Ramayana Koh Chang Resort & Spa — a Garden Resort with a Big Lagoon Pool in Klong Prao, at a Price You Can Actually Afford
Picture this: low-rise bungalows and villas spread across a wide tropical garden, with ponds and winding paths between them, and just a few steps away a big lagoon pool with a slide and a jacuzzi corner — Ramayana Koh Chang Resort & Spa is a Thai-style garden resort on the main road of Klong Prao Beach, Koh Chang, that sells space, a lovely pool and quiet calm at a price far below the beachfront resorts · the first thing to flag is that this resort has now rebranded as Annika Koh Chang (same buildings and location, with the rooms refreshed during COVID) — search for the name Ramayana on the OTAs and you'll land on the same page marked "formerly Ramayana" · around 65 rooms and villas, from around THB 900/night in low season, with an overall score of about 8.8 from real guest reviews
The overview and who it suits — if I had to sum it up in one line, Ramayana Koh Chang Resort & Spa is a mid-sized garden resort on Koh Chang that plays the "value" card really well · it isn't a beachfront resort where you open the door and step straight onto sand, and it isn't an expensive luxury boutique · instead it's a resort of low-rise bungalows and villas spread across a wide tropical garden, with ponds, a lovely lagoon pool and plenty of shade as its selling points, at a price several times lower than the beachfront places · the key thing to know first is that the resort has now changed its name to Annika Koh Chang — the buildings and location are the same, but the rooms were refreshed during COVID to look newer and fresher than the old Ramayana days · when you book on an OTA app you'll see a hotel page that says "formerly Ramayana Koh Chang Resort & Spa," which is the same place · from the real reviews we've gathered, the people it suits best are families with young kids, couples after some quiet, and travellers who value good bang-for-baht over a beachfront location · anyone coming to Koh Chang to lounge by the pool, relax in the garden, and who isn't fussed about walking straight into the sea from their room will feel they're getting more than they paid for · but if you want to open the curtains to a sea view, or take three steps to the beach, this might not quite fit, and you should look at a beachfront resort on Klong Prao or Kai Bae instead
Location and getting around — this is the point to be most honest about, because it's both the upside and the catch at the same time · the resort sits on the main road of Klong Prao Beach, on the west side of Koh Chang, in a spot that is about 600 metres back from the beach · in plain terms it's not a beachfront stay, but it's not so far that it's a struggle · the upside of this kind of location is the wide, quiet garden, no late-night beach-bar noise, and a much lower price · to make up for the distance to the beach, the resort runs a free shuttle down to the beach at its sister resort The Dewa, which is right on Klong Prao Beach, on a set timetable (the last return trip is usually in the afternoon) · plenty of real reviews say the shuttle helps a lot, but some note the schedule isn't very flexible — if you want to stay at the beach until evening you'll need to plan ahead or rent a motorbike yourself · around the resort, a short walk gets you to local eateries, convenience stores and roadside massage shops along Klong Prao · Klong Plu Waterfall is about a 10 min drive, the livelier White Sand Beach about 10–15 min, and the ferry pier about 25–30 min in · driving yourself is easy with free parking at the resort, while those without a car are best off renting a motorbike for flexibility, since relying on the shuttle alone can limit your beach time a little
"The resort grounds are wide and really green — strolling through the garden is so relaxing. The pool is lovely and clean, and the kids played on the slide all day · the only downside is it's not on the beach, so you have to take the shuttle to the sea, but for what we paid it was better value than we expected."
