Independent travel in South-East Asia
Itineraries
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Hotels We Recommend
We have stayed at a lot of hotels in South East Asia in our travels. Some good, some bad, and some beyond belief. Here are some we have stayed in, and feel we can recommend.
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Arrive in Bangkok --> Bangkok --> Farmstay -->
Ayuthaya --> Pattaya --> Ko Samet --> Ko Chang -->
Back to Bangkok
Ayuthaya --> Pattaya --> Ko Samet --> Ko Chang -->
Back to Bangkok
Getting to Ko Chang
The minibus service from Ko Samet is actually only minibus for the first couple of hours, as it then transfers you to the VIP bus service from Bangkok, at Chanthaburi. If it were possible to get a minibus all the way, this would be considerably better, but as a standard service is does not appear available. The major problem with the transfer is timing of the minibus to meet with the VIP bus from Bangkok. Chanthaburi is about four hours from Bangkok, and it is wishful thinking to expect you will not have a considerable wait for the transfer from minibus to VIP bus. The minibus cannot afford to be late, so you have to be at the changeover point early, and as most Thailand scheduling is "idealistic", the VIP bus will normally be late. Ultimately, you will probably be waiting at a busy street corner in Chanthaburi for an hour or more.
Getting from Ko Samet to Ko Chang is a ferry/bus/ferry trip, and will take the bulk of a day to transfer between the two, although the distance is only about 250 kilometers. The return ferry from Ko Samet to Ban Phe is pretty much a reversal of the forward journey, and once arriving at the Ban Phe pier, minibus transfers to Ko Chang can easily be organized. There is a tourist desk located on the wooden forecourt in the public pier area, and this minibus service appears to cost similar to others around Ban Phe.
Your transfer is still another two hours to the piers at Laem Ngop, for transfer to either Ao Sapparot or Tha Dan Kao, on Ko Chang Island. Arrival at the piers on Ko Chang completes your transfer from Ko Samet, and you are then on your own to make your way to where you wish to stay.
Next - Where to stay in Ko Chang
Ramayana Resort Koh Chang
19/9 Moo 4 Klong Prao Beach Koh Chang
19/9 Moo 4 Klong Prao Beach Koh Chang
Aana Resort & Spa
19/2 Moo 4 Klong Praow Beach
19/2 Moo 4 Klong Praow Beach
Panviman Resort
8/15 Moo 4 Klong Prao Beach
8/15 Moo 4 Klong Prao Beach
