Hello guys Ryan here and welcome back to the One Shot Adventures channel.
In this episode we are on the beautiful island of Koh Chang letting you know the best reasons
why this should be the next Thai island that you visit.
Secret boardwalks, stunning waterfalls and epic coastlines, there is a lot to like about
Ko Chang.
I spent 4 days here with Emma and my Mum who came out to visit us and we explored the entire
island.
Touring everything from the most popular sights to the more hidden gems.
But before all that, let’s talk about the location which is a massive part of the island’s
appeal.
Koh Chang is in the gulf of Thailand 350km east of Bangkok.
Right here.
And most of Thailand’s more popular islands like Phuket and Samui are all the way down
here.
So being relatively alone in this area of the country, Koh Chang attracts far fewer
tourists and it makes for a much more chilled out atmosphere in pretty much every area of
the island.
The entirety of the island is considered a national park so beautiful nature is here
in abundance.
We are going to cover all of the beaches in detail later on in this video.
But I want to start off by showing you one of my favourite spots in the national park
which is technically not open to the public.
I’ve heard quite a lot about this place.
It’s a wooden boardwalk through a mangrove forest that is pretty much completely abandoned.
Be careful every step.
After a short walk on some pretty sketchy wooden planks and through some very overgrown
sections, it all opens up into this incredible view over the mangroves.
Pretty awesome.
We’re the only people here as well.
For me another great reason to visit Koh Chang is the stunning waterfalls.
I’ve been told that in less than ten minutes you can drive from Khlong Prao beach to a
very cool waterfall.
The girls are staying relaxing at the beach which I can’t do for more than 20 minutes
so this is more my cup of tea.
You have to pay 200 baht for entry to the waterfall which is a little bit more expensive
than some other ones we’ve paid for but it’s not bad at all.
Here we are and this is pretty cool.
Worth 200 baht.
If you fancy a bit more of a challenge you can check out the waterfall at Kai Bae beach.
You can take a short walk from Kai Bae beach to a secret waterfall and by secret I mean
it’s on google maps.
This route is very tough, it’s uphill most of the way and the jungle is very dense.
I’m the last man standing.
This route is very very difficult.
Whichever blog said this was easy.
You’re wrong.
And the trail isn’t clearly signposted at all.
The only way to know that you’re heading in the right direction is these blue pipes
that obviously lead towards the waterfall.
Here we go.
Was it worth it?
Maybe.
I’ve been bitten by every single bug imaginable but it’s quite a cool waterfall.
Obviously one of Koh Chang’s biggest draws is it’s amazing beaches.
There are 4 main beaches around the island, each with a very different vibe.
First up, you’ve got the main tourist town at White Beach.
Restaurants and nightlife on the seafront, tacky souvenir markets and lots of western
food options.
People come here for your classic holiday atmosphere.
Heading south down the coast you hit the much quieter and more unspoilt Khlong Prao beach.
We’re actually staying at a resort here which is a very different change of pace for
us.
You’ve got beach, pool and you’ve got this amazing lake as well.
This is a great place to come for families or couples who just want to unwind and I think
this is the most beautiful beach on the island.
Just a quick interlude while me and my Mum try Durian for the first time.
Open it?
It doesn’t smell that bad.
It ends up tasting a bit like mango but.
Oh god.
I know first of all it’s savoury!
It’s not that bad.
Heading south again you hit Kai Bae beach.
Which is a little hideaway that is probably most famous for the guys who ride elephants
up and down the oceanfront but I’ve got to say please don’t pay for any sort of
experience where you can ride or bathe with elephants it’s just not good for them.
Kai Bae beach is a little bit on the smaller side and it can seem a little bit crowded
at the top end but if you walk further down the beach you will very quickly find some
quieter spots.
Finally even further down you’ll find backpacker party vibes at lonely beach.
This is definitely the liveliest ploce to stay on the island with a much younger crowd.
So if you want cocktails on the beach and partying all night long then this is the place
for you and it’s a very beautiful stretch of sand.
No matter which beach you choose, you’re guaranteed to have some amazing sunsets in
the evening.
What Ko Chang has a lot of the touristy islands now lack, is a real authentic side.
We booked a driver for a day.
He was a complete nutter in the best way.
Big grouper!
And he took us on a complete circuit of the island which is do-able in a single day.
We stopped at some touristy viewpoints and some big souvenir markets.
But he also showed us some of the local fishing villages and a few of the lesser known natural
spots where we barely ran into any other tourists.
And it gave us a real intimate look into the local life that still exists the island.
You really dont have to go far from the main tourist beaches of Koh Chang until you get
to some really proper authentic local places which is just something you dont find on the
islands of the south anymore.
Overall I think Ko Chang is a really good alternative to the busy islands of the south.
Its more chilled out, less obnoxious and extremely beautiful.
Next time we head to a city in Thailand that is famous for all of the wrong reasons.
This is Pattaya.