#  >  > Travellers Tales in Thailand and Asia >  >  > Thailand, Asia & the rest of the World Questions & Answers Forum >  >  Koh Chang, anyone?

## leemo

Am thinking to take the wife and 2-yr old to Koh Chang for 3-4 days, next week.

Any tips/advice on accommodation? Looking for a clean, safe and fun place for the kid, car friendly, aircon, for around 1000-1500 / night. 

Somebody mentioned Cocos elsewhere, and also White Sand Beach. 

tia

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## Satonic

I've stayed at Paddy's Palms and was quite happy with it, check it out on google.

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## astasinim

White sands is a bit too in your face for me (you might as well go to Pattaya).
I went to Klong Prao the other month and stayed at the Chai Chet resort. No complaints about the place at all. Decent enough rooms for around 1600 with friendly staff and right on the beach.
Enjoy

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## pescator

^ I agree when it comes to White Sand Beach, especially if you are travelling with kids.

I have stayed with my kids several times at the Thai Garden Hill Resort in Ao Prao. They loved it. 
The cost is within your price frame, spacious parking etc.

Thai Garden Hill Resort Koh Chang

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## leemo

Thanks all, travels on hold till early next month. Lots of time to do some research, will probably have the inlaws to help with the kid, and may end up visiting a couple of resorts instead of just one.

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## aging one

Not if you have a family as the OP does.

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## leemo

Done, great all round, friendlier people which makes a change from the morose and indifferent in Pattaya, pegged the hotel just right (Thai Garden Hill Resort, 1200) breakfast incl with friendly staff and service, White Sand beach and one other I can't remember which. Pleasantly surprised that reasonable to good food was available on and off the beach and mostly about the same or slightly cheaper than the Pattaya equivalent. 

A bummer start having to wait 5.5 hours for the outgoing ferry, but we left on a national holiday so my fault for getting it wrong. Coming back was a brief 20 min wait. 

Thanks all for your advice, next trip will probably be to Koh Samet if an island, otherwise Chiang Mai.

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## Bettyboo

^ pictures, PICTURES!!!

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## aging one

> Thanks all for your advice, next trip will probably be to Koh Samet if an island, otherwise Chiang Mai.


Dont do it after Chang. Much smaller, much much more expensive, plus the food is very limited compared to Chang.

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## Albert Shagnastier

Stayed here a few months ago.

Penny's Resort Koh Chang, Thailand: Agoda.com

Cheap and the kids loved it.

Nice staff, mellow, great rooms and crystal clear HBO channels.

Would recommend it to everybody

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## Scottish Gary

I always stay at the Rock Sand Resort. Its on White Sand Beach but its at the extreme end so its very quiet. Its owned by a Dutch couple and a standard air con room will cost around 1500 a night. They have a website.

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## barrylad66

stayed at white sands beach about 6 years ago, and it was really laid back and quiet, although there was a little bit of construction going on here and there had a great week there. sounds like i wont be returning :Confused:

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## terry57

I was on Koh Chang last year and 10 years before that.  

Koh Chang is easy to bring your own car over from the main land. This was a huge asset to us as we just checked places out until we found a bay we liked.

Consider taking your own motor and then your free to pick your spot but yes Freedom Beach aint the go.

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## Immigrunt

Any updates on good places to stay? Some new places must have been built recently.

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## Luigi

Went to the Sea View Resort with the main mrs.

Picture thread here:

https://teakdoor.com/thailands-travel...rs-luigio.html

Was okay.

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## birding

If you want something different away from the tourists try the other Kho Chang in Ranong.

https://www.google.co.nz/webhp?sourc...chang+ranong&*

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## CaptainNemo

> Am thinking to take the wife and 2-yr old to Koh Chang for 3-4 days, next week.
> 
> Any tips/advice on accommodation? Looking for a clean, safe and fun place for the kid, car friendly, aircon, for around 1000-1500 / night. 
> 
> Somebody mentioned Cocos elsewhere, and also White Sand Beach. 
> 
> tia


...be careful of the currents... I've been there when people have died in the sea. Never mind fuckin' box jellyfish and nasty ants. Oh and the motorbikes - how many fuckers rent a bike and then zoom off in a vest and flip flops, skid on the poorly surfaced road and scrape the skin off their limbs within seconds of renting the bike, ruining their holiday - again, something I witnessed. Apart from that, and usual sensible precautions, it's nice.  :Smile:

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## Lancelot

> Originally Posted by leemo
> 
> Thanks all for your advice, next trip will probably be to Koh Samet if an island, otherwise Chiang Mai.
> 
> 
> Dont do it after Chang. Much smaller, much much more expensive, plus the food is very limited compared to Chang.


Agreed.  I really like Ko Chang and even road my Honda Wave there. But that was 2010ish and even then it was developing rapidly...

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## redhaze

If you want somewhere new to try in the same area I'd humbly suggest Ko Kood. Big island, nust developed enough to be pleasant. Many places to stay in all price ranges. Cheap food. Friendly people and an overall nice place.

