Koh Chang/chang Island

[scooterboy]

Having made yearly (sometimes twice yearly) trips to Koh Chang these last few years, we are thinking of again visiting the island. On our last trip, we were somewhat surprised to see an enormous amount of building going on, stretching on and off from White Sands to Kai Bae. Whole areas of what looked like new shops and apartments were going up along, or near to, the coastal road. Seeing as the main tourist season is only around 4 months a year, we couldn't really see the need for so many new buildings mushrooming up like that - and perhaps spoiling the scenery. Mind you, we haven't seen the finished buildings and maybe they do tend to "fit in" with the surrounding areas.

When we were there in May 2006, we were the only tourists (apart from a few

one-nighters) staying at the resort we'd chosen and we virtually had the whole resort to ourselves.

Has this (2006-2007) season been a good one for the island, I wonder?

Has anyone been to the island in the last 6 months or so and can give us an honest opinion about the place?

I'm curious, as a few people we know have told us not to bother going there - the place is "ruined and the once local atmosphere has almost vanished", they say.

Thanks for any comments.

[leisurely]

We were there about 6 weeks ago. It really has become a building site and I doubt we will go back. If you are in a resort (and you want to) you need never leave it and roam the island. We like to get out and see different bits. It really is an eyesore at the moment though.

[KireB]

We were there about 6 weeks ago. It really has become a building site and I doubt we will go back. If you are in a resort (and you want to) you need never leave it and roam the island. We like to get out and see different bits. It really is an eyesore at the moment though.

We go like 5 times a year and I'm getting less and less impressed. Last Songkran was the last time!

The beaches were very dirty and the water isn't as clear as it used to be.

Next to this, i've seen the prices double over the last 2/3 years.

Same for Ko Samet. What happened there is a big mystery. I remember snorkelling 5 years ago with an abundance of marine life. There's nothing left! It's empty!

[Jimjim]

Ko Samet is too overpopulated with tourists.

On Ko Chang the songthaew taxi drivers really liked to rip us off. Quoted one price and then took us a couple of miles to the next ferry and told us we had to pay more and if we don't pay we don't go. It was very annoying. I know they don't make too much anyway, probably, but it's still quite annoying.

Also, on Ko Chang my friend and I witnessed an amazing accident where a man in a pickup truck with roof tin and other construction materials went off the road and rolled 3-5 times. We thought he was dead but he got out after 30 seconds and started walking around. He had hit a spot in the road where there was a big puddle, stupidly didn't slow down, lost control and went off the road on the opposite side of the road from where we were walking. If he had come to our side of the road we may have had to dive out of the way and he would have run into several shops and possibly killed us or other people working in those shops. It was shocking.

Anyway, I wasn't so impressed with Ko Chang and would rather go to other islands.

[helicoptor]

Development on this Island unfortunately is a fact of life, as with Koh Samui, there are restrictions on the type of new buildings permitted, so aesthetically they will not be an eyesore.

I was there for 4 days over the new year (1 Jan07) and we stayed in White Sands area, having said that we did explore the Island and should I return I would venture further up rather than return to White Sands which I feel is spoilt by over-exuberant tourists and greedy vendors and taxi drivers.

[scooterboy]

Yeah - White Sands has always tended to be more expensive than other areas. Can't think why, as it's certainly nothing special. We don't visit the National Park area, either, as we consider the entrance fee something of a rip-off, but that's really another thread, isn't it.....

[KireB]

Yeah - White Sands has always tended to be more expensive than other areas. Can't think why, as it's certainly nothing special. We don't visit the National Park area, either, as we consider the entrance fee something of a rip-off, but that's really another thread, isn't it.....

The beautiful waterfall on Ko Chang! Trash everywhere and 400 B entrance! Killer Marketing!

[dominique355]

We just spent a few days in Kho Chang during Songkran and we were not very impressed. We have been in Kho Chang since about 9 years, every year a couple of times. This time we left early because of the water, i.e. the fresh water, or what the resort called "fresh water". My kids started to be itchy all over and the water was brown and had a really bad smell. Even the water in the pool was colored and I don't want to know why.

Fresh water as well as the waste water is a real problem for Kho Chang and I don't see any progress there, in the contrary. We talked to some people working there and they all expressed their fear for the future of the island. If nothing is done soon by the Authorities, Kho Chang will be a huge garbage dump with infected water around, sort of a Thai Chernobyl.

