Best kayaking spots on Koh Chang

If you come to Koh Chang island and want to take a sea trip on a kayak, you can be sure that even on the smallest beaches, which have at least 1-2 hotels, you will find such a service as renting a plastic kayak for an hour, 4 hours or all day. And if your hotel on the island of Koh Chang is located on one of the popular beaches with developed infrastructure, then you will certainly find kayak rents every 100 meters of the beach. In other words, in Koh Chang has no problem finding a kayak for a sea trip.

But if you want to take an interesting walk to the uninhabited islands, and not just go kayaking along the shore of Koh Chang island by sea, then the best option is to rent a kayak on the beaches of Kai Bay or Lonely Beach. Kayaking in the southern part of Koh Chang, where there is also a group of islands, can also be interesting. But very few tourists get to that part of the island, and several times I took a kayak trip from Kai Bay beach, so I can tell you about such a sea adventure in detail and based on personal experience.

Kayaking on Koh Chang – sea trip map

On the map above, you can see the coastline of Koh Chang Island and the beaches of Kai Bay and Lonely Beach. You can also see a group of uninhabited islands, which are indicated by numbers from 1 to 4. As you can see, it is most convenient to rent a kayak in the southern part of Kai Bay beach or from the northern part of Lonely beach (marked in yellow on the map). In these cases, you will have to spend less time and effort to get to all the islands, spend some time there and return the kayak to the rental point on time, without overpaying for extra hours.

The cost of renting a kayak on Koh Chang

To rent a kayak on Koh Chang, you do not need to fill out an agreement and leave your signature, but in most cases you will have to leave a deposit. It can be a sum of money or your passport. In such cases, I prefer the idea of a cash deposit, especially since the amount is not too high and amounts to 1000 THB. The standard kayak rental prices for Koh Chang Island are:

★ 100 THB per hour

★ 300 THB in half a day (4 hours)

★ 500 THB per day (8 hours)

The price is for renting the entire kayak, while kayaks are most often 2 or 3 seater. For example, the first time I rode a kayak to the islands with two friends, and each of us paid 100 baht for 4 hours. And the second time I was alone and paid 300 baht for a double kayak for the same time. It should be noted that I did not see full-fledged triple kayaks on Koh Chang. As a rule, on the beaches you can find plastic kayaks for three passengers, but with two double-sided oars and two full places. The third place in the central part of the kayak is not very convenient and is more suitable for a child than for an adult.

Kayaking on Koh Chang – places to visit

Ko Yuak Island

Before going on a kayak boat trip, I recommend buying plain white bread for toast at any 7Eleven or Tesco Lotus Express store (you can find all of these stores in the Kai Bae beach area). This product comes in handy when visiting Ko Yuak Island (No. 1 on the map). Depending on the direction of the waves and their height, you will need to spend 40 minutes to 1 hour on the way to the island (about 3 km). A feature of this island is a small sandy beach on the east coast (which is closest to Koh Chang), clear water of emerald color and a huge number of bright striped fish.

View of the small beach of Ko Yuak (far away – Koh Chang)

It is for feeding fish that I advise you to take white bread in the store, because this is an unforgettable experience – feeding fish directly from your hands! In the morning, you can sunbathe on the beach, but closer to noon and in the afternoon time the sun hides behind the high coast of Ko Yuak Island. In addition to relaxing on a small beach with swings, swimming in the clear water and feeding fish on the island of Ko Yuak, there is nothing to do. You can try to climb the rocks island, but the jungle is very dense and there can be poisonous snakes, so entertainment can be dangerous. After all, there is not always a speedboat with tourists on the beach, on which you could quickly get to the shore to get medical help.

Hand feeding fish on the island of Ko Yuak

Ko Pli island

The second island you can visit during a kayak boat trip is called Ko Pli. It is the smallest island, but it is located very close to Ko Yuak and may be interesting to visit. Its main feature is the coast in the northern part, where it is most convenient to moor in a kayak. Small beach covered with a thick layer of dead corals. Because of this, while walking along the coast, an interesting sound is created. There is a small shady meadow where you can have a picnic (please do not leave trash after yourself). But you cannot completely to be alone there, because From time to time, other kayaks will moor to the island. It is impossible to approach to other sides of Ko Pli due to sheer smooth cliffs and reefs (from the open sea side).

Coral coast of Koh Pli island near Koh Chang

Ko Man Nok island

The third island you can visit is called Ko Man Nok. This island is about 2 times larger than the island of Koh Pli, but you can also carefully moor on one side only. In other places, the shores of this rocky island are too high and formed by not very high, but steep cliffs. I did not go ashore on Ko Man Nok, but I saw that even during a high tide, there was the opportunity to carefully go down into the water near the shore and pull the kayak to land. I think there’s nothing to do on Ko Man Nok either, but if you are kayaking with your soulmate, you can have a little picnic. The main thing is to carefully look under your feet so as not to meet with poisonous snakes or scolopendras.

Ko Man Nai island

This island (No. 4 on the map) is located closest to Koh Chang, and you can visit it even as part of a 1-hour kayak rental. The size of the island almost coincides with the island No. 1 (Ko Yuak), but for a number of reasons this island may be the most interesting to visit. From the sea side in the rocks there are several grottoes where you can see many large crabs. The water in the grottoes has a bright blue color, which in combination with light cliffs makes such grottoes very picturesque (you will definitely get beautiful photos). It’s difficult to land on a kayak and go ashore in this part of the island because of = high rocks and reefs in the water. The reef area on the map is marked in red and you must sail very carefully so as not to damage the kayak or oars. And at low tide due to the shallow depth, you won’t be able to swim at all near this part of Ko Man Nai.

Beautiful grottoes on the west side of Ko Man Nai

But in the north-eastern part of the island is the most picturesque beach, which you will see during a boat trip on a kayak on Koh Chang. The beach has a length of more than 50 meters and consists of fine sand. This makes it easy to moor in a kayak and get a good rest. On the beach, tall coconut palms grow and the relief of the island in this part is more or less flat. There is only one drawback at the beach – a shallow depth. It is very important to choose the tide time for visiting Koh Man Nai when you get the most out of swimming here. During low tide, the water level drops rapidly and during swimming you can scratch your knees against stones in the water. Most of the stones are small in size and rounded in shape, but there are also sharp stones, contact with which will be unpleasant.

The island of Ko Man Nok is convenient to visit last, because the distance to the coast is only about 600 meters. At the same time, the distance to the nearest stretches of Kai bae and Lonely beach is approximately the same, approximately 700-800 meters. This means that you can overcome this distance on a kayak in 20 minutes without any problems. In other words, you can stay on Ko Man Nai for as long as your kayak rental time allows. And then go to Koh Chang 25-30 minutes before the end of the lease (the nearest rental points can be reached in 15-20 minutes).

Picturesque Coconut Beach of Koh Man Nai Island

Tips Before Kayaking on Koh Chang

As with any outdoor vacation in Thailand during daylight hours, be sure to use sunscreen (even in cloudy weather). At the same time, even when using a cream or spray with a protection factor of 50+, you need to reuse the cream every hour. Read more about this in the article “How to sunbathe in Thailand correctly.” I also recommend using hats and glasses that will help you avoid heat stroke and help keep your eyesight.

As I mentioned above, to visit the island of Ko Yuak it is better to grab white bread (the usual price is 35 baht or 20 baht for half). ALWAYS take water with you, at least a liter for each (with a tour duration of 4 hours). On the islands there are no high cliffs with waterfalls and springs, so it will not be possible to replenish the supply of water. While working with oars, you will spend a lot of energy, which will need to be replenished with food. Bring something tasty and high-calorie with you (also take a garbage bag, as there are no garbage containers on the islands).

