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.

Koh Chang Island – the best alternative of Pattaya and Phuket for lovers, divers and other Thai addicts

I cannot say that after two young Russian girls’ tragic death on Jomtien beach in Pattaya, Thailand becomes unattractive holiday resort for me. You can accidentally come across such dregs like Anuchit Lamlert anywhere in the world, though I can hardly fancy that happen on the Nissy beach. No one will manage to make me stay in the Dragon Beach Hotel. It is not the warnings that turn me around but the place as it is terribly inconvenient. Moreover I will not go out at five o’clock in the morning because you can feel anxious even in Central Park at this time of the day. I still hope there are some safe areas in Thailand where we will not meet such gunned criminals for long. One of them is Chang Island in the province of Trat. To be exact The Chang is not an island. It is the Chang Archipelago consisting of 52 islands. Chang Island is the biggest among the others and the second largest island in Thailand which has remained a reserved territory so far. It also benefits from the fact that the Royal Family of Thailand has visited it many times. We can consider that as the best example where to enjoy the holidays. The island is the ideal place for those who prefer snorkeling and other family activities. Here you come to an absolutely different Thailand, nice and peaceful and quiet. You can find it a little boring after Bangkok and Pattaya. But if a deserted island or lonely beach is what you look for, so this is the place!
Most of the scenic beaches and bays are located on the western side, extending from the north to the south. They include Ao Khlong Son, Hat Sai Khao, Hat Khlong Phrao and Hat Kai Bae. A road cuts through the western shore almost all the way to Hat Kai Bae. From here, a nature trail through Ao Bai Lan and Ao Kruat meanders through wet forestland to Ban Bang Bao, a fishing community located at the foot of the hill in the south.
Klong Son Beach (Half Moon) located on the northern end of the island is the first beach that greets you after disembarking at the ferry pier. It has a scenic cape with a stretch of sand and plenty of coconut trees.
Five Star Resort F THB600 - 1150
Premwadee Resort THB500 - 1500
White Sand Beach (Had Sai Khao), the most popular and most commercial, features a long strip of powdery sand and slopes gently into the sea. Palm trees line the beach while forested hills lurk in the background. During low tide, the beachfront becomes much wider and consequently attracts lots of beachgoers. The northern end is sandy and quiet, while the southern end has plenty of stones. Be cautious when swimming since the currents can be strong and there are no lifeguards on duty. White Sand Beach is the hub of many activities, where people like to take a stroll while watching the sunset. Various sport activities, such as football, volleyball and Frisbee games, regularly take place along the beach. You can find a number of hotels at suitable prices below:
Alina Resort SB THB 750 - 2300
Arunee Resort SB THB 600 - 1600
Bamboo Bangalow SB THB 500 - 2000
Banpu Koh Chang Hotel SB, G THB 1900 - 6350
Cookie Hotel & Bungalow SB THB 680 - 4400
K.C.Grande Resort SB, G THB2250 - 3960
Koh Chang Grand View Resort SB THB 600 - 2500
Koh Chang Hillside Hotel THB500 - 2000
Koh Chang Hut CB THB 500 - 3000
Koh Chang Lagoon Resort SB, G THB 1300 - 5600
Plaloma Cliff Resort RB, CB, G THB 900 - 2200
White Sand Beach Resort SB, F THB 360 - 2300
Had Kai Mook is a pebbled beach near a tropical garden setting and you can enjoy the sight of giant clams on the beach.
Buddy House THB 1900 - 3000
Enjoy Resort RB THB 400 - 1600
Jane Chalet Resort RB, CB, F, G THB 1370 - 3450