The last time we were there - February 2007 - we went to the other, less developed side of the island and found some really nice places, unspoiled beaches and romantic little resorts.

Kho Chang is convenient because we can go there with our own car, but if you are looking for unspoiled beaches and clean water, you better go to any of the small island around Kho Chang. More cumbersome to get there but very rewarding.

[scooterboy]

Yes, we've been recommended to try Koh Khut, but it seems that it's very difficult to get there - only one place that has a ferry from Koh Chang, and no ferry from the mainland (that we know of!).

[Thaifan2]

I have been 3 times .The last time in Jan this year .I love the Island .Its not overcrowded like Samet .Its still cheap for accommodation if you shop around .I never paid more than 800 baht per night ,for room or bungalow with A/C, Cable TV, and hot water .

Stayed mostly in Kai Bae ,and it was very quiet ,yet had a good night life .Lots of building going on ,but it did not affect me .Had my own motorcycle for transport to get about the Island ,so no problems there .Also never stopped by the police for tea money on the bike . The sea water was very clean at Kai Bae .

[dominique355]

Yes, we've been recommended to try Koh Khut, but it seems that it's very difficult to get there - only one place that has a ferry from Koh Chang, and no ferry from the mainland (that we know of!).

There is, check out this web-site

http://www.kohkoodcabana.com/

They have a speed boat picking you up in Trad and bringing you straight to the resort.

Nice place and good value for money.

[uptou]

i was on ko chang a couple of months ago,& i agree with other poster who advise to go elsewhere.ko chang seemed like one big resort island,& as such it didnt seem very thai to me.it just seemed a bit boring & sterile to me.also the water wasnt as clear as expected.

i had a great time there though,i just expected it to be a bit better than it was.the taxi pickups were generally 50 baht per person unless you wanted to get down to the southern bay.i would recommend going to ko chang if you were seriously stressed out though as it is chilled out.

the best beaches ive seen in thailand were islands off of the andaman coast (a few years ago),but generally ive found the less tourism there is on an island,the better the beaches & clearer the sea is,but the opposite for nightlife.

ko surin (near similan islands) was largely unspoilt with great beaches & snorkling,but seing as its a marine park,no nightlife.

taratao national marine park had some nice islands (again a few years ago),ko lipe,ko taratao,& more.

[sukanyacondo]

Ive been to Koh Kood there are many companies that go there and there is a speed boat to it. Its unspoilt so far? We had the place to ourselves but there is almost nothing to do unless you like snorkelling, kayakking or just having the beach to yourself which I like.

There were no roads to our resort the only way in was boat. Great for us.

[wilko]

Koh Chang - A Paradise Lost…

I read an article entitled “Fantasy Island” by Lloyd Sullivan in the Bangkok post’s dated Thursday 10th August 2006, and was prompted to make a few observations………

It is unfortunate that many travelers to Thailand are rather uncritical about their environment and the effect tourism is having on the islands of the Kingdom. Koh Chang is a terrible example of unregulated tourist development gone mad.

I first went to Koh Chang in 2003 and was rather disturbed by what I found and what has happened in the subsequent years I find deeply disturbing.

Koh Chang is the second largest island in Thailand. And now with the sudden post-tsunami unpopularity of the west coast (i.e. Phuket) there is an ever increasing number of western tourists heading for this island...here is my polemic on why this is not so good....

I've been to Koh Chang many times over the past three years, largely because it's near to where I live, and every time a friend comes to stay this is the most convenient "paradise island” to take them to... My brother even got married there in March 2005.

So what’s wrong with this slice of “bounty” advert?

(Deep breath)

Koh Chang is a tragedy....it’s being badly developed, it’s overpriced and it's going down hill at a rate of knots......

Why? The land for development was all bought up by bigwig friends of the "great and powerful" and now anyone who wants to set up a business there has to pay through the nose for it. All the hotels are overpriced even when you compare with Phuket and Samui. The insensitive despoiling of the island had started before the Tsunami as the island had been ear-marked for development by releasing the flat coastal land a few years before. Whether it ever appeared for sale on the open market I don’t know. In the post tsunami era the island’s desecration has continued with increased vigour as developers realised the new potential.

