33 replies to this topic

[Hellbender]

Someone said it right "Variety add spice"

Been there and done enough mongering, life is blissful but for a change i wanted to escape to nearby island and avoid all hustle bustle Pattaya life on my next Oct trip. Planning for 2-3 nights stay and leave before i get bored! Silly i am.



Koh Chang or Koh Samet sound interesting but not been there before, i will get a nice lady to give me a warm company but i am bit clueless how to plan it. I have few questions and would be great to hear from experienced travellers.

I wanted to relax and enjoy the calmness of beach, some nice walk, safe swimming in beach and company of a nice thai lady.

Few questions for experienced Island hoppers :

1) As destination for 2-3 nights Kho Chang or Kho Samet on the month of Oct?

2) Best way to travel from Pattaya?

3) Which beach to choose?

4) I am looking for decent beach front hotel /resort with great beach & good food. Private beach more appreciated, beach sports/activity facility. Hotel rooms budget 1500-2000 Bhat/day.

5) Should i book in advance through Agoda or simply phone booking/walk in?

6) What else should be consideration?

7) Or you suggest some other place?

Warm Regards.

Edited by Hellbender, 23 July 2012 - 07:13 AM.

[jerry]

Hey HB ,

Koh Chang is an ok place for 3 days but keep in mind October is rainy season and Koh Chang usually get's his fair bit .
Last year in October the main road from the ferry completely washed away after days of rain and it was impossible for
a long time to get to the main beaches and villages .
Besides that a lot of hotels/restaurants/shops are closed in October . In other words not really the right time to go there .

To answer your questions ,

1. Ok
2. Minibus 400 Bht p/p .
3. White sand beach .
4 and 5. Dozens of good beach hotels in your price range . Just go there and have a look around no need to book up front .
6. See first part of this post .

7. For a nice beach and good food you can go to Koh Samet as well . It's only a 1 hour drive (Koh Chang 3,5 hour) .

[Hellbender]

Appreciated Jerry, your post always reflect the knowledge you earned. I hate rain & a great spoiler.
Any info on Kho Samet would be as great as this.

Cheers!

[jocky king]

I love to go there too... Thanks for info Hellbender and Jerry. Will keep an eye on this thread. Was planning to go somewhere like Pi Pi Island things like that in sept/Oct

[Hellbender]

JK that would be great, i am planning between 2-5th Oct. Jerry did enlighten some real facts & they are indeed important factors.
Rain is a spoiler btw and his suggestion of Koh Samet did open my eyes bit further.

Thanks to all those experienced guys out here.

[wackyjacky]

Koh Chang is great. 3 days would be the min. for me considering the drive. Nothing worse than a beach resort in the rain. wj

[Jai Yen]

Been a couple of times (Got married there last year) really nice place for a short break.

There's been good advice given already but just to add I do think 3 days is the minimum you would want to spend considering the time it takes to get there. Saying that a week is probably too long.

You will find company in Koh Chang along the White Sand beach area but again maybe a better idea to take someone with you.

A couple of pics of the ferry attached. Make sure to get out the car and go upstairs lol.

[jerry]

Koh Samet ... It's a little smaller than Koh Chang but the beaches are even better .

Taxi to Ban Phe (where the boats go from 1k , minibus around 300 Baht .

Two ways to get to the island :

1. Small ferry , 150 Baht one way .
2. Speedboat , normal price is 800 Baht 2 way but they drop you at the main beach in front of the hotels .
No need to take the (scam) taxi from the main port (100 Baht p/p for a 2 minute drive) .
With a little luck you can avoid the entrance fee for the national park (200 baht farang , 40 Baht Thai) as
the 2 officers have to patrol the whole beach they not always notice you coming a shore .
The speedboat price is not a fixed one as there are several companies doing this trip .
I always let the little girl take care and we found one that brings us there and after a phone call picks us
up at the time we want for 400 Baht p/p all in .

No need to book a hotel up front but better don't go in the weekends as it can be busy with Bangkok people
coming over to spend a few days there .

Main beach is Sai Kaew beach . Here is it where 90% of the hotels and restaurants are so don't even bother
going to another one . Great place to spend the evening . They turn the beach into 1 big restaurant at night
with live music and some fire shows .
Hotels here are ok but nothing special , price range between 1000 and 2000 Baht for a standard room .

The roads on the island are terrible . If you want to rent a bike do it for 1 or 2 hours and you will be happy
to be back from where you started (in rainy season it's almost impossible to go around with a bike) .

A few small bars (so bring your own girl) , few massage shops and two 7/11's along the main road .

