Koh Chang Island. The long walk to Kai Bae Beach

I am not particular in many things but as for me the 8-hour bus trip seemed very tiring for me. In spite of all the wonderful picturesque views and frequent monuments to Fruit we could see through the window, I got exhausted. Trat is the fruit capital of Thailand. You can often see a Durian monument in the province which is luckily without smell. You should not forget that there will be a trip by taxi to get to the pier. And then you will travel by the ferry and car to the hotel. Instead of the taxi you can take a bus which has recently appeared to carry tourists to Laem Ngop. The boats to Koh Chang leave from three piers which cost about THB50 and THB80 including a car.
Here is the timetable.
Ao Thammachat Pier tel.039 528288-9
Mainland to Koh Chang (Ao Sapparos) 07.00, 08.30, 10.00, 11.30, 13.00, 14.30, 16.00, 17.30, 19.00
Koh Chang (Ao Sapparos) to Mainland 07.00, 08.30, 10.00, 11.30, 13.00, 14.30, 16.00, 17.30, 19.00
Centre Point Pier tel.039 538196
Mainland to Koh Chang (Cabana Pier) 7.00, 9.00, 11.00, 13.00, 15.00, 17.00
Koh Chang (Dan Kao) to Mainland 8.00, 10.00, 12.00, 14.00, 16.00, 18.00
Laem Ngop Pier
Mainland to Koh Chang (Dan Kao) 7.00, 9.00, 11.00, 13.00, 15.00, 17.00
Koh Chang (Dan Kao) to Mainland 8.00, 10.00, 12.00, 14.00, 16.00, 18.00
I consider the best way to Chang that is through Pattaya with two or three-day stay there. Here, on the familiar Jomtien Beach, there are so many tour agencies that you will easily buy a bus trip further and reserve a room in a hotel or a bungalow. I took me 2.5 hours to the pier, 15 min to wait for a ferry, 40 min for the sea voyage and 20 min to the V.J. Hotel Health Spa. It can’t have seemed to be the best place on Chang, but the location between the huge Klong Prao Beach and very clean and cosy Kai Bae Beach was quite good. Kai Bae Beach has its values for swimmers such as a pure sandy bottom with no rocks and the Amari Beach, which is extremely expensive and often deserted. V.J. Hotel also has its merits. The massage is great and quite cheap: Thai massage THB 250 and Oil message THB 300.