Almost all the west coast is now covered with awful self-contained resorts, built with no thought for the environment, conservation or island infrastructure. They are for the most part badly designed and ill finished. Appearance is all, the places are little more than decorated concrete sheds. Health and safety is simply not addressed - some of the pool designs look positively lethal. Slippery tiles adorn pool-side and bathroom alike. The building never stops; frequently you can find your room is on a building site. It is unlikely the hotel will warn you of this. This is now greatly restricting the amount of beach that is accessible to the public; it can only be a matter of time before all the good sandy beaches become resort owned or dominated sea fronts.

If you're coming from Europe or the States you'll find that the cost of living and rooms is cheap but not compared to elsewhere in Thailand. You'll love the sunsets and the white sand, you won't wonder where all the sewage is going and what happened to the mangroves or the fishing industry that gets smaller catches every year, or the fishing villages being turned into souvenir arcades-com-hotels.

The centre of Koh Chang is a national park , but unlike all of Thailand's other National Parks, apart from the odd waterfall, no-one is allowed inside, you can get a guide who will take you in but strictly speaking that's against the law. There is virtually no effort made to set up a good system of eco-tourism in the park as you might find in Australia.

There is only one road around KC and it doesn't go all the way round, it's a horse-shoe affair. There is a motorbike track that connects the two ends but it's not for the faint of heart! The main road is barely more than single track (asphalted) but cannot cope with the ever increasing load of traffic pouring onto the island.

As KC is the second biggest island in Thailand, walking around it in a day is not an option. KC is also very mountainous and the roads are very windy and hilly and the resorts can be a long way from any shops, night-life etc, the baht taxi service (song taew) is very patchy and any where you want to go is further than you want to walk, so it’s really essential to hire a motorbike or car; these are about 50% to 100 % more than on the mainland. It might even be worth hiring a vehicle on the mainland and driving there (Pattaya is about a 4 ½ hour drive to the KC ferries - fare approximately 350 baht).

The main town, if you could call it that is White Sands a long strip of hotels, resorts and motley bars about 3 km long. The building over the last 3 years has completely filled the space between hills and shore. If you arrive on foot with no hotel booked a baht taxi will take you from the ferry to Whitesands and drop you there. (So long as he has a full load at the ferry or he'll want you to foot the extra money before he sets off.) You will then have to find somewhere to stay this is impossible on foot and with luggage so book in advance at least for the first night. Then get some wheels, car/Jeep or motorbike and look around the next day for a place you like.

There is no airport on KC itself, if you go by plane you'll land at Trat airport which is on the mainland quite near to the ferries to KC. Get a taxi to the ferry - only a few baht. There are several ferries across, the crossing takes 45 to 90 min, depending on which ferry you take. On one ferry I paid 30 e/w for me and my car, on another I paid 360 baht for my car an five people return.

Now you may think I hate the place, well I don't, I just get very disappointed in the direction the powers-that-be have taken KC, it's lack of infrastructure and any forward planning will mean that sooner rather than later this place will become a collection of overpriced resorts and nothing else.

Where to stay? - Klong Prao Beach is probably as good as it gets, there are about 4 resorts there actually with beach frontage, The Paradise is all nicely built new bungalows, Coconut and Royal Coconut are next to that and Klong Prao resort has a long beach front and good pool beside the sea.

However, the last time I stayed at Klong Prao Resort in last August (2005) the place was a building site. They didn't tell me until the day I arrived even though I was a regular guest there. If you do book in advance you must ask about this sort of thing because you will very likely not be told by the staff. Building also precedes a hike in prices. I used to pay 1800 baht to stay there. That time I paid 1750, a discount of 50 baht (just over a dollar) because it was the wet season and there was building going on! I was told the new price is 3500 baht and that was what they would still charge whilst the building was continuing. In fact as of Feb 2007 you should be able to get a room for about 2800 baht.

Wherever you decide to stay - CHECK BEFORE YOU GO ABOUT BUILDING WORK.....ESPECIALLY IN THE WET SEASON!

The problem with Koh Chang is that it is changing and changing rapidly for the worse. Hotels are constantly building and encroaching on the environment. Prices are rising and beach access is getting more and more taken over by private resorts. The days of a hut on the beach for 200 baht are in fact, virtually gone. The scuba divers are going further and further a field in search of clear water and fish, and don’t be kidded that so long as the hotel claims to be by the sea that it has a beach! (v. Ramayana!!)

