Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
TOP OF CHAPTER
Ko Chang
This little-visited rustic isle is a long way - in every respect - from its much more popular
Trat Province namesake. Its speciality is no-frills living, and yes, electricity is a frill here,
but it's absence gives as much as it denies. The whole island is saturated in an all-pervad-
ing quiet, where the blip and buzz of modern life are replaced with the slosh of the sea,
the intoxicating murmur of the cicadas and the far off rumbling of a long-tail.
Pass the time exploring the island's tiny village capital (where the boats dock during the
wet season) or wend your way around the island on one of the dirt trails. Sea eagles, An-
daman kites and hornbills all nest here and, if you're lucky, you'll catch sight of them
floating above the mangroves and the jungled east coast. The wide, west-coast beach of
Ao
Yai
has gorgeous marbled white and black sand in the south, which obscures the otherwise
clear water. A short trail leads over the bluff to
Ao Tadeng
, another marbled beach strewn
with boulders and the island's best sunset spot. White-sand snobs will be happiest on Ao
Yai's north end. In the dry season you'll be dropped off directly in front of your bungalow.
There are no banks or cars on Ko Chang, but internet has arrived at
Cashew Resort
(Ao Yai;
per min 2B)
and Crocodile Rock (1B per minute). Yoga and tai chi classes are held at
Om Tao
(
08 5470 9312;
www.omtao.net
; Ao Yai)
, next door.
Trails lead south from the village in the island's interior to the national park station on
the east coast. That's where you'll find the island's best stretch of intact jungle. Elsewhere
it's all been tamed into cashew orchards and rubber plantations.
Sleeping & Eating
Basic bamboo huts reign supreme on Ko Chang and, for the most part, they're only open
from November to mid-April. Electricity is limited, though a few places have solar and
wind power.
Ao Yai is where you'll find most lodging options; a few more places are tucked away
on Ao Tadaeng, to the south, which is linked to Ao Yai via a short walking track. More
isolated options can be found on the beaches to the north and far south of the island.
Crocodile Rock
GUESTHOUSE
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