Koh Chang Ranong
Quiet Island, Calm Beaches, Simple Huts

🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026

First, let's get one thing straight, because people mix this up all the time: Koh Chang Ranong is a completely different island from Koh Chang in Trat, on the opposite side of the country. The Trat one sits in the Gulf of Thailand and is a large island with upscale resorts. Koh Chang Ranong is on the Andaman side, a small island that's still raw and quiet. Foreigners call it Koh Chang Noi or Little Koh Chang to keep the two apart.

The island is shaped a bit like a crouching elephant. It isn't large, and you can walk or take a longtail boat around it easily. The charm here is in how there's nothing: no convenience store, no ATM, no loud bars. Just sand, sea, wooden huts, and a handful of small restaurants. People who get this island fall hard for it, while those who want their comforts may find it a touch rough. We'll tell you both sides straight.

Beaches on Koh Chang Ranong

Koh Chang Ranong has only a few main beaches, each with its own feel. The west side is where you get the best sunsets and the densest cluster of places to stay, while the beaches to the south and north are quieter and harder to reach.

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Where to stay — cheap beachfront bungalows

Almost every place to stay on Koh Chang Ranong is a wooden bungalow. Some sit right on the sand, others hide in the trees. Prices mostly run around 600-800 THB a night in high season. Rooms are simple, some have only a fan, hot water is hit or miss, and electricity usually runs only part of the day (many places fire up a generator from evening to late night). If you expect a city-style hotel, this isn't it. But if you can roll with the simplicity, it's worth it for the setting you get.

• Sunset Bungalows (Long Beach) — beachfront huts on Long Beach with sunset views, around 600-800 THB. Good location, easy walk to restaurants.
• Lae Tawan (Ao Daeng) — quiet bungalows in Ao Daeng, around 700-800 THB. Good for getting away from it all.
• Mama's Bungalows (Ao Daeng) — a long-running spot with its own cafe and a friendly, laid-back feel.
• Green Banana Bungalows (Ao Lek) — over on the remote Ao Lek side, around 700-800 THB, with better mobile signal than you'd expect.
• Koh Chang Resort Ranong — a larger beachfront operator with its own pier, an option for anyone who wants more amenities than the typical bungalow.

Getting to Koh Chang Ranong

The departure point for Koh Chang is Pak Nam Ranong Pier (the same pier used for Koh Phayam), in Pak Nam subdistrict, Mueang district. From the town center or the Ranong bus terminal, you can take songthaew line 3 or line 4 down to the pier. It doesn't take long and costs just a few baht.

• Speedboat — around 350 THB per person, about 30-35 minutes. In high season there are several departures, e.g. 09:30 and 10:30 from Ranong.
• Slow boat (wooden boat) — around 200 THB per person, about 1-1.5 hours. Fewer departures, usually one in the morning and one in the afternoon.
• Private longtail charter — around 3,000 THB per boat, which you can split as a group. Good for larger groups or anyone who wants to choose their own time.

Speedboats usually dock at the newer pier on the east side of the island. At some landing spots there's still no permanent pier, so you may have to wade through water — be ready for that and pack a dry bag. Once you reach the island, just tell the boat driver which beach you're headed to, or there are motorbike taxis waiting at the pier. Rides to the various beaches run around 100-150 THB.

Best season to go, and when to avoid

Ranong is known as the rainiest province in Thailand, so Koh Chang has a clear high season: November to April, when the sea is calm, skies are clear, boats run easily, and every place is open. May to October is the rainy season, with rough seas, difficult boat access, and many places closed for months. If you're planning a trip, aim for the high season.

What to eat on the island

There are only a few restaurants on the island, most of them small kitchens attached to a guesthouse or a beachside spot. The menus are made-to-order Thai food, seafood depending on the catch, and a few places do Western dishes for foreign visitors. Prices are reasonable, but don't expect a huge range, since all the ingredients have to come over by boat.

• Sunshine Cafe — Thai food, with a small Sunday market on some weeks.
• Mama's Cafe — does both Thai and German food, over on the Ao Daeng side.
• Tsunami Bar — a chilled-out, reggae-leaning beach bar, good for an evening drink.
• Baan Suan — familiar Thai dishes at easy prices.

Koh Chang Ranong 3-day, 2-night plan

This island isn't suited to a day trip, since just getting there by boat eats up time. Its charm is in staying a while and letting yourself slow down. Here's an easygoing 3-day, 2-night plan to use as a guide.

What to know before you go (the honest version)

• Electricity runs only part of the day; many places only fire up a generator from evening to late night, so charge your devices while the power's on.
• There's no 7-Eleven and no ATM on the island, so bring enough cash and essentials.
• Mobile signal is weak in some spots; some beaches are better than others, so check with your accommodation first if you need to work.
• At some landing spots you have to wade ashore, so bring shoes that can get wet and a dry bag.
• In the rainy season (May-Oct) the sea is rough, boat access is difficult, and many places close — best avoided.