Keereta Resort & Spa Koh Chang THB 1600 - 3180
Koh Chang Privilege Resort RB, G THB 700 - 2480
Para Resort G THB 1000 - 1350
Penny Resort RB, G THB 1000 - 3000
Remark Cottage Resort & Restaurant RB, G THB 1400 - 7300
Saffron On The Sea RB THB 500 - 1500
Laem Chaichet, which sits between White Sand and Klong Prao beaches, serves as an ideal spot for onshore fishing and sunset watching. The area is small with a rocky curve that rounds into a bay, thus very peaceful. There are only few bungalows that make the beach less crowded than other beaches. The fishing pier near Laem (cape) Chaichet also serves as a perfect viewpoint for the entire Klong Prao Bay.
Klong Prao Beach starts where the Laem Chaichet ends. It has a beautiful rocky landscape as the others. Resort development has grown rapidly, although the beach itself does not get too crowded. Its hillside location provides the best bay view of Klong Prao Beach and Laem Chaichet. It is around 400-500 metres from Klong Prao Beach.
Barali Beach Resort SB, G THB 2480 - 7600
Boutique Resort & Health Spa G THB 1380 - 1980
Chai-Chet Resort RB THB 800 - 1500
Chokdee Bungalow SB THB 560 - 3600
Coconut Beach Resort SB, G THB 580 - 2880
Iyara Resort G THB 1200 - 1420
Koh Chang Grand Cabana SB, G THB 1880 - 2880
Koh Chang Paradise Resort SB, G THB 1680 - 3180
Koh Chang Resort & Spa SB, G THB 1780 - 3350
Koh Chang Tropicana THB 3500 – 7500
K.P. Bungalow THB 800 - 1800
Magic Resort SB, G THB 250 - 3840
Moon Light Resort B THB 200 - 1700
Royal Coconut Beach Resort SB THB 500 - 1380
Royal Coconut Resort SB THB 500 - 1470
Kai Bae Beach is another great location to watch the spectacular sunset. It has a sandy beach with many palm trees providing plenty of shade. Several islands are so close that you are tempted to wade through the water to reach them. At Kai Bae Village, there are a few small shops, supermarkets, restaurants and internet cafes. Dive shops in front of the Kai Bae Hut provide rental services for boats, canoes, sea kayaks and diving gears to explore the sea and islands. Dive trips are also available during dry season.
K.B.Bungalow SB, G THB 500 - 1500
Kai Bae Hut SB THB 650 - 6000
Siam Bay Bungalow SB, CB, RB THB 1000 – 2500
Amari Beach THB 3200 - 7500
Lonely Beach (Hat Tha Nam) is a small stretch south of Kai Bae. Only 1 km long, it is Tha Nam Beach nicknamed as the Lonely Beach. The beach used to be deserted. More visitors later descended on this small beach. The northern end is one of the best places to swim along the west coast, and is separated from Kai Bae by a forested hill.
Bhumiyama Beach Resort SB THB 2550 - 4050
Siam Beach Resort SB, CB THB 500 - 1500 low season, 800 - 2500 high season
Bang Bao Beach on the southwestern tip is in a fishing community where residents still live in houses built on stilts and are connected by wooden bridges. It is a well-protected bay with a small and quiet beach. There are a growing number of tourist shops, scuba dive outlets and seafood restaurants. New bungalows are available here.
Bang Bao Cliff Cottages RB THB 200 - 300
Bang Bao Sea Hut B THB 1000 - 1800
Koh Chang Hill Resort THB 500 - 1800.
It is easy to get to Chang Island from Bangkok. You can take a plane from Bangkok to Trat which single ticket costs THB 2000. And the flight lasts 50 minutes. There are two flights from Bangkok: at 9.00 A.M. and at 4.10 P.M. and two flights from Trat: 10.20 A.M. and 5.30 P.M.
You can go by bus from Ekkamai bus station. It costs THB 220 but this trip lasts abt. 8 hours.
For more information you can look at: Koh Chang Archipelago’s 52 coral Islands: Maak, Wai, Hood and Kham as residence of snorkeling and lonely hearts, The best seafood in Thai: only on Islands, Koh Chang: the Island of the grate Waterfalls, lagoons and beaches and Koh Chang Island. The long walk to Kai Bae Beach.