Dangers during a kayak sea trip in Koh Chang

When going out on the open sea, be sure to use the life vest that you will receive at the point of rental of the kayak. Make sure the vest is properly worn and fastened. While driving on a kayak, it is better to be in a sitting position and not swing the kayak. For this, it is also important to work the paddle evenly on the right and left sides of the kayak. Speedboats and yachts that sail near your kayak are a danger. Large motor boats create a high wave, which can cause the kayak to roll over. In fact, a kayak should not drown, and you, being in a life jacket, also. But it’s better to deploy the kayak perpendicular to the big wave and wait until wave passes under you.

Reef Zone of Ko Man Nai (Koh Chang)

The design of kayaks allow ensure that water can easily penetrate under your “fifth point”. To protect your clothes and phone from sea water, I recommend using a special sealed bag. I was kayaking in swimming trunks, and my things and clothes were in the OCEAN Pack – a yellow sealed bag. You can order it online or buy in Thailand. Sealed compartments in the kayak can also be used. During my first trip in a triple kayak I kept clothes in such, but in a double kayak such a sealed compartment seemed to me very uncomfortable.

Use extreme caution when using a kayak near the islands. As I wrote above, the shores of uninhabited islands near Koh Chang are 90% rocky, while sharp stones are in the water off the coast. Therefore, when maneuvering around such islands, move in a kayak slowly and carefully so as not to pierce the bottom of your boat against another sharp stone. Remember that a kayak, even with a few passengers, can easily be thrown by a wave. For this reason, try to keep a distance of several meters from the rocks. And while approaching the rocky shores, it is better to carefully descend into the water and pull the kayak ashore. Also, be careful with plastic oars – they can break when actively pushing away from stones in the water or the bottom.

Thus, a kayak sea trip on the island of Koh Chang is actually an interesting active entertainment that will appeal to both adults and children (accompanied by parents). This is one of the good ways to have fun and interestingly spend several hours on Koh Chang, see beautiful places and feed bright sea fish with your hands. I hope the information on this page will be useful to you and you can be well prepared for your swim and enjoy the safe and interesting kayaking around the islands near Koh Chang. Have a nice trip!

The post Kayak rental on Koh Chang and sea trip! first appeared on Thai-Rest.com - Your Best Holidays to Thailand!.

How to get from Bangkok to Koh Chang

CONTENTS OF ARTICLE ( you can click on the link for quick transition)

• Transfer from Bangkok to Koh Chang (minibus + ferry)
  

• Bus from Bangkok to Koh Chang – features and fares
  

• Bangkok to Koh Chang flight (schedule and fares)
  

• How to get from Bangkok airport to Koh Chang

• Other ways to get from Bangkok to Koh Chang

Transfer from Bangkok to Koh Chang (minibus + ferry)

In 2016, there was an opportunity to purchase a ready transfer from Bangkok to Koh Chang, which includes moving from the North Bus Station of Bangkok or the capital bus terminal Ekkamai both directly to Koh Chang Island in the Gulf of Thailand and to the ferry pier. Such transfers are provided by Triple T (TTT) transportation company, carrying out a total of about 15 flights a day. Given that the road to the pier in the province of Trat, where ferries depart for Koh Chang, takes about 5-6 hours (depending on the point of departure (specific bus station) in Bangkok), all transfers are carried out in the morning. As a rule, the latest flight from the capital is sent to the island of Ko Chang at 12-00, so that all passengers have time for the last ferry (at 19-00 or 7 p.m.).

To view the current schedule on your dates, you can use the service of transport in Asia (a reference to the english-language version of the service on a route (Bangkok -. Koh Chang) As you can see, the search results will be as joint tickets minibus + ferry so and tickets to the minibus only before the pier. The first option is worth 430 THB, and the second – 350 TBH. Given the fact that the ferry to the island of Koh Chang will cost you just 80 baht, you can immediately buy an integrated ticket to the island, because the minivan in either. case of bud t the same. There’s also on results page you may notice an expensive taxi to Koh Chang from Bangkok and flights to Trat and ticket to this island by a big bus (which is 10 hours in way!!!).

Also in those situations when you do not want to waste a lot of time on buses, you can use minibuses to Koh Chang from Khaosan Road in Bangkok. You can order a similar service in almost any street travel agency, as well as at the reception desk of most local hotels. By the way, to get to Khaosan Road in Bangkok from Suvarnabhumi airport now it is possible for only 120 THB. And the prices there because of high competition are fairly democratic. Such minibuses usually departures to Koh Chang all with the same Khaosan street, so you do not need to spend money on city transport (only if you live in a completely different area).

Minibus – inexpensive and fast transport from Bangkok to Koh Chang

The transfer from Bangkok to Koh Chang, also called the Bangkok-Koh Chang tour, costs a little more than a trip bus: prices start at $ 12 (400 baht) and up, up to $ 30. At the same time, the most budgetary options include only delivery to the ferry pier, and the most expensive offers usually involve a trip to the VIP minibuses, ferry transfer and delivery to a particular hotel in Koh Chang (or to a specific beach if you decide to look for a hotel on site or do not know, how to book a hotel yourself at the best price).

If the price does not suit you, you can spend half an hour to bypass several offices and it is possible that you will find a few cheaper. But in general, prices are approximately the same for similar services, i.e. Find a full transfer from Bangkok to the hotel on the island of Koh Chang less than for 500 baht does not work out how many not to look.  But what will save you money, so this is a transfer round trip (you can open an inverse date). In this case, the total savings can be 200-300 baht (depending on the firm and transfer conditions).

True, this option is suitable only for those who plan to return from Koh Chang to Bangkok and not continue to rest in Thailand at other resorts (for example, in Pattaya) or to leave Koh Chang and travel to Cambodia. Services reverse transfer (from the island to the capital) can also be used by ordering a service at the hotel or at a local travel agency. It is better to take care of this for a couple of days before the end of the holiday in Koh Chang and you need to be prepared for the fact that the service can be a little more expensive than when you book it in Bangkok. But all the same, transfers from TTT transport company from the bus stations of Bangkok to Koh Chang will be cheaper.

Fragment of the schedule of minibus to Koh Chang (to the island and to the ferry pier)

Travel time from Bangkok to the ferry pier (on the mainland, not on Koh Chang) is 5-6 hours (depending on the traffic situation on the road and on the outskirts of Bangkok). The truth when choosing a minibus from Khaosan Rd, you must be ready that minibus need spend for some time to collect tourists from several hotels, and sometimes this is an extra hour in the city. In addition to the transfer minibus, you can leave Bangkok and Koh Chang on the minibuses that depart from the Victory Monument area.

A lot of minibuses are sent from this area to various destinations, and the route on the bus body is often indicated only in Thai, so additional difficulties may arise with the search for the desired minibus. At the price of a minibus from the Victory Monument is not much different from Khaosan buses , i.e. The fare will be about 400 THB to the ferry pier, which again is more expensive than the transfer of the company TTT from one of the bus stations in Bangkok. Also you can book a transfer to Koh Chang from Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport.

Bus from Bangkok to Koh Chang – features and fares

The bus is the transport, allowing with the least material costs to get from Bangkok to Koh Chang. True, the savings compared to the transfers are quite small, and the path turns out to be more complicated. This is due to the fact that there are no direct flights that depart from the bus station of Bangkok and arrive directly to the island. As a result, the route becomes somewhat more complicated due to the fact that most buses arrive to the city of Trat, which is the center of the province in which Koh Chang is located, and then it is necessary to additionally use local modes of transport. However, everything is not as difficult as you already may have imagined and, after reading the section to the end, you will see for yourself.

