Klong Kloi Beach, Bangbao
Located a kilometre to the east of Bangbao, Klong Kloi beach is Koh Chang’s main ‘undiscovered’ beach. A few yes ago there was nothing here apart from the house of the local family that own the land and the laughable, monstrosity that is Grand Lagoona Resort at the far end of the beach.
The beach has the best views of any on the island as it faces south towards Koh Klum, Koh Wai, Koh Mak and on a clear day, Koh Kood. There’s always some marine activity with boats coming and going from Bangbao pier. It has remained quiet as the pick up truck taxi drivers are too lazy to drive down there, meaning you either need your own transport to get there or have to plan on walking from Bangbao village. ( Unless you stay at the Sea huts in Bangbao who provide a free boat service to the beach.)
Over the past couple of years that’s all changed. There are now several beach restaurants, massage places, bars and even a couple of bungalow resorts. One K.K. Hut is basic – ensuite fan bungalows for a few hundred baht/night. The other, the brand new, as of March 2010, Tropical Beach Resort comprises rather stylish circular AC bungalows which are priced very competitively at 1,100 or 1,500 baht/night.
After parking your bike, walk over the rickety wooden bridge to the most developed area of the beach. If you are Russian you’ll grab the first available deckchair and will stay put for the next few hours. But it’s worth walking a few hundred metres further, to K.K Hut & Restaurant and the neighbouring Ernie Barnes beach bar for a quieter, more laid back places to eat & drink.
Close by you can see the new Chivapuri housing development. This is what happens when wealthy Thais with no previous building experience get together and try to build something to appeal to foreign buyers. Very nice villas have been built Houses are built directly behind each other and only a few metres apart. That coupled with a bizarre sales strategy that allows lucky buyers only 15 years use of the home for either 6 or 9 million baht means that this is one development that is pretty much guaranteed to never have any buyers.
Finally, close to Grand Lagoona, you’ll find the new Tropical Beach Resort. It’s a ghost resort now with very few guests. Hardly surprising as it only opened a month or two ago. But you are sure to see the name being promoted on online booking sites in the coming year.