Russian tourists’ murderer turned out an idiot – why Thai only got 43 TTCI rank from WEF

Anuchit Lamlert, 24 years old, a Chon Buri native has been arrested and charged with the murder of two Russian girls at Jomtien beach on Saturday. The killer said that when he had tried to rob two women they screamed for help and so he shot them several times to silence them. Then he fled on a motorcycle along Soi Chaiyapruek, which links Jomtien beach and Sukhumvit road. Assawin Kwanmuang, chief of Provincial Police Bureau 2, quoted Mr. Anuchit as saying that after the shooting he sold the gun to a person in Chon Buri city. Moreover murderer made a handgun-show for the buyer. He made some shots in the air! If he is not an imbecile I am the president of Russia! But I was astonished of peculiar attention of the world press and the Net to this murder. For example more than 70000 residents disappear in Russia every year. Do you know anything about it? But those days Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report 2007 was published. The World Economic Forum has launched the first-ever Travel and Tourism Index covering 124 countries around the world. Thailand got only 43 TTCI rank. “The index is not a ‘beauty contest’, or a statement about the attractiveness of a country. On the contrary, the index measures the factors that make it attractive to develop the travel and tourism industry of individual countries,” said Jennifer Blanke, Senior Economist of the World Economic Forum. It’s hard to argue about ‘beauty contest’ of Pattaya now. I feel sorry for young girls and Thailand.
This table shows the constituents of the Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index in Asia and Oceania. I think that comment is superfluous.

Country	TTCI score	TTCI rank	Country	TTCI score	TTCI rank
Hong Kong SAR	5,33	6	India	4,14	65
Singapore	5,31	8	Georgia	4,13	66
Australia	5,21	13	Kuwait	4,08	67
New Zealand	5,2	14	China	3,97	71
United Arab Emirates	5,09	18	Armenia	3,93	74
Cyprus	5,07	20	Azerbaijan	3,92	75
Japan	4,99	25	Sri Lanka	3,89	79
Taiwan, China	4,82	30	Kazakhstan	3,81	82
Malaysia	4,8	31	Philippines	3,79	86
Israel	4,8	32	Viet Nam	3,78	88
Qatar	4,71	36	Mongolia	3,72	91
Korea, Rep.	4,58	42	Cambodia	3,64	96
Thailand	4,58	43	Kyrgyzstan	3,54	102
Jordan	4,52	46	Pakistan	3,52	103
Bahrain	4,45	47	Nepal	3,49	106
Turkey	4,31	52	Tajikistan	3,46	110
Indonesia	4,2	60	Bangladesh	3,21	120

Two Russian girls were shot on Jomtien beach – Pattaya becomes a dangerous place

Everybody has heard about the murder in Pattaya last Saturday. I think it’s a big shock for all Thai addicts. This beautiful and friendly place becomes a terrible spot now. I didn’t want to write anything before surfing the Net but I saw so many shitty posts in some tourist’s sites. Therefore I connected my Russian friends and took a lot of information about the girls murdered by their friends.
Here is what I’ve learnt. The two Russian tourists, 25-year-old Lyubov’ Svirkova and 30-year-old Tatyana Tsimfer came to Thailand on February 16 from Kemerovo, Siberia. They had bought a two-week trip and stayed at Dragon Beach Resort. Both girls had been working for the same cell connecting company, but in different departments, one in the headquarters and the other in a branch office for retail trade. They had higher education and earned enough money for a good vacation pass to Thailand. The girls had come to the Thai resort for the first time and had not known each other before the trip. Tatyana Tsimfer had intended to travel to Bulgaria but after having seen one of her friends on the departure eve changed her mind. The victims met in the tourist agency office and decided to live together in the room. The looked like they were sisters. These two young ladies were not involved in Russian mafia or prostitution. It is worth noticing that Russian prostitutes make much more money than their colleagues in Pattaya.
So the most common version of “two Russian hookers and their pimp” must be fairly criticized. What is more important is that travel agencies in Russia do not take care to warn their clients about risk. They advertise Thailand beaches as the heart of heaven where the crime does not exist. And of course it could have looked a paradise for the young girls from Siberia. Only this fact could explain the girls’ imprudence. How could it happen that two young girls found themselves on the most distant part of the Jomtien beach at night. After Russian frost and snow they can’t have resisted the temptation to relax on the warm sand and drink some wine. No one trouble to tell the girls that it is quite risky!
It seems to me that Thailand has been turning into a very unfriendly resort. And if 5-6 years ago you could easily take a walk in Pattaya at night, this year even well-built men could feel uncomfortable on the Jomtien beach after midnight. There are a lot of Thai people drinking throughout the night. Drunk young guys got aggressive and their glances menaced and frightened me. Although, it was hard to find any policemen at this time of the day. I am talking about the beginning of the beach, Soi 7-8. But as we know the ladies stayed in the Dragon Beach Resort, which is at the end of it. Certainly it is not the place for lonely girls, who were not warned about danger. I hope the police will find the murders. Otherwise it will be necessary to look closely at Vietnam

