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Koh Chang - med detaljeret kort over øen
- Lej en motorcykel
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hotelfortegnelse.
Smukke Koh Chang er Thailands næststørste ø og ligger i den østlige del af
landet tæt på grænsen til Cambodia.
Læs om 2 Albatros hoteller på Koh Chang
Det er en tropisk ferieø med smukke bjerge, frodig
regnskov, brusende vandfald, hvide sandstrande og slanke kokospalmer.
Når du ikke daser i vandkanten, er andre populære aktiviteter, snorkling,
dykning, vandreture eller oplevelser i den smukke natur. Udforsk f.eks.
regnskoven fra en elefantryg. Gennem de senere år har rejsende for alvor opdaget
øens mange attraktioner, men den oprindelige charme og den gæstfrie thailandske
atmosfære er stadig intakt.
Koh Chang er bare én af cirka 50 øer i Koh Chang Nationalpark, og mange af de
øvrige øer byder også på et utroligt rigt undervandsliv med perfekte snorkel-
og dykkerforhold. Vi anbefaler derfor at du besøger nogle af de dejlige øer i
området. Se evt. også
dette kort.
Lej en motorcykel !
Renting a motorcycle is the best way to see the island and there are dozens of outlets in every area offering automatic 100-125cc scooters, powerful enough for Koh Chang’s road and suitable for two people. Daily rental (24 hours) is from 150bt to 300bt depending on the model and area, with discounts given for weekly and monthly deals. Generally, the owners are fair, but the apparent saving on longer deals is sometimes clawed back by payments for previously unnoticed damage, when the bike is returned. A contract is signed on rental and some form of ID, be it passport, driver’s licence or their copies, is taken. The bikes should come with a helmet, wearable by law, though no one seems to bother. That said, there are police checks from time to time and the fine is 200bt for not having one – keep the receipt in case you are stopped again on the same day. The motorbikes use gasohol at 50bt a litre, which is sold in recycled bottles outside every other shop and there are gas stations in Klong Prao Beach and Klong Son, where the price is cheaper.
Riding a motorbike anywhere in the world is dangerous and Koh Chang is no exception, with inexperienced drivers especially on a steep learning curve. Accidents are very frequent, with deaths, unfortunately, quite common. The two mountains between Klong Son and White Sand Beach and Kai Bae and Lonely Beach have some very difficult ascents, descents, curves and hairpins, with the rainy season or brief showers in the dry season particularly treacherous, as the hills become impossibly slippery. Much of the driving on the island is very poor with little adherence to generally accepted traffic laws, poor lighting at night, and driving after drinking. Sensible advice from experienced island bike riders is stick to the laws you know to be right, keep your speed down and be very aware and cautious of other road users at all times. That way, you are minimising the risks and there should be no problems.
At the far southern end of White Sand Beach, Koh Chang Choppers offer larger bikes for sale and hire from 500bt per day.
Hiring a car is another option with saloon, jeeps and pick-ups all available, rates from 1,300bt for the jeep to 1,500bt for an automatic or 4WD pick up. This is a good choice for exploring the island on a day trip, bearing in mind that Lonely Beach to Salak Phet is a near 100km there and back, a long way for two-up on a motorbike. Travel agents also do sightseeing day tours with a driver for 2,000bt to 2,500bt or you could charter a songthaew for about the same amount.
Bicycles can be rented in all the major areas at 100bt to 150bt per day, but they are only for local pottering as island wide jaunts are somewhat precluded by the scale of the two mountains at White Sand Beach and Lonely Beach. If you can get a bike to the east side, it is flat and great for coasting around, with all of Chek Bae, Salak Khok and Salak Phet easily accessible. The two beaches at Long Beach or Hat Wai Chek, however, are probably off limits for this form of transport, given the state of the roads and their steep hills.