POPULAR PASTIME
Things To Do
Take a break from the beach and try this wide range of activities which await you both on shore and inland.
Coco Massage (66 8 6827 4552) is easy to find on Chai Chet because of the clear, colorful sign at the front of the shop. It specializes in Reflexology and Traditional Thai massage. The interior is clean and orderly, while the staff is accommodating and friendly.
The Dolphin Divers (087-028-1627, 039-557-030) is conveniently located at the Amari Emerald Cove Koh Chang. It operates speedboats from the resort's beach to the nearest dive sites in only 15 minutes. The diving group is usually kept at a minimal number so that attention to detail is ensured. The center is managed by a Swiss team who work under the mantra of quality in service and professionalism. The instructors are stationed around the resort’s swimming pool and offer a free trial session at the pool during Thursdays and Saturdays.
Tree Top Adventure Park (66 8 4310 7600) is located nearby the Mercure Hideaway Koh Chang. It is a perfect adventure game for families and groups of all ages where you’ll be walking on rope bridges, doing Tarzan swings, flying skateboards or negotiating giant zip lines. It is an environment-friendly park trans- formed from a hill-top jungle and rubber plantation. There is a mandatory briefing where guests are trained with the basic skills before they can get on the Beginner’s Course and the more demanding higher Advance Course. Children measuring below 140 cm or are below 12 years old can play in the Kids’ Course.
Other Activities
Golf Driving Range
Golf enthusiasts will be happy to know that there are now golf driving ranges on Koh Chang. Koh Chang Cookies Driving Range is located on Ban Klong Son. It is open from 9:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m. One tray costs THB 40 per person and contains 40 balls. It also provides free roundtrip transfer from any resort on the island. Another one is at the Baan Look Chang Resort on Ban Had Sai Daeng on the Eastern side of the island. It is a seaside golf driving range and opens from 9:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m. One tray costs THB 200 per person.
BB Gun Shooting
Range
Koh Chang BB Gun is located on Klong Prao Beach and is open from 9:00 a.m. until nighttime. It started in 2007 and the game area measures 120 meters long and 8 meters wide. They charge THB 450 per person and can either go in the morning at 9:00 a.m.-12:00 nn or in the afternoon at 1:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. They also provide free roundtrip transfer from most resorts on the island.
The
Shrine of Chao Po Koh Chang
Leading up a steep road on the west coast from Klong Son to Ao Sapparos, not too far from the pier, you will see the shrine of Chao Po (literally the Deity of Koh Chang) and Chao Mae Koh Chang on the left. This is a highly revered shrine especially for local people. Fishermen struck by monsoon or lost their directions in the sea put their faith on Chao Po Koh Chang. Legend has it that many prayers have been answered, and the locals have been praying to Chao Po Koh Chang concerning various hardships, from low yield harvests to sickness or other miseries.
Thai
Cooking Schools
Classes usually take a few hours and students share the fun and their food. The Koh Chang Thai Cooking School is the first to offer original Thai cooking class on the island, and have courses every day at 1,000 Baht per person. It obtained its inspiration from the owner’s grandmother and therefore, is very much family-oriented. Many resorts offer cooking lessons such as FuramaXclusive Resort and Spa Aiyapura, Koh Chang which offers a five-dish course inclusive of a Thai dessert at 1,500 Baht per student and Chang Buri Resort & Spa which has a smaller package of three-main dish course at 800 Baht and 500 Baht for a 4-student group. All Thai cooking classes issue certificates after you “graduate”.
Ban Klong Prao
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Elephant
Trekking
The Chang Chutiman Tour (Tel : 089-939-6676, 087-135-7424) near Klong Prao Beach operates two-hour treks for 900 Baht (children under five years old free of charge) that take you into the tropical rainforest, pomelo orchards and the secluded Wang Nam Kiew Waterfall. There you can relax, picnic, swim in the pond and enjoy the environment. Elephant-handling lessons by experienced mahouts are available.
The Ban Chang Thai is supported by the Asian Elephant Foundation. With their charming elephant family, they can also arrange a Buddhist style wedding at the elephant camp. A 1-hour trek is at Baht 500 per person, while a 2-hour trek including river and mountain trekking and elephant bathing is at Baht 900 per person. These rates include transportation to/from your hotel, and complimentary fresh fruits and drinking water. The camp also provides tree planting activities during the trek, and a trip to the natural Thai herb plantations. Participants in the tree-planting are awarded with certificates from the local officials of Koh Chang.
The Klong Son Elephant Camp or Ban Kwan Chang, also supported by the Asian Elephant Foundation, operates half-day tours from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. which include elephant bathing, feeding, performances, and a 11/2-hour trek into the forest. The cost is 900 Baht inclusive of transportation to and from the resort, drinking water and bananas and coconuts to feed the elephants. A 40-minute ride costs 500 Baht. A shorter programme at 1:00 p.m. includes a 35-minute trek and a 15-minute performance. Fare is 450 Baht inclusive of transportation.
Snorkeling
& Diving
The best diving season is between October/November and April. The best sites are on the west and the southern tip of the island, between Koh Chang and Koh Kood with soft corals, anemones, myriad reef fish, and sometimes, eel. Hin Luk Bat and Hin Lap both have coral seamounts. Further south, white-tip reef sharks can be found near Hin Phrai Nam.
In addition, there are two wreck dive sites. The Koh Chang Wreck is a Thai warship sunk by the French navy in 1941. The wreck is only 15 metres deep in the Salakphet Bay on the southern tip of the island. The other wreck is the Pak One Wreck which sank after hitting a coral reef in August 1996 on its way to Vietnam. It resurfaced almost 8 years later. The 900-ton sunken tanker posed a danger to ships on international waters. The Royal Thai Navy drained off its 600 tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas and re-sank it between Koh Chang and Koh Samet. It now lies horizontally in 35-metre deep waters.
There are a few diving centres on Koh Chang such as the Ploy Scuba Diving in Bang Bao. Following the standards of the sister centre in Koh Samet, this is the premier diving operator in Eastern Thailand. BB Divers at Bang Bao is a 5-star PADI IDC dive centre. This Instructor Development Centre has run very successful PADI IDC programs and has produced qualified diving instructors now working around the world. Others
include the Koh Chang Dive Centre on Kai Bae Beach, Paradise Scuba Divers at the Klong Prao Resort and Koh Chang Divers on Had Sai Khao (White Sand Beach).
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