Koh Chang or Koh Samet ?

[flossiebear]

Lissos more detailed reply is pretty spot on regarding how the island has become ruined.

[Greasystick]

Maybe a video would help???

https://youtu.be/mGDANKyourg

[MrTrip]

I started to read this with interest but its a bit depressing really. The first island I visited in Thailand (2006) was Samet. We stayed on the only west facing beach Ao Prou where there are only 3 resorts. At each end of the crescent shaped bay is an expensive (5000baht min) resort but in the middle is a gem, Lima Coco. Some regulars told me that they had travelled all over Thailand and couldn't find anything better overall. I didn't believe them but after doing Koh Chang, Koh Samui, Phuket, Pang Na etc regularly for the next 5 or 6 years I started to believe the rumours. I went back to Lima Coco in 2012 and had to admit that I also couldn't find a better resort\beach. I know everyone has a favourite and many will disagree with me but its just my opinion. I also stayed on Vongduern a couple of years ago and that was OK but a day trip over to Lima Coco made me realise I stayed at the wrong resort. LC is super chilled with just a beach and the restaurant and bungalows. West facing so great sun set as well as a clean and tidy beach. Until it was hit by the oil spill last year!

I do agree though that the east side of Samet has become far too commercial for my liking. Its OK for an interesting evening as long as you can escape the madness.

Koh Chang is much the same but being a much bigger island it has much more to offer but is now massively developed compared to even 5 years ago.

I can't really choose between the 2 now!! Chang has more to offer but my favourite resort is on crappy Samet

I,m going to Hua Hin next week instead!

[farangjai]

Reading these posts brings back a lot of memories. First visited Samet in 2002 and loved it for all the reasons mentioned; proximity to BKK, low cost, quiet, even the roughin' it aspect of squat toilets and no electricity was appealing to an early 20's explorer . Haven't been back since 2005 when it seemed like development was gearing up and after reading these updates probably never shall.

First visited Chang in 2003 and last in 2006 and sentiments are the same. It seemed like the next best place after Samet until everyone else had the same idea. And that's the gist of what the protagonist in Alex Garland's "The Beach" surmises; everyone is out looking for the next paradise e.g. Kood or Mak and in the process it becomes commodified and homogenized.

Ditto for Hua Hin

[Lissos]

Yep, budget travellers tend to be the foot soldiers. Once their chosen spots are spotted by big business, the tanks eventually move in and budget travellers either become priced out or move elsewhere themselves (being observed by big business, in the process) due to the build up. As selfish as it can be, there is a lot to be said for not sharing information about those cute little spots found along the way in various parts of the world, and to let people find them (or not) themselves. On the whole I've found the way to find really untouched places these days is to train hard and go expedition level backpacking where all supplies are taken in. Very few will put in the effort to reach such places, and that is probably 90% of potential visitors.