Keep in mind it's rainy season here also ,


have fun .



J .

[jerry]

Next time when you're here outside the rainy season try this one . It really is one of the most beautiful
islands around Thailand .

In rainy season it's completely deserted but from the end of November it's the perfect place .

http://www.pattaya-a..._hl__+koh +kood

[Hellbender]

What a insightful details Jerry, a great advice to anyone interested for short island hopping.
I heard all good things about Koh kood and your TR is a delight to read and the pictures tell the whole story.
Simply breathtaking.

[jerry]

Another one you might like , Koh Mak . It's close to Koh Kood so you can do them together in 1 trip .

http://www.pattaya-a...ovely +koh +mak

[jerry]

Oh well , why not put them all together .

This one is not so well known by the tourists but absolutely worth a visit , Koh Sichang (nothing to do with Koh Chang) .

http://www.pattaya-a...ak#entry1614290

Edited by jerry, 23 July 2012 - 08:42 AM.

[Hellbender]

You are a spoiler and i mean by all good terms. Guess you are damn lucky to visit all those heavenly place.
Mongering is fun but nothing better than a small escape to those wonderful places.

[jocky king]

Excellent detailed trip from Jerry, Will plan to go there in September/October but first I must find a suitable pussy to tag along with me.

[jerry]

You are a spoiler and i mean by all good terms. Guess you are damn lucky to visit all those heavenly place.
Mongering is fun but nothing better than a small escape to those wonderful places.

Sorry for 'spoiling' ....

Mongering is fun but after some time you start enjoying these trips more and more . Even Pattaya can get
boring when you stay to long .
We're in Holland at the moment but already are making plans for a trip to some islands on the Andaman
side of Thailand like Surin and Similan .
Beautiful underwater world there as well . Will put up a TR a.s.a.p.

[Hellbender]

Sorry for 'spoiling' ....

Mongering is fun but after some time you start enjoying these trips more and more . Even Pattaya can get
boring when you stay to long .
We're in Holland at the moment but already are making plans for a trip to some islands on the Andaman
side of Thailand like Surin and Similan .
Beautiful underwater world there as well . Will put up a TR a.s.a.p.

It is my pleasure being spoiled by you

You are spot on, mongering is fun but it is just repeating the same thing in pattaya, so it start getting bore and end up doing same silly things.

This trip i have a short window of 2 weeks to spend.
2nd week i am going to stay in Pattaya as i already booked Amri nova suites, those 100 sqm suits look great and its cheap (western standard) only the con is location, have any inputs mate?

For the 1st week i am thinking to do 2 nights trip to ban chang & 3 nights trip to kho-chang/samet. This is the plan as of now and hope i make it.

Your trip to Surin and Similan would be perfect escape destination and think those areas aren't spoiled that much, i will be looking for your TR and good luck in advance.

I have a friend from Holland and what i could make out from her is, Holland is a great place and warm people. A pic for you mate.

Attached Images

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[jerry]

2nd week i am going to stay in Pattaya as i already booked Amri nova suites, those 100 sqm suits look great and its cheap (western standard) only the con is location, have any inputs mate?

Great place to stay . Funny part is we stayed for a week in these suits the first time we went to Pattaya about 4 years ago .
Lots of space , high quality finish . Only downpoint is indeed the location . It's just to far out to walk and not easy to get back
with a song taew . We ended up renting a private taxi every night for 100/150 baht but don't let that little con spoil you holiday .

I have a friend from Holland and what i could make out from her is, Holland is a great place and warm people. A pic for you mate.

Thanks for the pic . It's from Holland ( it says happy easter in Dutch on one of the cakes ;) ) .

Have a good trip in Thailand . If you like to meet up give me a PM when you're in Patts .

[moon71]

Koh Samet is easier to get to, and it is allot smaller, feels like an island.

Koh Chang is so big, it losses it's island feel. It's a long way to go from Pattaya and will take a chunk of a day to get their. Latly, as it's so big, you will need to rent a motorbike to get around the island. Koh Chang seems better for the younger, adventurous crowd.

[Hellbender]

Great place to stay . Funny part is we stayed for a week in these suits the first time we went to Pattaya about 4 years ago .
Lots of space , high quality finish . Only downpoint is indeed the location . It's just to far out to walk and not easy to get back
with a song taew . We ended up renting a private taxi every night for 100/150 baht but don't let that little con spoil you holiday .

Thanks for the pic . It's from Holland ( it says happy easter in Dutch on one of the cakes ;) ) .

Have a good trip in Thailand . If you like to meet up give me a PM when you're in Patts .

