Phuket or Chang: choosing between two pearls of Thailand. Which is better Phuket or Koh Chang? Koh Chang or Phuket which is better?
👁 Before we start...where to book a hotel? In the world, not only Booking exists (🙈 for a high percentage from hotels - we pay!). I've been using Rumguru for a long time
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👁 And finally, the main thing. How to go on a trip without any hassle? The answer is in the search form below! Buy now. This is the kind of thing that includes flights, accommodation, meals and a bunch of other goodies for good money 💰💰 Form - below!.
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When planning a trip to any world resort, sooner or later we are faced with the need to make a choice. A trip to one of the world's resorts, Thailand, will be no exception, because there are many places where you can spend a wonderful vacation. The answer to the question of where is the best place to relax in Thailand can only be given after familiarizing yourself with the most popular places in the country among tourists. These include Phuket, Koh Samui, Krabi, Koh Chang and the capital, Bangkok.
Holidays on Koh Samui
The attractive island of Koh Samui is washed by the waters of the Gulf of Thailand. The island will become great place for those who want to spend a holiday with the whole family. Moreover, often a trip to Samui is not limited to 1-2 weeks, but extends to 1-2 months, which delights children beyond belief.
The island has wonderful beaches, exceptionally clean and clear water. In addition to relaxing directly on the island, you can visit almost one and a half hundred neighboring islands. It’s easy to do this by renting a boat or motorboat. There are also well-developed excursions on Koh Samui, allowing you to learn a lot of interesting things about the island and simply enjoy the beautiful scenery.
In recent years, holding wedding ceremonies on the island has become increasingly popular, and if previously they were carried out only according to local customs, now for a year now this can also be done according to the Orthodox rite.
Holidays in Phuket
If a holiday on Koh Samui is more relaxing, then Phuket is the complete opposite. Life here is in full swing at any time of the day or night. Washed by the waters of the Andaman Sea, the resort of Phuket has become famous throughout the world for its wonderful beaches, a wide variety of hotels of various levels, ranging from small bungalows to luxury hotels of the largest international operators, and a superbly developed entertainment industry. Also on the beaches of Phuket, various activities are very popular, including diving, snorkeling, water skiing and much more. Having listed all the advantages of a holiday in Phuket, we also note the disadvantages - the high noise level due to the abundance of discos and other entertainment venues, as well as relatively high prices.
Holidays in Krabi
Krabi is one of the most picturesque provinces in Thailand. Distinctive feature local beaches - very fine white sand, turquoise sea and plenty of greenery. Such beauty has more than once made Krabi a platform for filming feature films and documentaries. Holidays in these places provide an exceptional opportunity to experience the beauty underwater world for lovers of diving and snorkeling. Krabi is rightfully at the top of the rankings best places for holidays in Thailand.
Koh Chang
Koh Chang is an island located in the east of Thailand. A distinctive feature of the island is its almost virgin nature, combining impenetrable jungle, fishing villages, lakes, rivers and waterfalls. In the east of the island there are most of the beaches, the largest of which provides all the opportunities for entertainment. If you prefer silence, you can go either to desert island, or a deserted beach. Be sure to try the freshly prepared seafood, which the local fishermen prepare simply exceptionally.
Where is the best place to relax: Koh Chang or Krabi, Phuket or Samui
As you have already seen, each resort area in Thailand has its own specific features that attract one or another category of tourists. If you are interested leisure and nightlife - go to Phuket or Krabi, but if you want to spend a week or two in peace and quiet - you should go to Samui or Koh Chang.
For lovers excursion holiday It will be interesting in Phuket, since the territory of the island allows representatives of the local tourism industry to expand widely. And if you come to Thailand to spend more time under water, drinking tea over, then better place to implement these plans, both Samui and Koh Chang cannot be found.
👁 Do we book the hotel through Booking as always? In the world, not only Booking exists (🙈 for a high percentage from hotels - we pay!). I’ve been using Rumguru for a long time, it’s really more profitable 💰💰 than Booking.
