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🇹🇭 Koh Chang · Beach Guide

White Sand Beach (Hat Sai Khao)
Koh Chang's main beach — soft sand, west-facing sunsets, everything on the doorstep

The longest and busiest beach on Koh Chang, running roughly 2 km along the west coast, with a strip of resorts, restaurants and beach bars the whole way. If it's your first time on the island, this is the easiest place to find everything you need.

What it is

Why White Sand Beach is the first beach you should know on Koh Chang

Picture the arrival: the ferry docks on the island side, you ride a shared songthaew for under fifteen minutes, and you step off onto a narrow road lined with restaurants, convenience stores, massage shops and little lanes that thread through to soft, pale sand running as far as you can see, with small fishing boats out on the water and a scatter of islands on the horizon. This is White Sand Beach, and it is the first stretch of coast most people reach when they arrive on Koh Chang.

White Sand Beach, or Hat Sai Khao, is the main and longest beach on Koh Chang in Trat Province, stretching roughly 2 kilometres along the island's west coast. The name is literal — the sand here is soft and pale — and because it sits closest to the ferry pier, this was the first beach the island's early tourism businesses chose. The result, decades on, is the beach with the most of everything: budget rooms through to beachfront resorts, seafood restaurants, beach bars, and the dive shops that run boat trips out to the southern islands.

The appeal of White Sand Beach is having everything within walking distance. You don't need transport and you barely need a plan — step out of your room and you'll find food, a drink and the sea. That is exactly why first-time visitors to Koh Chang tend to base themselves here. The honest trade-off is that the convenience comes with noise and crowds: if you're after a quieter beach, Klong Prao Beach or Kai Bae Beach will suit you better.

White Sand Beach, Koh Chang — pale soft sand running along the west coast with offshore islands on the horizon and a green tree line
White Sand Beach — Koh Chang's main beach, soft sand running roughly 2 km with islands on the horizon
🎫
Entry
Free
Public beach, open access along its length
📏
Length
About 2 km
The longest beach on Koh Chang
🚕
From the pier
Songthaew ~10–15 min
Roughly 50–100 baht/person · the closest beach to the ferry
🌅
Sunset
Faces west, over the sea
Sun drops straight into the water in the evening
🏖️
Atmosphere
Busy and lively
The most developed, most crowded beach on the island
☀️
Best season
Nov–Apr
Dry, clear sea, gentle surf, everything open
What to know first

4 things to understand about White Sand Beach before you book

One beach, several zones — each stretch has a distinctly different feel.

Atmosphere and season

How busy White Sand Beach gets — and when to come

🏖️ Lively, but still Koh Chang — not Phuket or Samui

Compared with the other beaches on Koh Chang, White Sand Beach is the most lively and the most crowded. You'll find families, couples, groups of friends and backpackers all mixed together. In high season the central sand draws a fair number of sunbathers and swimmers, the restaurants and bars are all open, and the evenings are livelier than anywhere else on the island.

That said, Koh Chang is a far more relaxed island than Phuket or Samui. "Lively" here means open shops, people strolling and bars with easy music — not all-night parties. If you want a genuine party scene, head to Lonely Beach (Hat Tha Nam) a little further south.

🌧️ The honest truth about low season — a lot closes

This is the part worth being straight about before you plan: the best time for White Sand Beach is the dry season, roughly November to April — clear skies, a calm flat sea, clear water, and everything open. December to January and Songkran are high season, the busiest and most expensive period; book ahead.

During the south-west monsoon, roughly May to October, it rains heavily, the sea turns rough and murkier, and crucially many resorts, restaurants, bars and dive shops close or cut their hours. The island is far quieter than in high season. The upsides are lush green jungle, full waterfalls, cheaper rooms and few crowds — but if you're set on swimming or a snorkelling trip, check first that the sea and the places you want are still open. The ferry runs year-round, though crossings can be choppier when the wind is up. See the month-by-month picture in the best time to visit Koh Chang.

Tip: The shoulder weeks (late October / early November, or late April) often give you good prices and thinner crowds — but the weather is a gamble. Pick a place that has confirmed it's open, and keep a loose indoor plan B in your back pocket.
White Sand Beach, Koh Chang — coconut palms leaning over the sand with the sea and gentle surf beyond
Coconut palms leaning over the sand at White Sand Beach — the laid-back Koh Chang beach feel

🛶 What you can do at White Sand Beach

Beyond sunbathing and swimming, White Sand Beach is a good launch point for the rest of the island. The dive shops along the road behind the beach take bookings for snorkelling and boat trips out to the southern islands such as Koh Rang, Koh Wai and the neighbouring isles; you can hire a kayak and paddle along the shore, or grab a songthaew to Klong Plu Waterfall, the Kai Bae viewpoint and the Bang Bao fishing village and still be back at White Sand Beach easily, since it sits central on the west coast.

