While Koh Chang is Thailand’s 2nd biggest island, it can easily be one of the most underrated islands in the country. Koh Chang has something to offer for everyone. From busy tourists hubs to quiet fishing villages, from white sandy beaches to dense jungle. If you follow our blog , you know that I like to break a sweat, even during beach stays. If you are like me and are staying at Koh Chang, doing a trekking is very much worth it. Read on for more details about trekking to the highest peak of Koh Chang island.
Compared to many other islands in Thailand Koh Chang is very mountainous. You can see it right away when looking at the island from the ferry pier. Like with Doi Luang Chiang Dao in the north, I immediately started wondering if there are ways up to these mountains and what the views would be like. I visited Koh Chang for the first time in 2009, but only just now made it up there. and Khao Ngon Nak in Krabi.
Trekking on Koh Chang – great to stay active during a beach stay
Koh Chang is a vast island and there is a lot to do. From cooking classes to snorkeling trips to spa retreats and more. Or you can just relax in a resort or on the beach, because Koh Chang also has plenty of those. If night life is your thing, the island got you covered too.
The thing with all of the former is that none of these are really active, or particularly good for your health. So if you are like me and like to stay busy and break a sweat from time to time, trekking in Koh Chang is definitely a good option.
There are multiple options when it comes to treks, ranging from easy to challenging. As I only had limited time on Koh Chang I decided to go for one of the more challenging options. There are basically 2 challenging hikes you can do. Khao Jom Prasat, and Khao Salak Phet. The former is the hardest one, but not the highest peak, while the latter is the highest point of Koh Chang island. My philosophy is to always aim high, so I decided to go for the Khao Salak Phet option.
Important things to know about hiking on Koh Chang
Before you get all excited about hiking in Koh Chang, there are a couple of important things to keep in mind.
- The climate of Koh Chang is tropical, which means it is very hot and humid. Keep this in mind when looking at distances and technical details, because it makes a big difference if you are not used to it.
- Make sure you bring plenty of water. If you decide to use a trekking company for your trip, your guide will provide you with water, but even then it is advisable to take one or two extra bottles to be sure.
- Make sure to wear proper shoes and clothing. Koh Chang is a beach destination, and not everyone may think of taking hiking shoes and fast-drying clothing.
Should you hike with or without a guide?
This is actually a difficult question and it will depend on your personal opinion, mindset, experience, etc.
First of all, doing the hike is definitely possible without a guide. There are more or less clear-cut trails most of the time, so with the proper routing loaded onto a GPS watch or something, there really shouldn’t be any problem. Any point where there is danger, there are some signs to warn you, and the most difficult passages have ropes to give you a hand. So I would say if you are experienced, independent and looking for some real adventure, trekking to the highest point of Koh Chang would be an option to consider. However, I would strongly suggest to not do it alone. Let me explain why.
While there are clear routes, the tracks are sometimes steep and difficult to navigate. Another thing is that nobody uses the tracks throughout the day, except trekkers. This means that if you would take on this challenge all by yourself, and something goes wrong, you are screwed. There would effectively no way to get any kind of help or assistance in case of an emergency.
What could go wrong without a guide?
Well, nature always can throw some surprises at you. But having done the trek, I would list these as some possible emergencies that could occur:
- Dehydration: as mentioned higher up, hiking in a tropical climate can be very strenuous. If you don’t pack enough water, dehydration is a real risk that could potentially be fatal.
- Accidents: they can happen when you least expected. Stepping on a loose rock or slipping on some dry leafs can result in a crash big or small. With some bad luck you could break something and get stuck on the trail.
- Getting lost: especially without a GPS you may very well get lost, as there are multiple tracks on the mountain. But even if you take one, a malfunction or empty battery could get you into trouble.
- Snake bites: while I personally didn’t see any snakes during the trek, they are definitely out there. There are plenty of accounts of snake encounters on Koh Chang, so if you are inexperienced and not attentive to surroundings, it is a possible threat as well. Whatever the case, if you don’t know your snakes, assume all are dangerous and venomous.
Going with a local guide will help you a lot in case any of the above should occur. They know the routes like the back of their hand, they provide water and food, they are familiar with the fauna and flora, and they know the best way to handle accidents or asking for support. You also won’t have to worry about transportation or other practical details, which means you can just enjoy the day.
To summarize: if you are alone, don’t hesitate and book a trek with one of the local companies (see below). If you are a couple or a small group of people, only consider doing the trek if you have experience trekking in tropical climates and know how to prepare yourself for it.
Trekking the highest peak of Koh Chang: practical information & fees
Below is an overview of the most important practical information and fees that you can expect to pay. If you still have questions or if you think there is anything we can help you with, don’t hesitate to reach out to us.
Different trail options
There are two routes up to Khao Salak Phet, one starting in Salak Phet village (the one I did) or one starting from Klong Kloi beach, which is at the southern most of the island past Bang Bao. If you plan to go alone, make sure you get the GPS tracks for the route you are planning to do.
If you want to hike to Khao Salak Phet from Salak Phet village, feel free to contact us for the .gpx file of the hike I did. It is a nice loop passing over the top of the mountain with some very nice views along the way. I don’t have any information on the other route, but I assume the concept is very similar. Besides that, read the “things to know” and “what could go wrong?” sections again, and prepare accordingly.
Companies organizing the trek
If you decide to go with a guide, there are three main trekking companies that offer the trek to the highest peak of Koh Chang. They each have there specific dates for the different routes they offer, so make sure to check in advance. Any other companies offering similar services are probably outsourcing to these companies anyway. The price for the hike to Khao Salak Phet is 1.100-1.200THB depending on the supplier, this does not include the National Park fee.
Tan Trekking & Jeep Rent is the company I used. I booked via a local tour desk near the hotel we were staying. I didn’t read up on anything, but the day that worked best for me was with Tan trekking. It turns out Tan is one of the pioneers when it comes to trekking on Koh Chang. All of the people I met were nice and professional. It is really a no-frills experience, but everything is well organized and well taken care of. Most importantly, they do pay attention to safety. They do the Khao Salak Phet trek on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
Rath Koh Chang Trekking, also known as Jungleman Rath” is mainly known for the cross-island trek. Together with hiking Khao Jom Prasat, this would probably be the trek that I would consider doing next time on Koh Chang.
Jungle Fever is another company that offers trekking on Koh Chang. While they supposedly can do the longer and harder treks, they are mainly famous for bird watching and focus on nature.
National Park fees
The inland of Koh Chang is part of the National Park, which means to enter you need to pay an entrance fee which goes towards the upkeep and conservation of the park. The current entrance fee for the National Park is 200THB/person for foreigners. While Thai people only pay 50THB. This double pricing is common all over Thailand, and Koh Chang is no exception. At some places make exceptions for people who can speak Thai, hold a work permit, pink alien card or driving license. But in Koh Chang they seem strict and I was not able to get any discount at all.
If you plan on doing the route we did you could in theory play the “I didn’t know card” as you won’t pass any entrance gate or booth.
However, please abide by the law and buy a ticket as required. It is the right thing to do to make sure the beautiful nature of Koh Chang is conserved and looked after on the longer term. The nearest ticket booth for the route I did is at Baan Salak Phet pier (click for the location).
Do you have any experience trekking on Koh Chang? Don’t hesitate to leave a comment! In case you want any more information, you can always contact us, we always reply to all messages we get. Make sure to check out more activities in Thailand and beyond, or use the search function.