👁 And for tickets, go to air sales, as an option. It has been known about him for a long time 🐷. But there is a better search engine - Skyscanner - there are more flights, lower prices! 🔥🔥.
👁 And finally, the main thing. How to go on a trip without any hassle? Buy now. This is the kind of thing that includes flights, accommodation, meals and a bunch of other goodies for good money 💰💰.
Koh Chang or Phuket?! Which island to choose for a holiday in Thailand!
We compare the island of Koh Chang with the island of Phuket, according to the usual tourist parameters.
It’s quite difficult to say which island is better and where we would like to return with great pleasure. If we were talking about free 3-5 days, then most likely this would be the island of Koh Chang, if for more days, then the island of Phuket in Thailand. These islands are very similar in appearance, but there are still differences:
— On the island of Phuket (more precisely, next to it) there are incomparably beautiful limestone sculptures (limestones) with caves. Excursions there are sold at all travel agencies and are inexpensive. There is no such beauty on Chang, or rather, there is beauty, but it’s not the same and it’s not in the immediate vicinity; to get it you have to sail on a speedboat for 2.5 hours.
— Phuket Island is livelier, more developed and more civilized than Koh Chang (especially with regard to Patong Beach), and the choice of excursions is much larger than on Chang. In Phuket there is a super place in the Koh Lak National Reserve - a trip to a real, untouched jungle! There are also all sorts of delights that are not on Chang: a show of crocodiles, monkeys, a butterfly and orchid garden, a small primitive zoo, a very beautiful temple with the ashes of Buddha, a luxurious Fantasia show. — On the island of Phuket, a person will not get bored and turn into a beach seal during a month of rest; during this time, a vacation can be made very diverse and eventful.
And yet Koh Chang or Phuket?
— Water sports are also more developed in Phuket. There are only kayaks on Koh Chang! There are no scooters or parachutes here, much less cheesecakes.
— It’s much easier to find a secluded holiday; Phuket is now much more crowded with tourists, especially the Chinese.
koh chang snorkeling
— on Chang, unlike Phuket, there are very shallow beaches!
— Sea on west coast Phuket is less calm (large and medium waves), more suitable for surfers. Koh Chang is located in the Gulf of Thailand and the sea there is calmer - a warm puddle. Although if your vacation falls during the high season (winter months), then the sea on the west coast of Phuket can be quite peaceful and gentle.
— Koh Chang island is much closer to Pattaya and Bangkok, and getting there is easier if we talk about ground transport— 5-6 hours by minivan or bus. Planes fly from Bangkok to Phuket - 40 minutes and you are on the island of Phuket. In addition, from Moscow there are direct flights to Phuket, to the province of Trat, which is located next to Koh Chang, the flight is only via Bangkok!
— Your favorite snorkeling (snorkeling) in Phuket, Chang and Samet is approximately the same and does not evoke much admiration after the beauty of the Red Sea of Egypt. Perhaps the only advantage of Phuket in this case is that from it you can get to the Similan Islands, where stunning turtles and whale sharks live!
not far from Phuket. Similan Islands
— On Koh Chang Island — ROMANCE — there is a great opportunity to dine under the stars on the beach, taking a table closer to the sea. The tables of some hotels are so close to the water that with the tide the sea begins to envelop your feet more and more in warm sea water over and over again - a thrill! In addition, on the beaches of these islands there are many bars and restaurants with ottomans - you can lie down while enjoying music, delicious food, the view of the starry sky and the sound of the sea. There is no such romance in Phuket. Noisy companies usually gather on the shores of Phuket Island.
And the surrounding islands. I will try to compare seaside vacation spots to give those “undecided” more information about the intended vacation spot.
Ko Lan (aka coral island) vs. Samet, Koh Chang:
- Koh Lan is certainly convenient because you can get there from Pattaya quickly and cheaply, but the sea on Koh Lan is not as clean and gentle as on the other islands listed above. On almost every beach there are jet skis, speedboats, various boats and ships, which makes the sea far from being so clean. There are none so amazing picturesque landscapes. There is also no privacy possible for Chang and Samet - even the small beaches are quite crowded. The vegetation on the island is very pathetic compared to Koh Chang, the jungle island. The sand is not so fine and white.
