The best Koh Chang day trips are a boat day to Koh Rang, a waterfall morning, an east coast loop and an afternoon at Bang Bao. Here is how each one works from Lonely Beach.
The day trips worth making from Lonely Beach fall into four groups: a boat day to the reefs around Koh Rang, a morning at a waterfall, a loop around the quieter east coast, and a late lunch at the Bang Bao pier. Each one is easy to arrange and none needs more than a day.
We would not stack them. Pick one outing, come back for the pool and the sunset, and the island feels much bigger than a checklist makes it. Here are the details, as we give them to guests at Paradise Cottage.
Boat days: Koh Rang and Koh Wai
This is the day trip most people remember. Koh Rang is a protected marine park south of Koh Chang, and its reefs are the best nearby. Trips usually leave Bang Bao or Kai Bae around 09:00 to 09:30, and the crossing takes 30 to 60 minutes depending on the boat. Expect several snorkelling stops, plus a beach or lunch stop.
Budget for two extras on top of the trip price. The marine park fee is usually ฿200 per person, and fins rent for around ฿100 if they are not included. Masks and snorkels are normally provided.
If you want something cheaper, there are three-island trips to the Koh Wai area. They leave about 10:30 and return around 16:00. The full comparison of speedboats and wooden boats is in our snorkelling and island hopping guide.
Waterfall mornings
Klong Plu is the classic. It is on the west coast at Klong Prao, around half an hour's ride north of Lonely Beach. A forest path leads to a high fall and a deep, cool pool for swimming. It is open 08:00 to 16:30, and foreign visitors pay ฿200.
Than Mayom is on the east coast and opens 09:00 to 16:30. The same national park ticket covers both on the same day, so you can combine them if you start early. Klong Neung and Khiri Phet, in the south-east, are free.
Go early, before the groups arrive, and take sandals with grip. Wet rocks are slippery. More in our waterfall guide.
The east coast loop
Most visitors stay on the west coast, so the east feels like another island. It is a longer ride around the north, so leave in the morning.
- Salak Khok. A community ecotourism project in the mangroves. A double kayak costs around ฿200 an hour, and you can also go out in a traditional rowboat with someone from the village. The money stays in the community.
- Than Mayom. The east coast waterfall, open 09:00 to 16:30.
- Salak Phet. A long bay of stilt houses and fishing boats, with seafood restaurants over the water, in the south-east corner.
- Khiri Phet. A free waterfall near Salak Phet, an easy walk from the road.
You do not need all four. Mangroves in the morning and seafood at Salak Phet make a full, gentle day.
Bang Bao and the viewpoint
Bang Bao is the shortest trip and the easiest to fit in. It is a fishing village built on stilts at the southern end of the west coast road. The long wooden pier is lined with shops, cafes and seafood restaurants, where the catch sits on ice out front and you choose by pointing. Come for a late lunch, walk to the end of the pier, then head back up the coast in time for sunset. It is also where many boat trips begin. See our Bang Bao guide.
On the way home, the viewpoint on the hill above Kai Bae, just north of Lonely Beach, is at its best in late afternoon. If you ride a motorbike, take the hills slowly: they are steep and the bends are tight. A songthaew taxi is a fine alternative, and the team here can arrange taxis, motorbike hire and tours.
Pacing them, and the weather
Waterfalls follow the rain and boats follow the sea. In the rainy months, roughly June to October, some boat trips are called off when the waves are up. This is late October, and the rain is easing, but we would still keep a boat day flexible. Book it early in your stay so a rough morning leaves you a spare day.
Falls run strongest during and just after the rainy season, roughly July to November, so now is a good time for them. By March and April some slow to a trickle, and that is when the sea is at its calmest and clearest for snorkelling.
Our rule of thumb: one trip, then back for the pool, a massage and sunset on the deck. Four or five days covers a boat day, a waterfall, the east coast and Bang Bao, with one day left for doing nothing.
If you would rather not plan it yourself, the tour desk at the resort books boat trips and will tell you what is included and when you are picked up. For the wider picture, start with our slow guide to things to do.
Quick answers
What are the best day trips from Lonely Beach, Koh Chang?
The most popular are a snorkelling boat trip to Koh Rang, a swim at Klong Plu waterfall, an east coast day with the Salak Khok mangroves and Salak Phet, and a late lunch at the Bang Bao pier. Each fits into one day.
How much does a Koh Rang snorkelling day trip cost on top of the boat price?
The marine park fee is usually ฿200 per person, and fins rent for around ฿100 if they are not included. Trip prices vary by boat and season, so ask the tour desk for the current price.
Can I visit two waterfalls in one day?
Yes. One national park ticket for foreign visitors costs ฿200 and covers both Klong Plu (08:00 to 16:30) and Than Mayom (09:00 to 16:30) on the same day. They are on opposite coasts, so start early.
Are Koh Chang day trips cancelled in the rainy season?
Boat trips can be, because they depend on the sea, and this is more likely in the rainy months from roughly June to October. Waterfalls are at their fullest then, so they are a good alternative.