Untrammelled development is occurring all over the islands of Thailand and visitors to the country should be aware of the unsympathetic, unregulated development that is taking place here. It is happening everywhere; Samui has suffered in particular at the hands of unscrupulous “developers” and the same thing is happening on Koh Chang.

However, I think that Koh Chang is unique in regards to this as it is not only the second largest island in Thailand. (Phuket is the largest but connected to the mainland by road) but the most recently developed. Even as you lie on the beach, an opportunity is being missed here to avoid all the mistakes made on the other “paradise” islands.

Anyone will tell you that their favourite island has changed beyond recognition, but Koh Chang still in my opinion has a chance of changing its ways especially if people are made aware of the situation before they go. Business interests on the island will react to market forces, there is little hope for swift and effective government intervention, as this is almost without precedent in Thailand. During a 2 week stay it is unlikely that the average visitor will become aware of the larger issues surrounding the conservation and development of the island, so I would hope that some at least will think before they go, and ask questions like...

• Where does the sewerage go?

• Where are the mangroves?

• What happened to the local agricultural industries?

• What do the fishermen do now?

• Where are all the fish?

• Where does the water come from and where does it go?

• What is the sea water quality on my beach?

• How is the coral?

• Who is looking after the marine and forest nature reserves?

• Why is there no satisfactory public access?

• Who owns the land?

It is quite possible that in the future Thailand could run out of islands to develop and lose one of its main attractions as a tourist destination. All this will be achieved with your money…you are paying for the development on these islands; it is your money that makes these short term goals achievable.

PPS - If you want up to date local info on KC, try this site: IamKohChang.com

a good site for info on Koh Chang and sounds like an interesting place to stay too!

PPS – I cannot recommend the Ramayana and Boutique resorts!

Edited May 3, 2007 by wilko

[uptou]

yes,thats another thing about ko chang that i noticed in general,the lack of depth to the beaches.

they seem to have built too far out onto the beach,leaving little space.

[scooterboy]

Thaifan2 - Sounds like you have a positive experience of the island! The gf wants to see KC again (romantic memories, perhaps?) and we'll just have to put up with the apparently excessive building going on. Wondering if we'll see rows and rows of empty shops and buildings again, as we did last year - and maybe even more of 'em! Whatever, we're naturally looking forward to the trip. As for Koh Khut/Khood, we'll bypass that one for the moment, mostly due to the rather heavy weather in the area at the moment.

[scooterboy]

Well, we DID go to Chang Island, after all! A very nice holiday and the resort we stayed at

was the same as on the 2 previous occasions of visiting the island - even got the exact

same bungalow, too - which has a great view. The rental price had gone up by 20% from

last year - due to "there being so few tourists", which we thought was an unusual reason

to put the prices up! There were about 3 other bungalows rented out when we arrived there,

though only one one on the day we left. We'd paid for 3 nights, with an option to stay longer,

but chose not to do so in the end. We do like the island very much and had driven almost any-and everywhere there was to drive - most of the great views are still there. The food was

generally good, too, though perhaps rather expensive in some places. There seemed to

be more tourists this time, but then again the weather was much better than at the same time

last year.

A couple of things we definitely weren't impressed with - the horrific amount of building that's (still) going on all over the place. Along the beach areas more resorts and hotels are being built, which minimizes or completely blocks off access to the sands - a real pity. The Lonely Beach soon won't be so "lonely", as Dusit is building an enormous (and at the moment ugly) concrete resort that will probably change the area forever. We're not backpackers, but can appreciate that there are (especially) younger people that can rent a cheap thatched bungalow. Those bungalows may just disappear (or get very expensive) in future. A lot of the shops and businesses that we'd seen last year had either changed hands or closed down again.

Too, there was an amazing amount of empty shops - whole rows of them, in fact - while a lot of the older, wooden bars and shops were apparently being torn down - maybe to make way for more empty shops? We saw "to rent" and "for sale" signs everywhere and the gf was cheeky enough to ask a few places about whether business was good and how much the rent was, etc.

