Since our family has been living in Thailand for the past 16+ years, we’ve discovered what a hidden gem Koh Chang Island truly is. This little island has become our favorite family beach destination in Thailand. We’ve also had a chance to visit multiple times and discover the best Koh Chang Resort and Koh Chang Hotel options available.
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Why visit Koh Chang?
Koh Chang is the 3rd largest island in Thailand after Phuket and Koh Samui. It is truly one of those special places that checks all the boxes for an incredible family beach vacay in Thailand.
- Pristine white sand beaches with stunning emerald green waters
- Jungle covered mountain peaks
- Rich cultural heritage
- From waterfalls to waterparks, there’s an ample amount of activities to keep the kids entertained!
- The family resort options on Koh Chang are truly remarkable with amazing swimming pools, fun kids clubs, outdoor playgrounds, and a coupel even have their own waterparks on-site!
Koh Chang is truly a hidden paradise!
Come visit quick before word gets out, and this hidden gem becomes another Phuket or Koh Samui overflowing with tourists, losing its Thai charm.
When to visit Koh Chang?
Thailand has a tropical climate, which means it is mostly hot and humid year round. The temps range from about 75’F (22’C) to 100’F (40’C), but mostly stay in the high 80s (low 30’Cs).
Thailand generally has two seasons: wet and dry.
The Wet Season
- heavily influenced by the monsoon winds
- typically lands between June to September
- During the wet season, there will be moments of heavy rainfall.
- It might rain cats and dogs for 30 minutes, and then be clear for the next 6 hours.
- Or it could rain heavily for 3 hours straight.
- But in our experience of living here for the past 16+ years, the heavy rain usually passes within an hour.
TIPS FOR TRAVELING TO THAILAND WITH KIDS DURING RAINY SEASON: Pack shoes that can get wet, quick drying clothes, and a poncho or umbrella.
The Dry Season
- generally is between November to April
- Has mostly clear, sunny days
*Do note that May and October are shoulder months. The days could be either dry or wet. It just depends if the monsoon season comes early that year or late.
That being said, the very best time to visit Thailand with kids is between December to February.
Koh Chang Resort vs AirBNB
I highly recommend staying in a Koh Chang resort or Koh Chang hotel instead of a Koh Chang AirBNB. Even though I typically enjoy staying in AirBNBs all around the world, this is not the case for Koh Chang or even Thailand for that matter.
Benefits of Staying in a Koh Chang Resort:
- A Welcome Reception that can help you with questions or concerns all day or night during your stay. Remember that you are staying in a 3rd world country where you probably don’t speak the native tongue. The Welcome Reception is a huge advantage for you!
- The Amenities – With being from America and having traveled all over Asia and Europe with my kids, I can attest that Thailand is way ahead in terms of hotels providing incredible amenities. Most of these amenities are focused on families and very kid-friendly. From playgrounds to kids clubs to splash pads to waterparks, staying in a Koh Chang Resort or Koh Chang hotel will make for an epic family holiday in Thailand!
- The Breakfast Buffets in Thailand are the best I’ve ever seen! The breakfast buffets literally have food selections from all over the world — India, Germany, Korea, Japan, and of course Thai and Western favorites too! They also have numerous food stations like: an egg station, an omelette station, a pancake and waffle station, a fresh baked bread station, a tropical fruit table, a charcuterie board area, a homemade yogurt with granola area, and even a salad bar.
Koh Chang Paradise Resort & Spa is top on our list of being our favorite Koh Chang Resort perfect for families!
The Most Kid-friendly Koh Chang Resort
Koh Chang Paradise Resort & Spa is so awesome that it is in our Top 5 favorite Thailand beach resorts of all time — and we’ve been to soooo many!
- 4 Star Resort
- Booking.com Reviews = 8.8/10
- Each ‘room’ at the Paradise Resort Koh Chang is actually an individual bungalow. Each one has a nice front porch area with seating too.
- The best part of this beach hotel on Koh Chang is the on-site Waterpark that’s reserved for hotel guests only!
- The Waterpark has 7+ large slides for the big kids and adults to enjoy. For the smaller kids, there is another splash and play area resembling a pirate ship with slides and a big water bucket.
- We also loved the beachfront swimming pool with the kiddie pool too.
