Ko Chang experiences ... anyone, anyone?

[Smiles]

Thinking of a 5 or 6-day excursion down southward this spring (probably March) and have been looking at pictures of Ko Chang (the Andaman Sea version).
Seems outwardly idyllic, but looks can be deceiving on the web, so was wondering if any of the regular sex predators on this board may have possibly set aside their aching loins long enough to have taken in the beaches, scuba diving, and assorted hotels (always referred to as 'resorts' on the WWW) of this sweet looking little isle?
Don't particularly give a tinkers damn about 'gay scenes', so that should take a load off.

[TrongpaiExpat]

I have been there several times and enjoy it. The BF likes Ko Samui, I like Ko Chang. The east side is less developed, there's some hotels and bungalows but I don't have any experience with them on that coast. I stayed at White Sand Beach each time but there's other options. We stayed at the Kacha Resort. It's OK. I wanted to try someplace different but got a good discount and went with it again.

Klong Phrao Beach and Bang Bo Bay are nice.

If you want some real isolation there's resorts on some of the small islands near Ko Chang, Ko Wai, Ko Lao ya and the larger Ko Kood and Mak.

We have some hotel vouchers for Kacha Resort that are going to expire before May, so we're heading back down there as well sometime soon.

[joe552]

I stayed at KC Grande Resort last year and really liked it - small(ish) bungalow on the beach, walking distance to good beachside restaurants, easy to arrange boat trips in the village. Good memories.

[pong]

there are in fact 2 islands named Koh Chang-most often named BIG (+east, near TRAT/Cambodia) en small-somewhere near/north of Phuket/Ranong. I guess mr. trongpai this time confused the 2-as he is clearly referring to Big Chang, whereas the original Q was about Andaman=small Chang.
For general Qs I think its often better to simply use a mainstream tourist-forum, like lonelyplanet.com/thorntree, where Thaild has its very own branch. there is an OZ guy named Tezza who has done all those isles and runs a webiste/blog on them-a quick search will reveal it. its a bit like tezzasthaiinfo.blogspot. And bring your own meat if youre unable to survive without it for a few days.

[zinzone]

A few years ago I spent one night in Ko Chang and I strongly suggest you avoid the place. I forgot the name of the hotel but it was recommended by a travel agent and was nearly 2,000 baht per night. Nothing wrong with that necessarily but there was a rubbish tip near my ground floor room and could hear the rats running around the floor boards at night.
The main area consists of a few shops and the highlight is a 7-11. The one restauarant that looked like one would not get food poisoning had all tables taken and in any event was open air and I ate at the restaurant next to it which gave me and my companians upset stomachs.
Everything seems to shut down when it gets dark, and there is no night life apart from a few shacks scattered about.
The water surrounding Ko Chang is filthy dirty and not suitable for swimming.
Early morning after just the one night, so happy to get off the island.
Escape from Alcatraz!
But you don't have to take my word, try it yourself and you will see what a garbage dump the place is.

[TrongpaiExpat]

there are in fact 2 islands named Koh Chang-most often named BIG (+east, near TRAT/Cambodia) en small-somewhere near/north of Phuket/Ranong. I guess mr. trongpai this time confused the 2-as he is clearly referring to Big Chang, whereas the original Q was about Andaman=small Chang.


Yes, he was and yes I was. I did not even know there was two kho Changs. Now I do and have yet another location to add to my list of places to visit.

http://www.talesofasia.com/thailand-t-kohchangA.htm

Looks nice.

Joe also was talking about Kho Chang (Trat) but not sure what island zinzone was complaining about.

[zinzone]

I am referring to the place near Trat and if the OP is referring elsewhere then hopefully it will alert him and others to avoid like the plaque the horrendous Trat version of Ko Chang!

As doing some internet research it will soon be discovered what a dump the KC in Trat is.....

Here is just one of many justifiably critical reports about the place taken from a travel forum:

"Ko Chang specifically White Sand Beach is indeed polluted. My son spent a night in Trat hospital after swallowing a mouth full or two of water from the beach. According to the doctor he treats several tourists each month from white sand beach suffering from acute diarrhea vomiting etc"

[TrongpaiExpat]

Google Kho Chang Andaman and you get a mix of the Andaman(a few)and Trat Chang island (a lot). Same for hotel/resort searches with direct rooms you get them mixed up on the same page.

[Smiles]

" ... I am referring to the place near Trat and if the OP is referring elsewhere then hopefully it will alert him and others to avoid like the plaque the horrendous Trat version of Ko Chang! ... "
I specifically (though not specifically enough apparently) wrote in the opening post " ... Kho Chang ... Andaman Sea version ... "

Happy to accommodate warnings of ghastly places, but was hoping for none of that on this one as it certainly confuses matters unnecessarily.
And yes, I googled Kho Chang (Andaman) which was as helpful as those types of searches ever are, but was hoping for advice from those on this Board who've been there: besides the OP being specific about which Ko Chang, the title also mentioned 'experienced' thoughts.

[TrongpaiExpat]

The point was that even google and hotel search engines get confused with there being two Kho Changs.

Since when do islands come in "versions"

You could have started out with there's a small island off the coast near Ranong in the Andaman Sea named Kho Chang..............

On a Thai map in Thai script they are spelled differently. The one near Trat has an "р╕н." р╕н.р╣Ар╕Бр╕▓р╕░р╕Кр╣ Йр╕▓р╕З
Amphor Ko Chang? I'll leave it up to some one with more knowledge than me of Thai to explain.

[joe552]

Mea culpa!