White Sand beach - Sawadee Koh Chang - Sawadee Koh Chang © 2018

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White Sand Beach is the most known and maybe the most famous beach of Koh Chang and the second longest beach on the island with its 2.1 km stretch. The main reason it's so popular is that it has also been the first place on the island developed for tourism.

White Sand Beach has also the biggest activity on the island with all the hotels, resorts, restaurants, pubs and shops along the main road but also on the beach.
If you are looking for a quiet place to relax far from the noisy civilisation, forget White Sand!

White Sand beach main road during the high season

Coming from the ferry pier and after driving through the steep hill and curves you will see all White Sand Beach from the viewpoint.

Besides the big amount of clothes shops (like Chic & Chill - Fashion and Gift for example) there are also few banks with ATM or offices to change money, drugstores, optical shops, laundries, hairdressers, tailors, travelling agencies, massage studios, tattooists with Naka Tattoo Studio that I recommend, diving centers, supermarkets, a wine gallery, ... in fact more than you need.

White Sand doesn't stop at the end of the beach, it continues a kilometer on the main road to the south.

There are also good restaurants for all tastes, German, Italian, Scandinavian and of course Thai. You will find the food you like. I personally like Kai Mun with their roasted chickens. Like almost all good restaurants in White Sand, it's quite crowded and noisy in the evening during the high season.  In the evening and on the north part of the main road, street vendors come to install their stalls with grilled Thai food, fresh pressed fruit juices, snacks, pancakes, grilled insects if you want to give a try ;) and also chicken kebabs. I recommend this small evening temporary food market, you can eat different varieties of food at a reasonable price. Some are very good.

Roasted chickens at Kai Mun on the main road

The beach is a bit rocky at the south part but it's just a small area, the rest is just sand, no more rocks.  During the high season, the south part of the beach can be a bit crowded but I recommend to walk more to the north part after Rock Sand Resort and Restaurant, this area is more quiet.

From the beach you can see the mountains with the mount Chom Prasat 2 which culminates at 626 meters over the sea level and you can find out why the name Koh Chang was given to the island. It's one of the different "legends". There are more stories why the island is named "Chang".

At sunset and when the tide is low, the restaurants are spreading their tables on the sand. It's quite nice to just seat on a chair, on the sand or on a soft sofa and watch the sunset while having a drink or more ;)

Lots of places to enjoy the sea and sunset

There are resorts and guesthouses which have access to the main road and to the beach like KC Grande Resort & Spa, Sangtawan Resort, Cookies Hotel, Mac Resort Hotel, Tantawan Bungalows, Sang Arun Resort, Bamboo Resort, Apple Bungalow, Kacha Resort & Spa, Banpu Resort, Sabai Beach Guesthouse, Du Talay Hotel, Grand View Resort and Chang Buri Resort & Spa.

Still on the beach but more to the north part and after the main road which means a bit more quiet but also farther from the restaurants and other activities, you can find Pen's Bungalows, Chang Bar Bungalows, Star Beach, Independent Bo's, Rock Sand, Maylamean Bungalows and White Sand Beach Resort.

There are even more resorts, hotels and guesthouses on the hill side of the road. I will not name them all, you can find them on the map below but there are for example, Arunee Resort, Palm Garden Hotel, Erewan Hotel, Buffalo Bill Steak House & Boutique Hotel, Island Lodge, White Sand Garden, Tamnak Chang and also Alina Grande Hotel & Resort.

On the south part of White Sand, from the big curve of the road you will find Plaloma Cliff Resort, Paddy's Palms Irish Pub & Resort, Keeree Ele Hotel, Koh Chang Hut Hotel, The White Elephant, Top Resort, Sea Sun, Imagine Resort, Homebar, Chang Cliff Resort, SSP Bungalows, Giant Bungalow and Green House. None of them have a beach access like there is no sandy beach anymore. But it takes only 10 to 15 minutes to walk down the center of White Sand.

And of course there is a night life in White Sand, single men will find what they were looking for but like any pubs with girls, your holidays savings will evaporate fast.

On the main road and on the beach side, in the middle of all those clothes shops there is a couple selling souvenirs but also doing soap carvings. From a soap they will make a beautiful lotus flower or orchid they will then paint. If you are looking for a souvenir for your friends or family, instead of buying something made in China, think about this original and beautiful hand made product ;)
Watch the video at the bottom of this page you can see how they made it.

Now the down side of White Sand beach.
Because of this urbanisation there are some parts not very attractive with black smelly stagnant water and garbages which are of course hidden from travelling agencies. But its here and it's better to know about it than to discover it once you will be there.
Hopefully some day the authorities and the persons concerned will do something to solve that.

When the tide is high, the south part of the beach becomes very narrow and sometimes nonexistent. It's not a real problem except if you have planned to sunbath on the sand all the day.

But there is a very large choice of accommodations and all what you need is there without being obliged to spend time in taxis or bikes. It's just a question of what you are looking for and how you like to spend your holidays.

More places where to stay in White Sand - Prices and availabilities

Grilled food stalls in the evening on the north of White Sand main road

Dinner getting ready on White Sand beach

High tide in the south part of White Sand beach

Hairdresser, hair colouring and extensions

Black smelly stagnant water in White Sand beach

(111 pictures in the gallery in a random order)

Copyright:
Please note these maps are all copyright 2001-13 White Sand Publications Co. Ltd. and may not be reproduced or published either in print or electronically without the express written permission of White Sand Publications Co. Ltd.