Ticket office at Ekkamai Bus Terminal – buses to Trat and to Koh Chang

The shuttle buses from Bangkok to Koh Chang leave from two metropolitan bus stations: northern (it’s Northern Bus Terminal or Morchit (Mo Chit) Bus Terminal, it’s the bus station Chatuchak) and East (it’s Eastern Bus Terminal or Ekkamai ). Detailed information about these and other bus stations of the Thai capital (location, how to get there, schedule, etc.) you can find in some Individual reviews on this site, so here I will not dwell on this issue.

Buses along the Bangkok-Trat route run daily from 05:30 am to 11:00 pm or 23:30 pm (depending on the bus station chosen). The total number of flights from both bus stations is more than 25, and buses depart almost every hour and even more often (in the case of Ekamai). From the Northern Bus Terminal platforms, there are fewer such buses – only 7 flights a day, but getting to this bus station is easier when you flew to Don Muang Airport in Bangkok. Therefore, you do not need to purchase tickets in advance (unless you want to get on a particular flight, for example, the very first or the last one).

Depending on the season, there may be some changes in the schedule of scheduled buses, so always check it on site, for example, through official bus terminal websites or bus company websites that work in the direction of interest. The fare from Bangkok to Trat is $ 7-10 depending on the chosen bus company and the bus class in Thailand. Travel time is from 6 to 7 hours, and buses arrive at the bus station in Trat Bus Terminal, from where it is easy to get to one of the two ferry piers in the coastal village of Laem Ngop by local transport (passenger pickups Songthaew) for 50-70 baht (slightly less than $ 2). The trip to the pier on Songthaew takes about 30 minutes.

Bus from Bangkok to Koh Chang (Laem Ngop pier)

It should be borne in mind that some bus companies do not deliver passengers to the Trat bus station, but directly to one of the ferry piers. On such buses it is usually written “Bangkok Laemngop”. Sometimes for this, closer to the end of the path, you need to make a transfer to the minibus, which will take you to the pier, while the big bus will go further to Trat. In this case, you will not have to pay extra for the delivery to the pier, and saving time is also important on vacation, so if possible I recommend choosing exactly such variants of Bangkok-Ko Chang buses that allow you to get to the pier immediately.

Just keep in mind that most of the flights to the piers leave from Bangkok or in the morning – from 05:30 to 10:00, or already closer to 23:00. This is due to the fact that ferries to the island of Koh Chang only work from 06: 00am to 7pm. Those. In any case, I advise you to choose buses from Bangkok to Koh Chang, which will take you to Trat at least an hour (and preferably two) before the time of departure of the last ferry. And it makes no sense to go to the island from the Thai capital by bus in the afternoon, because after being late for the last ferry you will have to look for a hotel in Trat and wait for the morning to move to Koh Chang.

In my opinion, it is much more interesting to spend the whole day in Bangkok, and huddle out of it on one of the last buses to Trat, then on the first morning ferry to cross to the island. By the way, this option is ideal for travelers with a limited budget, because it allows you to save on living in a hotel (because of a night move). For very budget travelers there is also a reverse possibility: the transfer from Trat to Bangkok on a similar night bus. Not for all travelers this option is suitable for health reasons, but it has a right to life.

Whichever way you get by bus to one of the ferry piers, the ticket for the ferry will have to be purchased separately. In 2016, the cost of one-way ticket was 80 baht, and round-trip ticket – 120 baht. Considering the fact that you are unlikely to live on an island, it is wiser and cheaper to immediately get a round-trip ticket. To do this, specify in the ticket office that you need a return ticket with an open date (Open Ticket). Time of the ferry on the way is from 30 minutes to an hour, the frequency depending on the chosen pier is the same. I advise you to read detailed information about ferries to Koh Chang in a separate article (under the link).

Bangkok to Koh Chang flight (schedule and fares)

The flight from Bangkok to Koh Chang is the most expensive, but the fastest way to get from Bangkok to Koh Chang. The truth with the flight between the capital and the island is also not very simple: flights are not made to the island of Koh Chang. On this island there is no big airport that can take such flights, so you need to fly to the city of Trat. At the same time from Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi) now only Bangkok Airways planes fly to Trat, which perform three flights a day, usually in the first half of the day (for example, at 04-45, at 08:20 and at 11:20). Depending on the season, the departure time can vary slightly (+/- 25 minutes), the current schedule and the best prices you can always see when you use the search form in the sidebar of the site (the price for the same airplane can sometimes differ by 2 times) .

Flight from Bangkok to Trat – fastest way to Koh Chang

Travel time is exactly one hour, so taking advantage of the evening flight (sometimes there is a flight at 17-10) you can late for the last ferry to Koh Chang, because the plane arrives at 18-10, and some time you need to get out of the plane , Baggage collection, etc. In addition, you will still have to get to the ferry pier from the airport on the songthaew (100 baht). The minimum cost of air tickets is not at all budget for domestic flights across Thailand and is currently about $ 160 round trip (or $ 80-90 one way). This is explained by the same reasons that are described in the article “How to get from Bangkok to Koh Samui” – the airport in Trat is the property of the airline and its competitors are simply not allowed.

If you monitor the site of the specified airline, it is quite possible to catch a cheaper air ticket to Bangkok – Trat, for a special promotion, for example, for $ 60 one way. On some sites about Thailand, you can find information that the budget airline Air Asia flies from Bangkok to Trat. I specifically checked – there are currently no such flights, and there are no direct flights to Trat from the island of Phuket and Koh Samui. At one time such trends were true, but now the information about them has become outdated and does not correspond to reality.

How to get from Bangkok airport to Koh Chang

If the option with a flight from Bangkok to Trat does not fit into the budget of your holiday in Thailand (in my case it is so), but you want to quickly go on vacation to Koh Chang, without wasting time to get from the Suvarnabhumi airport to Bangkok, and after on moving to one of the bus stations of the capital, I hasten to please you: Thais are happy to offer you several not bad options. ou can again use the popular service of transfer in Asia and buy joint tickets from Suvarnabhumi to Koh Chang Island in the Gulf of Thailand. These tickets cost about 600 THB and include a road trip to the ferry pier and directly big sea ferry to the island. A minibus ride from Bangkok airport to Koh Chang will last from 6.5 to 7 hours, including the time by ferry to the island.

Bus and minibus schedule from Suvarnabhumi to Koh Chang (picture clickable)

You can also use a large bus to travel to the island, which leaves for Koh Chang from the bus station nearby Suvarnabhumi Airport  area in Bangkok. This bus leaves only once a day – at 8:20 am and is on the road for 5 hours and 40 minutes. This means that you will arrive at the ferry pier (on the mainland) at about 14:00. Next, you yourself have to buy a ticket for the ferry for 80 THB and get directly to Koh Chang Island. The bus costs less than $ 10, and the entire trip to the island (with the account of the ferry) will be about 12-13 USD.

Using the service of transport in Asia, you can always see the exact place of landing and disembarkation from the bus. For this you just need to click on the destination or arrival point in the search results of the transport on the route you need on the desired date. After that, you can see a Google map and take a screenshot to make it easier to find the right place at the airport or elsewhere. Also the detailed information obout it you will receive after online booking of tickets. Since there are only 10 seats in the minibuses from the airport to Koh Chang, it makes sense to purchase tickets in advance, especially when traveling on Fridays, weekends and holidays, when not only tourists but also Thais want to get to Koh Chang quickly and inexpensively.