Getting there

How to reach White Sand Beach

Koh Chang is an island reached by car ferry from the Trat mainland. There is no train, no airport on the island and no BTS/MRT. The way it works is: cross to the island by ferry, then take a songthaew on the island — and White Sand Beach is the closest beach to the pier.

⛴️
Car ferry to the island
From the Trat piers · ~30–45 min
Ao Thammachat / Centre Point piers (Laem Ngop area) across to Ao Sapparot / Dan Kao; carries both foot passengers and vehicles
🚕
Songthaew (red taxi) from the pier
~10–15 min · roughly 50–100 baht/person
White Sand Beach is closest to the pier and the first stop on the route. Always agree the fare before you get in.
🏍️
Motorbike / car hire on the island
More freedom, but the hills are steep
⚠️ Some hills (especially Kai Bae↔Lonely Beach) are very steep and inexperienced riders crash a lot — wear a helmet, check the brakes, don't ride drunk or at night
Planning tip: From Bangkok, the usual options are a bus/minivan to the Trat ferry piers (~5–6 hr) then the ferry plus a songthaew, or a Bangkok Airways flight to Trat Airport (TDX, ~1 hr) then a shared van plus the ferry. Read the full breakdown in how to get to Koh Chang, and how to move around once you arrive in getting around Koh Chang.
Tips worth knowing

Making the most of White Sand Beach — what first-timers often miss

💧 Tides and swimming

Swimming at White Sand Beach is good, especially in the dry season when the surf is gentle and the water clear, but keep an eye on the tide. At low tide the sea retreats and the shallows stretch out, so you may have to walk a long way before it's deep enough to swim properly. In the monsoon, if you see a red flag flying or unusually strong surf, stay out of the water — currents near the shore can run stronger than they look. Watch small children closely at all times.

🌳 Look after the beach and eat responsibly

Much of Koh Chang lies within Mu Ko Chang National Park, so do your bit: don't leave litter on the sand, take bottles and plastic away to a bin, and if you go on a snorkelling trip, never stand on or touch the coral. On the food front, White Sand Beach has plenty of seafood places and beachfront restaurants at every price, from cart stalls to resort kitchens — compare prices and ask before you order, especially for seafood priced by weight. Read more on eating in the Koh Chang food guide and Koh Chang seafood.

Where to stay nearby

Staying at White Sand Beach and around

White Sand Beach has accommodation at every price level running its whole length, from small independent guesthouses to beachfront resorts — ideal for first-timers who want everything on the doorstep.

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Koh Chang Beaches Guide
A beach-by-beach guide to the vibe, swimming and which one fits your style
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Frequently asked

FAQ · White Sand Beach before you go

How do you get to White Sand Beach from the ferry?
Koh Chang is reached by car ferry from the Trat mainland (the Ao Thammachat / Centre Point piers, roughly 30–45 minutes). Once you land at Ao Sapparot pier, take a shared songthaew (red taxi) to White Sand Beach — about 10–15 minutes, roughly 50–100 baht per person. White Sand Beach is the closest beach to the pier and the first stop for most people. Always agree the fare before you get in.
Who is White Sand Beach best for?
It suits first-time visitors to Koh Chang who want everything on the doorstep — accommodation at every price level, restaurants, convenience stores, bars and massage shops all within walking distance. It's the busiest, most lively beach on the island. If you want somewhere quieter, Klong Prao Beach or Kai Bae Beach are a better fit.
Can you swim at White Sand Beach, and what is the sand like?
The sand is genuinely soft and pale, stretching about 2 km. Swimming is good, especially in the dry season (Nov–Apr) when the water is clear and the surf gentle. The northern end has rocky sections between stretches of sand, while the central stretch is the most open and best for sunbathing. At low tide the sea retreats and the shallows extend a long way out.
When is the best time to visit White Sand Beach?
The best time is the dry season, roughly November to April: clear skies, a calm sea and everything open. December–January and Songkran are the peak, busiest and most expensive period. During the south-west monsoon (roughly May–October) it rains, the sea turns rough, and many resorts, restaurants, bars and dive shops close or run reduced hours. Koh Chang is far quieter in low season than Phuket or Samui.
Does White Sand Beach have a sunset?
Yes — and it's one of the beach's highlights. White Sand Beach faces west, so in the evening the sun drops straight into the sea in front of the beach. Many of the beach bars set out chairs facing the water so you can have a drink and watch the sunset. It's the evening ritual most visitors to White Sand Beach end up doing.
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Snorkelling and boat trips out to Koh Rang, Koh Wai and the neighbouring islands, Bangkok↔Koh Chang transfers including the ferry ticket, and other Koh Chang activities — book on Klook in advance, especially in the busy high season.

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