- On Koh Lana (at least on the small beaches, we haven’t been to the big public one) lunch and drinks are quite expensive - you can count the number of restaurants/eateries on one hand, everyone agrees to keep their prices down. For example, a bottle of local beer is 100 or 120 baht no matter where you go. On Samet and Chang there is no such disgrace; there is quite a large selection of restaurants with good, including European, cuisine.
- I don’t know exactly how it is on Koh Lan with corals and fish (I didn’t have to snorkel there), but I can assume with great confidence that the underwater world there is not as beautiful as on Chang or Samet. Still, the proximity to Pattaya should have a serious impact.
No, of course, a trip to Koh Lan will not replace your stay on Samet or Koh Chang; from there you will not bring so many impressions and amazing photographs. In any case, I don’t dare call this place a “bounty”, although it can be considered as a good alternative to the beaches in Pattaya.
Ko Chang vs. Samet:
- about the road: it takes much longer to get to Koh Chang from Pattaya. The trip from hotel to hotel took us exactly 7 hours by minibus! And a minibus is the fastest way to get by land from Pattaya to Koh Chang. It costs 550-600 baht per person one way (you can buy two ways at once open date at any travel agency). I can assume that if you get there public transport, then it will take the whole day from early morning to evening with many transfers. You will be taken to Samet in an hour and a half by minibus and about 45 minutes by boat - incomparably faster. By the way, the minibus from Pattaya to Chang goes through the same Ban Phe (there is a pier from which ferries depart for Samet), which means these 2 trips can be combined. That’s what we did - you take one way from Pattaya to Samet, and from there in Ban Phe you buy a tourist minibus to Chang (200 or 300 baht per person). From Chang, then for 550 baht you take a minibus to Pattaya. From Bangkok, by the way, it is easier and cheaper to get to Chang - a government bus runs for only 200 per person.
- Koh Chang is much larger in size and you won’t be able to walk from beach to beach, as you can, in general, do on Samet. However, on Samet, a taxi is much more expensive (200 or 250 baht to get from Malibu to the neighboring beach was paid and it’s hopeless to bargain with it). But if you live on some HatSaiKao, then there is no particular need to go to other beaches, everything you need is on this one.
- as for the jungle and beaches, Koh Chang is certainly more picturesque - this is a place where you can take hundreds of varied, amazingly beautiful photographs. There is no such a wide variety of landscapes on Samet, and the jungle is more similar not to the dense tropical jungle like on Chang, but to our forest near Moscow - it was not at all interesting to walk along the dusty road, although perhaps there are more picturesque places on this island where We didn't have a chance to visit. Koh Chang also has several waterfalls. For access to the two most beautiful ones (Khlong Phlu and Than Mayom) you will have to pay 400 baht per person for each waterfall.
- about the benefits of civilization: Koh Chang today is more developed than Samet, at least as regards the main most popular beaches White Sand Beach and Klong Prao - on the island good roads, on every corner there is virtually any rental Vehicle, offices of all major banks in Thailand, travel agencies, spa centers, 7eleven and other chain stores, hotels of different price levels and comfort, a greater variety of bars and restaurants. Koh Samet is much less developed in this regard. The roads there are no better than our country roads - huge potholes (apparently that's why taxis are so expensive on Samet).
- about how to spend time: On Samet you will get bored in 2-3 days, on Koh Chang you can safely go for a week, you will hardly be bored - 1) there are all-day excursions to the islands of the Koh Chang archipelago for diving/snorkeling, 2) an excursion to the jungle (although it is not available at all travel agencies), 3) motor boats and canoes to the nearest islands (Kai Bae beach), 3) various waterfalls and viewpoints, 4) excursion to the elephant village and elephant riding, 5) sightseeing tour on the east coast of the island (this includes a visit to the temple, fruit and rubber plantations, training in elephant management, mangrove forests, viewpoints, and something else) and it seems there is even quad biking in the jungle. There are only 2 excursions on Samet - 1) around the island on a motor boat with snorkeling and feeding the fish (3-hour excursion) 2) snorkeling on the nearby islands (pick up at 11, return at 16).