Big bus from Bangkok airport to Koh Chang near ferry pier

Other ways to get from Bangkok to Koh Chang

The first way is a classic taxi, which can be taken as at the airport upon arrival to Bangkok, or simply in the city. As you probably already guessed, this method is not at all budgetary, because the trip will cost from 3000 to 4,500 baht (depending on your ability to bargain). However, it is better to initially expect an average price of about 3,500 baht. It’s not profitable to go by taxi alone, because it’s cheaper to fly by plane. However, if you travel with family or 2-3 friends, then the fare already amounts less1000 baht per person and you can think about the option, especially if there are no other transport options in the near future (for example, at night).

Another convenient and popular  way is to order a car-transfer KiwiTaxi. As a rule, the specified service will cost about 120 USD. At the same time you can count on the fact that the driver will meet you with a sign in the airport arrival hall. It will be a full-fledged 4-seater car with a boot, and not a Thai taxi, where the trunk is occupied by a gas cylinder and you can only go with two passengers and luggage. Kivitaxi is the best way if you travel with children, or a group of friends, because the cost per three or four will not be too high given the distance. In addition, the option is convenient in cases where you prefer to book a transport at a fixed price in advance or when you want to order additional options (child seats, bike carrier, etc.).

[ad#chang-hotels]

Another convenient, but not too affordable way – order a transfer at your chosen hotel. As a rule, this service will cost about 5000 baht. Another slightly more expensive (about 6,000 baht) way to get from Bangkok to Koh Chang will be the order of the driver in one of the limousine services of the capital. In this case, at the airport or in the city you will be met not just by the driver of a classic taxi or minivan, but by a business class driver (Toyota Camry, Mercedes Benz, etc.). Finally, another way to get to Koh Chang with a high level of comfort and privacy will allow renting a car in Thailand online at the best price, renting a car at the airport or at many other places in Bangkok.

I hope the information on this page was useful to you and now you know exactly what to get from Bangkok to Koh Chang quickly and inexpensively is not at all difficult. And if you prefer the maximum level of comfort and are willing to pay for it more, you will also find convenient ways for you to move from the capital of Thailand to Koh Chang Island. Enjoy your trip!

[ad#end]

The post How to get from Bangkok to Koh Chang – transport and fares! first appeared on Thai-Rest.com - Your Best Holidays to Thailand!.

]]>

Keereeta Resort & Spa – location and how to get

In most hotel reservation systems, Keereeta Resort & Spa is listed as a hotel located in the area of ​​the most popular beach on the island of Koh Chang – White Sand beach. In fact (and this is very clearly seen on the island map), the Keereeta Resort hotel is located in the Pearl beach area. This small beach is located next to the White Sand beach, but not in walking distance. Also I want to note at once that the location of the hotel on maps in reservation systems can be indicated not true. If you are driving from the White Sand beach (from the north to the south), the Keereeta Resort & Spa is located to the right of the main island road, i.e. on the side of the sea, and not across the road.

To get from the main island pier to Koh Chang to Keereeta Resort & Spa it is possible on ordinary island taxis (passenger pick-ups), which dial passengers right at the exit from the pier. The standard cost of the trip from the pier to the hotel of Keereeta Resort is 70 THB (just over 2 USD per person). You can immediately warn the driver by telling him the name of the hotel, or say that you will use the call to stop. Due to the fact that a passenger pick-up along the way can turn from the main road to the alleys to deliver your fellow travelers to their hotel, the exact time on the way is difficult to say. But it time it should not take more than 20-25 minutes.

The location of the Keereeta Resort and Spa (Koh Chang)

Your main landmarks near the hotel are two supermarkets. On the right side from road will be Tesco Lotus, and after about 200 meters and directly hotel Keereeta Resort & Spa. The facade is located slightly further from the road, the guide can be a dark green hotel sign. Almost across the road from the Keereeta Resort & Spa (50 meters away) is my favorite Thai supermarket, Big C (on the hill, to the left of the road).

Hotel Keereeta Resort & Spa is not located on the first line from the sea and has no own beach. Initially, this may seem like a flaw, but in reality there is no problem. Near the hotel there is an asphalted road towards the sea, along which it is very easy to walk to the beach in 5 minutes. Here it should be noted that the beach Pearl Beach is very clear water, but the beach itself is not very good for swimming, because it is not sandy, but rocky. Therefore it is better to visit other beaches of the island of Koh Chang for swimming, especially the White Sand beach is almost there. But for a walk Pearl Beach a nice place (see the video on the link). This is a very quiet place and there are few tourists – everyone swims in the hotel pools. Beautiful round stones rattling underfoot while walking, there are shady trees, and in the northern part of the beach there are picturesque rocks in the water, from which an unusually beautiful panorama of Koh Chang Island opens (see photo). Particularly beautiful is the place at sunset.

If you rent a motobike, then the road to the central part of White Sand beach takes about 4-5 minutes. The same time is required for a trip from the Keereeta Resort & Spa to the specified beach by taxi. Speaking about the cost of the trip, the drivers of the local taxi (passenger pickup) want from 40 to 50 THB per person per trip in one direction. This is not very cheap when compared to the prices for transport in Pattaya, but several times cheaper than a taxi in Phuket. Of course, if possible, it is better to rent a motorbike, because you can save a lot of money, and with using to motobike you can visit all the observation platforms of the island and the best beaches. By the way, now you can rent motobike on Koh Chang online – at a good price and even without a passport security deposit (you need a copy + a small cash deposit).

Keereeta Resort & Spa – Hotel description

The main distinguishing feature of the boutique hotel Keereeta Resort & Spa is a small number of rooms, their size and original design. Despite the small territory, the hotel is very cozy atmosphere. At the same time, many expensive 4-5 star hotels can envy the spacious pool of the Keereeta Resort & Spa. The reception desk is located directly from the entrance to the hotel grounds, behind the stone gates near the road, and the rooms themselves – in the buildings around the pool. Most rooms of the hotel belong to the class “Deluxe” and have access to the pool or view from the private balcony to the pool. The rooms are very spacious and have an original design. Since this is a boutique hotel, Keereeta Resort & Spa does not have the same rooms and I can only describe the room in which I personally stayed.

My room was on the second floor, in a building by the road. On the way to the territory you should pass by a decorative pond with large live fish. It is necessary to climb up the stone stairs, entrance to the room through wooden sliding doors. The room has a balcony with a beautiful view of the hotel’s swimming pool. The balcony has a wooden table and chairs. Also from the balcony you can see the sea at some distance. The room has designer wooden furniture (wardrobes, table, wooden steps), mattresses for sitting on the floor, a large mirror in a wicker frame, a spacious bathroom with an original bath of dark wood (I think it is more suitable for showering than for bathing) . As it should be in every 3 star hotel, the room has air conditioning, a fridge and a TV. Other rooms of the hotel have beautiful wicker furniture.

Short video review of the hotel Keereeta Resort & Spa

(video will be added later)

Advantages and disadvantages of Keereeta Resort & Spa

The undoubted advantage of Keereeta Resort & Spa is the low cost of deluxe rooms compared to other hotels. On my dates in the given price category, there were no other three-star hotels, with high rating and with a swimming pool. Pleased with spacious rooms (other rooms i saw only in the photo) and the original design (basically everything is made of natural materials: wood, stone). Also very original bathrooms look like with a stone wall, an artificial waterfall and a wooden bath. The advantages include also a small number of rooms in the hotel and a very large swimming pool (3 times more than the pool in a good hotel At Mind Executive Suites in Bangkok, where I lived earlier and in which there are dozens of times more rooms). Despite the fact that there is no sandy beach nearby, there will not be any problems with bathing, because the Keereeta Resort hotel has good transport accessibility (the hotel is right at the main road) and can be reached by an island taxi to any beach in Koh Chang.

