BezoekThai22. 
We visited the Santhiya Tree Koh Chang resort in April 2022. This was only our very first time to visit Koh Chang after more than 20 years in Thailand. We should have come here so much earlier. The island is beautiful and the Santhiya Tree Koh Chang resort was one of the stars of our trip here.
After a visit to Pattaya the day before we left early morning by car to travel to Koh Chang. We had been told that the ferry to Koh Chang could have a bit of a waiting line. Although we expected this to not be so bad on a regular working day we didn’t want to take any risk. However, upon arrival at the ferry in Trat province, we did not experience any serious delay. We lined up in the ferry waiting area and we immediately could board the very first ferry that arrived.
The short ferry ride to the island was very pleasant. These ferry isn’t a modern boat but if you want a simple drink you can buy that. But rather you should enjoy the boat ride with the island get closer. The water was blue and the breeze from the sea was pleasantly providing a bit of a cooler feeling.
Once on the island we drove straight to the hotel. For this we turned right onto the road that circles the island. Or it is better to say, almost circles the island. On the south end of the island a short part of a complete circle is missing. This make it that if you want to go from the southwest to the southeast you have to drive all the way via the north of the island (where the ferry terminal is).
Santhiya Tree Koh Chang resort is about a kilometer away from the main road. This provides it some nice, quiet and relaxed atmosphere. At the entry you find a beautiful wooden hand carved entry sign. Just behind this the reception is found. Here we were welcomed with a cool drink and cool towel. After a short formality with the paper work we were accompanied to our pool access villa. What a super nice surprise was that. Not only the pool in front of hotel room was breath taking, the room interior was also made up of beautiful wooden furniture and interior design.
After check-in we quickly made our way to the beach front to have lunch at the restaurant. Not too many guest were there at the moment (we had a late lunch).
Away from the beach you find a wooden main building that covers several floors. Here you find another restaurant that in the morning serves breakfast. Breakfast is a buffet style and had plenty of choice. From this restaurant you have a view over another pool. In the distance you can see the mountains that cover the centre part of Koh Chang. As the restaurant floor is made out of wood, visitors are asked to not wear shoes inside the restaurant.
The breakfast buffet offers both Thai and western food options.
Koh Chang has a lot to offer and several attractions will be described in some other posts that follow soon. When we visited Koh Chang I did not see too many western tourists yet. The tourists on the island were mostly locals but I assume that with more and more visitors returning to Thailand you will find more foreigners coming to Koh Chang again as well.
