Koh Chang... By Brian S.
T
he island is situated on Thailand's eastern seaboard, just off the coast of the province of Trat, near Thailand's border with Cambodia. As the nation's third largest island, Koh Chang is so named because its headland is shaped like the head of an elephant. Geographically speaking, the island's topography is somewhat mountainous and composed primarily of rainforest, punctuated with several breathtaking waterfalls. Bethat as it may, the star attraction of Elephant Island is its relaxing atmosphere, white sandy beaches, turquoise seas and the surrounding islands and coral reefs. Getting there is best accomplished by way of a motorised vehicle, such as a car, taxi or bus, because the island has no airport. What I mean by 'there' is actually the pier at Laem Ngob on the mainland in Trat City, from which a ferry will see you safely across the channel to one of the three ferry piers on the island. The ferry will deposit you near to one of the two main roads that circumnavigate Koh Chang. The ubiquitous Songthaews, which ply the roads on a regular basis, offer both public transport and taxi services to the beach of your choice. Speaking of beaches, Elephant Island has more than a few. However, the four major beaches are: 1.White Sands Beach, which lies some 15 minutes from the ferry pier, on the western side of the island, near the southern tip of Koh Chang. As the island's most popular coastal destination, it is considered to be the nicest and the most developed. As such, it offers higher-end accommodation and tends to attract larger crowds of sun-worshipers, depending on the season. Stretching for approximately 23 kilometres, the wide beach features white powdery sand for SPVHIMZ UIF ÙSTU UXP UIJSET PG JUT MFOHUI "MPOH UIF TPVUIFSO third of the beach, the white sand begins to turn to brown sand and then to coarse sand mixed with small stones. White Sand Beach is wide enough to accommodate any beachfront activity, especially when the tide is low. If you're worried about being swamped by parasailing boats, speedboats, jet skis and banana boats while snorkeling, don't be. Koh Chang's status as a National Park prohibits these types of noisy ocean-going conveyances.
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DISCOVER PATTAYA
Issue 235/20 | MARCH 2022
