Thailand Travel Tip: Ko Chang or Samet?

Answer : For my money Koh Chang is the better option although Samet is also very beautiful and I’ve spent some wonderful holidays there. To see either island at its best you probably want to head out around Christmas time when the skies are clear and the waters calm. Although Koh Chang is slightly further away than Samet the extra travel time is definitely worth it. And actually it doesn't take you too much longer if you go overnight. Just get the 11:00pm or 12:00 am bus from The Ekamai Bus terminal (accessible by sky train) and try and sleep for the 5 hours or so it takes to get to Trat. When you arrive in Trat there's time for a quick coffee and a bite to eat before you jump on a songthaew to the port (about a 25 min journey) then you have a bit of a wait for the boat (about an hour) before the trip from the mainland to Koh Chang. It really is quite simple and you can be on the beach by about 9 or 10 in the morning. As to accommodation it's horses for courses really. If you like things lively then stay on White Sands (Had sai cow), but if you prefer something quieter I'd recommend booking one night on White Sands, there are plenty of places to stay, and then getting a moped to tour the coast and check out the other beaches. There are lots of those picture-perfect beaches with the overhanging palm tees etc that have just one bungalow operation and give you a chance to really get away from it all. In contrast to this Koh Samet is generally a lot busier (although you can find some quiet peaceful places to stay if you try). And beautiful as it is, it doesn't quite come up to Chang's VERY high standards. Two small pieces of advice though, watch out for jelly fish, if you plan to stay over New Year or indeed any Thai holiday, you'll need to book ahead if you stay on any of the more popular beaches. (same DEFINITELY applies to Samet)

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Related Links:
--Koh Samet Hotels
--Koh Chang Hotels
--Koh Chang Guesthouse
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