Koh Larn - the easiest way to visit a tropical island and not to leave Pattaya for a long time

It’s impossible to imagine a good rest in Thailand without visiting its numerous islands. But to reach such known health resorts as Koh Samet, Koh Samui and Koh Chang it is not easy. I have some posts about Koh Chang: Koh Chang Archipelago’s 52 coral Islands: Maak, Wai, Hood and Kham as residence of snorkeling and lonely hearts, The best seafood in Thai: only on Islands, Koh Chang: the Island of the grate Waterfalls, lagoons and beaches and Koh Chang Island. The long walk to Kai Bae Beach. Besides extra money this requires precious time which is never sufficient in Thailand. If you want to go to the well-known Thai resort, Koh Phuket, it’s better to take a plane. Although I know two guys who traveled from Bangkok to Kuala-Lumpur by bus. After that they promised never to get a bus. But some people can stay in Walking Street or Beach Road for weeks.
It will not take you long and a lot of effort to visit a place near Pattaya even you are very lazy and very greedy. The place is Koh Larn Island. Moreover it decorates the view of Pattaya bay and has several proper beaches with clear water. They are Ta Waen, Thong Lang, Daeng, Same, Nual and Tien beaches. The water around this island appears very attractively after the Naklua and Jomtien. For snorkeling addicts there is something to watch on the bottom. However numerous water-bikes disturb enjoyment and make us irritable. It’s better to reach the island from Laem Bali Hai Pier. It is located in two-minute walk from the southern end of the Walking Street. Everyone knows how to get to it. (Look at post: Map of Pattaya and Jomtien.) The marine passenger terminal is a charming Thai style building with a green roof. In front of it there is a small beautiful park with bright fireworks on official holidays. Opposite the park there is an open-air market where they sell fresh shrimps, crabs and other edible sea creatures of the Siam Bay.
Single tickets on the ferry boat are sold in the cashbox of the terminal and cost 20 THB. They go every hour from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. to the pier. Then you have to take a taxi to the beach you have chosen. Instead of that you can buy tickets to alternative boats which will deliver you immediately to any concrete beach. This may save time and money for the trip to the island by taxi. But it’s necessary to reseat to a small boat not reaching the coast. There are no moorages on the beaches except the largest one - Ta Waen - and the sea for the ferry boat around the island is small. You need nearly 40 min for a nice sea trip to Koh Larn.
First of all you will see many Thai taxi-drivers on the island. They propose to take you to any beach. Usually it costs 20-30THB for each. The further you go away from the pier the cheaper are the prices. By the way do not forget to purchase some fruit near the pier because it is considerably more expensive on the beach. Generally the island is small and jaunt to the most distant beach will not exceed 20 min. It’s complicated to stray here. There are many guide-boards on the roads. You can have a nice walk. There is no such mad road motion as in Pattaya but there are several beautiful temples, a school and a shooting-range. It’s heavy to reach only the Same beach. The road to it crosses the highest point of the island - View Point but what a nice island view opens there! On the Northern Cape the Daeng beach is located. This (in my opinion) is the best and most beautiful beach on Koh Larn. The walk to it is pleasant and takes 15 min. You pass a village and a shooting-range.
Certainly during the daylight hours Koh Larn is deprived of solitude as most tropical islands. Prices of the fruit, drinks and the sea food are considerably higher than on Koh Phuket. But after 5 a.m. last ferry boat leaves the island. There are very few tourists who arrived on the speed boat because no one wants to pay US$100 for a short trip. At last the island becomes uninhabited. Here there are several small hotels for those who desire to stay for a night. It’s not a problem to put up a tent. You will not be so entirely isolated here as on Koh Chang Island. And it's completely safe here because long ago China tourists scared all the snakes on this island.
Sa for isolated Islands look through Tokyo hotels vs. Baiyoke Sky: it’s time to change Bangkok and Pattaya to Tokyo and Kyoto.

