If you are in Koh Chang for several days or weeks and want to discover more about the island but also see something different, why not make a one-day trip with a professional and experienced guide?

Any tourism agency or office in Koh Chang can propose you a guide but I really recommend Thomas Koch Travel & Adventure. Thomas knows everything and he has a particular way to show and explain the local life and traditions.

What can you do in one full day?

You can visit the whole island with Thomas. He picks you up with his minibus and he will bring you all around Koh Chang, from Bang Bao to Salak Phet, stopping to places you may not even notice by yourself. The explanations given by Thomas are all the time very interesting. You will enjoy lunch all together and lots of fun and happiness.

You can also have a boat trip around the island with Thaifun. They pick you up in the morning and you come back in the evening at sunset. It's an unforgettable experience. There will be a few stops, snorkelling, swimming, eating in the boat (the lunch is just fabulous), and a nice entertainment made by the most famous pirate on the island.

If you are adventurous and in good healthy shape, you will love the Jungle treks. The longest is about 7 to 9 hours. You will walk in the jungle with a guide who will bring you to the top of the mountain. If you are lucky... or unlucky, you will see tarantulas, snakes, monkeys, birds, and other insects. It's an interesting experience but be prepared, walking in the hot and humid jungle, also called rain forest isn't so easy, even if there are few fresh waterfalls to cool down. But the reward will be once arriving on top of Koh Chang.

And fishing fans can also have fun with a day or night fishing in the Gulf of Thailand and eating their catch with the crew. They come to pick you up to bring you to Bang Bao pier from where you will leave in a real fishing boat.

Khao Khitchakut National Park is located 28 km northeast of Chanthaburi city in Khao Khitchakut District, at about one and half hours by car from Trat. The park’s area is 59 square kilometers. The highest point is the Khao Phra Bat peak at 1,085 meters.

The ceremony to worship the footprint of Buddha is held every year, and it lasts for a couple of months between Chinese New Year and Magha Puja day (late January to March).

Thomas Koch Travel & Adventure, for example, can organise the trip during this period. They come to pick you up early in the morning and you come back in the evening.

If you have not been there yet, do not miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I guarantee you will not be disappointed!

Paying respects to the Buddha’s footprint on the mountain peak of Khao Khitchakut is a yearly ritual for many Thais. An act of making a pilgrimage to the Buddha’s footprint equates to appearing before the Lord Buddha and is considered a great meritorious deed. Consequently, thousands of people have journeyed to the peak of Khao Khitchakut, to pay reverence to the footprint of the Buddha.
It’s believed that visiting the footprint equates to appearing before the Lord Buddha and those who make the trek are granted 1 wish. These spiritual beliefs are what draw thousands to make the climb every year.

Tourists paying respects to the Buddha’s footprint on Khao Khitchakut are warmly welcomed by locals. In fact, one can usually count the number of foreign visitors on 2 hands amongst the tens of thousands of Thais visiting there. Thais of all ages will visit Khao Khitchakut. It is not uncommon to pass elderly Thais walking the mountain with the assistance of other family members.

The trip will start early in the morning with a pick-up at your resort, before sunrise. You will then catch the early ferry and see the beautiful sunrise on the east coast of Koh Chang.

After about one and a half hours, you will arrive at the starting point at Phluang temple. There are lots of stalls selling flowers, food, clothes, and religious items.

You have to get on a 4-wheel pickup that takes you on an eight-kilometer steep route.
The ride is a rough one, inclines of an estimated 30%, and drivers need special training. The road is two-lane, but the sense of direction changes between left-handed and right-handed when cars pass each other. There is no roof in the passenger area. A walkway for pedestrians is parallel to the road.

Near the top, there is an area where passengers get off (when coming up) or wait for the car (for going down). The last pray before starting the long walk. 

The first kilometers of the hike is a unique experience, seeing faithful pilgrims of all ages walking up the trail, listening to the hundreds of lined bells with a constant ring as climbers tapped coins, three times each, smelling the incenses and fragrant flowers (marigolds and carnations) sprinkled about the path made portions of the climb feel like you were walking directly into a temple.

There are many shops along the way selling religious items but also fresh drinks and noodle soups.

On the mountaintop, it is possible to spot several geological phenomena related to Buddhist myths, including the stone pagoda, the stone in an upside-down monk’s alms-bowl shape, the hermit cave, Indra’s motor racing tracks, as well as gigantic stones that look like a turtle or an elephant.

From the breezy peak, you can easily see the Chanthaburi center. Unfortunately, clouds can appear and disappear very fast.

Being perched atop the plateau, among the masses praying, chanting, and trying to get close to the Buddha’s footprint to make their offerings is a surreal experience.

From here you have another 4.5 km to go to reach the sacred wishing scarf at the end of the trail. 

The narrow path, which is literally cut through the forest, climbs up and down the mountain passing by many smaller shrines. Here, followers continue to demonstrate their spiritual devotion by making offerings and performing additional acts of religious significance. The loud chirping insects (cicadas) sound will follow you on the way.

Pa Daeng (ผ้าแดง, red cloth) is at the end of the trail, where you will write your wishes on a red cloth.

If you are in good health condition it will take about 2 hours to walk up to the end of the trail and more if you spend time at each shrine. And then you will need to take the same path to go back to the starting point to get a car to go down the mountain.

It's not because you are staying in Koh Chang that you cannot or can't visit other places nearby Koh Chang!

In one day, it's possible to leave early in the morning with the first ferries at sunrise and come back in the evening, at sunset.

Sunrise from the first-morning ferry	Sunrise from the ferry	Sunset from the ferry

By yourself, you can go to Trat and visit the city. But I really recommend you to go with somebody who knows the area, a guide or a resident to be sure to not lose your time turning around.

