Introduction
Koh Chang, named after its elephant shaped headland (the name means elephant island in Thai), is a mountainous island around five hours drive from Bangkok, close to the Cambodia border.
Part of a marine park that contains around 50 islands, Koh Chang's natural attractions include waterfalls, coral reefs, mangroves and virgin rainforest in which parrots, hornbills and sunbirds can be heard or seen.
November to March is the best time for diving, with good visibility around the island's most notable dive sites: the wrecks of two Thai warships, the Thonburi and Chonburi, sunk during a skirmish with the French fleet in 1941.