Heading to the hideaway mercure in koh Chang next month with the wife and kids.

Anyone been,any tips so I don't miss anything.

I love photography,is it ok to just wander into the forest or whatever its called on a photographic frenzy.

Yes, we have been many times there. It used to be the "Dusit Princess" before.

Nice rooms, especially those at the beachfront with private pool.

The whole place is very nicely fit into the environment and the colors please the eye.

The beach looks nice but has a lot of rocks in the sand, so walk carefully.

The downside is the restaurant. Only one restaurant in the whole resort. After a very short time the food selection gets boring. The breakfast buffet is rather limited. The wine selection has improved recently, but the bar is mostly not serving drinks...

Since we go there with our own car, we mostly go out for eating. Nearby (South) is the "Bang Bao" pier with some excellent seafood (changing quality, though). At Bang Bao pier we sometimes take a speed-boat and go snorkeling near the neighboring islands (Kho Mak, Kho Kam, Kho Rang etc)

We sometimes drive up North to an Italian restaurant "Ciao", opposite the Chang Park Hotel (I believe the Chang Park changed the name).

Another tip: A the very southern tip of the island, where the road actually ends, is a resort called "Laguna". You have to pay an entrance fee, but it's worth doing it, the beach is stunning and you may very well have 2 km of beach all for you.

It is a few years since I have been on the island but I used to go to a place on a small side road on the way to the main beaches and resorts, there is a fishing village on the other side of the road not far from where it goes in.

I got there by rented Motorbike and a lady ran out and charged me 100 b to go up into the forest.

Another place I went was opposite the 7 11 when you come down the hill to the beach there is (was) a few small thatched huts for rent and a small road that went up past them, I walked to the end of the road, not far,and kept going up into the forest.

There are also several other roads that go up into the forest which is all national park.

Have a look at the National Park web site it should tell you where the park headquarters are and give info about access

Farther to that, the Ko Chang national Park site.

http://www.dnp.go.th/parkreserve/asp/style1/default.asp?npid=211&lg=2