Koh Chang

[exeter]

Hello chums, I will out to thailand at the end of the week and am thinking of spending a week or so in Koh Chang, The VJ Residence looks good, can anyone give me any advice on how to get there from Bangkok airport, I have driving licence, is the VJ any good or are there better places for around 1000bht a night and is the island as good as it looks? Any comments and advice would be most welcome, thanks in advance.

[Soutpeel]

Hello chums, I will out to thailand at the end of the week and am thinking of spending a week or so in Koh Chang, The VJ Residence looks good, can anyone give me any advice on how to get there from Bangkok airport, I have driving licence, is the VJ any good or are there better places for around 1000bht a night and is the island as good as it looks? Any comments and advice would be most welcome, thanks in advance.

IMHO...Koh Chang is worth a visit, been going there for nearly 8 years, back to days when there wasnt even a ATM on place and you had to get all your cash in Trat, over the last few years the place has been undergoing a development boom, which feel has kinda fukced the place up a bit...

You will need transport on Koh Chang, a car is best, motor bike up and down the hills is dangerous to say the least..

Dont expect a Koh Samui, or even a Koh Samet, its a pretty quiet laid back place.

On the VJ cant comment as always stay at Seaview resort, just outside White sands beach, as I like the peace and quiet....I think Seaview is excellent, but will not get in place for THB 1000/night

From Bangkok if you are driving you need to head towards Trat, follow the signs for Trat airport and you will start seeing signs for the ferries, if you are taking a car over, try Center Point ferry...Driving normally expect +/- 3.0-3.5 hour run...

Hope this helps

[Changian]

Lots of places for 1000 baht/night - it's very very quiet here now hardly any tourists but the weather has been surprisingly good. Calm seas and bright sunshine today VJ Residence is tucked away behind the temple in Klong prao village - to get to the beach you'll need to walk through Barali or Tropicana Resort.

Easy to drive here - just follow the motorway out of BKk then 344 signposted to Ban Bueng/Klang, then Highway 3 towards Trat. See Googlemaps. Or take a bus direct to the ferry pier at 7.30 or 9.30 from Ekkamai bus station, BKK. ( Or can take a bus from BKK Airport transportation terminal if you dont plan on going into BKK city centre.) But ferries stop at 7pm

[cloghead]

Driving up the west coast from Lonely Beach to Klong Son yesterday I couldn't help but notice how many hotels/resorts have reduced their rates. There are many new-ish, smaller places with aircon, pools & resturants in the 400-800 baht range now. These same places were two or three times the price last high season.

I also heard a rumor the Dusit Princess has closed indefinitely. Don't know if that's true or not--they don't answer any of the 3 phone #s I've tried...

[EvilDrSomkid]

Driving up the west coast from Lonely Beach to Klong Son yesterday I couldn't help but notice how many hotels/resorts have reduced their rates. There are many new-ish, smaller places with aircon, pools & resturants in the 400-800 baht range now. These same places were two or three times the price last high season.

I also heard a rumor the Dusit Princess has closed indefinitely. Don't know if that's true or not--they don't answer any of the 3 phone #s I've tried...

The wife and I are going next month. How are the roads on the island? Will a regular car handle it? I do have AWD.

How is the weather in July?

[Soutpeel]

Driving up the west coast from Lonely Beach to Klong Son yesterday I couldn't help but notice how many hotels/resorts have reduced their rates. There are many new-ish, smaller places with aircon, pools & resturants in the 400-800 baht range now. These same places were two or three times the price last high season.

I also heard a rumor the Dusit Princess has closed indefinitely. Don't know if that's true or not--they don't answer any of the 3 phone #s I've tried...

The wife and I are going next month. How are the roads on the island? Will a regular car handle it? I do have AWD.

How is the weather in July?

The roads are pretty good, a normal car will handle it, the only big hill you have to worry about is the first big one you hit after coming off the ferry heading towards the white sands beach, quite steep and a bit of hairpin, if you have AWD, you will have no problem, but have see cars which have burned their clutches out on that hill... ...IMHO.. Koh Chang is actually one of the more saner places to drive in Thailand

[EvilDrSomkid]

Driving up the west coast from Lonely Beach to Klong Son yesterday I couldn't help but notice how many hotels/resorts have reduced their rates. There are many new-ish, smaller places with aircon, pools & resturants in the 400-800 baht range now. These same places were two or three times the price last high season.