We ate in one tiny straw restaurant, where they wanted 400 grand (baht) for the place and

the rent was "only" 6000 baht a month - and there wasn't even a toilet! In another little

shop, the rent was 3,500 a month and the woman there was satisfied about that. Some

days were good - other days (especially rainy ones) were lousy, or so she said. The

general consensus among the people the gf chatted to, was that the high season had been

relatively okay, but that the shopowners were very concerned about the next high season, should too many of the same sort of shop open up - business could risk being spread very thinly, as was already happening in some areas. We went to a little bay area where 2 years ago there was just wild grass growing in one corner. Now there are 5 small restaurants in that same corner - and none of them doing much business.

Methinks that next time we'll try to get to Koh Kood, where we've never been, though

we don't know if the ferry to Koh Kood (from Trat?) takes motorbikes - anyone know? We did ask in Trat, but no-one seemed to know for certain.

Cheers

Scooterboy

[dave111223]

I love Koh Chang.

Yes there is a lot of building around white sands beach, but there are still tons of beautiful areas.

And it is kind of nice to have one area with lots of restaurants, so you can get a good choice of food in the evening.

I will continue to go back (as often as my wife allows)

[dukkha]

Was there two months ago..stayed at resort in Kai Bae...RAMANYANA; BEWARE, my friend was

given an electric shock from the shower, also another thai woman was thrown to ground in same circumstances,

she was taken to hospital but was ok, reported it to Bangkok Office, Thai Tourism, no reply from either...the Resort had a private beach, swimming was wonderful...kept away from White Sands, prefer KC to the other islands although agree with all that it is going the way of real estate, still would return...was peaceful, beautiful pool, bungalow mediocre as was restaurant...Dukkha

[Ave]

After reading this whole thread I just feel like crying about the cruelty with which Koh Chang is being abused.

After 3 years spent living and working there almost for nothing as an international coordinator for eco volunteers, the local radio station and the local goverment I finally got fired by a secretary from DASTA (Designated Area for "Sustainable" Tourism Administration) a public organisation funded by Taksin's goverment. The reason for getting rid of me was for warning them about the increasing number of complaints and mistrust coming from local residents and foreign tourists and for reminding them of the long term effects of this raging development which started when they set foot on the island. I knew that that's the risk you run when you work for a controversial organisation you are trying to help for the sake of the local people and their enviroment. They are still there and while they arrange yearly underwater clean up contests with the local diving schools to look good in the eyes of the present goverment, what they are really after is only money and success.

The majority of tourists who have returned after a while to Koh Chang in the last two years, are so disappointed. A lot of them have decided to go to Koh Maak or Koh Kood instead, the next dustbins.. A lot of them are now skipping these islands all together and head directly to Cambodia or Laos instead. I intended to stay and continue my fight with other like-minded people but corruption there has become highly corrosive so I had to give in and leave in the end if I didn't want to lose my marbles. Also there is lack of environmental education from the locals part. Lack of safety on board of the snorkelling boats that take you around the archipelago, for example, and lack of willpower to learn English among those who cater for the visitor, such as medical staff, tourist boat staff, the police and so on.

New small businesses in Koh Chang last one or two seasons, old small businesses run by locals close because of the numerous 7-11 and flashy mini markets winning in competition and therefore making them poorer than they were.

Noise pollution has officially taken over in White Sand and has been spreading from Chayched all the way to the packpackers' area Lonely Beach, thanks to the opening of loud and empty bonsai go-go bars which have been frowned upon by thai residents and non from day one. Koh Chang was a place for those in need of relaxation, natural surroundings and simplicity, a special place. Now it's a disgrace thanks to D(is)ASTA and what is supposed to be the national park..

...But with sadness and bitterness I still love Koh Chang.

Koh Chang - A Paradise Lost…

I read an article entitled "Fantasy Island" by Lloyd Sullivan in the Bangkok post's dated Thursday 10th August 2006, and was prompted to make a few observations………

It is unfortunate that many travelers to Thailand are rather uncritical about their environment and the effect tourism is having on the islands of the Kingdom. Koh Chang is a terrible example of unregulated tourist development gone mad.

I first went to Koh Chang in 2003 and was rather disturbed by what I found and what has happened in the subsequent years I find deeply disturbing.

