4 Chill Hostel-Style Stays
on Koh Chang, Trat
That We've Written Up

If there's one Koh Chang hostel that plenty of reviews agree is "cleaner than the price," The Habitat Hostel is a name that comes up often. It's a small stay of about 12 rooms in the Chai Chet area, set up simply behind the V.J. Plaza complex in a lane surrounded by restaurants, convenience stores and a laundry, with an overall score of around 8.0 from real reviews. The thing praised most is the cleanliness and newness of the rooms — many guests say the same thing: the rooms feel fresh, roomier than expected, and the beds are comfortable to a level that feels "more hotel than hostel." There are mixed dorms and female-only dorms that come with lockers, reading lights, cold AC and a private bathroom, which not every hostel offers, plus a private room with a balcony of about 24 sqm for those who want more privacy. On location, most reviews note that it's about a 5 minute walk to Klong Prao Beach — the longest beach on the island — and stepping out of the lane puts food and essentials within reach. Service is the consistent point of praise: the owner and staff are described as friendly and very good at booking diving tours and arranging rides. Honest caveats from the reviews: this is not a party hostel — no bar, no on-site venue — so a solo traveler hoping to make new friends may find it a bit quiet, there are occasional reports of insects in some reviews, and there's no pool. It suits budget solo travelers, backpacking couples, and anyone who values cleanliness and a good night's sleep over a social scene.

Among the Koh Chang hostels we reviewed, measured on score, Riverview Hostel is the highest in this set at 9.0 from real reviews, and TripAdvisor lists it among Koh Chang's specialty lodging with a 4.5-star rating. It's a stylishly designed hostel right at the mouth of the Klong Prao river, in one of the quietest corners of the Klong Prao area, between White Sand Beach and Klong Prao village. What clearly sets it apart from other budget stays on the island is the free speedboat shuttle to the beach — a highlight many reviewers love, because you cruise down the river mouth and out to the beach in a few minutes, an experience you won't get from a typical roadside stay. Another thing that's hard to find at hostel prices: every dorm is air-conditioned with its own bathroom and hot water, each bed has a private locker, there's CCTV in the common areas, and there's a deluxe room with a river-view balcony for anyone who wants more privacy. A frequently mentioned highlight is the riverside terrace bar looking out over the river mouth as it flows to the sea — a spot to sip morning coffee and watch the sunset in the evening — plus a shared kitchen for cooking your own meals, free coffee and drinking water, and a host who looks after guests personally and warmly. Honest caveats from the reviews: the property isn't directly on the beachfront, so you rely on the shuttle boat or a motorbike to reach the beach, some private rooms are next to the dorms so you may hear some noise, and there's no pool or breakfast served. It suits solo travelers, pairs, and backpackers who prefer a quiet riverside atmosphere over the bustle of the main beach.

Koh Chang Gala is a stay we have to write about friend-warning-friend style from the start, because it isn't a resort or a stylishly designed hostel — it's a very small budget stay of only about 4 rooms in a two-story building on the main road in the middle of the island, in the Ban Phai Bae–Choke Dee area that sits between Klong Prao Beach and Kai Bae Beach. Its clearest selling point is the low price and the flexible mid-island location — from real reviews and booking-channel data, it's about a 10 minute walk from Klong Prao Beach and around 1 km from Kai Bae Beach, which makes it a base for reaching several beaches and sights, including Klong Plu waterfall, the markets and restaurants around Kai Bae, and the pier for diving. It has useful basics like a tour desk that helps book diving trips, luggage storage, laundry, a small restaurant, a terrace to relax on, free Wi-Fi and free parking. But in fairness to our honesty policy, public reviews are still very few and there are serious complaints — the heaviest point in the negative reviews is the cleanliness of the shared bathrooms, reported as not enough when there are many guests, hot and poorly ventilated rooms in some cases, and staff service attitude at times that made the experience poor. On top of that, at some periods it has operated with shared bathrooms, so confirm the room type before booking, and it isn't on the beach and has no pool. It suits only budget-limited travelers and backpackers who choose it purely for the price and location, with budget-stay expectations set accordingly. Anyone sensitive to cleanliness or traveling with small children should consider a resort in the same area with more verified reviews.

Among the few-hundred-baht stays on Koh Chang, what makes OYO 695 My Hostel more interesting than hostels at the same price is that it has an outdoor pool to cool off in after a full day of walking around — something not easy to find at this price. It's a small stay of just 12 rooms in the Bailan Bay area on the west side of Koh Chang, with a moderate score of around 7.4 from about 40 real reviews. Rooms are split into doubles, twins, and a shared-room bed option for solo travelers who want to save the most, with every room having AC, a flat-screen TV and a private bathroom with free amenities — where many hostels at the same price tend to put you on shared bathrooms. Most real reviews say the rooms are clean to a level that's acceptable for the price, the AC is nice and cold, and the beds are comfortable enough to sleep on without expecting luxury. On location, it's about a 7 min walk from the property to Bailan Beach (roughly 600–700 m) and around 800 m to 1.2 km from Lonely Beach, the zone known for its budget-friendly bars and restaurants, while still being quieter than staying right in the middle of the Lonely Beach zone. Inside there's the Lemon Bar restaurant and bar serving Thai and international food, free Wi-Fi, free parking and laundry service. Honest caveats from the reviews: the rooms are small and simply decorated — this isn't a luxury stay — it's in a lane away from the beach so you have to walk or ride to the beach, the review count is still low which makes consistency hard to judge, and it's an OYO-chain property whose quality depends on the on-site manager. It suits budget travelers, backpackers and couples on a tight budget who want a private AC room and a pool for a few hundred baht and plan to spend most of their time out of the room.