Thats cool indeed as i am getting the right info from right guy. I feel the same way for Amari nova suites and only the walk seems annoying but anyway i rent a tuktuk late at night for hotel drop so i guess that wouldn't be much of travel. Actually i choose that location intentionally as i plan to spend that week with a very special lady, i am going to break my rule but worth spending some time with a gorgeous nice lady. I am not in love or will in future for sure.

Yeah it's a Easter cakes from Holland.

It would be nice to meet you and will PM you in time. Few of my pals will arrive same time so it would be a wild party like always.

Appreciated mate.

Edited by Hellbender, 25 July 2012 - 10:11 PM.

[Hellbender]

Koh Samet is easier to get to, and it is allot smaller, feels like an island.

Koh Chang is so big, it losses it's island feel. It's a long way to go from Pattaya and will take a chunk of a day to get their. Latly, as it's so big, you will need to rent a motorbike to get around the island. Koh Chang seems better for the younger, adventurous crowd.

Even i am feeling the same way, Koh Chang is bit far and for 3 night stay doesn't seems the worth. I am not much adventurous even though i am energetic 34 i like to spend time in a cosy room and little walk on a beach, few fool around romances & swimming. That's all. Samet sound more promising now!

Thanks for the input.

[geegee1]

Even i am feeling the same way, Koh Chang is bit far and for 3 night stay doesn't seems the worth. I am not much adventurous even though i am energetic 34 i like to spend time in a cosy room and little walk on a beach, few fool around romances & swimming. That's all. Samet sound more promising now!

Thanks for the input.

Some people will say that there are no girls on Samet to spend the night with, when ever I've been there and I'm a regular over the years I've met many and I've also met girls from US. Auss UK etc who want sex but theres not much spare for them as it's mostly couples who are on the Island so if your youngish getting a freebie is quite possible but if you don't want to take chances take a girl with you.

Busiest place on Samet IMO is Ploy Talay Sai Kaew beach with beach eating on an evening, live music played outside and a fire show, when that;s done the Ploy Talay nightclub has a live band and DJ..
if your looking for a chilled out few days away from Pattaya then Samet is an ideal getaway to chill out and recharge...

Oh nearly forgot, you can get a baht bus into Rayong from Ban Phe which takes you to the bus staion and very near by is a largish hotel called the Star Hotel and under the hotel is where I went once and found some rather beautiful girls in a type of go go bar.. Might be worth checking out..

If you want to sample the Ban Phe girls, where you get the ferry or speedboat to the Island, directly opposite is a bar foodie place with rooms called Christies, also there's Charlies Bar where you'll find Charlie from UK and an Aussie called Mark who'll point you in the right direction for the girls.. Have fun..

Edited by geegee1, 25 July 2012 - 10:51 PM.

[Piece Corp]

I always visit Koh Chang in October, as rates increase significantly November 1st. There's some rain but not nearly as much as other months (e.g. about half as much as September and a third as much as July and August). This page displays the average monthly rainfall:

http://iamkohchang.c...h-chang-weather

Koh Chang has the best high-end resorts and variety of activities. See my trip report:

http://www.pattaya-a...ang-experience/

[Hellbender]

Hi geegee1,

I know samet has few nightlife options and thanks for showing few directions. Freebies sound interesting from farang women but i will be travelling with a Thai girl, not planned who that lucky would be but i have few regular gogo girls and will pick the one i connect well during the trip. Still i will sample local ST

Sai Kaew beach will be my destination if i plan for samet and that’s the mainstream beach. Like the evening beach turnaround, a perfect me kinda stuff. Night club & DJ is my kinda hangout place. Would appreciate if you can list some decent beach front hotels in Sai Kaew beach.

I will remember the Star Hotel and will surely try that place. This is what i am looking for, great info’s not only will help me but many others.

[geegee1]

Try this website for Sai Kaew...

http://www.saikaew.com/

Also try and find Ploy Talay Resort which is a part of Sai Kaew Beach as they also do rooms, but I never book directly as I have a friend in Pattaya who's from Rayong who sorts out hotels and transport to Ban Phe, speed boat crossing etc...If you want her number, send me a private message and I'll pass it on to you..She organizes tour to Samet..
Glad to be of help...

Found it...Ploy Talay..

http://www.ploytalay...p.com/rooms.htm


And another tip from me, if going to Samet, buy what you need for your stay away from the Island as most things cost more than the mainland, even cigarettes can cost 20 baht or so more if you can't be bothered walking to the 7/11 on the Island..

Edited by geegee1, 25 July 2012 - 11:40 PM.

[Hellbender]

Wonderful geegee1. Sent you a PM