- about accommodation: on Koh Chang, hotels with hot water and air conditioning seemed cheaper than similar ones on Samet. As for the bungalow, I couldn’t find a decent one on Samet (with hot water and no terrible smells) for 600 baht. On Chang we rented the first bungalow on Kai Bae for the night for 700 baht including breakfast! It was a clean, beautiful, cozy bungalow with fan and hot water next to the sea. I couldn’t find anything similar on Samet on the beaches of Malibu, HatSaiKao and AoPhai. However, I’m not sure that something similar can be rented on Koh Chang’s White Sand Beach for 700 baht due to its popularity and proximity to the pier. Kai Bae, in comparison, is more picturesque, less populated, slightly less expensive, but also less civilized. In general, the further the beach on Chang is from the main pier, the cheaper the hotels and bungalows there are. And a lot depends on the location of the hotel itself on the beach. For example, we stayed for several days at the end of White Sand Beach at the Ploma Cliff Hotel Beach Resort amazing room with hot water, air conditioning, refrigerator, TV and good breakfast for 2000 baht by the pool (the same one not overlooking the pool cost 1700 baht). I couldn’t find the same quality for the same price in the middle and beginning of white sand beach. And apparently it’s all because the first-line hotels there go straight to the beach. And Cliffa does not have its own beach - the hotel is actually on a cliff.
- about the beaches: on Koh Chang (we swam on white sand and kai bae) they are more scenic (especially kai bae) than on Samet - driftwood, bizarrely shaped trees, swings, beautiful bungalows, small islands on the horizon, jungle thickets and green mountains in the haze - more opportunities for creative shots. On Chang, the beaches are also shallower - you can walk several hundred meters into the sea. The water is very clear, clean and calm (at least in season) - perfect place For sea holiday with baby.
To summarize, I would say that Samet is, first of all, beautiful beaches and the sea. There is no point in wasting time on the road to Koh Chang if the beach and sea are all you are interested in. Koh Chang has the same beaches and the same sea, plus a very picturesque jungle and a little more civilization on the main beaches. Personally, we liked Chang better. In general, if you have time and money, I recommend visiting both there, especially since Samet is on the road to Chang if you come from Pattaya.
Ko Chang vs. Phuket:
I’m comparing Koh Chang with Phuket, because... only Koh Chang both in appearance and development resembles Phuket, where we spent a wonderful 12 days in May last year. We spent 5 days on Chang in April 2007. It is very difficult for me to say which of the islands I liked better and where I would like to return with great pleasure. Probably, if we were talking about free 3-5 days, then I would choose Koh Chang, if for more days - Phuket. These islands are indeed quite similar in appearance, but there are still differences:
- in Phuket (more precisely, next to it) there are limestone sculptures (limestones) with caves that are incomparably beautiful. Excursions there are sold at all travel agencies and are inexpensive. There is no such beauty on Chang.
- Phuket is livelier, more civilized than Chang (especially regarding Patong Beach), and the choice of excursions in Phuket is much larger. In Phuket there is a super excursion to the Koh Lak National Reserve - a trip to a real, untouched jungle, I highly recommend it! There are also all sorts of delights that are not on Chang: a show of crocodiles, monkeys, a garden of butterflies and orchids, a small primitive zoo, a very beautiful temple with the ashes of Buddha, a luxurious show Fantasia (we liked it better than even the Bangkog Siam Niramit, in any case it was definitely done more difficult technically), etc. Thus, in Phuket, a person will not get bored during a month of vacation - the vacation can be made very diverse and eventful during this time. 12 days seemed very little to us.
- aquatic species sports are also more developed in Phuket
- it’s much easier to find a secluded holiday on Chang, Phuket is now much more crowded with tourists
- the sea on the west coast of Phuket seemed to me less calm (large and medium waves), more suitable for surfers. Koh Chang is on the bay and the sea is calmer there. But here I could be wrong, since I was in Phuket in the first half of May, at the end of the season. So if your holiday falls during the high season (winter months), then the sea on the west coast of Phuket can be quite peaceful and gentle.
