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A jungle walk on
the wild side.
 The majority of visitors get as far as
the beach and a snorkelling trip and possibly an elephant ride but that's it
as far as activities go. One reason for the lack of trekkers is that
it isn't something that you can easily do on your own without a guide.
Many people like to go hill walking but here are usually plenty of marked
trails in National Parks. In Thailand many of the major parks have
marked trails which are well signposted and easy to follow. However,
on KC the National Park staff are more interested in taking 200 baht of
foreign tourists wanting to walk 400 metres to see a waterfall than they are
in providing any useful services such as marked trails.
Therefore, you need a guide. Most
guides are locals who know the areas and will happily take people up into
the jungle when they have free time. However, there are very few
licensed tour guides doing trekking work and even fewer who speak enough
English and also know enough about the flora and fauna that you will see to be able to actually guide you, rather than
you just playing 'Follow
the leader' up a hill.
Meet Your Guide
“Welcome to the Jungle!” My name is
Tan. I hope you are enjoying your holiday on Koh Chang and can find some
time to let me show you the real highlight of Koh Chang – the tropical
rainforest.
I have been a fully qualified tour
guide, licensed by the Tourist Authority of Thailand, for over 10 years. I
started out in Chiang Mai where I studied Tourism & Hotel management at
university and worked as a trekking guide. I then had the chance to move to
Australia to study Film & TV production and study English. Having lived
there for over 6 years I decided it was time to return home to work in the
south of Thailand.
I spent 3 years, right up until the
Tsunami hit, working as a guide in Phuket, Trang & Krabi area. The hotel I
worked for was destroyed but I survived and decided to move somewhere a
little safer to find my next job. I chose Koh Chang and immediately fell in
love with the island.
I have been living here since 2005 and
have spent a long time planning and making my own, unique trekking routes
which suit people of all ages and levels of fitness.
Please come and join me for a trek to
find out more about the plants and animals that live in the National Park
and to see parts of Koh Chang that are still unaffected by tourism.
About the Four Trekking programs
1). Klong Son Trek
This was the first trekking route
mapped out by Tan. You'll head through fruit plantations and up to the
top of Khao Chedi, around 500 metres above sea level. You'll have
lunch on the top and then descend via a different route to a small river and
waterfall where you'll be able to cool off and swim before you return home.
2). Klong Son Trek + Elephant Trek.
Finish you day with an elephant ride at
the nearby Baan Kwan Chang elephant camp. After the trek, you will
walk down to the camp where you can take a ride and feed the elephants
before returning to your hotel.
3). Khao Jom Trek
Khao Jom is the 630 metre peak that
towers over White Sand Beach. This trek will take you to the summit. The
terrain, heat and humidity combine to make this trek challenging. In all you
will be walking for approximately 6 hours and will be left with a very
memorable day out.
The trek begins by walking through the
flat fruit fields and rubber plantations in Klong Son valley before you
start to climb up to Khao Chedi, and then descent into a valley before
heading up to the summit of Khao Jom. On the way up you may see monkeys and
also wild boar traps laid by local hunters plus numerous species of lizard,
spider and forest plants that inhabit this area.
Once you reach the top you will be
rewarded with breathtaking views across the jungle clad hills and valleys of
Koh Chang. Directly below is White Sand beach and to the south Klong Prao
and Kai Bae beaches stretch into the distance. You may even see flying below
you some of the rare Hornbills and Eagles that live in this area. Then,
having rested and eaten lunch on the summit, it is then time to start
heading down.
After a hot day in the jungle, the
final stop on the descent is at a water hole in the jungle where you can
relax and swim in a cool mountain stream before you head back to your hotel.
** I did the Khao Jom trek in
July 2008, in the rainy season, this isn't a trek for anyone wanting an easy
stroll in the jungle. It's a long day that will leave you feeling
totally shattered - but with a great feeling of achievement when you look
back at where you've walked. Photos and
story **
4). Half Day Family Trek
If you are travelling with young
children, or are looking for a gentle introduction to the jungle, this trek
is for you.
The half day trek starts at 9.00am in
Klong Prao village. We’ll follow a track inland, on the way you will also
see some of the plants that only live in the jungle and we will also pass
through fruit and rubber tree plantations, where we can also see how the
trees are tapped and rubber is produced.
There are no steep climbs on this trek
and most of the terrain is flat, but you will get some great views of the
inland mountains. During the trek we will also stop to cool down and swim at
a waterhole in the river. So don’t forget your swimsuit!
We’ll finish the trek at around
12.00pm at Chang Chutiman elephant camp, where you can feed the elephants
before you are taken back to your hotel.
Group Size
The minimum is two people, maximum is 6
people. No large groups. You will be picked up from your hotel between
8:30 - 9:00 am and will get back to your hotel between 4:30 - 6:00 pm if you
are on a full day trek.
Schedule & Price from 1 Oct 2008 - 31
May 2009
|
Day |
Trek |
Price |
|
Monday & Friday |
Klong Son Trek |
900 Baht |
|
Tuesday & Saturday |
Klong Son Trek + Elephant Trek |
1,300 Baht |
|
Wednesday & Sunday |
Khao Jom Trek |
1,000 Baht |
|
Thursday |
Half Day Family Trek |
600 Baht |
Price include transportation from
& to your hotel, lunch, fruit, water, backpack (* Half day trek - lunch
not included )
How to book
When you're on Koh Chang you can call
Tan direct at: 089.645.2019 to book. (His mobile will probably be switched off whilst
he is trekking, so evenings are the best time to reach him). Please
tell him that you got his phone number from this site.
If you want to book in advance you can
do so by email - see below the photos. No advance payment is required,
you will be asked to pay Tan on the day of your trek. But you'll need
to contact Tan when you are on Koh Chang to confirm your booking.
Photos
These were taken by a couple of Tan's
customers in 2007-08
Heading up the hill . . .
Through the jungle . . .
If you make it to the top of Khao
Jom, you'll get this view
Taking a shortcut to the swimming hole . . .
Now you're in the jungle . . .
Cooling off at a larger pool. . .
Tan will carry your lunch, drinking water and fruit
with him . . .
You'll learn a bit about the flora and fauna in a
jungle.
Heading down . . .
Optional elephant trek at the end of the day . . .
Email bookings / Enquiry
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