On Lonely Beach the sun sets at around 18:00 in late October. Here is when to take your seat, where the best views are and how to fit the evening around your day.
On Lonely Beach, on the south-west coast of Koh Chang, the sun sets at around 18:00 in late October. That is the figure for today, and it is a good rule of thumb for the rest of the week. Be in your seat about twenty minutes earlier, and stay a few minutes after the sun has gone.
The whole west coast faces the open sea, so every beach on this side of the island gets a sunset over the water. You do not need to go anywhere special. You only need to be facing west with a cold drink.
The time and the light
Around 18:00 is the time we give guests for Lonely Beach today. The time shifts a little as the weeks go by, so treat it as a guide and check on the day if you are planning something tight, such as a boat or a photograph.
The colour does not arrive at the moment the sun touches the horizon. On the deck here the sky turns gold first, then orange, then pink, and the longtail boats go dark against it. The best light is usually in the twenty minutes before sunset, and the afterglow that follows is often better than the sunset itself.
Where to watch it
You have several good choices, and none of them costs anything.
- On the deck at Paradise Cottage. The sunset happens right in front of you, with the rocks glowing below. Claim a sala, order something cold from the bar and you have done the best thing on Koh Chang before dinner. The shore here is rocky, so it is a place for sunsets rather than paddling.
- On the sand at Lonely Beach. The sandy part of the beach is a 10 to 15 minute walk from the resort. Walk it at golden hour and you can watch the sky reflected in the wet sand.
- At the viewpoint above Kai Bae. The hill just north of Lonely Beach is the island's famous viewpoint, and late afternoon is golden there. If you ride a motorbike, leave with light to spare: the hills are steep and the bends are tight.
- At Bang Bao. The stilt village is at the southern end of the west coast road. Have a late lunch on the pier, then head back up the coast in time for the evening.
Our guide to Bang Bao explains what to expect on the pier.
When to arrive
Here is a simple order of play for a sunset evening, with the sun going down at about 18:00:
- About twenty minutes before sunset, find your seat and order a drink. Cocktails at sunset are what the bar is for.
- As the light goes gold, take your photographs. This is the moment for them.
- When the sun meets the sea, put the phone down for a minute and simply watch.
- After the sun has gone, stay put for five minutes or more. The pink and the afterglow usually come once the sun has dipped out of sight.
After that, dinner is a few steps away in the restaurant, which serves Thai and international dishes. Or walk towards Lonely Beach, where the bars and live music start once the light fades.
Cloudy and rainy evenings
Not every evening is clear. In the green season, roughly June to October, the rain comes in bursts and some days are grey from morning to night. You will still get the sunset on many of those evenings, but sometimes the cloud wins.
On those days a covered sala is the best seat. You can watch a storm roll in over the sea from under the thatch, which is its own kind of show. Late October is the easing end of the rain, so it is worth keeping the evening free and deciding late in the afternoon, when you can see what the sky is doing. In the drier months, roughly November to February, you can expect blue skies and a much better chance of colour.
Planning the day around it
The nice thing about a sunset at 18:00 is how much day you get before it. Klong Plu waterfall closes at 16:30, so a morning swim there leaves you plenty of time to be back on the deck. Klong Plu is about half an hour's ride north of Lonely Beach, and our waterfall guide has the hours and the ticket details.
A sunset day could look like this: a swim at the waterfall in the morning, a late lunch at Bang Bao, a slow ride or songthaew taxi back up the coast, then a massage and a sala on the deck with a little time in hand. If you want more ideas, our slow guide to things to do on Koh Chang builds whole days like this.
If you would like the sunset from your own doorstep, the Front Sea View bungalows face the water at Paradise Cottage, and the deck is a short walk from every bungalow. Message the team on WhatsApp if you would like us to help plan the day around it.
Quick answers
What time is sunset on Koh Chang?
On Lonely Beach the sun sets at around 18:00 in late October. The time moves a little through the year, so check on the day if your plans are tight.
Which side of Koh Chang has the sunset?
The west coast. It faces the open sea, so every beach there, including Lonely Beach, sees the sun set over the water.
How early should I arrive to watch the sunset?
About twenty minutes before sunset, when the sky turns gold. Stay for the afterglow once the sun has gone, as it is often the best part.
Can I watch the sunset from the beach at Paradise Cottage?
The shore in front of the resort is rocky, so it is for sunsets rather than paddling. You watch from the deck and the salas. The sandy part of Lonely Beach is a 10 to 15 minute walk away.
