Thread: Little Koh Chang

Nice part of the isthmus...

We certainly will be expecting accompanying piccies.

Originally Posted by thaimeme

Nice part of the isthmus...

We certainly will be expecting accompanying piccies.

I was hoping nobody was going to ask. Now I've got to re-size and that's a pain...

The Royal Thai Navy has a base on Little Koh Chang with a helicopter pad next door. This shot is a statue of the father of the Thai Navy.

Note the real alert soldier guarding the base!

Little Koh Chang is lovely. I went there many years ago with my two dogs. Drove down from Chiang Mai then went on the ferry to the island.

There was a huge stand of old growth trees with hornbill and raptor nests all over. Someone had posted signs around damning anyone who cut those trees out. Hope it worked and those trees are still housing the amazing birds.

The owner of the guesthouse I stayed in captured a mouse everyday from the kitchen. He would then dump the mouse on the beach each day at the same time. An eagle would swoop down and pick up the mouse just a couple of meters out of the trap.

Yep, there was no power, little water, couldn't support tourist growth. Great natural place, it is.

So far as I can tell, those old growth trees are still there. The island is very primitive as a contrast to most these days. Didn't see an eagle but several fishing hawks riding the thermals.

One little store in the middle of the island with a pool table and an ice chest of cold beer & Red Bull which I needed after peddling those trails!

In terms of tourist growth, there seems to be a steady population of Germans who return every season and stay for weeks at a time. Few resorts have WIFI so the island basically caters to those who want to really get away.

It's peaceful for sure...

Booners,
Thanks for sharing. Looks like a nice little getaway.

mate of mine lived there for about 6 months
inbetween trips to bangkok for champions leauge football matches and getting his leg over
he loved it

Originally Posted by reinvented

mate of mine lived there for about 6 months
inbetween trips to bangkok for champions leauge football matches and getting his leg over
he loved it

From what I saw, there's loads of Hippie chicks about who don't appear loath to share your bungalow. No need to leave!

Nice looking place, Booners...Cheers, man...

Love the birds...

Looks nice. I live on the the main Island for a while and never intend to go back.

Is little Koh Chang somewhere you could take a trip on a motorcycle from BKK?

Originally Posted by Jesus Jones

Looks nice. I live on the the main Island for a while and never intend to go back.

Is little Koh Chang somewhere you could take a trip on a motorcycle from BKK?

You could ride down to Ranong on a motorcycle from Bangkok but it would be a long ride. Saying that, I've seen where some Farangs have ridden their bikes to Phuket from BKK which is another 350km or so south from Ranong.

The ideal 1/2 spot is Prachuap Kri Kan. A nice beach town with inexpensive hotels.

Been there several times and like the place. Last time took the Mrs, her sisters kids and a couple of friends. Stayed at Ta Dang Bay 250b night for a cabin good food and a generator on in the evenings for lighting and to charge batteries.
The kids loved the beach and I was able to wander around with the camera and see several birds I dont see elsewhere.
Flew down to save the long bus trip, the way to go. No doubt will return at some time.

I stayed on Phayam about 15 years ago. It was very quiet, and I remember there was a French restaurant that served up the best garlic prawns I've ever eaten.
We once had plans to live in Ranong as my brother in law is based there, but it was just too quiet for me.

Went to regular Koh Chang a few years ago. Glad I brought a bottle of Absolut along.

^^perhaps 'quiet' was the wrong word, since a karaoke bar was opened 25 yards from the spare bedroom we were staying in.

The thai couple living next door to it weren't best pleased as they were getting up at 3am to prepare the food they sold at their market stall-this was about an hour before the karaoke bar closed.

Fortunately I'm never in Thailand these days without a pair of ear plugs.

So yeah, by 'quiet' I meant 'with bugger all of any interest happening.'

Lovely province though. The boat trip from the mainland to Koh Phayam is the most scenic I've been on in Thailand with all the limestone outcrops. Beautiful...but Ranong is a typically buzzy, tatty Thai provincial centre.

Originally Posted by cyrille

^^perhaps 'quiet' was the wrong word, since a karaoke bar was opened 25 yards from the spare bedroom we were staying in.

The thai couple living next door to it weren't best pleased as they were getting up at 3am to prepare the food they sold at their market stall-this was about an hour before the karaoke bar closed.

Fortunately I'm never in Thailand these days without a pair of ear plugs.

So yeah, by 'quiet' I meant 'with bugger all of any interest happening.'

Lovely province though. The boat trip from the mainland to Koh Phayam is the most scenic I've been on in Thailand with all the limestone outcrops. Beautiful...but Ranong is a typically buzzy, tatty Thai provincial centre.

They have a 'Fast' boat that runs from Ranong Pier several times a day to Koh Phayam. Takes maybe 1/2 hr max which is a better deal than the regular long-tailed boats. Not expensive either - can't remember what the exact charge was but it was <500 baht one-way.

I think I paid 50 and it took about 75 minutes. The rest of the cargo was 5 Thais, a motorcycle and lots of cement.