I also heard a rumor the Dusit Princess has closed indefinitely. Don't know if that's true or not--they don't answer any of the 3 phone #s I've tried...

The wife and I are going next month. How are the roads on the island? Will a regular car handle it? I do have AWD.

How is the weather in July?

The roads are pretty good, a normal car will handle it, the only big hill you have to worry about is the first big one you hit after coming off the ferry heading towards the white sands beach, quite steep and a bit of hairpin, if you have AWD, you will have no problem, but have see cars which have burned their clutches out on that hill... ...IMHO.. Koh Chang is actually one of the more saner places to drive in Thailand

Sweet, thanks. I am driving an automatic, so no worries on clutchburn.

I know what you mean. The road on KPN between Baan Tai and Haad Rin is quite scary. Steep and twisty.

Some songtheaws don't make it up the hills with 8 backpackers and luggage.

[manuchaomk]

you will meet a lot of friends-Moskitos

I just remember moskitos and unfair prices...in that strange Island.

Uncomparable with the other thai islands (maybe Samet has a lot of moskito, but it's better thinking about the costs...)

[Soutpeel]

you will meet a lot of friends-Moskitos

I just remember moskitos and unfair prices...in that strange Island.

Uncomparable with the other thai islands (maybe Samet has a lot of moskito, but it's better thinking about the costs...)

...think you should refrain from drinking Chang before posting..

[Changian]

I also heard a rumor the Dusit Princess has closed indefinitely. Don't know if that's true or not--they don't answer any of the 3 phone #s I've tried...

This rumour, unlike the one about common sense being in short supply on Koh Chang, isnt true.

I've been asked to mention that he Dusit definitely hasnt closed and wont. Their number is 039 619 111.

(Although I dont think they have any guests at the moment same as several large beachfront resorts.).

[EvilDrSomkid]

Sweet, that means we will have the beach all to ourselves.

[EvilDrSomkid]

Sweet, that means we will have the beach all to ourselves.

Well we did have the beach all to ourselves at Bai Lan Beach Resort. Very nice staff and good bungalows. Orchid next door was under major reconstruction.

However, as the people who live on Koh Chang know, it was pissing down rain for 5 days straight last week. Drove down on Sunday the 12th and had major trouble getting off the island on the 16th. Big parts of the road were flooded. We drove our Audi S6 into a bit just a little too deep at one point. About 50cm of water. Engine stalled of course. We got pushed out by some guys. Had a lot of hassle getting that sorted out down that way.

Klong Prao was one big river. I actually pittied the tailor shop which had the flood water pushing against the shop doors.

Scary driving even in the dry there. I was VERY happy with the Quattro drive.

The airfilter was totally soaked, which choked the engine.

Went to the wat last Saturday offering thanks we made it back to BKK.

[Changian]

Not surprised you had a beach to yourself in bailan, should have gone for a hut on a beach with sand and more than 50 metres long ;-)

But it's still raining now if that's any consolation to you and I've been getting a few emails from visitors sitting in their hotels asking me ' What can I do on Koh Chang when the weather is like this? ' Get drunk, read a book or talk to your family is pretty much it.

Or park your Audi in a puddle. Sounds like that was in Kai Bae, usually get the deepest floods just outside The Chill Resort.

[Bisto]

Very good site for local info on Koh Chang is iamkohchang.com he also has accommodation.Guys name is IAN

[EvilDrSomkid]

Not surprised you had a beach to yourself in bailan, should have gone for a hut on a beach with sand and more than 50 metres long ;-)

But it's still raining now if that's any consolation to you and I've been getting a few emails from visitors sitting in their hotels asking me ' What can I do on Koh Chang when the weather is like this? ' Get drunk, read a book or talk to your family is pretty much it.

Or park your Audi in a puddle. Sounds like that was in Kai Bae, usually get the deepest floods just outside The Chill Resort.

Check out YouTube for S6 stalled. You might recognize the place

[Changian]

Yep, you were in the centre of Kai Bae at the spot I thought it was when you tried ploughing through the water.

For anyone who hasnt seen the video the 'Oh f$%k' comes at 18 seconds and the 'Oh sh&t . . . . stalled 'at 24 seconds.