AROUND CHANG ISLAND

In general the more interesting hikes can be found in the southern half of the Chang island where there are fewer roads. At the northern end you can walk form Khlong Son beach to Hat Sai Khao beach in about 1 ½ to two hours, from Hat Sai Khao beach to Hat Khlong Phrao beach in about two hours, and from Hat Khlong Phrao beach to Hat Kaibae beach in about two hours. All three are straightforward walks along the main road. If you’re looking for more grunts, just head into the interior – the steep, forested hills will have you sweating in no time. A footpath connects Khlong Phrao beach on the west coast with Khlong Mayom beach on the east, but this all-day cross-island route shouldn’t be undertaken without a local guide. Hedi at the White House Bakery at Hat Sai Khao beach has information on local guides.

Down south a challenging walk is to hike from Kaibae beach to Ao Bang Bao beach through coconut and rubber plantations – this takes three to four hours and is a bit more involved. You may have to ask directions from villagers along the way as there are several interconnecting trails.

Don’t try the walk from Bang Bao beach to Salak Phet beach unless you’re and experienced tropical hiker with moderate orienteering skills – there’s a lot of up-and-down and many interconnecting trails. A Swede who hiked the entire perimeter of the Chang Island suggested that for this part of the island you carry a note in Thai reading ‘I would like to go to Salak Phet beach. I like very much to walk in the jungle and have done it before. Please show me the start of this trail’. If you don’t get lost, this hike will take four to six hours; should you decide to attempt it, carry should you decide to attempt it, carry enough food and water for an overnight, just in case. If you do get lost, climb the nearest hilltop and try to locate the sea or a stream to get a bearing. Following any stream will usually take you either to a village or to the sea. Then you can either follow the coast or ask directions. This advice is also good for hiking anywhere across the island, as it is very easy to get lost on the many intersecting, unmarked trails. At the south-east end of Ao Bang Bao beach, around a headland that leads to Ao Salak Phet beach, is a beautiful and secluded beach, Hat Wai Chek beach.

On the east side of the Chang Island it’s a one hour walk between Dan Mai beach and Than Mayom beach, two hours between Dan Mai beach and Sai Thong beach(or between Khlong Son beach and Sai Thong beach). Salak Kok beach to Salak Phet beach is straightforward and takes around three hours. The estuary at Ao Salak Kok beach’s western end boasts one of the best mangrove systems in Thailand, though like other coastal wetlands it’s threatened by increased shrimp farming.

A hike around the entire island can be done at a comfortable place in a week to 10 days. Remember to carry plenty of water and watch out for snakes - a few poisonous varieties live on the Chang Island.

CHANG ISLAND

Chang Island national marine park (Elephant Island) is at 492 sq.km, Thailand’s second largest island after Phuket Island. The entire park officially encompasses 192 sq.km of land surface, and 458 sq.km of sea. Change Island itself is about 70% undisturbed island rainforest – the best preserved in Thailand. Beach forest and mangrove are also found in abundance.

Other major islands in the park include Kut Island, Mak Island and Wai Island. Chang Island is ringed with small bays and beaches, among them Ao Khlong Son beach, Hat Sai Khao beach, Ao Khlong Phrao beach, Hat Kaibae beach, Ao Bang Bao beach and Ao Salak Phet beach. Near each of these beaches are small villages.

Until rather recently there wasn’t a single paved road on Chang Island, only red dirt roads between Khlong Son beach and Hat Kaibae beach on the west coast of the Chang Island, and between Khlong Son beach and Ban Salak Phet beach on the east side, plus walking trails passable by motorcycle from Kaibae beach to Bang Bao beach and Salak Kok beach to Salak Phet beach. Road crews are working to extend the road along the west side. A paved section now exists between Khlong Son beach/Ao Sapparot beach and Khlong Phroa beach, and Trat authorities say the Chang Island will have a paved ring road – or at least the beginnings of one – within the next two or three years. Electricity now come form the mainland to the northern part of the island via a submarine cable and power lines will probably continue to follow the sealing of the roads around the island.

Mostly Thai people around 75,000 a year who like to arrive on weekends and holidays only, stay for 24 hours or less, and stay in the more expensive accommodation. The non Thai tourist average stay around 5 days; a small number of visitors take up residence for weeks on end.

As with other national marine parks in Thailand, park status versus resort development is a hot issue. On Chang Island, so far everyone seems to be in agreement about what parkland is and what isn’t. Any land that was planted before the conferral of park status in 1982 can be privately deeded, bought, sold and developed – this includes many beach areas used for coconut plantations, or about 15% of the Chang Island. The Forestry Department makes regular flights over the island to check for encroachment on the 85% belonging to the national park mostly in the interior – and they are said to be very strict with interlopers.