Map of Pattaya and Jomtien

Searching the Internet for some required information I couldn't find a good map of Pattaya. So I published my own hi-resolution maps for your pleasure. I also mark my favourite shopping points.





Directory of Businesses & Locations

No.	Name	Grid	No.	Name	Grid
1	A-One Hotel	C3	60	Renoir's	B4
2	Easyriders Bar Pub	C3	61	White House Resort	B6
3	Le Galaxy	B4	62	Kobe	C3
4	Sitpholek Gym	D3	64	PLC Language School	C3
6	Beauty House	C3	65	TEFL	B4
7	Hippo Restaurant	C3	66	Easy Visa	C3
8	Harmony Beauty & Relax	B4	67	Rosie O'Gradys	C3
9	Aquanauts	C3	68	Mercure Hotel	B3
10	Mike's Mexican Restaurant	B4	70	Dive South East Asia	C3
11	Shenanigans	B4	72	Jungle Bungy Jump	C6
13	Da Tiziano	C3	73	Chaplins Bar	C3
14	Tequila Reef Restaurant	C3	74	TimeOut	B4
15	Paradise Restaurant	B4	75	Royal Beauty Clinic	C3
16	Greg's Kitchen	C3	76	Lukdood	D3
18	Pro Language School	D3	77	Big Market	C5
19	Ali Baba Restaurant	C3	78	Weekend Market	B6
20	Symphony Brasserie	C3	79	Indian Tailor	B6
21	Nicky's	B4		JOMTIEN
24	Lion Pub	B4	61	Mermaid's Dive Center	B6
25	Dream Teen Massage	C4	82	L'Oliver	B5
26	Crazy Dave's	C4	83	Hot Stone Grill	B5
27	Pattaya Dental Clinic	B4	84	Scooby's	B5
28	Pattaya General Real Estate	C3	E	Land Office Dep.	B5
31	Hot Rod	B4	E	Pattaya Provincial Court	B5
32	Fatties	C3	E	Revenue Office	B5
33	Wranglers	C5	E	Amari Hotel	C3
34	Marriott-Royal Plaza	B4	E	Bangkok Pattaya Hospital	D2
36	Bob's BBQ & Grill	C4	E	Bus Station to Bkk	D3
37	Max Italy Restaurant	B4	E	City Holl	C3
41	Penthouse	B4	E	Foodland	C4
44	Lobster Pot	B4	E	Highway Police Station	C5
45	Aesthica Medical Spa	C3	E	Immigration	C3
46	Grover Style Tailor	C3	E	Lotus	C2
47	The Kilkenny Irish Pup	B4	E	Pattaya Int. Hospital	D2
48	The Blues Factory	B4	E	Pattaya Memorial Hospital	C3
49	The Mini Golf Pub	B4	E	Pattaya Tel. Service Office	C3
50	Dr. Oliver Clinic	B4	E	Police Box	A6
51	Mabuhay Divers	D3	E	Telecommunication Center	C3
52	Captain's Corner	B4	E	Thai Airways	C3
54	Le Saigon Bayview	A4	E	Tops	C3
59	Shagwell / Outback Bar	C4

For more information about Pattaya you can look at: Tailor-salons in Pattaya? – how to buy a new silk suit for less money or Lukdod – the cheapest shopping in Pattaya! and Thai girls have nothing in common with Pattaya girls. posts.