Koh Chang is the second largest island in Thailand. And now with the sudden post-tsunami unpopularity of the west coast (i.e. Phuket) there is an ever increasing number of western tourists heading for this island...here is my polemic on why this is not so good....

I've been to Koh Chang many times over the past three years, largely because it's near to where I live, and every time a friend comes to stay this is the most convenient "paradise island" to take them to... My brother even got married there in March 2005.

So what's wrong with this slice of "bounty" advert?

(Deep breath)

Koh Chang is a tragedy....it's being badly developed, it's overpriced and it's going down hill at a rate of knots......

Why? The land for development was all bought up by bigwig friends of the "great and powerful" and now anyone who wants to set up a business there has to pay through the nose for it. All the hotels are overpriced even when you compare with Phuket and Samui. The insensitive despoiling of the island had started before the Tsunami as the island had been ear-marked for development by releasing the flat coastal land a few years before. Whether it ever appeared for sale on the open market I don't know. In the post tsunami era the island's desecration has continued with increased vigour as developers realised the new potential.

Almost all the west coast is now covered with awful self-contained resorts, built with no thought for the environment, conservation or island infrastructure. They are for the most part badly designed and ill finished. Appearance is all, the places are little more than decorated concrete sheds. Health and safety is simply not addressed - some of the pool designs look positively lethal. Slippery tiles adorn pool-side and bathroom alike. The building never stops; frequently you can find your room is on a building site. It is unlikely the hotel will warn you of this. This is now greatly restricting the amount of beach that is accessible to the public; it can only be a matter of time before all the good sandy beaches become resort owned or dominated sea fronts.

If you're coming from Europe or the States you'll find that the cost of living and rooms is cheap but not compared to elsewhere in Thailand. You'll love the sunsets and the white sand, you won't wonder where all the sewage is going and what happened to the mangroves or the fishing industry that gets smaller catches every year, or the fishing villages being turned into souvenir arcades-com-hotels.

The centre of Koh Chang is a national park , but unlike all of Thailand's other National Parks, apart from the odd waterfall, no-one is allowed inside, you can get a guide who will take you in but strictly speaking that's against the law. There is virtually no effort made to set up a good system of eco-tourism in the park as you might find in Australia.

There is only one road around KC and it doesn't go all the way round, it's a horse-shoe affair. There is a motorbike track that connects the two ends but it's not for the faint of heart! The main road is barely more than single track (asphalted) but cannot cope with the ever increasing load of traffic pouring onto the island.

As KC is the second biggest island in Thailand, walking around it in a day is not an option. KC is also very mountainous and the roads are very windy and hilly and the resorts can be a long way from any shops, night-life etc, the baht taxi service (song taew) is very patchy and any where you want to go is further than you want to walk, so it's really essential to hire a motorbike or car; these are about 50% to 100 % more than on the mainland. It might even be worth hiring a vehicle on the mainland and driving there (Pattaya is about a 4 ½ hour drive to the KC ferries - fare approximately 350 baht).

The main town, if you could call it that is White Sands a long strip of hotels, resorts and motley bars about 3 km long. The building over the last 3 years has completely filled the space between hills and shore. If you arrive on foot with no hotel booked a baht taxi will take you from the ferry to Whitesands and drop you there. (So long as he has a full load at the ferry or he'll want you to foot the extra money before he sets off.) You will then have to find somewhere to stay this is impossible on foot and with luggage so book in advance at least for the first night. Then get some wheels, car/Jeep or motorbike and look around the next day for a place you like.

There is no airport on KC itself, if you go by plane you'll land at Trat airport which is on the mainland quite near to the ferries to KC. Get a taxi to the ferry - only a few baht. There are several ferries across, the crossing takes 45 to 90 min, depending on which ferry you take. On one ferry I paid 30 e/w for me and my car, on another I paid 360 baht for my car an five people return.

Now you may think I hate the place, well I don't, I just get very disappointed in the direction the powers-that-be have taken KC, it's lack of infrastructure and any forward planning will mean that sooner rather than later this place will become a collection of overpriced resorts and nothing else.

Where to stay? - Klong Prao Beach is probably as good as it gets, there are about 4 resorts there actually with beach frontage, The Paradise is all nicely built new bungalows, Coconut and Royal Coconut are next to that and Klong Prao resort has a long beach front and good pool beside the sea.

