Krabi was going to be a tough act to follow, but we decided to try another beach vacation - this time to a closer local, Koh Chang. In Thai, Koh means island, so if there is no "Koh", its not an island. "Chang" means elephant, so we have Koh Chang or "Elephant Island". Koh Chang is the second largest island in Thailand, 197 square miles. It is about a 4 hour drive from Pattaya, to the docks at Laem Ngop, and a 45 minute ferry ride over to the island. There is a paved ring road which nearly circles the entire island. The island is ringed in beautiful sand beaches and the interior is covered in rain forest and waterfalls.
The best beaches are along the western side of the
island. Hat Sai Khao, Hat Khlong Phrao, and Hat Bae are the three main beaches, with a wide range of resorts, from luxurious to very basic. We spent the weekend on Khlong Phrao, in the Amari Emerald Cove. It was a much larger, more impersonal resort than our previous stay in Krabi, but it had a fabulous pool, 50 meters long, great for swimming laps! There were some interesting restaurants on the road just outside of the resort, all within walking distance. Because this is the heart of the rain forest, it rains frequently, we had one afternoon of torrential downpour!
We spent one afternoon driving down to Bang Bao, which is a fishing village on the very southern end of the island. The Pier has shops, restaurants, coffee shops and even a couple of small inns, right on the pier. It has become a bit touristy, but is still a charming spot to spend a couple of hours. Snorkeling trips can be arranged from the docks here.
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| One of the inns on the pier at Bang Bao |
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| Another thatch-hutched inn |
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| Each of the huts is actually a room in the inn |
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| The pier is covered, and the shops are along both sides |
Back at the hotel, it was a beautiful end
to a great weekend in February, 2012
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| Sunset over the Gulf of Thailand |
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