The territory at the Keereeta Resort and Spa after sunset

Near the hotel (along the road) there are small cafes where you can order your favorite Thai (and European) cuisine for on-site eating or for take your food away to hotel. And if you want to save, in a minute walk availability there are two popular supermarkets with the lowest prices for food and alcohol in Thailand – Tesco Lotus and Big C. The hotel staff was courteous, left the most pleasant impression. If necessary, they can help you find a taxi, rent a motobike, book an excursion, etc. In general, a pleasant hotel for little money, but not devoid of shortcomings, about which just below.

A small number of rooms in the hotel often leads to the fact that for the selected dates there are no available rooms. Especially if you want to book a hotel for the coming days or today for today. For example, it is for this reason that I lived there only one day – the next day I had to leave the hotel Keereeta Resort & Spa. My room was booked in advance by other travelers. And I moved with my girlfriend to another hotel in Koh Chang – Penny’s Resort (a detailed review of the hotel will be added to the site later). By the way, you can compare the cost of living in the hotel Keereeta Resort & Spa immediately in all popular reservation systems with the help of the hotel widget located below.

Of the shortcomings (specifically in my room) also want to note such points:

– Old TV. In 2018, a TV with a small diagonal and not a flat screen looks very unusual.

– The safe in my room was, but it was small and was not fixed in the closet. Those. it could be taken in hand and carried along with the contents.

– The air-conditioning was quiet, but the room was somewhat noisy due to the door that is close to the road (rooms on the other side of the pool should be quieter).

– An unaccustomed small shell, made of metal. On the photo of other rooms in the hotel I saw that there are classic white ceramic sinks.

– Unevenly painted walls (in my room). To be honest, initially it seemed to me that the walls look very old due to such coloring. But later I realized that this was done specifically, so to speak, the special design of Keereeta Resort & Spa. So really the is not disadvantage.

– Old chairs and table on the balcony. I do not think that in reality the table and chairs are very old, but the tropical rains and the sun quickly worsened the appearance of this furniture in the open air. It would be nice if the owners of the hotel found a bit of money and put a new layer of varnish on this furniture or replaced it.

More, in principle, there is nothing to complain about, especially considering the cost of deluxe room at this hotel. As I wrote above, all the rooms are different from each other, so if possible, carefully see the photo or, if possible, ask the staff to see all available numbers before settling). Specifically, I rated my number in 8 points out of 10 for the price/quality ratio. I would be happy if my review of the hotel Keereeta Resort & Spa is useful to someone in the process of choosing a hotel in Koh Chang. Enjoy your stay and rest on the tropical island!

The post Hotel Keereeta Resort & Spa (Koh Chang island) – overview and feedback! first appeared on Thai-Rest.com - Your Best Holidays to Thailand!.

Location of Penny’s Resort in Koh Chang

One of the main advantages of Penny’s Resort is its location on the first sea line. One important fact should be noted here: in all hotel search and reservation systems it is indicated that Penny’s Resort is located on White Sand beach (main and the most popular beach of the island). In reality, Penny’s Resort is located on the territory of Pearl beach, which has significant differences from almost all other beaches on the island. On a separate page “Pearl beach on Koh Chang” you can learn more about the features of this beach, its advantages and disadvantages and see photos and videos.

Location of Penny’s Resort on Pearl beach (Koh Chang)

The main island road is located about 350 meters in a straight line from the sea. If you getting from Koh Chang Pier to Penny’s Resort in a passenger pickup, you will pay THB 70 per person for delivery to the hotel door. This is the standard price for hotels in this area of ​​the island. To reach the road, you must exit the hotel and walk about 100 meters along the sea along the road and turn right. After 400 meters there will be the main island road and, very importantly, the Big-C supermarket. On the main road, you can easily stop a pick-up taxi and drive 50 THB per person to the White Sand Beach beach if necessary.

Review of Penny’s Resort (Koh Chang)

The entire territory of the hotel can be divided into two parts: to the right and left of the access road. On the right is the reception desk, an open-air restaurant overlooking the sea and the pool, bungalows around the pool. On the left side of the road is another group of bungalows with small terraces. There is you can find the rooms of the class Superior, where I lived. By the way, for me personally it was in some way a surprise that the more expensive superior rooms are located farther from the sea and the pool than standard bungalows with a lower price. There are also large family bungalows with higher prices near the pool.

Penny’s Resort pool and sea view

The territory of the hotel on the first line is not very big, but very picturesque. Already near Reception, you can admire Penny’s Resort’s blue swimming pool, which offers direct views of the Gulf of Thailand. As a result, the hotel looks much more expensive than it is in reality. As a rule, on Koh Chang almost all hotels with a swimming pool on the seashore are 4-5 star hotels with prices ranging from 60-100 USD per day (Penny’s Resort costs at least two times less).

Around the pool you will find a sufficient amount of plastic and modern wooden loungers. Also, lounge chairs, concrete tables and benches are located in the area behind the pool, next to the sea. The pool has a special non-deep compartment for children. The sea near the hotel is not very deep, but you need to go into the water carefully, there are slippery round stones. Stones are also found in water, but because of the very good transparency of the water, they are clearly visible from afar, especially in calm weather. Near the pool there is an outdoor shower.

Lunch for two at the Penny’s Resort (700 THB)

Penny’s Resort’s restaurant is located under the roof at the Reception counter and serves traditional Thai and European dishes. My girlfriend and me visited the restaurant once: the service is very good, nice view of the sea and the pool, everything was beautiful and tasty. Prices are not the lowest and it is cheaper to eat in ordinary cafes, but I advise you to visit at least once. For example, in the photo you can see our lunch for two (meals and drinks), for which 700 THB or 33 USD were paid (the amount includes small tips). About 100 meters from the hotel, right by the road, there is an inexpensive Thai cafe.

Penny’s Resort has rental motorbikes, which are mainly used by hotel guests. During our holiday, only 2 models were available – with a 110 and 125 cm cube engine. By tradition, I rented a Honda Click 125i. It was not exactly a new bike, but it was in good condition, although there were scratches and chips on the body. As in the case of a restaurant, the rental price of motorbikes is higher than at rental locations on the main island road. I rented a motorbike for 250 THB per day, a model with a 110 cm cube engine cost 200 THB per day. If you want to rent for more than 1-2 days, you can save money and easily find a new Honda Click 125i motorbike for 200 THB (if you are interested, write in the comments, i will advise the checked place). Parking for motorbikes is located near the reception, next to there is parking for cars.

Motorbikes in the parking lot at Penny’s Resort at night

Overview of Penny’s Resort’s Superior Rooms

Due to the low price, the hotel enjoys high popularity and for our dates only 1 superior room (Superior) was available, which I booked. Especially since before that we lived at the Keereeta Resort and Spa (link to my review), which was within walking distance from Penny’s Resort. As noted earlier, the superior rooms are located across the street from the Reception building and the restaurant (in fact, this is not a big public road, but way to the hotel, almost a dead end). To reach the bungalow, you should go along a beautiful path among trees, trimmed shrubs and flowers.

Each superior room has a private terrace with a wooden table and chairs. My friend and I used them for drying towels and swimming accessories, as well as for eating in the evening. We did not see mosquitoes, but on the walls there were quite a few small geckos that destroy all unwanted insects. Superior rooms have an area of 30 m² / 323 ft² (the standard ones are just a bit smaller – 28 m² / 301 ft²). Each terrace is equipped with individual lighting. Beautiful lighting is available in the entire hotel territory.

King size bed (Penny’s Resort Superior room)

In the superior rooms you will find a standard set of furniture: a comfortable king-size bed, a bedside table, a table and a chair near a large mirror, a built-in wardrobe with hangers. There was also a TV stand, in which a small refrigerator was installed, and a towel hanger. All rooms at Penny’s Resort are equipped with modern, quiet air-conditioning, and the windows have light-proof soft blinds. The bathroom has a modern plumbing and instantaneous water heater. At the same time, the shower zone is separated from the toilet by a high partition, which is not always the standard solution for Thailand.

