way there is opportunity to see many birds, large trees and lush vegetation.

• Elephant trekking is a must! Don't miss out on this special experience. See my related article "Swimming With Elephants". Here is a link to the Ban Chang Thai Elephant Trekking company we used on our visit.

• Renting motorbikes is also a must do on Koh Chang. I have another related article on this activity "Riding Motorbikes in Thailand". Don't be afraid to do this even if you have never driven a motorbike before. It is very easy and makes getting around the island fun and simple. There are many motorbike rental places on the island, plus many hotels offer this service. We rented our motorbikes through our accommodations and it was very convenient. When you see your first "local gas station", you are in for a real treat!

• Numerous places along the beaches you can rent kayaks and snorkeling gear. Snorkeling and diving spots on Koh Chang are not the best Thailand has to offer, but it is still worth the venture. Visibility varies from day to day and while we were there it was not the best, but we still snorkeled and had fun despite the poor visibility.

• Our group rented a kayak on Hat Kai Beach and embarked upon a 30 minute paddle out to the tiny island of Ko Man Nai. The waters were calm on this day and it was a delight to kayak across Siam Bay.

• Koh Chang has a lot of Thai massage sites all around the island. Many of them are located right on the beach so you can be pampered while watching a gorgeous sunset across the ocean. There are different types of massages; foot, full body, aromatherapy, Thai massage and reflexology. I splurged for a full body massage on the beach at sunset; it was one of the highlights of my visit to Koh Chang. The price for a massage is very inexpensive, so go ahead and pamper yourself, because when you come home to the United States you are going to miss this inexpensive indulgence.

• Swimming out from one of the white sand beaches is an awesome experience. The water is warm and clear, the scenery beautiful. We spent one afternoon just playing in the waves with our family and friends, and the cost...free! Soaking up the sun at the beach is also very relaxing. Just be sure to apply sunblock and wear a beach hat because it is easy to get sunburned. I use Neutrogena's 90 SPF Face Sunblock. It works very well and it is worth packing in your suitcase because sunblock is one item in Thailand that is not cheap.

There are many different styles of accommodations to choose from for your stay on Koh Chang. From Spa resorts to bungalows, you are sure to find the perfect place that fits your needs within your budget. Click here for accommodation ideas on Koh Chang.

Dining on Koh Chang Island is remarkable; almost every restaurant is beach front. Be sure to have at least one meal at a Beachfront restaurant. There is nothing like sitting oceanside in a grass hut and eating delicious food. Whatever you do, do not pass up fresh seafood while staying on Koh Chang. One night we had salt encrusted BBQ'ed sea bass and it was the best. Fresh Seafood is Koh Chang's dining specialty. Along the main roads you will also find small inexpensive restaurants with dishes for about 30 baht each. It is amazing how cheap you can eat in Thailand and how good the food is!

Of course there is shopping on Koh Chang but it is a bit limited. Shops are frequently located close together along the road of each beach. Walking along the road you will find an array of little shops selling T-shirts, flip flops, beachwear, wood carvings, jewelry, CD'S and DVD's, sunglasses and trinkets. Some vendors will walk along the beach, displaying their products right in front of your beach towel and umbrella. Jewelry, small gift items, bedcovers, scarves and the like are all brought right to you for purchase. At times this became somewhat annoying but then I realized they are just trying to make a living.

If you are looking the perfect island - beach destination in Thailand that offers a rural setting, beautiful vistas, cheap beachfront accommodations and plenty of things to do, my recommendation is Koh Chang Island.