Ko Mak is also in the area and a nice place. Small, pleasant island. Nice people, again. Beaches are jind of shit there though, primarily due to sand flies. Still well worth a visit.

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## Immigrunt

But more difficult to get to than Chang? I hate negotiating with boat toats nearly as much as I hate the toerags that hang around bus stations.

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## redhaze

Very easy to get to. Set prices, regular schedules, no problems.

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## cyrille

> If you want somewhere new to try in the same area I'd humbly suggest Ko Kood.


We were there about 12 years ago. Now based up North and my wife echoed my feelings last night...we fancy a trip back to ko kut.

And yes, it's way easier to get to than Ko Chang if you go for an 'all in' deal.

As I remember though, it's not cheap.

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## redhaze

Everything on the island is pretty well spaced apart. I think there are cheap sections. We stayed at a bamboo hut style "resort" (not complete crap by any stretch, but rustic enough) and I think it was around 500-600 baht. Hammocks, wood huts, shared bath, but private beach and incredibly relaxing. Only a few other people staying there if memory serves.

There was a very cheap place to get local food just down the road. Again, rustic and local. We didn't spend much there as I recall, but I'm sure you easily could and a drive just down the road could feel way more expensive I'm sure. 

One of those places where a good look around the island really helps. Not a "reserve in advance" type of place either. Kind of a throwback considering the size and sheer beauty of the island. Underrated and not on the tourist track. Very nice place.

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## Immigrunt

> And yes, it's way easier to get to than Ko Chang if you go for an 'all in' deal.


What's that?

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## Luigi

Transport and accommodation.

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## cyrille

We stayed here.

The price included a song thaew pick up from chantaburi bus station and speed boat to the resort.

All food was included...you had to have a serious love of squid and crab, as we do.  :Smile: 

A week would probably be too long though...3-4 days ideal.

A snorkelling trip was included.

Looking at the website pics it doesn't seem to have changed much.

Captainhook Resort Koh Kood

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## redhaze

No wonder why it seemed expensive, those prices are insane

Unless time is at an extreme premium, just roll off the boat and all will be fine

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## cyrille

Aye, but if you've just got a few days and can afford it you can do it the other way too.

Didn't check the current prices though, I admit.

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## cyrille

^^ Fuckin hell, yeah, 8K a night.

Fuck that eh?  :Smile: 

I think it was about 2-3k back in the day.

Now they've added a plunge pool ( :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): ) and they're charging 8k.

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## Immigrunt

> The price included a song thaew pick up from chantaburi bus station and speed boat to the resort.


140 kilometres by song thaew and speed boat?

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## cyrille

Check their website.

It was over a decade ago and I couldn't really give a toss tbh.  :Smile:

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## Immigrunt

Why is there no national park fee charged on arrival at the island?

Would anyone recommend Chicken Bay?

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## samsara

crazy prices. thats 5 star resort with everything you want. might as well go to myanmar for that amount. 

much better places to go than koh kood (unless of course youre based on the eastern seaboard and have nowhere else to go).

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## samsara

like pretty much anywhere in the south outside of the shithole that is phuket.

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## redhaze

I've been to many islands in the south. I thought Ko Kood stood up quite well

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## Geezy

I've been twice, first time stayed at a 600 baht/night fan bungalow gaff on the beach - nice enough. Second time at a 1500/night gaff with a pool, but a 15 minute walk to the beach.

Can't remember the name of either. Just have pics somewhere on the EHD.

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## Immigrunt

^ Likewise.

Kaibae was definitely the place for me. White Sands was busy and not at all laid back, and lonely beach looked like a shanty town. I took a great ride around to the other side of the island and found a small deserted beach next to a monument to a battle with someone (Japanese or French, can't recall). The roads there were made for motorbiking.

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## samsara

> I've been to many islands in the south. I thought Ko Kood stood up quite well


for the price? kood is nice but considering how little variety is on offer there + the cost, its hard to justify. 

id much prefer somewhere like phayam for half the price.

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## redhaze

> for the price? kood is nice but considering how little variety is on offer there + the cost, its hard to justify.


Its beautiful and deserted, so I guess it just depends on what you want. Agree on the price criticism though. Have never been to phayam, just googled some pictures though and it looks very nice.

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## cyrille

> kood is nice but considering how little variety is on offer there + the cost, its hard to justify. 
> 
> id much prefer somewhere like phayam for half the price.


You were saying the entire island of Koh Kood was a waste of time a few posts ago.  :Confused: 

It's not cheap, but bear in mind that the link I posted up includes all food and transfers. Still, I concede it's not brilliant value. I'd pay it again though if the place is anywhere near as good as it was on my last visit. 

I agree Phayam is nice, but man it gets wet often down Ranong way. Does it still close up for half the year? It's certainly not somewhere you go to for 'variety' unless they've built a dolphinarium since my visit 15 years ago.

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## samsara

:rofl:

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