Trad - Koh Chang Sunsets

As we are getting ready for a busy week - the annual road carnage and excessive water splashing -to celebrate Thai new year, let's pause to appreciate the nature that surrounds us.

Along the west coast of Koh Chang, there are many places to place one self in a bamboo chair and take in sun sets. These are just a couple of the many pictures I have snapped on the beach near Khlong Phrao.

Trad - Koh Chang Reminiscing

To me, Koh Chang, Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, and Koh Phi Phi were the original Bounty islands ... i.e., with beaches and scenery as if they could have been backdrops in commercials for Bounty chocolate bars. That sentence is on purpose in past tense because it was true 20 years ago, but these islands have developed dramatically over the past decades.

The beaches are still stunning and it is still possible - although difficult - to find quiet spots.

During my first visits to Koh Chang, the road from the ferry to Had Sai Kao (White Sand Beach) was only partially paved with concrete. The road stretched from Had Sai Kao to Had Khai Bae (Rooster Crow Beach) was gravel and without bridges at several of the river crossings. The road ended at Had Khai Bae.

The ferries were converted fishing vessels and only for people, not for vehicles. They stopped not only at Ao Sapparot (Pineapple Bay), but continued to Had Sai Kao and Had Khai Bae. So, after I realized that, I stayed on the ferry until last stop.

Back then, there was no entrance fee to visit the waterfall, there were no elephant rides, no condominium developments, and no "gibbon rides". Banana boats could only be found at Had Khai Bae.

Back then, Koh Chang was a heaven for backpackers and students like me on a tight budget. I could take a long weekend trip down (leave Bangkok Friday evening, return Monday evening) for less than 1,300 baht (roughly USD 50 back then) with all my expenses covered.

Today's youth and backpackers require air conditioning and comfort, so prices are obviously a lot higher now. The Robinson Crusoe experience is gone, but the sunsets are still great.

Trad - Koh Kham (a trip back in time)

Koh Kham was once one of the best destinations for basic (backpacker style) accommodation on an absolutely amazingly beautiful island setting.

The island is small and barely a kilometer from Koh Maak (in the pic above, it is Koh Mak you can see in the background) and has crystal-clear waters plus a number of coral reefs easily within snorkeling distance.  

Since Koh Kham is very small, you can’t do much on the island, but it was ideal to relax in a quiet atmosphere with a book or with one of the many games found in the restaurant. If you want to do more than just reading or swimming, you can rent kayaks to cruise around the island.

Koh Kham was the perfect spot to really get away from it all.  However, in 2008 this all changed and the island was sold to an individual who "developed" the island into a four star destination -- the long running, rustic, and reasonably priced Koh Kham Resort owned by khun Lor has closed down.

Trat - Koh Mak

15 years ago, the infrastructure on Koh Chang was very basic. Back then, visitors were mostly intrepid backpackers daring to take exhilarating climb & descent from the pier to reach Had Sai Kao followed by a rough-and-rumble drive over narrow rickety bridges to reach Had Kai Bae. Alternatively, you could stay on the ferry (a slightly converted fishing vessel) and reach Had Kai Bae in a more leisurely manner.


Back then, there were no elephant safaris or 7-Eleven shops, nor any entrance fees to be paid to go swimming in the island's waterfall.

But since 2000, when the road along the western coast line was extended and upgraded, development has gone incredibly fast. Backpackers (now an almost extinct species) have been replaced by mass tourism – a mixture of foreign families on package tours, sex tourists, and affluent Bangkokians.

Trying to escape this commercial onslaught, I sought refuge on Koh Mak and Koh Kham a few years back. For a period, these were nice and relaxing places to walk barefooted on relatively secluded beaches. But sadly, cohorts of luxury demanding tourists soon found their way to Koh Mak resulting in upgrades, price increases, and real estate “development”.

However bad, it is still less intrusive and blatant compared to what has been going on in Cambodia and on Koh Chang over the past 5-6 years. Koh Mak is still worth a visit for those wanting to escape the crowds on Koh Chang.

Trat - Koh Kood

Local mermaid

Koh Kood is one of the few Thai islands of a reasonable size that is still relatively untouched by mass tourism. 

The island’s resorts – probably due to the long time it takes to reach the island from Bangkok – continue to focus on offering 3-4 day packages, i.e., they basically cater to Bangkokians wanting a (long) weekend getaway rather than to mass market foreign tourists staying for one or two weeks. 

Peter Pan, Tinkerbell, and Captain Hook – three resorts with the same owner – are examples of how Koh Kood has gone upscale. I must admit the resorts have been done in great style/design, but I still miss how it was 10 years ago.There are also few budget resorts that attract the few remaining backpackers who still travel the globe.

The island doesn't have “facilities” to serve the cravings of sex tourists, so it is a great family destination. The island’s bays have clear water, the food is good, and unlike a few years back, the GSM and internet connections are excellent.