Bike Trip to Koh Chang Island

Over recent years, Koh Chang has become famous for being a tourist destination untouched by modernization, and the National Park Koh Chang is blessed with fertile virgin rain-forest, unexplored jungles, high mountain peaks, breathtaking waterfalls, beautiful beaches and a spectacular coastline road which almost circles the whole island. A Perfect scenery for a mountain bike adventure.

Fresh from the ferry we arrive at Koh Chang, at a little convenience store we stop to buy some energy drinks, water and a few snacks. The ferry pier seems almost like a little village in its own right and an excellent starting point for our mountain bike trip.

Our goal is to circle the island within, not a easy task, even with the road being 95 percent paved, the coastal road is full of impossible climbs and dangerous downhills. After the first 5 kilometer we already feel our legs, nothing to worry about as we roll down to White Beach, a very touristic area of Koh Chang, with this flat road we can make finally some progress and after about 8 kilometers the road starts to go up and climbing is again upon us. After the flat road of White Sand our muscles are now warmed up and we now can do the climbing much easier, it then also not takes long before we reach a sign that says Koh Chang Viewpoint and we decide to check it out, the view is excellent.

Around here we also realize that getting around the island in one day is maybe a bit to much for a recreational ride, also we risk the being stranded on the island as the ferry stops its service on 19:00. So we plan to look for a hotel, nothing to fancy or to expensive. Our first try is down the road, a resort called Siam Bay Resort and they have hill-side bungalows for 1,200 Baht per night. The good part of this hill side bungalows is that they have enough space so we can keep our bikes inside at the night.

The adventure continues, now with lots of less luggage to carry around. After something of 8 to 9 kilometer we arrive at the small fishing village of Ban Bang Bao, it's main tourist attraction is a pier in the water with a few restaurants. It doesn't hold our interest that long and we continue the road to the north-east. After something what seems like 10 kilometers, which is actual more likely 3 or 4 kilometer we arrive at the last part of civilization. If you look at the any survey map to the area you will see that the roads ends here... But on the end of the road you can see that it not stops here. And we have about 2 kilometer of unpaved road in front of us, after about 3 kilometer of paved and unpaved road on which we encounter several unforeseen obstacles we again consider to ride on or turn back to our luxurious bungalow and enjoy our weekend a bit without using the pedals.

The beach, the hunger and the sea view from Siam Bay Resort win and we turn back, anyway we not consider this trip not a complete failure... we did circle Koh Chang for about 55 percent.