Travelling to Koh Chang from this region

[banglay]

Hi all 

Thinking of taking a short break next week at Koh Chang .. are there any  covid check-points on the way that I should be aware of ?

(I am fully vaxx'ed so there shouldn't be a problems I am  just a bit curious). . and are the ferries running a fully service or is it a turn up and hope for the best  kinda  service ?? .

 

Cheers ????

[jacko45k]

I doubt it very much.....

[Kenny202]

We just been from Khon Kaen a month ago. Neither the Ferry or the hotel had a problem or checked anything, even temperature. I had one jab and Mrs none and they initially told us you had to have one vaccine or a negative test. Best bet call first and check. Ferry times were every hour but again check. They are using their small ferries obviously to reduce costs. Looked like they were more rust than steel ???? Checked with police also said it was ok as we were from a Red zone, same as Trat. There was a big police check point coming into Trat and the guy was determined to turn us around. Somehow he misunderstood my missus and thought we were from Bkk. All was sorted and other than that no dramas. Koh Chang was a sad sight. Dead as a dodo. So many of the small shops, even pharmacies cleared out and shut. We go there because its quiet but now DED

Edited October 23, 2021 by Kenny202

[bradiston]

Here it is in Thai. You can use Google lens to translate. 2 shots will suffice to get in, or an RT-PCR test. I went down from Pattaya to Koh Mak 2 weeks ago. Only stopped once at Trad border, but they are particular. Make sure you take your Vax certificate and passport with you. 

[Nemises]

23 hours ago, banglay said:

are there any  covid check-points on the way that I should be aware of ?

. . and are the ferries running a fully service or is it a turn up and hope for the best  kinda  service ??

As of last week (BKK/KC/BKK):

 

1/ No covid check-points. 
 

2/ Turn up. Wait. Hope.  
 

 

[Tropposurfer]

Sure my post will produce lots of responses but why in the world would you want to go to Koh Chang? It's in a word one of the worst Thai islands I have ever visited i.e. some of the most polluted beaches in all of Thailand, a very few usable beaches (unless you stay in the resorts that ban and prohibit use of 'their' beaches), and island except for one of its entire sides has no beaches at all but rocky impassible outcrops, a rubbish problem that sees an almost constant stink of piled up refuse on the roadsides.

[HeijoshinCool]

7 minutes ago, Tropposurfer said:

Sure my post will produce lots of responses but why in the world would you want to go to Koh Chang? It's in a word one of the worst Thai islands I have ever visited i.e. some of the most polluted beaches in all of Thailand, a very few usable beaches (unless you stay in the resorts that ban and prohibit use of 'their' beaches), and island except for one of its entire sides has no beaches at all but rocky impassible outcrops, a rubbish problem that sees an almost constant stink of piled up refuse on the roadsides.

.

Used to be fun. When I was there in April, White Sand looked like Damascus.

 

Checkpoint at the big mushroom was taken down a week or so ago. But just before that, my bud and his Thai wife pulled up, she handed her vax record to the official while my unvaxxed bud just sat there, the official gave it a glance and waved them through.

 

Lonely Beach is still nice. Hotel deals abound.

[Nemises]

Last Saturday on Koh Chang. 
 

As you can see:

No “private use” restrictions on beach. 
No rubbish on beach. 
No people on beach. 

 

 

[Fat is a type of crazy]

32 minutes ago, Tropposurfer said:

Sure my post will produce lots of responses but why in the world would you want to go to Koh Chang? It's in a word one of the worst Thai islands I have ever visited i.e. some of the most polluted beaches in all of Thailand, a very few usable beaches (unless you stay in the resorts that ban and prohibit use of 'their' beaches), and island except for one of its entire sides has no beaches at all but rocky impassible outcrops, a rubbish problem that sees an almost constant stink of piled up refuse on the roadsides.

I last went two years ago and am hoping to go In January or February from Australia. Hotel prices look good for middle of high season. 

I tend to stay at one of the hotels on the beach and, all or most of the beaches are accessible, though I take your points that at some spots at say Klong Prao it's not easy.

In terms of pollution I disagree. Yes you do get a bit of rubbish sometimes on the beach, especially in one section of Khlong Prao, but otherwise it's pretty good. Sadly a bit of rubbish on the beach is the way of most if not all Asian beaches but on many beaches on Koh Chang I see little if any rubbish. Compare it to many Phuket beaches and it's usually much cleaner and the water is better. 

The rubbish on the roadside I only noticed as you go towards Lonely beach at one point but that was a long time ago.  

In summary for beautiful beaches with outlooks to stunning hills and mountains it's hard to beat in Thailand. 

Edited October 24, 2021 by Fat is a type of crazy

[dlclark97]

Received info from BB Divers Koh Chang yesterday.  Yes there is a checkpoint and your vaccine documents will be checked.  No vaccines must have a PCR test.  Some hotels also checking.    

[Nemises]

32 minutes ago, dlclark97 said:

Received info from BB Divers Koh Chang yesterday.  Yes there is a checkpoint and your vaccine documents will be checked.  No vaccines must have a PCR test.  Some hotels also checking.    

If BBD are talking about the checkpoint on the mainland near the ferry boarding, they are not checking for vaccination documents, well they weren’t last weekend when we drove past it. We were waved through by them without stopping. Our car has Khonkaen plates, possibly that’s why…

 

We stayed at 2 hotels. Neither checked. 
 

 

 

 

Edited October 24, 2021 by Nemises

[bradiston]

1 hour ago, Nemises said:

If BBD are talking about the checkpoint on the mainland near the ferry boarding, they are not checking for vaccination documents, well they weren’t last weekend when we drove past it. We were waved through by them without stopping. Our car has Khonkaen plates, possibly that’s why…

 

We stayed at 2 hotels. Neither checked. 
 

 

 

 

I think they mean the one at the mushroom.

[Jeffr2]

If I was going, I'd be prepared to be checked.  You just never know.  Sometimes the checkpoints are going, sometimes they aren't.  Sometimes they're manned by officials who follow the law to the letter, sometimes the officials don't really care.  But I'd sure hate to travel all that way just to be turned back.  Worth being prepared.