Room types and decor — Ramayana / Annika has around 65 rooms and villas, low-rise Thai-style buildings spread across the garden, broadly split into three main tiers · it starts with the Superior Room at around 34 sqm, the entry-level room, with a King or Twin bed and a clean, simple finish · stepping up is the Deluxe Room at around 38 sqm, which is roomier and some units have a better garden or pool view · and the largest is the Thai House at around 68 sqm, designed in Thai-house style with a King plus two single beds, ideal for bigger families or parents bringing the kids · the point reviews agree on is that the rooms were renovated during COVID to be newer and fresher, with bathrooms that look more modern than before, furniture in good condition, and cleanliness that earns consistent praise · every room has air-con, a minibar, a safe, a TV, and a private balcony or terrace looking out over the garden or a pond · the in-room feel is that of a genuine tropical resort rather than a standard hotel room · one note from some reviews: rooms right by a pond or deep in the garden zone can get mosquitoes and bugs, especially in the rainy season, which is normal for a garden resort on an island · anyone sensitive to insects should bring repellent and ask for a room in a zone closer to the central area or the pool
Facilities, pool and spa — the most talked-about highlight here is the big free-form lagoon pool that winds through the garden, with a jacuzzi corner, a shallow zone for kids, and the bit kids love most — a water slide · many families say their children barely want to leave the pool all day · around the pool there are sun loungers, umbrellas and a pool bar for cold drinks · besides the pool there's Sita Spa, offering Thai massage, oil massage, scrubs and relaxing treatments — a spot a lot of couples like to use after a swim · there's a fitness room with cardio and weights equipment, a sauna, and a tour desk that arranges snorkelling and dive trips and kayaking · plus motorbike rental, free parking, and Wi-Fi that most reviews say works well in the central area · to be honest, the one weak point of the common areas is that there's no beach of its own, so everything revolves around the pool and garden — but if you understand that character from the start, the lagoon pool and wide garden give a relaxing atmosphere that's well above the price
Food and bars — the resort has two main restaurants plus a coffee shop and a pool bar · the restaurants serve Thai food, fresh seafood and international dishes as all-day dining · breakfast earns praise for being fresh, with hot dishes made to order, and a calm garden-and-poolside setting that isn't crowded like the big resorts · many reviews say the kitchen team is happy to adjust dishes on request, and the extra seafood you order is fresh and good value · because the resort is on the main Klong Prao road, eating out is easy too — a short walk or drive gets you to local seafood spots, made-to-order eateries and several roadside cafes, so many people eat in the resort for some meals and try local places for others · the poolside pool bar is a nice spot for a late-afternoon drink · one note found in reviews: because the resort isn't on the beach, the choice of dinner spots within walking distance isn't as lively as the White Sand Beach zone, so if you want a seaside dinner atmosphere at night you'll need a car or motorbike · overall the food here does well for a mid-sized resort, leaning on freshness and a friendly feel rather than luxury
Service — service is the strength most consistently praised in the real reviews · many staff are mentioned as friendly, smiling, attentive and more helpful than you'd expect for a resort at this price · from the smooth check-in, to help arranging the beach shuttle, to recommending restaurants and dive trips, right through to looking after families with young kids · many reviews say the team makes guests feel more like they're staying at a relative's house than at a hotel · Sita Spa and the tour desk also get praise for their professionalism · to be straight about it, a few voices say some staff's English communication is still a little limited, and the inflexible shuttle schedule can make you feel a bit time-constrained · but overall, service is one of the reasons this place's overall score sits high, and it's what makes many guests say they'd come back
What real reviews say (praise and gripes) — gathering from Trip.com, Booking.com, Agoda and TripAdvisor, the picture is fairly consistent · On the praise side: wide, green, leafy grounds; a big, lovely, clean lagoon pool with a slide kids love; clean, freshly renovated rooms that look better than before; friendly staff and good service; fresh breakfast with a nice setting; and great value, especially in low season · On the watch-out side: the most-mentioned point is the location off the beach, needing the shuttle or a motorbike to reach the sea, plus the not-very-flexible shuttle schedule · next is mosquitoes and bugs in the garden-zone or pondside rooms, especially in the rainy season; the choice of evening eateries within walking distance not being as lively as other beach zones; and some staff's English communication being limited · almost all of these gripes are things you can manage by setting your expectations right (knowing it's not a beachfront stay), bringing repellent, and renting a motorbike, rather than problems that keep people from coming back
"Clean, freshly renovated rooms, and the staff were so lovely they remembered our kids the whole trip. Beautiful pool and a fun slide · the thing to know is it's not on the beach — you take the shuttle to the sea at The Dewa, and the last return trip is in the afternoon, so we rented a motorbike to be more flexible."
