Koh Chang Island

Having booked our accommodation from the guest house in Bangkok for 400 baht each (8 pounds). A lady picked us up from our guest house and walked us to the coach. The journey should have taken 6 hours but as we were on ‘Thai time’ it took 8 hours, with a break half way.

I knew that going to Koh Chang again after 10 years was going to a shock, particularly after reading in the lonely planet (2008), ...’they’ve paved paradise’!

The first major difference was the transport to the island; ferries are regularly taking people and cars across. No more little boats taking hippy travellers over! Again according to the lonely planet ‘backpackers are out and rich tourists are in’. However, despite this there are still some remote areas to explore.

We stayed at Island Lodge, White Sands for 500 baht a night. The Tree House (originally an old hippy hangout) has been relocated to Long Beach on the Eastern side of the island, as its original destination ‘lonely beach’ is no longer lonely. However, the original Tree House can still be seen.

I can’t believe how many times I have taught the tourism ‘life cycle’, but to see the transition from remote secluded island to mass tourism is a shock to say the least! However, having said that there a still a few spots that the backpackers can retreat to but on the whole mass tourism has well and truly taken over the Western side of the island.

Having hired some mopeds for 200 baht a day, we explored the entire island. The West side (with the best beaches) is wall to wall resorts, bars, restaurants, bungalows, shops, elephant treks you name it it’s there! The Eastern side is less developed but is covered with palm and rubber tree plantations. I guess this might turn into development land in a few years, although this island is a National Park the government (I think) have created some sort of law where you can you land for agricultural purposes, however after a certain numbers of years this land use can be changed. A good way to sneak in if you’re a developer!

Towards the end of the road on the Eastern side the tarmac road ends and a sign for the Tree House, Long Beach can be seen. Off the beaten track only the brave or stupid will journey down this dirt track to reach the last remaining secluded backpackers haven. Definitely well worth a visit if your bum is made of steal :o)!

As we were staying on the Western side we spent a few days exploring. On the southern tip there is a beautiful beach and bar, which is very peaceful and easy to get to on moped.

In the evenings eating in the restaurants on the beach children as young as 6 approach you trying to sell flowers, is scary to think they are wondering the beach alone at night!

Island lodge is a good place to stay; it’s not on the beach which means you will get good nights sleep! Ippie, a Thai lady that runs Island Lodge works from 7.30am-10pm at night, and in the 7 days that we stayed she did not have a single day off! The Thai’s work incredibly hard to say the least!

Just a short distance from White Sands is Pearl beach, which is very rocky but good for snorkeling. Here we met an English guy called Matt who owns ‘Paradise Palm Resort, which has a gym by the beach. As Elliott wanted to work out ‘at muscle beach’, Jonny and I decided to base ourselves there for the day. The visibility for snorkeling wasn’t great but we did see a few corals and fish after cutting ourselves on the sharp rocks getting in.

Matt had married his Thai wife 9 years ago. We asked him various questions about Island Life and what is like to live on Koh Chang. He owned 49% of his business and his Thai wife and family owned 51%. Sewage from the apartments etc is collected in tanks and paid to be taken away. Recycling is sorted and collected throughout the island.

The tarmac road was completed a few years ago when Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra...was so impressed with the natural beauty of Koh Chang he wants the island to become a popular eco-tourism destination like Phuket. http://iamkohchang.com/news/in-2002/thaksin-to-develop-koh-chang.html

I believe that either he or another minister (no longer in power today) owns a resort on the island. Good use of tax payer’s money!

The police are also based on the island and there is a strict curfew of 10.30pm last orders, or you could face a hefty fine if your business selling drinks after this time.

Koh Chang is still a great island to visit, from the hippy backpackers retreat to the luxury resorts!