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Pristine rain forest covers most
of Koh Chang, making the island an eco paradise. The island
appears very mountainous from the
shore, with the highest peak, Khao Salak Phet (744 meters), in the middle
of the island. The
rocks are mainly granite and the slopes are rounded rather than sheer
cliffs, so that trekking is possible. Mangroves and beach forest line the shores, and the whole island
supports a huge diversity of wildlife, including macaques, monitor
lizards, pythons and barking deer. White-winged terns, nightjars and
several species of hornbill are some of the indigenous birds and many
others migrate here.
Our guide to enjoying Koh Chang
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= Recommended |
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= Family friendly |
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= Soft
adventure |
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Hiking Trails | 
Koh Chang offers scenic hiking trails that take just a
few hours, particularly from Khlong Son to Hat Sai Khao (white Sand Beach)
and from there to Hat Khlong Prao. In the south, the harder and longer Kai
Bae - Bang Bao trail is a challenging experience and passes through shady
rubber and coconut plantations.
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Elephant Trekking |
There are two different elephant
treks to try in Koh Chang. The Chang Chutiman company between Klong Prao
and Kai Bae has a choice of two trekking trails, a one-hour and a two-hour
trail which go into a pomelo orchard, and then for the longer trek, into
the National Park's rain forest. The Ban Kwan Chang elephant camp in the
north of Koh Chang is supported by the Asian Elephant Foundation. There are a forty-minute and
a one-hour-and-twenty-minute treks into the island's beautiful valley,
through peaceful pomelo, durian and rubber plantations and a chance
to watch the animals bath and feed.
Waterfalls
The mountainous terrain of Koh Chang creates some quite
spectacular waterfalls in the tropical forest. The following are some of
the better known ones which can be visited.
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Than Mayom Waterfall | 
This is probably the most famous waterfall on the
island, near the Than Mayom pier of the east coast of the island and near
the Koh Chang Marine National Park Office. A pathway of about 400m, leads
through a durian orchard, to the waterfall. The waterfall is medium sized,
with four levels and a large pool at the front. Visitors mostly do not go
to the fourth level which is quite far and used as a source of drinking
water by the locals. Swimming is allowed at the waterfall and watching
sunrise from here can be a real treat.
The three-step Than Mayom Falls, the first of which is
less than an hour's walk from Tha Than Mayom, is well worth hiking to.
Rocks on the first and third steps bear the engraved initials of Kings
Rama VI and Rama VII, and Rama V respectively.
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Klong Plu Waterfall |
This is the most popular and frequently visited of the
waterfalls as it is close to both Klong Prao and Kai Bae beaches. It is
about a 20 minute hike to the waterfall which is on 3 levels. Most
visitors stay on the 1st level as the 10 metre fall here is already an
impressive site and it is quite a slippery climb to get up to the other
two levels.
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Nang Yom | 
Located in the north of Koh Chang, Nang Yom is a
small-sized waterfall with several cascades. You can get there by
following a path from Ban Dan Mai near the Koh Chang sub-district police
station and the trail is about one hour long.
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Khiri Phet Waterfall |
This medium sized waterfall is about 2 kms from the
Salak Phet community, in the south of Koh Chang. During wet season the fall
can look as if it is a two-storey waterfall of about 5 meters high, but in
the dry season you can climb up to the 7th level. There is water in the falls
all year round and a pool to swim in at the first level.
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Klong Nueng Waterfall |
Not far from Khiri Phet, this is
the tallest in Koh Chang and an excellent place to take a dip in the chest
deep pool, once you have made the hour's hike there. You have to climb
across a huge boulder, which blocks the trail, to see the sight of the
water cascading down the ravine.
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For travellers to Thailand.