Advantages and disadvantages of Penny’s Resort

Actually, I really enjoyed staying at Penny’s Resort. This hotel really looks more expensive than it really is. Very quiet and beautiful place, first line, beautiful swimming pool with panoramic sea views, well-groomed area, very polite staff with good knowledge of correct English, the possibility of renting a motorbike at the hotel, proximity to Big-C supermarkets and Tesco Lotus.

Penny’s Resort Superior Bungalows and area around

Among the shortcomings, I can point out the lack of a sandy beach (although for me this is not essential), the need to go to White Sand beach for entertainment (who is interested in bars), higher prices for food in the hotel restaurant compared to regular cafes and higher rental prices motorbike. By cons with some stretch can be attributed to the old TV with a small screen (not LCD). I can also note the lack of hard surface on the road to the hotel (last 20 meters), which is why you should move slowly and carefully on the motorbike. Of course, the last two drawbacks can already be eliminated at the time of your stay.

Summing up, I can confidently recommend Penny’s Resort Hotel for those who do not need noisy parties and a sandy beach within walking distance. Those. this place is more likely for those who come to enjoy peace and tranquility, to admire the beautiful sunsets and relax by the pool. And all the disadvantages are easily solved by renting a motorbike (it is possible at a hotel or any other place) and fast moving to shopping centers, sandy beaches, noisy bars and beach parties. To find the minimum cost of living in this hotel, I recommend using the smart Hotellook search (direct link to the hotel), where options from all popular booking systems (Booking, Agoda, ZenHotels, etc.) are presented. Enjoy your stay at Penny’s Resort Koh Chang!

P.S. A video review of the hotel will be added later.

 
[ad#end]

The post Penny’s Resort (Koh Chang) – overview and feedback first appeared on Thai-Rest.com - Your Best Holidays to Thailand!.

Keereeta Resort & Spa – location and how to get

In most hotel reservation systems, Keereeta Resort & Spa is listed as a hotel located in the area of ​​the most popular beach on the island of Koh Chang – White Sand beach. In fact (and this is very clearly visible on the map of the island), the Keereeta Resort and Spa is located in the area of ​​the Pearl beach. This small beach is located next to the White Sand beach, but not within walking distance. I also want to immediately note that the location of the hotel on maps in reservation systems may not be indicated correctly. If you are moving from the side of White Sand beach (from north to south), then the Keereeta Resort & Spa is located on the right side of the main island road, i.e. on the sea side, not across the road.

Location of Keereeta Resort and Spa in Koh Chang (map)

To get from the main island pier on Koh Chang to Keereeta Resort & Spa you can use ordinary island taxis (passenger pickups) that pick up passengers right at the exit of the pier. The standard price for a trip from the pier to Keereeta is 70 THB (a little over 2 USD). You can immediately warn the driver by telling him the name of the hotel, or say that you will use the call to stop. Due to the fact that a passenger pickup along the way can turn off from the main road to side lanes to deliver your fellow travelers to their hotel, it’s difficult to say the exact time on the way. But in time it should not take more than 20-25 minutes.

Your main landmarks near the hotel are two supermarkets. On the right in the direction of travel will be Tesco Lotus, and after about 200 meters, the Keereeta Resort & Spa Hotel itself. The facade is located a little further from the road, the guideline may be a dark green sign of the hotel. At the same time, almost across the road from Keereeta Resort & Spa (50 meters) is my favorite Thai Big C supermarket (on an elevation to the left of the road). If you used the Mango Travel or Travel Mart transfer from Bangkok to Koh Chang or transfer from Pattaya to Koh Chang, a trip from the pier to the hotel of Keereeta Resort and Spa will be free (included in the transfer price).

Koh Chang Pearl Beach – 5-minute walk to Keereeta Resort and Spa

Keereeta Resort & Spa is not located on the first line from the sea and does not have its own beach. Initially, this may seem like a flaw, but in reality there is no problem. Near the hotel there is an asphalt road towards the sea, on which it is very easy to walk to the beach in 4-5 minutes. It should be noted that the Pearl Beach is very clear water, but the beach itself is not very good for swimming, because it is not sandy, but rocky. Therefore, it is better to visit other beaches of Koh Chang Island for swimming, especially White Sand beach is almost nearby. But for walking Pearl Beach is a nice place (see the video for the link). This is a very quiet place and there are few tourists there – everyone is swimming in the hotel pools. Beautiful round stones rattle underfoot while walking, there are shady trees, and in the northern part of the beach there are picturesque rocks in the water, from where an unusually beautiful panorama of the island of Koh Chang opens (see photo). This place is especially beautiful at sunset.

If you rented a motorbike, then the road to the central part of White Sand beach takes about 4-5 minutes. A similar time is required to travel from Keereeta Resort & Spa to the indicated beach by taxi. If we talk about the cost of the trip, then the drivers of a local taxi (passenger pickup) want from 40 to 50 THB per person for a one-way trip. This is not very cheap when compared with the prices for transport in Pattaya, but several times cheaper than a taxi in Phuket. Of course, if possible, it is better to rent a motorbike, because its cost will pay off in just one round trip (if you are with friend, girlfriend or boyfriend), and besides you can visit all the viewing platforms of the island and the best beaches on a motorbike. By the way, now you can rent a motorbike on Koh Chang online – at a good price and even without a passport deposit (requires a copy + a small cash deposit).

Koh Chang Pearl Beach – 5-minute walk from Keereeta Resort and Spa

Keereeta Resort & Spa – Hotel Description

The main distinguishing feature of the boutique hotel Keereeta Resort & Spa is the small number of rooms, their size and original design. Despite its small territory, the hotel has a very comfortable atmosphere. And the spacious pool of Keereeta Resort & Spa can be envied even by many expensive 4-5 star hotels. The reception desk is located directly from the entrance to the hotel, behind a stone gate not far from the road, and the rooms themselves are in buildings around the pool. Most of the hotel rooms are deluxe and have access to the pool or view from the private balcony to the pool. The rooms are very spacious and have an original design. Since this is a boutique hotel, the Keereeta Resort & Spa does not have the same rooms and I can only describe the room in which I personally stayed.

My room was on the second floor, in a building by the road. On the way to the territory you should pass by a decorative reservoir with large live fish. You need to climb the stone stairs, the entrance to the room through wooden sliding doors. This room has a balcony with a beautiful view of the hotel pool. The balcony has a wooden table and chairs. Also from the balcony you can see the sea at some distance. The room has designer wooden furniture (cabinets, a table, wooden ladders), mattresses for sitting on the floor, a large mirror in a wicker frame, a spacious bathroom with an original dark wood bathtub (I think it is more suitable for a shower than for a bath) . As it should be in a 3-star hotel, the room has air conditioning, a refrigerator and a TV. Other rooms feature beautiful wicker furniture.

Short video review of a room at Keereeta Resort & Spa

(video playback will start directly from the hotel review)

Advantages and disadvantages of Keereeta Resort & Spa

The undoubted advantage of Keereeta Resort & Spa is the low cost of deluxe rooms compared to other hotels. For my dates in the given price category there were no other three-star hotels with a high rating and a pool. We were pleased with the spacious rooms (I saw other rooms only in the photo) and the original design (basically everything was made of natural materials: wood, stone). Bathrooms with a stone wall, an artificial waterfall and a wooden bathtub also look very original. The advantages also include a small number of rooms in the hotel and a very large pool (3 times larger than the pool in the good At Mind Executive Suites in Bangkok, where I have stayed before and which has dozens of times more rooms). Despite the fact that there is no sandy beach nearby, there will be no problems with swimming, as Hotel Kirita Resort has good transport accessibility (the hotel is right on the main road) and you can get by island taxi to any beach on Koh Chang.