Price comparison and value — this is where Ramayana / Annika wins hands down · the Superior Room starts at around THB 900/night in low season (the rainy season, May–Oct), rising to around THB 1,500–2,000 in normal periods · the Deluxe and Thai House sit at around THB 2,000 and up, and in peak season (year-end to Songkran) the larger rooms can climb to roughly the high-two-thousands to low-three-thousands per night · compared with beachfront resorts on Klong Prao that start higher, or seaside luxury resorts like The Dewa and Emerald Cove that start at several thousand a night, Ramayana / Annika gives you a big lagoon pool, a wide garden, freshly renovated rooms and good service at several times lower a price · what you trade is the off-beach location, needing the shuttle or to drive yourself · if you weight the pool, the quiet and the value over walking straight into the sea from your room, every baht you spend comes back in full, and it's one of the best-value choices on Klong Prao Beach
Good to know before you book — there are several things that make a stay smoother · one, know which name you're booking — the resort is now rebranded as Annika Koh Chang, so if you search for Ramayana on an OTA you'll find the same page marked "formerly Ramayana"; make sure it's the Klong Prao location before you hit book · two, it's not on the beach, sitting about 600 metres back, with a free shuttle down to the beach at The Dewa on a set schedule — check the timetable and the last return trip carefully, and if you want long days at the beach you should rent a motorbike · three, if you struggle to sleep with insects or you're coming in the rainy season, bring repellent and ask for a room in a zone near the central area instead of one by a deep pond · four, families with kids should pick the Thai House or Deluxe, which are roomier and closer to the pool, more convenient than the Superior · five, prices swing clearly by season — the rainy season is much cheaper, so book ahead and always compare Agoda / Booking / Trip.com · six, if you plan to dive or island-hop, the resort's tour desk makes booking trips easy
The verdict — from all the real reviews, Ramayana Koh Chang Resort & Spa (now Annika Koh Chang) is the resort that suits best for families and couples who want a garden resort with a big lagoon pool, a quiet atmosphere, clean freshly renovated rooms and good service, at an affordable price on Klong Prao Beach · the lagoon pool with a slide, the wide leafy garden, Sita Spa and the friendly staff make it such good value that it's hard to find a rival at the same price on Koh Chang · what you have to trade and accept is that it's not a beachfront stay — you rely on the shuttle or a motorbike to reach the sea, and there are mosquitoes in the garden zone, in the nature of an island resort · if you're coming specifically to walk straight into the sea from your room, this might not be the answer, and you should look at a beachfront resort on Klong Prao or Kai Bae instead · but for those who weight the pool, the quiet and the value above all — Ramayana / Annika meets that need almost completely, and that's why the overall score keeps holding high
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ Wide, green, leafy resort grounds with low-rise bungalows
- ✓ A big, lovely, clean lagoon pool with a slide, great for families
- ✓ Clean, freshly renovated rooms that look better than before
- ✓ Friendly staff and service that's better than the price suggests
- ! Not on the beach, about 600 m back — you take a shuttle to the sea
- ! The beach shuttle schedule isn't flexible, with the last return in the afternoon
- ! Garden/pondside rooms can get mosquitoes, especially in the rainy season
- ✓ Great value among the Klong Prao resorts, especially in low season
- ✓ Sita Spa and the fresh breakfast earn praise
- ✓ Quiet garden atmosphere, great for relaxing and bringing kids
- ✓ The tour desk makes dive and snorkelling trips easy to arrange
- ! The choice of evening eateries within walking distance isn't as lively as the beach zone
- ! Some staff's English communication is still a little limited
- ! Without a car/motorbike, beach time is limited by the shuttle schedule
- 💡If you want to walk straight into the sea from your room — this place is about 600 m back from the beach, not beachfront, with only a shuttle on a set schedule → if you really need beachfront, choose a beachside resort on Klong Prao or Kai Bae instead
- 💡If you're sensitive to mosquitoes and bugs, or coming in the rainy season (May–Oct) — garden-zone and pondside rooms can get mosquitoes → bring repellent and ask for a room in a zone near the central area/pool rather than by a deep pond
- 💡If you don't have a car or motorbike — beach trips and seaside dinners will be limited by the shuttle schedule → renting a motorbike makes things far more flexible