Centara Koh Chang Tropicana Resort – Klong Prao Beach

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Centara Koh Chang Tropicana Resort – Full Review

Overview

Centara Koh Chang Tropicana is one of the island’s best-known family resorts. Spread across extensive gardens right on Klong Prao Beach, it has 157 rooms and cabanas in low-rise wings and stand-alone units, plus two outdoor pools (one a big lagoon pool with slides), kids’ club, spa, gym and direct beach access.

If you’ve stayed in other Centara properties in Thailand, the vibe will feel familiar: very resort-y, lots of greenery, plenty of loungers and parasols, multiple bars and a big breakfast operation. Here on Koh Chang, that translates into long beach days, children happily occupied and adults drifting between sunbeds, spa and beach bar.

Location – Central Klong Prao Beach

The resort sits roughly in the middle of Klong Prao Beach:

• Right on the sand, backing onto Mu Ko Chang National Park and fronting a wide, gently shelving beach.
• A short taxi or songthaew ride from both Klong Prao village and the shops/eateries at Chai Chet.
• Roughly 20 minutes by road from the ferry piers, and under 15 minutes from White Sand Beach or Kai Bae.

You’re not in the thick of a village, but you don’t feel isolated either if you want cheaper food or a change of scene, it’s easy to flag down a pickup or rent a scooter.

Atmosphere

Centara Tropicana feels like a self-contained holiday village:

• Families dominate in school holiday periods, with kids dividing their time between the slides, kids’ club and beach. 
• Couples and older guests tend to stake out quieter corners of the gardens or the adult-friendly pool areas.
• The general soundtrack is kids playing, splashing and occasional poolside activities rather than thumping music.

If you want an intimate hideaway, this isn’t it. If you like a mildly busy, resorty buzz and don’t mind sharing your breakfast buffet with a few tour groups, it works well.

Rooms & Cabanas

Rooms are spread across garden wings and cabana clusters, all low-rise and immersed in greenery. Official descriptions emphasise their size,  42-60m² depending on category and that’s borne out by OTA listings: even the entry-level Superior rooms are generous by city-hotel standards. 

Main Categories

• Superior Garden View: Around 42m², located in garden wings with balconies overlooking palm trees and paths. Can sleep 3 with an extra bed; some interconnect with Deluxe Garden View rooms. 
• Deluxe Garden View / Deluxe Ocean Facing: Larger (approx. 45-48m²), often closer to the beach with partial sea or pool views; king or twin beds, sofa corner and upgraded furnishings. 
• Deluxe Cabana / Premium Deluxe Cabana: Stand-alone or semi-detached cabanas nestled in the gardens, some nearer the beach, with higher ceilings and a more “bungalow” feel. These are the most sought-after units for couples. 

Common in-room features include:

• Air-conditioning and ceiling fan
• Balcony or terrace with seating
• LCD TV with international channels
• Mini-fridge/minibar, tea/coffee set and in-room safe
• Work desk and sofa/daybed in larger categories
• Bathroom with bathtub and shower over tub, plus toiletries and hairdryer :

Guest reviews consistently praise the size and comfort of the rooms. “Spacious”, “comfortable beds”, “good air-con”  but they also frequently mention that décor and bathrooms are dated and in need of refurbishment. Bathrooms in particular get flagged for old fixtures, discoloured grout and tired tiling. 

Facilities

Centara Tropicana’s facilities are where it earns its keep as a family resort:

• Two Outdoor Pools: A large lagoon-style beachfront pool with slides and shallow areas for kids, plus another pool further back in the gardens. Both have plenty of sunbeds and umbrellas. 
• Jacuzzi & Sauna: Built into the pool and spa area, handy for adults looking to escape water-slide duty.
• Spa Cenvaree: On-site spa offering Thai and aromatherapy massages, body treatments and facials. 
• Fitness Centre: Decent-sized gym with cardio machines and free weights  often singled out as “better than expected for an island resort”. 
• Kids’ Club & Playground: Organised activities, indoor play space and outdoor playground; plus beach volleyball, yoga and other daytime activities for all ages. 
• On-site Activities: Kayaks, beach volleyball, occasional classes (Thai cooking, fruit carving) and evening entertainment in high season.
• Business & Events: Meeting rooms and conference space (around 280m²) for corporate groups and weddings. 