Near the hotel (along the road) there are small cafes where you can order your favorite Thai (and European) cuisine for on-site or take-away. And if you want to save money, then in the minute availability there are two popular supermarkets with the lowest prices for food and alcohol in Thailand – Tesco Lotus and Big C. The hotel staff is polite and helpful, left the most pleasant impression. If necessary, they will help you find a taxi, rent a motobike, book a tour, etc. In general, a pleasant hotel for little money, but not without flaws, about which a little lower.

A small number of rooms in the hotel often leads to the fact that there are no available rooms for the selected dates. Especially if you want to book a hotel for the coming days or today for today. For example, it was for this reason that I lived there only one day – the next day I had to check out from the Keereeta Resort & Spa hotel because my room was booked in advance by other travelers. And my girlfriend and me moved to another hotel on Koh Chang – Penny’s Resort (a detailed overview of this hotel on a separate page). By the way, you can compare the cost of living at the Keereeta Resort & Spa hotel in all popular booking systems using the hotel’s widget above.

Of the shortcomings (specifically in my issue) I also want to note the following points:

– Old TV. In 2018 and especially in 2020, a TV with a small diagonal and not with a flat screen looks very unusual.

– The safe in my room was, but it was small and was not fixed in the closet. Those, you could be picked up it and carried along with the contents.

– The air conditioning was quiet, but the room was a bit noisy because of the door, which is close to the road (the rooms on the other side of the pool should be quieter).

– Unusual small sink made of metal. In the photo of other rooms in the hotel, I saw that there are classic white ceramic sinks.

Keereeta Resort and Spa courtyard and pool after sunset

– Unevenly painted walls (in my room). To be honest, initially it seemed to me that the walls looked very old because of this color. But later I realized that this was done on purpose, so to speak, the design sophistication of Keereeta Resort & Spa. So it is rather a matter of taste.

– Old chairs and a table on the balcony. I do not think that in reality the table and chairs are very old, but the tropical rains and the sun quickly worsened the look of this furniture in the open air. It would be nice if the hotel owners found quite a bit of money and applied a new coat of varnish to this furniture or replaced it.

In principle, there is nothing more to complain about, especially considering the cost of a deluxe room in this hotel. As I wrote above, all rooms are different from each other, so if possible, carefully look at the photo or, if possible, ask the staff to look at all available numbers before checking in). Specifically, I rated my number at 8 points out of 10 in terms of price / quality ratio. I would be glad if my review of the Keereeta Resort & Spa hotel is useful to someone in the process of choosing a hotel on Koh Chang. Enjoy your stay and relax on the island.

The post Keereeta Resort & Spa (Koh Chang) – My Review first appeared on Thai-Rest.com - Your Best Holidays to Thailand!.

First of all, the article deals with transfers by minibuses. Despite the fact that the transfer of Pattaya – Koh Chang is not the most budgetary way to get to the island, it is recommended by all experienced travelers who once convinced of its advantages. A very small overpayment for the specified transfer compared to other methods described at the end of this article and also allowing you to get to Koh Chang from Pattaya and back, is completely compensated by the convenience and simplicity.

Today in Pattaya it is easy to find many tourist offices that are happy to sell you a shuttle service to Koh Chang Island, but not everywhere the prices are the same and you can pay 400 THB or 1200 THB for the same way. This is due to the fact that not all sellers and transport companies themselves deliver passengers along the Pattaya – Koh Chang route: many are only intermediaries. As a result, the transfer cost for customers of such companies will often be higher than for tourists who turned directly to the transfer organizers.

CONTENTS OF ARTICLE ( links for quick navigation)

• Transfer Pattaya – Koh Chang by Mango Travel
  

• Transfer Pattaya – Koh Chang by 35 Group Pattaya

• Minibus transfer Koh Chang – Pattaya from 35 Group Pattaya
  

• Why transfer Pattaya – Koh Chang is more convenient than a big bus
  

Transfer Pattaya – Koh Chang by Mango Travel

This way to get from Pattaya to Koh Chang appeared in July 2018 and is popular with tourists who prefer to get to Koh Chang Island from Pattaya quickly and without additional transfers. The essence of this proposal is delivery from hotel to hotel. At the same time, your move to Koh Chang consists of three stages:

one). A minibus picks you up at Pattaya Hotel and takes you to the pier in Trat Province.

2). You overcome the water section of the route by big ferry to Koh Chang.

3). You again take your place in the minibus, and it takes you to the hotel on the island of Koh Chang.

You can order a transfer from Manga Travel on the Transportation in Asia website. In this case, you do not need to visit the company office in Pattaya and spend your time and money on it. Payment is possible using Paypal and bank cards. The transfer price includes a ferry ticket. However, there are some restrictions regarding the location of hotels in Pattaya and Koh Chang. In Pattaya, a free shuttle service includes the entire southern part of the city (Jomtien and Na Jomtien areas), all of central Pattaya and the Cholchan area in North Pattaya.

Salon of minibus Mango Travel – transfer Pattaya – Koh Chang

At the same time, the company does not take tourists whose hotels are located on Sukhumvit Road. Free shipping to Koh Chang is available for hotels located on the beaches of White Sand beach, Klong Prao beach, Kai Bae beach, Lonely beach and Bailan beach. Those, this is almost the entire western coast of Koh Chang, where 90% of all hotels are located. The price also includes the carriage of one baggage per passenger. Before the trip, you must print a voucher that was sent by e-mail after paying for the transfer.

The trip from Pattaya to Koh Chang takes about 6 hours, but in reality, the trip to the island may take longer. The collection of tourists in Pattaya hotels begins at 7:00 in the morning, and the departure from the city is usually around 07:40. During the trip, there are 1-2 stops at the gas station, where tourists can visit the free toilets and buy something in shops and cafes. The minibus includes 14 passenger seats and is equipped with air conditioning (it is better to use a light jacket if you do not tolerate chilled air.

The cost of a Pattaya – Koh Chang transfer from Mango Travel at the time of this writing is 990 THB. At first glance, this is not very cheap, especially if you are not traveling alone. For example, you can order an individual transfer by car for 3500-4000 THB for 4 people. The cost for each passenger will be approximately the same. And comfort and speed are higher. But if you compare with other offers of transfers by minibuses, then the option can be considered.

Minibus of Mango Travel at Koh Chang island pier

You can easily find transfers for 500-600 THB from Pattaya to the pier in the province of Trat, but then you must additionally pay a ferry ticket (+80 THB) and a pick-up taxi to the desired beach (from 50 to 150 THB in day time, but maybe more expensive in the evening time). It turns out that instead of 500-600 THB, the cost of your trip increases to 700-900 THB, which is not much cheaper than the transfer price. Plus, you may have to go some way on foot to the hotel from the main road on the your beach.

In other words, I recommend choosing a transfer from Mango Travel in cases when you want to receive a full transfer from hotel to hotel without additional transfers and communication with local taxi drivers. If you want to save money, especially when you are not traveling alone, I recommend using the following option, which I always use myself.

Transfer Pattaya – Koh Chang by 35 Group Pattaya

The company with the best prices today and an excellent reputation is 35 Group Pattaya, whose office is located on the third street in Pattaya, near the intersection with South Street. If you go from the beginning of Walking Street along South Street, you need to go through several small intersections, i.e. Third Street is not the next intersection after Second Street, as many people think, but much further, but I always walked without problems. Your landmark – a traffic light at a more big intersection than the previous ones and a small repair of motorbikes in front of it, located in the building on the right in the direction of travel (although it is useless to describe establishments and signs in Pattaya, as everything is changing rapidly).

