East Side of Koh Chang
The east coast of Koh Chang is like the other side of the moon - no one has been there, but everyone would like to know what is going on there. Here we will write about what the real Koh Chang is like - with local villages, seafood restaurants and forest waterfalls. We will move from the north to the south of the coast, as you would, following all the main curves of the road, so don't get lost. It is better to travel on this side with a rented motorbike or car. If you would like to go to the east side individually with our car and driver, then just book at Siamese.Tours.
Sea View on East Side of Koh Chang
When you arrive at the pier of Koh Chang, no matter which is Ao Sapparot or Centerpoint, the east side remains on the left, while the overwhelming number of cars and tourists turn right towards the west coast.
The first kilometres to the nearest Dan Mai village along the way, you will meet the few hotels. Before reaching the village, you will see the Koh Chang State Hospital - here you can get inexpensive but high-quality medical service around the clock. Then there will be a small asphalt turn to the Klong Nonsi waterfall. The village of Dan Mai itself is the administrative centre of the northern part of the island - in addition to the hospital, the headquarters of the Police Office and the municipality of Koh Chang are located here. Despite the fact that the village is quite large in terms of local scale, it does not receive the attention of tourists, so you have the opportunity to see it without the tourist glamor.
Moving on, at the turn to Than Mayom waterfall, the second largest after Klong Plu (which is located on the western side, on Klong Prao Beach), is one of the offices of the national park and the parking lot of the rangers, who provide supervision of the flora and fauna
of the island.
200 meters after turning to the waterfall there is a road sign “Scenic area” - on the left you can find a pier, which was chosen by local fishermen. Following further along the road and overcoming a small hill, you can see the only walking alley on Koh Chang with benches - this is a specially designated 300-meter strip by the sea, where residents gather for picnics in the afternoon, and couples in love coo in the evenings.
Here you can meet sunrise with beautiful view.
An unknown but authentic village and the eponymous fishing pier Salak Khok is located at a fork in the main road (leading to Salak Phet) and turning left towards Jek Bae village and Long beach. Turning left from the main road to Salak Khok, passing the local school and temple on the left, you will find the first mangrove trail through the thickets of mangroves, and then you will see a T-junction.
Naval Monument Beach
Signs at the intersection indicate that on the left the road goes to Salak Khok village, where you can find Salak Khok seafood restaurant. In the restaurant you can enjoy wonderful seascapes, try crab pies, sun-dried squid and other Thailand dishes, and to the right - to Ban Jek Bae village and Long beach.
The village of Jek Bae is slowly beginning to be built up with hotels. Visitors to Parama Ko Chang Hotel, with many turtles. By the way, are taken free of charge to the sandy beach of the uninhabited island of Ko Prao Nai, which is located in Salak Phet Bay. You can always eat at a hotel or a local cafes.
In the village of Jack Bae, there is only one road junction - a sign to the left says Long Beach. This is the perfect sandy beach of Koh Chang, but if you have the opportunity to get there and even spend the night in the Tantawan Bungalow on the end of the island, we are sure you will get a lot of impressions that are not available to ordinary tourists. Following a country road, you can reach the memorial of the WWII military battle on Koh Chang. That place located on beautiful coral beach.
Now let's go back to the fork with the main road, to where the village of Salak Khok is and the turn to it. Following the road directly you can reach the largest settlement on the island, and here you will also find the beautiful Salak Phet Pier.
The first and oldest village of the island, Salak Phet, is located on the south east side of Koh Chang. The village is located on both sides of the bay, in which you can see three small islands - Ko Ma Pring, Ko Prao Nai and Ko Prao Nok. The large Buddhist temple Wat Salak Phet is on the main road on the right - if you drive straight along the road and don't turn off anywhere, you won't miss it, it is right after entering the village. Just after the temple, when you turn left, across a small concrete bridge, you can reach the second mangrove trail for exploring the mangroves.
Long Beach in low tide
On way in Salak Phet you will also see road signs for Klong Nueng and Khiri Phet waterfalls. And finally, through the jungle, on foot, with a mosquito repellent and a machete at the ready, you can reach the secret Wai Chek beach. Not every local will tell you the way there, as no one wants the eastern side to become as flooded with tourists and explored as the western one. So go for it - perhaps you are the person to whom Wai Chek will open up.
We have described the most interesting points on the eastern side of the island, but each person opens up a place differently, so when visiting Koh Chang, take some time to discover the unexplored coast.