However, the last time I stayed at Klong Prao Resort in last August (2005) the place was a building site. They didn't tell me until the day I arrived even though I was a regular guest there. If you do book in advance you must ask about this sort of thing because you will very likely not be told by the staff. Building also precedes a hike in prices. I used to pay 1800 baht to stay there. That time I paid 1750, a discount of 50 baht (just over a dollar) because it was the wet season and there was building going on! I was told the new price is 3500 baht and that was what they would still charge whilst the building was continuing. In fact as of Feb 2007 you should be able to get a room for about 2800 baht.

Wherever you decide to stay - CHECK BEFORE YOU GO ABOUT BUILDING WORK.....ESPECIALLY IN THE WET SEASON!

The problem with Koh Chang is that it is changing and changing rapidly for the worse. Hotels are constantly building and encroaching on the environment. Prices are rising and beach access is getting more and more taken over by private resorts. The days of a hut on the beach for 200 baht are in fact, virtually gone. The scuba divers are going further and further a field in search of clear water and fish, and don't be kidded that so long as the hotel claims to be by the sea that it has a beach! (v. Ramayana!!)

Untrammelled development is occurring all over the islands of Thailand and visitors to the country should be aware of the unsympathetic, unregulated development that is taking place here. It is happening everywhere; Samui has suffered in particular at the hands of unscrupulous "developers" and the same thing is happening on Koh Chang.

However, I think that Koh Chang is unique in regards to this as it is not only the second largest island in Thailand. (Phuket is the largest but connected to the mainland by road) but the most recently developed. Even as you lie on the beach, an opportunity is being missed here to avoid all the mistakes made on the other "paradise" islands.

Anyone will tell you that their favourite island has changed beyond recognition, but Koh Chang still in my opinion has a chance of changing its ways especially if people are made aware of the situation before they go. Business interests on the island will react to market forces, there is little hope for swift and effective government intervention, as this is almost without precedent in Thailand. During a 2 week stay it is unlikely that the average visitor will become aware of the larger issues surrounding the conservation and development of the island, so I would hope that some at least will think before they go, and ask questions like...

• Where does the sewerage go?

• Where are the mangroves?

• What happened to the local agricultural industries?

• What do the fishermen do now?

• Where are all the fish?

• Where does the water come from and where does it go?

• What is the sea water quality on my beach?

• How is the coral?

• Who is looking after the marine and forest nature reserves?

• Why is there no satisfactory public access?

• Who owns the land?

It is quite possible that in the future Thailand could run out of islands to develop and lose one of its main attractions as a tourist destination. All this will be achieved with your money…you are paying for the development on these islands; it is your money that makes these short term goals achievable.

PPS - If you want up to date local info on KC, try this site: IamKohChang.com

a good site for info on Koh Chang and sounds like an interesting place to stay too!

PPS – I cannot recommend the Ramayana and Boutique resorts!

[Ling Kae]

Noise pollution has officially taken over in White Sand and has been spreading from Chayched all the way to the packpackers' area Lonely Beach, thanks to the opening of loud and empty bonsai go-go bars which have been frowned upon by thai residents and non from day one. Koh Chang was a place for those in need of relaxation, natural surroundings and simplicity, a special place. Now it's a disgrace thanks to D(is)ASTA and what is supposed to be the national park..

...But with sadness and bitterness I still love Koh Chang.

I was in Koh Chang last year and enjoyed it very much. I liked that blues pub on the main road at white sands but that full on disco place was a bit much. I didn't see any Go-Go bars there, what is a bonsai go-go bar? Is there really a go-go there now?

[kedawi]

If you want to see Koh Kood....go quickly......within the next couple of years (months?) it is going to be developed. The sad thing is that unlike Koh chang, it is relatively flat and that means development will sprout up all over it. Its the 4th biggest island in Thailand - imagine a Samui with no hills!

[kedawi]

Development on this Island unfortunately is a fact of life, as with Koh Samui, there are restrictions on the type of new buildings permitted, so aesthetically they will not be an eyesore.

I was there for 4 days over the new year (1 Jan07) and we stayed in White Sands area, having said that we did explore the Island and should I return I would venture further up rather than return to White Sands which I feel is spoilt by over-exuberant tourists and greedy vendors and taxi drivers.