Otherwise, Thomas Koch Travel & Adventure can bring you in one day around Trat province, showing you rubber plantations, farms, small villages and what you don't find in any tourist guide.

At about one and a half-hour by car from Trat, you can go to the province of Chanthaburi.

Thomas Koch Travel & Adventure can arrange a one-day trip to Oasis Sea World, an 11 hectares park that is attracting visitors who delight in watching the dolphin shows and other entertaining activities such as swimming and playing with dolphins and fish spa.
These dolphins were mainly accidentally caught in fishermen’s nets in the Gulf of Thailand before being treated and trained by experts.
It's also one of the leading institutions that breed the Irrawaddy and Pink Humpback dolphins.
There are also a butterflies farm and other animals.

If you really want to experience something different, in a totally different atmosphere than the tourist attractions, then you have to visit Khao Khitchakut national park, the Holy Mountain, located in Chanthaburi National Park.
This mountain is opened to visitors only a couple of months per year and it attracts thousands of pilgrims to pray but also to see the giant footprint of Buddha left in the rock.
From Koh Chang, the best way is to go with Thomas Koch Travel & Adventure or Thaifun who are both organising such a day trip, picking you up in the morning at your resort and bringing you back in the evening.

Thaifun minibus	Thomas Koch Travel & Adventure minibus

Have a look at our article about Khao Khitchakut, "The Stairway to Heaven!". The video below shows the trip to the top of the Holy mountain.

There are 7 official Buddhist temples on the island and 2 which are shrines according to the Thai law about temples. A shrine is a place regarded as holy because of its associations with a divinity or a sacred person or relic.

- Chao Por (Klong Son)
- Wat Klong Prao (Klong Prao)
- Wat Bang Bao (Bang Bao)
- Pa Kunchorn Sanga (North of Koh Chang)
- San Jao Koh Chang Ong Gong (East coast)
- Wat Salak Phet (Salak Phet)
- Wat Rong Than (Salak Phet)

Thai temples are called “Wat”, meaning temple, this term refers to the temple complex consisting of various buildings.

Religion is very important for Thai people. Each Thai person must live as a monk in a monastery for a time span of at least three months once in their life for the contemplation god.

Temples are places that must be respected even if you don't have the same religion and beliefs. Most Thai people living on Koh Chang are Buddhist and they often go to the temples to pray, to make merits and donations like flowers, food and money.

All temples or shrines are opened to visitors, and even if you are not Buddhist you are free to go inside and to visit them. Don't forget to remove your shoes and to respect the place. Monks are very opened to other religions and cultures, they won't mind if you speak to them or take pictures of them as long as you stay polite and honour their beliefs.
Your donations are of course very welcome and in Wat Klong Prao, for example, you can even buy religious bracelets, necklaces and other items.

- Wat Salak Phet as you can guess from its name is located in Salak Phet, on the south-east of the island.
It's the most beautiful Buddhist temple on the island. The visit inside the temple is free during the rainy season but it's 20 baht during the high season and it really worth it.
The outside has free access and there are lots of beautiful mythological statues. Inside the temple is just amazing, there is a big Buddha statue surrounded by stunning paintings illustrating images of the Ramayana. The frescoes show Buddha's life and window shutters inlaid pieces of seashells drawing beautiful mosaic pictures.

Next to the temple and across the road stands Wat Salak Phet Museum. is a real treasure trove of historical artefacts and antiques. The place is a cultural landmark founded in honour of King Rama V when he visited Koh Chang. There are lots of historical, antique and religious items.

- Chao Por is more known as the Chinese Temple but it's not an official temple, it's a shrine. It's located on the northwest of the island, just near the main road, between Klong Son village and Aow Thammachet ferry pier. You may not notice it like it's on a hilltop, higher than the road but you will listen to the drivers horning 3 times to greet the spirits.
Inside the main building stands a statue of Koh Chang Godfather.

To access it you have to walk on the 108 small steps. It's not very big but it's a beautiful place to see. It's a Chinese design, very colourful with a lot of dragons, roosters and peacock statues, and also hundreds of elephant statues of different sizes a.

- Wat Klong Prao is located in Klong Prao village, on the main road. This one, you cannot miss it. The entrance is free, and all visitors are welcome. There are lots of religious statues, the monks are living here and you can see them in their daily activities. It's the only temple which is selling religious bracelets, necklaces and other small items.
Check the calendar or ask locals, there are some happenings, especially in the evening and even if you are not Buddhist, you can go and enjoy the festivities.

 

- Wat Bang Bao is located southwest of the island, in Bang Bao village, just nearby Bangbao school. It's not as beautiful as Wat Klong Prao or Wat Salak Phet. You will notice the crematorium which is close to the road and Buddhist stupas (a dome-shaped structure erected as a Buddhist shrine).

- San Jao Koh Chang Ong Gong looks like a small temple but it's, in fact, a small Chinese shrine. It's located on the east coast of the island in a very quiet area.

- Pa Kunchorn Sanga is not a temple yet, it's an accommodation for the Buddhist monks. Most of the temples have to be a sangha accommodation first before becoming a temple.
It's located on the north of the island, in front of Center Point ferry pier. It's quite new and there isn't so much to see except if you are interested in the Buddhist Monks life.

- Wat Rong Than is located in Salak Phet and it's still under construction. This temple should be finished around 2022 but in Thailand, you never know, it can be ready before or later.
On this temple, there will be the biggest Buddha statue in the east of Thailand which will be seen from all Salak Phet bay.

This statue will be 29 meters high and here is its smaller model:

For now, there isn't so much to see except people at work. But if you are curious, or want to meet monks, you are always welcome.