- It’s hard for me to say where it’s easier to get from Bangkok. Chang is much closer to Pattaya and Bangkok, but it can hardly be said that getting there is easier when it comes to ground transport. It takes one night to travel from Bangkok to Phuket - in principle, it’s not a bad thing, but buses go to Chang only during the day (for example, it took us 7 hours from a hotel in Pattaya to a hotel in Chang by minibus). Days in Thailand are too valuable to waste on the road. In addition, there are direct flights from Moscow to Phuket (if you have already seen everything in Bangkok).
- snorkeling (snorkeling) in Phuket, Chang and Samet seemed about the same to me and did not evoke much admiration for us after the beauty of the Red Sea of Egypt. Gentlemen, are there any places in Thailand where you can enjoy the beauty of the underwater world, comparable to the beauty of the Red Sea, with only a snorkel and mask? I would be very grateful to someone who would suggest it to me. I concluded for myself that the corals in the Adaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand are quite beautiful, of course worth attention, but the fish are small, trivial and uninteresting, incomparable to the wealth of underwater life of the Red Sea, where you can easily see barracudas, octopuses, moray eels, healthy Napoleons, and much more.
- on Chang, unlike Phuket, there are very shallow beaches
- on Samet and Chang there is a great opportunity to dine under the stars on the beach, taking a table closer to the sea. The tables of some hotels are so close to the water that with the tide the sea begins to envelop your feet more and more in warm sea water over and over again - a thrill! In addition, on the beaches of these islands there are many bars and restaurants with ottomans - you can lie down while enjoying music, delicious food, views of the starry sky and the sound of the sea. I have not noticed such romance in Phuket. We were on the beaches of Kamala, Patong and Karon and Kata. But maybe I was just out of season and because of the waves on the beach at that time there were no restaurants/cafes, or did they only realize this this year? Here I would be grateful to someone who would refute me and say that the same wonderful evenings can be spent in Phuket. Write!
Pattaya vs other Thailand:
- Pattaya is, without exaggeration, a dirty, crime-ridden city, smelling of garbage dumps and sewers. This “resort” cannot be compared with other places in Thailand where we had a chance to relax. I urge everyone who takes tours to Pattaya to look at least for a couple of days at the islands remote from Pattaya - Samet or Koh Chang, and also take an excursion to Kwoi to see the real Thailand. In the vicinity of Pattaya there are several beautiful park complexes that are worth visiting. I would especially like to mention Nong Nooch, next to it (15 minutes by car) is the Chinese monastery-museum Wat Yansangwararam, the Temple of Truth (next to the dolphin show - do not waste time there under any circumstances! It’s terribly primitive!), 3 kingdom park, tiger zoo, Mini Siam is also not bad.
And finally, which beaches would I recommend staying on if you don’t want to get bored in the evening:
- on Samet HatSaiKao or AoPhai or adjacent to it (at worst Malibu)
- on Koh Chang White Sand Beach, Klong Prao or Kai Bae
- in Phuket Patong
I wouldn't mind discussing what's written here with other people. After all, this comparison is based on my not very extensive experience of being on these islands. Surely someone has a different experience and will be able to add something to this “report” or object to something. Write, I will be glad to hear your opinions!
Yuri
[email protected]
Where is it better to relax, on Samui or Phuket, Koh Chang or Krabi?
IN last years Thailand is becoming more and more popular tourist destination. This is facilitated by the extraordinary beautiful nature And rich story, an excellent climate that allows you to relax on the beach all year round, and a rapidly developing tourism infrastructure. Thailand big country and the choice of places to stay is also quite large. Where it is better to relax in Thailand, everyone decides for themselves - a matter of personal taste and preference. But in order to choose the right place to relax, you need to know well about all its pros, cons and features.