- Kids Club Room was perfect for my 3, 5, and 7 year old who enjoyed sliding into the ball pit, jumping on the big trampoline, and crawling through the tunnels. My husband and I enjoyed sipping our coffee with the vast sea views from the breakfast area while still being able to keep an eye on our girls in the Kids Club Room.
- There’s also a cafe with birthday cakes and a beachside restaurant with pretty good Thai food and good pizzas and pasta too.
- Every night (during the week we were there), the hotel had an impressive Fire Show that lit up the night sky.
- If budget is no issue, I’d highly recommend staying in the private beachfront pool villa.
- Baby cot / cribs are available upon request.
- Just for FYI: we paid for an extra bed for our 8 year old. It was 1,000 baht/per night and included her breakfast. Our 5 year old stayed for free on the side sofa with a personal sleeping bag that we had brought, and our 3 year old stayed in the King Bed with us.
- Super delish breakfast buffet with ocean views from the dining area
Koh Chang Paradise Resort & Spa PRICE RANGE: As low as 3,500 baht/night for a family of 4 (about $100 USD) with breakfast buffet included!
LOCATION: a great location!
- centrally located on the island
- On a beautiful stretch of flat beach with lots of palm trees
- The ocean water was pretty shallow near the beach, and the waves were not big. This was perfect for traveling with kids.
- Had an incredible sunset view
- lots of restaurants, 7-11s, and street food within a 5 min walk
The Most Popular Koh Chang Resort for Families
Centara Koh Chang Tropicana Resort is among the most popular Koh Chang Resort for families because:
- 2 kids up to age 12 stay free (very rare in Thailand!)
- Most rooms have a ‘lounging sofa’ in the room that our oldest daughter slept on
- Then we shared our extra King size bed with our other two girls aged 2 and 4 at the time
- The ‘Double Room with Garden View’ is a good option for families to have two double beds in a room together.
- Baby cot / cribs are available upon request
- Extra beds for older kids are an extra 1500 per night including breakfast.
- The beachfront swimming pool at the Centara Koh Chang Resort is great and also has a children’s wading area and sitting area.
- Enjoyed sipping a Pina Colada from a fresh coconut with the Live Music from the poolside stage each night too.
- Another huge swimming pool in the middle of the resort has fountains, a big water slide and a couple gazebos with jacuzzis in them. Our girls loved the gazebo area with the in-pool seating area with the jets making lots of bubbles.
- Kids Club Room – is quite small but entertained our toddlers for a few minutes.
- The grounds area is like a tropical oasis in and of itself with lush greenery and vegetation at every corner.
- We also enjoyed playing Foosball, Volleyball, and Bocce Ball at the Centara Koh Chang resort.
- I’ve had 100s of massages all over the world, especially in Thailand, and the full body massage at the Spa was literally the best massage I’ve ever had in my life!
- Very delicious breakfast buffet
- Watching the sunset while enjoying the seafood buffet right there on the beach was a highlight of our trip!
- The kids enjoyed the pizza from the Beachside/ Poolside restaurant too.
- Perfect beachside location on Klong Prao beach
- Beautiful sunset views
- Lots of restaurants, 7-11s, and street food within a 5 min walk
- Our favorite restaurants of the entire island are also within a 5 minute walk: El Greco Greek Restaurant, Babylon Pizzeria, and Kati Culinary
A Luxury Koh Chang Resort that's Perfect for Families
The Retreat, Koh Chang Resort is the epitome of beachfront luxury here on Koh Chang Island.
- 5 Star Koh Chang Resort with a 9.7/10 rating on booking.com (wow!!)
- Modern tropical architecture and design with zen-like ambiance integrating perfectly into the lush surroundings.
- A zen-like pool offering sweeping ocean views and comfortable sun beds
- Every room has an ocean view and many are connected with the swimming pool
- Enjoy a cocktail in the ‘sunken lounge’ watching the sun retreat amidst the horizon
- The Private Pool Villa with 240 square meters offers the ultimate luxurious island getaway with your own personal butler, a jacuzzi bathtub, a lavish living room with multiple seating areas, a private entrance, lush bedding, and its own kitchen and dining area too
- Free bicycles available to explore the area
- Fabulous breakfast buffet
- Nestled discreetly between Kai Bae Beach and a fishing village offering ultimate privacy
A World Class Family Resort on Koh Chang
Sylvan Koh Chang is a luxurious 5 star Koh Chang resort in a secluded location on Kai Bae beach, which is well-known for the best sunset views.
