Developing On Koh Chang

[helicoptor]

We spent the new year in Koh Chang, White Sands Beach and had a lovely time, It was my first time there although my partner visited last year.. and I could see certain similarities to Koh Samui several years ago.

It debatable to say that Koh Samui is now overdeveloped and has lost a lot of its charm. Koh Chang is beautiful and the beaches are fantasic, but i'm wondering with all the developing continuing - how long before it gets swamped like Samui is?

BTW Mod can move this thread to wherever, thought id start it here tho

[qualtrough]

Koh Chang is on its way to Samuification, but how long that process will take until it is a total mess I cannot say. I visited Koh Samui several times in 81-82, and have not been back as from what I have read and heard the place I visited no longer exists. Same for Cha Am. Went there in the early 80s. A pretty sleepy place, a few bungalow type resorts, beach almost empty, and totally empty at night. On the way back from Prachuab a few years back I thought I would stop by to see what it was like. OK, it was a holiday, but could not see the beach for the people. Jet skis, banana boats, speedboats clogging the water. Hightailed it out of there. Sad but seems inevitable.

Edited January 4, 2007 by qualtrough

[kayo]

Hi,

I opened a small resort on Koh Chang back in 2000.

White Sands right down to Kai Bae were, to me, in the process of getting developed.

Especially after toxin came into power, a heck of a lot of consrtuction started taking place.

By the end of 2001, they had continued the road right past our beach, (south of KaiBae, beach called Had Tha Nam - More popularly known as Lonely Beach) which, until then, had only a track where now the road is.

By the first few months of 2002, there was massive contruction taking place along our beach. Huge luxury resorts, shops, internet places (cable being installed etc..), etc.. etc..

I left in I think it was march '02, and vowed never to return.

Not saying it's bad now.

It would just spoil the memories for me.

Edited January 4, 2007 by kayo

[roamer]

We spent the new year in Koh Chang, White Sands Beach and had a lovely time, It was my first time there although my partner visited last year.. and I could see certain similarities to Koh Samui several years ago.

It debatable to say that Koh Samui is now overdeveloped and has lost a lot of its charm. Koh Chang is beautiful and the beaches are fantasic, but i'm wondering with all the developing continuing - how long before it gets swamped like Samui is?

BTW Mod can move this thread to wherever, thought id start it here tho

I don't agree its debateable to say that Koh Samui is now developed and lost a lot of its charm. Wheres the debate ? Think back to K.Chang and that road that runs along it, not so long it was little more than a dirt track. 20 years ago so was the road behind Chaweng, unlit and would peter out past what is now Samui Nautilus resort, no round island trips in those days, you needed a torch to go out ay night. Now its virtually a highway, Is Ko Chang going to be saved from the same fate, don't think so. EXCEPT, it does'nt yet have an airport which is the all important factor that opens it up to development.

I have watched Samui grow to the horror it now is for the most part, over a 20 year period, Last year I returned to Langkawi Malaysia after an absence of 20 years, then it was beautiful but almost zero in terms of eating or entertainment. Now its developed, nicely, very low key, great beaches, great food, duty free bars, but the fact that its muslin limits their growth, no hookers, nice place. No thats wrong, GORGEOUS place, forgot to mention the incredible cable car over the rain forest that will take up hours of your time for 150B. All this and incredibly laid back and non rip-off.

And as of this year I can fly there direct from Bangkok with Air Asia at a very reasonable price.

K.Chang, K.Samui, found somewhere better,

[terry57]

i was on koh samui in 1987 and koh tao 1988.

any body who was around then knows what an incredible paradise these places were.

cannot compare with the place today, but i must tell you, it dont worry me as we must go with the flow and adapt to it.

after all, it was people like me who spread the word about these awesome islands so who am i to complain.?

i also was in bali in 1979 and you want to see how crazy kuta is these days.

no frigging road when i first went there, but i can always enjoy it when i go back.

nothing is for ever people and never look back and say, well i wish it was like before, as it aint.

cheers

[LaoPo]

I agree with the previous posters.

I was lucky to have seen and enjoyed Phuket, Samui, Koh Chang, Samet etc. when they were still like virgin islands....(and, even Pattaya was like fun back than...)

no more....

Those days will never return, unfortunately.

I suppose those of you -and me- who long back to the 'old days' have to look and search for -yet- more unspoiled destinations but it will be difficult.....but not only in Thailand that is.

LaoPo

[Robski]

I'm with the other members here. Koh Chang got 'spoiled' a long time ago. You can't reverse the process, you can only hope that future development is made in a way that is responsible, that the infrastructure is built up as the requirements on it increase.

Wish I'd been here way back in the day though like some of you guy's.

[donna]

i was on white sands beach back in 1999 and would not go back. after toxin decide that he would develop it into the next phuket, i decided that i would rather keep the memories as they were.

(funnily enough, i am living on phuket now - go figure THAT)

[meadish_sweetball]

Since New Year's 2002/2003, Koh Chang has been on my 'places in Thailand I will never visit again unless I have to' list.

Samui made the list in 1996. Obviously they have started to cater to a different group of people now, and I hope these people enjoy it. I will keep going to, and be on the lookout for places that I like.

[The Coder]

Seems predictable enough. People who thought Chang was good 10 years ago will say it is spoiled today. 10 years from now people who say Chang is good today will say it is spoiled. You could probably apply this anywhere along the seaside. If development bothers you, the seaside anywhere in Thailand is probably just setting yourself up for "development" disappointment. It's a dream I gave up about 10 years ago. Everywher I looked I saw high prices, high pollution, too many people, too much noise, too much development, and each of these things only gets worse.