At this intersection, turn left and go through several buildings until you see a 4-storey pink building with balconies, again on the left side of the corresponding sign (see photo) and a glass door. By the way, on road signs the street is designated as Pattaya Tai (Latin alphabet). In order not to look for an office for a long time in reality in the conditions of the hot Thai sun, I recommend that you first look at your path using Google Street View. Before entering the office you should take off your shoes (you will see a lot of shoes in front of the door and remember this).

35 Group Pattaya office under a yellow corporate sign

At the office of the transport company you will be asked which island you want to order the transfer to (Pattaya – Koh Chang), the date and time of departure you need. You must also provide the name of your hotel and its address in Pattaya. If your hotel is small and little-known, take a business card with the address at the reception so that the driver will definitely find you before driving to Koh Chang). Also it will not be a problem if you prefer to live in private apartments in Pattaya, as I do with Airbnb (here you can get a gift of 43 USD for registration in this service). You will also need to leave a phone number for communication in Thailand. You are probably using mobile communications in Thailand and this will not be a problem either.

35 Group Pattaya operates three flights on the Pattaya – Koh Chang route per day: at 07:00 and 09:00 in the morning and at 13:00. The transfer price from Pattaya to Koh Chang from 2013 to the present is only 400 baht, while the indicated price includes a ticket for the ferry Trat – Koh Chang (which costs 80 baht when buying separately). If you plan to return from Koh Chang to Pattaya (and not to Bangkok, for example), I advise you to immediately book a ticket in the opposite direction, i.e. transfer from Koh Chang to Pattaya. Previously, this way you could save another 100 baht, because a round-trip transfer until the end of 2017 cost 700 THB). Since 2018, the cost of a round-trip transfer has been 800 THB. The return ticket can be taken with an open date (tell the girl in the office that you need an “open ticket”). With the return transfer, there are some nuances that are described in the next section.

This is what the 35 Group Pattaya VIP minibus looks like inside and out

After paying for tickets, you will not need to take any action in order to get from Pattaya to Koh Chang. Just expect a minibus at the right time in the right place (the girl in the office will write to you in advance on paper what time the minibus will pick you up at the hotel or condo). At the appointed time, you will be picked up and taken by Toyota’s comfortable VIP minibus to the pier in the area of ​​Trat, where ferries depart for Koh Chang. Near the pier there is a small office of 35 Group Pattaya, whose employee will give you ferry tickets to Koh Chang. Ferry ticket to Koh Chang – red. If you paid a return transfer to Pattaya, make sure that you received a return ferry ticket from Koh Chang Island (green).

Next you must go to a small waiting room and wait for the nearest ferry to the island. In fine weather, you can see the island from the mainland. A ferry takes you to Koh Chang in about 30 minutes. There is a cafe on the passenger deck and you can take a free Ko Chang card. The Koh Chang ferry pier is located on the east side of the island, and most hotels and beaches are on the west. Therefore, you may have to use a songthaew (passenger taxi pickup). To the nearest Koh Chang beach, the description of which is given in a separate article – White Sand Beach – the trip will cost 50-60 baht, to Kai Bae Beach and Lonely beach – 100-150 baht (depending on the time of day and the total number of passengers in a pickup truck).

When ordering a transfer from Pattaya to Koh Chang, you can pay for shipping directly to a specific hotel on the island. Of course, it will cost more, about 600 THB one way or about 1200 THB for a trip in both directions. but for some, the option will seem convenient, especially if you managed to save a lot by using the hotel search and price comparison form in various reservation systems, which is located a little lower. Please note: the reputation of 35 Group Pattaya is really very good, therefore it is increasingly necessary to book a Pattaya – Koh Chang transfer in advance. I myself was faced with a situation where I had to postpone the trip to Koh Chang for one day due to the lack of free seats in the minibus. Therefore, if you want to guaranteedly leave for Koh Chang Island from Pattaya cheaply – book a transfer in advance.

Minibus transfer Koh Chang – Pattaya from 35 Group Pattaya

If you ordered a return transfer, be sure to ask the employee of the 35 Group Pattaya company, which will meet you upon arrival at the pier, for a return ticket for the ferry. For some reason, she immediately refused to give such a receipt to me and I had to demand more insistently, indicating that there was a ticket with an open date back. If the return transfer was originally ordered for a specific date, you just arrive a few hours before leaving for Pattaya to the island pier, exchange the ticket receipt and go to the ferry.

But if the return transfer is Koh Chang – Pattaya with an open date, you should definitely call the company office two days before the planned departure from the island and reserve a place in the minibus. If this is not done, there may be no free seats on the bus and you will have to look for other options for returning to Pattaya and overpay for it. A small clarification: by phone, employees only speak Thai and English (as in the company’s offices). You will need to indicate the number of the transfer agreement, date and departure time from ferry pier on mainland to Pattaya.

Ferry tickets (round trip) and 35 Group Pattaya voucher

An exchange of a ticket receipt is made in the window at the entrance to the pier on the island (before departure to the mainland). You can get to the pier in the same way as when arriving on the island – using songthaew. By the way, it is better to arrive at the pier in advance so as not to be late for your return transfer. Having arrived by ferry to Trat (Natural Bay Pier), you must again contact the office of the 35 Group Pattaya company, next whose doors buses leave and show your ticket. Often, at the same time, a bright sticker with the name of the company will be glued to your T-shirt so that you do not get lost.

If the minibus of the company arrived at your chosen time, and there was no place for you in it, you should not panic and curse, “losing face.” Another minibus will arrive soon and you will definitely be taken to the hotel in Pattaya from where you were originally taken. On the way there and back, the minibus must make stops at the gas station, where you must leave the bus for a few minutes. You can just stretch your legs, or you can have a bite to eat with local food, eat fruit or go to the 7/11 store (not at all gas stations) and buy Thai soft drinks or thai beer there. Just don’t mix up minibuses, there are usually a lot of them and all white. Therefore, pay attention to the name of the company (in the photo highlighted with a yellow marker) and remember fellow travelers.

White VIP minibuses and drivers 35 Group Pattaya

Why transfer Pattaya – Koh Chang is more convenient than a big bus

More accessible at first glance ways are regular buses passing through Pattaya to Trat. Their cost is about 200-250 THB. It would seem that the amount is almost two times less than the cost of an organized transfer to the island of Koh Chang in the Gulf of Thailand. However, if you add 80 THB per ferry ticket to this amount, you already get about 300 THB. Plus, you need to get from the hotel to the North Bus Station in Pattaya or Sukhumvit Highway (10-20 THB for a songthaew or much more by taxi), find a suitable bus (and this is also not easy if you use the Sukhumvit highway passing through Sukhkumvit through Pattaya, which you need to stop yourself or ask the locals to do this, also for a small fee).

In addition, from Trat city itself it will be necessary to independently get to one of the ferry berths, using for this local songthaew, which will again cost you about 50 baht. In other words, the amount is similar, plus or minus 30 baht, while there are much more difficulties, especially if there are problems with English or Thai. If you book a transfer in both directions, then this method is not only the fastest, but also the cheapest and the method with regular buses cannot compete at all.

Also remember that a trip of about 270 km in length on a VIP minibus with comfortable leather seats will in any case be faster in time and more convenient than on a regular intercity bus that goes to Trat for about six hours with many stops. Decide which way to get from Pattaya to Koh Chang is more convenient, anyway. I wish you a successful and comfortable trip!

The post How to get from Pattaya to Koh Chang first appeared on Thai-Rest.com - Your Best Holidays to Thailand!.