Holidays in Phuket
Phuket attracts with its amazing nature and beautiful beaches. It is located on the Adamant coast of Thailand. The tourism infrastructure here is well developed and many people come here to relax often. A large number of hotels of different levels - from multi-storey five-star giants to small guesthouses providing vacationers with bungalows made of bamboo mats - allows you to choose a vacation for every taste and budget. Except beach holiday and traditional water activities, diving and snorkeling, Phuket offers a rich excursion program. Multi-day trips to the distant Similan Islands are very popular, where there are very beautiful and colorful corals, and the water temperature allows you to be underwater without a wetsuit.
The nightlife on this island is almost as active as in Pattaya - the famous entertainment center countries. Holidays in Phuket also have some disadvantages: it is a rather noisy place where many tourists gather, and the prices here are not low.
Holidays on Koh Samui
Koh Samui is located in the Gulf of Thailand. It is suitable for those who want to take a break from the hustle and bustle. There is less entertainment here than in Phuket, but it is very quiet here, the beaches are clean and the water is clear. This perfect place for a relaxing holiday with family or friends. Children often stay on the island for a vacation for several months - although the prices here are not very low, the vacation is much cheaper than in Pattaya or Phuket.
What attracts people most to Koh Samui are clean sandy beaches and crystal clear water, the opportunity to relax on the nearby islands (there are 132 nearby), which can be reached by rented boat. They also offer a variety of excursions on Samui - for several hours, for one or two days. If you are satisfied with this prospect - for you best vacation on Koh Samui.
Recently people often come to Koh Samui to spend wedding ceremony. And if until recently there was nowhere to get married according to the Orthodox rite, then in the summer of 2013, not far from the famous stones, “Grandmother and Grandfather” was built Orthodox Church. Now a wedding on Samui can take place not only according to the Thai rite, you can also get married in a new temple.
Holidays in Krabi
Krabi is an entire province consisting of many islands. The entire province is named after the largest of them. The local beaches are distinguished by very fine and white sand, which shimmers and sparkles in the sun. Combined with the bright turquoise sea, blue sky and dense greenery, it makes a very impressive impression. More than one film and commercial have been shot on the beaches of Krabi – the local landscapes are very picturesque. There is plenty to do in Krabi for scuba diving enthusiasts - there are many colorful coral reefs, underwater caves and beautiful lagoons between the islands.
Half of the island is occupied by mountains, so in addition to beach holidays and diving, people come here for rock climbing. There is also nightlife here. Not as active and varied as in Phuket, but also quite intense. This island is included in the list of the best holiday destinations in Thailand.
Koh Chang Archipelago
Koh Chang is an archipelago of more than 50 islands that stretch along the eastern border of Thailand (near the border with Cambodia). The largest of the islands, Koh Chang, was opened to tourists just 10 years ago and boasts untouched nature. Most of The islands are occupied by mountains and covered with jungle. Almost all beaches are concentrated on east coast. The island has impenetrable jungles and rubber plantations, tropical fruit gardens, mountain rivers and lakes, waterfalls and quiet creeks, fishing villages with their traditional way of life and fashionable hotels with many vacationers. All this fits on a small island.
On Chang you can stay in multi-storey 4 and 5 star hotels and in simple bungalows. You can relax on the vast party beach with a whole bunch of entertainment, or move to a small, secluded, uncrowded beach or go to a desert island for the whole day. IN fishing villages located on south side, you can taste freshly caught seafood - they are prepared simply amazingly here.
Where is better, Phuket or Koh Samui, Krabi or Koh Chang
Each of the islands of Thailand provides wonderful recreational opportunities. On any of them you can find a fashionable hotel or a modest bungalow, spend time on the beach or on excursions. But for those who like active nightlife A holiday in Phuket or Krabi would be more suitable. For those who prefer a quiet, relaxing holiday away from the hustle and bustle, Koh Chang and Samui are more suitable, although there are quiet areas in Krabi.
For lovers of various excursions, Phuket will be more interesting - it is the largest of the islands with a fairly extensive excursion program. For fans of diving and snorkeling, a holiday on Koh Chang or Samui is more interesting, although there is something to do on the other islands. Choose the best place to vacation in Thailand based on your interests and preferences, buy trips and enjoy!