The island is part of the Mu Koh Chang Marine National Park.
Ko Chang also Koh Chang is the focal point of Koh Chang National Marine Park. Koh Chang is the second largest island of Thailand.
Koh Chang is the largest of the 52 islands. It is a mountainous island. Most of the island is rainforest and it features a range of hills, the highest nearly 800 metres high. The island has an area of approximately 429 square kilometers, extends over almost 30 kilometres in length and approximately 17 kilometres in width.
Koh Chang was previously an unsettled island but it is now important as a harbour for ships to escape from the monsoon, and dietary or fresh water resources, especially at Ao Salak Phet or Ao Salat which is well known to pirates, Hai Lam Chinese and Vietnamese.
This is quite remarkable given its close proximity to Bangkok – only 330 kilometres direct, Also the proximity by bus to Bangkok to Trat 5 - 6 hours attracts additional visitors to the island.
At the weekends, public holidays and vacations many Thais come from Bangkok and the closer vicinity for a short stay to Koh Chang, so that almost two third of all yearly visitors are Thai people. However the number of foreign visitors is increasing quicker compared to the number of Thais which regressed for the first time compared to the preceding year. The number of foreign guests rose
Koh chang island receives almost 685.000 visitors came annually - and the number is rising continuously. it features fine beaches, coral reefs, and plentiful marine life. It is also rich in natural resources, teeming with hills, forests, waterfalls and streams, the latter being an important source of freshwater. Dotting the island are many fruit orchards.
Koh Chang is one of the few places with virgin forest, but the mad rush to cash in on tourism has had a heavy toll on its virgin forests. Land prices have skyrocketed, there are also beautiful if not high end resorts now popping up all over the island, Resort is covered with dense rain forest and with the relative savage nature, bisected by the steep wall of mountains. Most of the scenic beaches and bays are located on the western side, extending from the north to the south.
There is a road surrounding the island driving and go sightseeing in a perfect silent forest and a beautiful beach along with fresh atmosphere everywhere around Koh Chang
Koh Chang became an easy-found paradise for thousands of tourists from all over the world. Those who long for the pure, calm, peaceful, and magnificent island could feel like being in your own world here.
The island and its vicinity are great places for and diving snorkelling
The best time to dive here is between November and April and the south of the island offers the best visibility.
For water sports, snorkelling and scuba-diving reign supreme. Some of the most popular dive sites in the area are off the island's southern tip. Between here and Ko Kut, the underwater explorer will find much of interest, like seamounts abounding with coral, and a Thai warship sunk by the French during a territorial dispute over these waters back in 1941.Koh Chang and the surrounding islands provide some excellent opportunities for both novice and experienced divers. Visibility can reach up to 30m during the best months for diving of October to end of May.
The reef at Hin Luk Bat in particular has a lot of good coral. However, even if you are snorkeling, you still want miss out. Around "Bird lsland" there are some stunning soft corals with vivid colours and so many small fish that it is like swimming in an aquarium.
Largely untouched, Koh Chang is an unsophisticated island which remains unaffected by the modern world. The original inhabitants of Koh Chang (Khon Kard) still live traditionally, surviving mainly from an income of fishing, supplemented by growing fruit and rubber. There are still fishing communities on the island where rain or shine the fisherman take the boats out. At night you can see the lights on the horizon from the fishing boats catching squid.
Mountainous Koh Chang has an undisturbed interior of dense tropical rain forest, home to many species including macaque monkeys, barking deer and wild pig. Trekkers can also expect to see more than 70 species of birds. Koh Chang and the islands in this chain were awarded Marine National Park status in 1982 to ensure that this pristine environment is preserved. More than 70 percent of the mountainous island is still covered by rainforest, and there are many secluded beaches, complete with that vital tropical isle trinity of white sand, palm trees, and warm blue water, where you can really get away from it all and leave your troubles on the mainland. Wealthy with greenery, wildlife, and marine creatures, its most scenic beaches are located along its western flank. Moving from north to south, the beaches are generally more secluded, less crowded and pricey, with the aforementioned Diamond Sand towards the northern tip, and Hat Khlong Phrao and Hat Kai Bae, in the middle. Further south is a lively backpacker's enclave at Lonely Beach, or Hat Tha Nam, where you can stay in a tree house.