Beach & Swimming

Klong Prao Beach is one of Koh Chang’s most user-friendly beaches, and Centara sits on a particularly nice section:

• Soft, light sand with a gentle slope into the sea, good for kids and relaxed swimming when the sea is calm. 
• Wide enough that even with multiple resorts, beach bars and sunbeds, it rarely feels crowded outside of peak Thai holidays.
• Sunsets drop straight out to sea for most of the high season; palm trees and casuarinas frame the view nicely.

There are a few rocks at the extremes of the bay and occasional debris after storms, and some recent reviews complain that the beach could be cleaned more aggressively of natural and plastic rubbish  something that fluctuates with season and tides. 

Food & Breakfast

Food is generally a strong point:

• Breakfast: Large buffet with eggs station, breads/pastries, cereals, fruit, salads and a rotating selection of Thai and Asian dishes. Many guests call it “excellent” and “varied”, especially for families. 
• Restaurants: Two main outlets,  a beachfront restaurant and another in the garden/near lobby,  offering Thai and international cuisine. Weekend or seasonal seafood buffets and BBQs get particularly good feedback.

The main gripe is price: food and drink are considerably more expensive than local restaurants on the main road, which is unsurprising for a branded resort but worth bearing in mind if you’re on a tighter budget. 

How Centara Tropicana Compares to Other Klong Prao Resorts

• Versus Koh Chang Paradise / Klong Prao Resort: All three cater well to families. Paradise and Klong Prao have more traditional Thai resort styling and sometimes better-kept rooms, while Centara usually wins on kids’ club, slides and organised activities. 
• Versus Santhiya Tree: Santhiya is more upmarket and boutique-luxury, with private pool villas and a quieter vibe; Centara is busier, more family-oriented and generally cheaper per night.
• Versus VAYNA / Barali: VAYNA and Barali are smaller, design-driven and more adult-leaning; Centara is bigger, less stylish and more about facilities and kids. 

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Excellent pools, including slides and kids’ areas
• Great beachfront location on one of Koh Chang’s best swimming beaches
• Extensive facilities: spa, gym, kids’ club, activities, conference rooms
• Spacious rooms and cabanas, many with garden/ocean aspects
• Strong breakfast and well-reviewed buffets

Cons

• Rooms/bathrooms need refurbishment to fully match luxury branding
• Busy and noisy at times, especially around pools and breakfast
• On-site food and drink are relatively expensive
• Some operational niggles e.g.  housekeeping timing, key cards, minor maintenance appear regularly in reviews

Who Should Stay at Centara Koh Chang Tropicana?

Great choice for:

• Families with kids who want slides, kids’ club and plenty of space
• Groups who like resort-style holidays with everything on-site
• First-time Koh Chang visitors wanting something familiar and easy

Probably not ideal for:

• Travellers hunting for boutique charm or ultra-modern design
• Couples who want total peace and minimal children around
• Guests who are extremely picky about room modernity and bathroom finishes

Value for Money

With nightly rates typically in the mid-range for a branded 4 star★ and frequent deals via OTA and Centara’s own site, Centara Tropicana offers decent value if you’re going to use the pools, kids’ facilities and beachfront location. Guests who arrive expecting gleaming, new-build luxury sometimes feel underwhelmed by the rooms, but families and repeat visitors often overlook the cosmetic ageing because the kids love the pools and the grown-ups love the convenience.

Final Thoughts

Centara Koh Chang Tropicana Resort is one of those places where the memories are less about the room décor and more about the days: kids racing down the water slides, lazy swims in the lagoon pool, cocktails under the palm trees, and sunset walks along Klong Prao Beach. If those are the moments you care about, and you’re happy to accept slightly older rooms in exchange, it’s a very solid choice.

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