The Sylvan Koh Chang Resort offers world class service and is even a World Luxury Hotel Award Winner and Tripadvisor’s Traveler’s Choice Award Winner.
Why stay at SYLVAN Koh Chang Resort:
- Every corner of this lush tropical Koh Chang resort exudes luxury
- Every room has stunning ocean views
- On a Pristine, Private White Sand Beach with numerous palm trees dotting the crystal clear, calm waters of the Gulf of Thailand
- Take a dip in the beachfront swimming pool or let the kids splash and play while sliding into the cliffside swimming pool
- Enjoy the ride to your room on the resort’s very own funicular
- Free shuttle tram to/from Kai Bae Village each day
- Kids Club is great for a little indoor playtime for the smallest islanders while the older kids will enjoy making their very own pizza in the wood-fire oven
- Enjoy the award winning Spa Services
- Enjoy fine dining at the Sea View 1989 restaurant offering Koh Chang’s highest viewpoint and the best sunset views!
- Walk up into the Lighthouse Scenic Tower for even better unobstructed sunset views
- Sea Kayak to one of the 4 nearby smaller islands and enjoy an island picnic basket provided by the resort
- The Deluxe Family Room is perfect for a family of 4-5 — it’s basically a King Room with a Connecting Twin Room with a seating area and soaking tub.
- If budget is no factor, stay in the Pool Villa Suite with more than 200 sqm of pure luxury, its own infinity pool, and stunning sea views.
- secluded, private area on Kai Bae beach
- Surround by rainforest making it a lush, tropical oasis!
- Do note that since it is secluded, it’s not convenient to walk to restaurants or convenience stores.
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Best On-site Waterpark at a Koh Chang Resort
The Splash Koh Chang Resort is another very popular Koh Chang Resort among family travelers due to:
- 4 Star Koh Chang Resort with 8.3/10 rating on booking.com
- Awesome Waterpark (aqua park) with many different water slides and a splash pad was on-site and only for hotel guests
- Spacious family rooms with bunk beds and a seating area
- Luxurious and modern rooms and facilities
- Baby cot / cribs are available upon request, but extra beds for older kids are an extra 1450 per night (about $42 USD) including breakfast.
- Nice beachfront restaurant with sunbeds
- Lush tropical greenery everywhere
- Wonderful massage and spa services on-site for the parents to enjoy
- Very delicious breakfast buffet
- Perfect beachside location on Klong Prao beach
- Stunning sunset views from the beachside bar
- Lots of restaurants, 7-11s, and street food within a 5 min walk
Budget-friendly Koh Chang Resort for Families
Siam Bay Resort is a lovely Koh Chang Resort on a hillside and situated right on the beach. Each bungalow or villa has stunning sea views.
Why stay here at Siam Bay Koh Chang Resort:
- A nice, affordable 3 star Koh Chang resort
- 8.3/10 rating on booking.com
- Big family bungalows with loft sleeping area for the kids
- Enjoy coffee on your own private balcony
- Quiet and secluded location not too far from Kai Bae Beach and Lonely Beach
- Let the kids splash and play in your private white sand beach with calm, crystal clear waters on the gulf of Thailand
- Kayak or paddle board out to the small island nearby and snorkel around with the colorful fish and beautiful coral reef
- Enjoy the sunset from the two swimming pools
- Rent a scooter to adventure around the island
- Be immersed in nature and enjoy watching the wild monkeys jump around from tree to tree too
- Very rare pet-friendly Koh Chang Resort
- Great breakfast buffet
Siam Bay Resort PRICE RANGE: 2813 THB/night (About $83 USD) for the Family Bungalow including breakfast buffet
- Extra beds are 700 baht (about $20 USD)
- pretty far from restaurants or convenience stores
- Located at the further end of the island, so it’s about a 45 minute drive from the ferry
- Best to have your own transportation, but it is possible to book a taxi or tours directly with this resort
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Other Helpful Koh Chang Blog Posts:
Check out this 5 Day Koh Chang Island Itinerary for Families for a step-by-step guide on the best things to do with kids on Koh Chang Island.
Also check out this 10 Day Thailand Itinerary for an ultimate family holiday enjoying the best of Bangkok, the stunning mountain scapes in Kanchanaburi, and the pristine beaches of Elephant Island.
Comment below
Which Koh Chang Resort would you like to stay?
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