Koh Chang (Photo by Photodiary of an Endless Summer)
Koh Chang is one of the most naturally beautiful areas in the whole of Thailand. The island itself is a mountainous one, but interspersed between the high peaks lays large swathes of rainforest and large spectacular waterfalls. In addition to this, the coral reefs that surround the island are some of the most stunning in the world, making it a mecca for those that love diving. There are no large towns in the area, although the villages have plenty of hotels and guesthouses.
For such a small island, there is surprisingly an airport there that serves cheap flights to Koh Chang domestic Bangkok, Phuket and Koh Samui. This service is operated by Bangkok Airways and the flight itself takes approximately 45 minutes from Bangkok – the closest of the three destinations. Although this is without doubt the quickest way, many people choose to travel overland and then by boat though, due to the fact that this allows them to experience the country at first hand.
To travel from Bangkok to Koh Chang, one needs to take a coach from the city. It is also possible to take a taxi, but this is likely to cost up to ten times more than a coach trip. These should be heading for the port of Trat, which is where all of the ferries leave for Koh Chang holidays. A ferry journey is usually made on a small “island hopper” and the journey does not take long at all.