Building regs have been relaxed on Samui.....condo blocks are now allowed (apparently)

Illegal develpment has taken placce on hilsides and encroached on Nature reservations.

any restrictions are almost completely unenforceable

[kedawi]

THe latest development talked about on Koh Kood is one aimed at the high-end Arab market....an all enclosed mega-resort that could charge $15000 (or was that pounds?) per night!!!!!

what ever they charge I'm sure they'll do everthing they can to deny ordinary tourists, backpackers etc access to the beach-front....i wonder how much of this huge island that will occupy.........

Edited September 1, 2008 by kedawi

[Razzler1973]

I live in Dubai, Arabs seem to like Pattaya more than ideallic resorts, I find. Simple folk, give them a whore and some shops and they're happy !!

I've always liked Koh Chang, spent a lot of time in Thailand but now can maybe only make it over for few weeks at a time, Koh Chang is easy to get to from Bangkok and always liked it. I was there 1999/20o0 time, fantastic place, didnt go for a few years and was horrified when I went back, building all over the place. I'm not a hippy, drippy "just leave it alone, man" kind of person and I dont begrudge people making money but last visit (18 months ago) it was getting to overkill, especially around the middle part of White Sand.

I stay further up the hill part, little walk, was there in off season and only 600 baht, top gaff, couldnt knock it but resorts are going mad, time before that couldnt even get a room, gave it some Thai verbal and someone let me stay at their place overnight and move into (their) hotel the next, not a bad deal but couldnt get a room for love nor money in the high season !!

Always found the beach to be good though, not sure if that has changed since the last time i was there. Have driven on a bike around and not sure where else I want to stay other than White Sand, I was thinking between White Sand and Gai Bae, some places around there, cheaper and use the extra cash to rent a bike the whole time, just for going to beach, few drinks and that's it, dont need to be staying on the beachfront paying those prices. Anyone actually stayed between the beaches or have anything positive to say about Gai Bae or that hippy, lonely beach (which looked alot more developed last time i was back too).

For convenience from Bangkok not sure where else is worth, not blowing resort type money but 500-1000 a night is cool for me, not a fan of Samet, never have been, I have to hike all the way down South again ?? :/

Edited September 1, 2008 by Razzler1973

[Maigo6]

Simple folk, give them a whore and some shops and they're happy !!

So why don't they stay in Dubai ?

[yabaaaa]

Yes, we've been recommended to try Koh Khut, but it seems that it's very difficult to get there - only one place that has a ferry from Koh Chang, and no ferry from the mainland (that we know of!).

I can reccommend Captain Hook resort on Koh Kood for no news no shoes type of holiday, hardly any oads no shops nothing but clean empty beaches, great for me.

[kedawi]

"I live in Dubai, Arabs seem to like Pattaya more than ideallic resorts, I find. Simple folk, give them a whore and some shops and they're happy !! "

your view - not mine but.......surely then that does NOT bode well for any future development on Koh Kood?

[kmart]

I'd not been to K. Chang for a loooong time until this year, and was amazed at how much development had taken place in the meantime. Stayed at a resort on the "Bai Laan" Beach area. Accommodation was good and not expensive, tons of stuff to do during the day, etc. In danger of being over-developed already, but I'd certainly go again.

[sweenytodd]

Was there two months ago..stayed at resort in Kai Bae...RAMANYANA; BEWARE, my friend was

given an electric shock from the shower, also another thai woman was thrown to ground in same circumstances,

she was taken to hospital but was ok, reported it to Bangkok Office, Thai Tourism, no reply from either...the Resort had a private beach, swimming was wonderful...kept away from White Sands, prefer KC to the other islands although agree with all that it is going the way of real estate, still would return...was peaceful, beautiful pool, bungalow mediocre as was restaurant...Dukkha

electrics don`t have any earth and as you are standing in water there is a good chance of electricution, (pity gary glitter never got one )

been to ko chang every year for the last 9 years and have seen it go downhill evert year, mostly due to construction and a hel_l of a lot of really ignorant sex tourists. still love the place and always go back to see thai friends that i see every year. one bit of advice i give about ko chang is to stay away from mopeds/motorbikes, i`ve lost count of the aftermath of accidents i`ve seen on that road and the images have always stayed with me