Information & Facts
Activities
Visitors to the Koh Chang island resort won't be short of things
to see and do. The beaches are all great for swimming and relaxing,
and activities such as canoeing, kayaking, fish and snorkelling are
on offer. However, the most popular Koh Chang activity is scuba
diving; the resort boasts some of the best dive sites off the
southern coast, with great visibility from November to April.
Hiking to the Nam Tok Mayom and Nam Tok Klong Phu waterfalls is
also great fun - be sure to cool off afterwards in the refreshing
plunge pools. Elephant safaris can be done at Khlong Prao, and
yachting enthusiasts will find sailing in the area is great from
November to March.
Language
Thai is the official language, although English is widely
spoken in tourist areas.
Money
The unit of currency is the Baht (THB), which is divided
into 100 satang. Currency can be exchanged at the airport, banks,
hotels and bureaux de change. Banks are open Monday to Friday. ATMs
are available in most cities and tourist resorts. Most large hotels
and shops accept travellers cheques, but a better rate will be
given at banks. Most major credit cards are accepted at hotels and
larger businesses.
Negatives
Sandflies are a real irritation as their bites cause itchy sores
to develop.
Nightlife
Koh Chang's engaging nightlife ranges from pubs and beach bars
to live music venues and vibrant nightclubs. White Sand Beach is
the nightlife hub of the island, with some of the most popular
venues being Oodie's Place, Sabay Bar and the 'Little Pattaya' beer
bars (to the south). On Klong Prao Beach there are cafés and bars
with pool tables, board games and big screen TVs, and the same can
be said for Kai Bae Beach. The bars on Lonely Beach appeal to a
younger crowd, with live music and an increasingly debauched
atmosphere - good fun!
Restaurants
There are a number of great restaurants on Koh Chang. 15 Palms
is a good beach bar/restaurant and Sawatdee Thai is a popular local
café at White Sand Beach (Had Sai Khao). Klong Prao Beach has a few
good Thai restaurants including Wan Dee and Baan Chiang, while Kai
Bae Beach is home to the Piggy's vegetarian restaurant.
Shopping
Most Koh Chang shops are located along the main road of each
beach, offering an assortment of souvenirs, beachwear, paintings,
CDs and DVDs and sunglasses. The main beaches, like White Sand
Beach and Kai Bae Beach, also have shops such as Speedo and BSC.
Klong Prao Beach has three villages and each village has its own
shopping centre with small shops, convenience stores, tailors,
banks and tour agents.
Time
GMT +7.