After having driven over three and a half hours from Pattaya, I finally made it to the Koh Chang ferry terminal on the mainland. I was expecting the process to be complicated, especially since I do not speak or read Thai, but getting my car onto the ferry could not have been easier.
After driving off the ferry I made my way to The Chill Resort & Spa on Koh Chang, about 16 kms from the ferry terminal. Heading along the well-maintained roads, across various steep mountain curves, I arrived at The Chill around mid-afternoon.
Immediately upon reaching the reception area you are greeted by a sense of calm as you gaze through the resort, across the crystal blue swimming pools, into the gorgeous sea. With a sense of anticipation as to in which room you will be staying, to the prospect of early evening cocktails alongside the sea, you are immediately lulled into a sense of relaxation at The Chill.
The Chill Resort & Spa is on the west coast of Koh Chang, allowing for magnificent sunset views across the pool into the ocean and over towards the setting sun. Set amongst lush tropical plants, a sense of calm surrounds you as you wander through the resort.
I stayed in Room 107, a ground-floor room with direct access to the pool. Above the ground floor rooms are two higher levels with a balcony looking over the pool and towards the ocean but they do not have direct water access. If I was to stay at The Chill again, I would ask for a room number between 109 and 115. These rooms are the same as the one in which I stayed but they are closer to the ocean.
Perhaps like me, you are thinking of taking your car over to Koh Chang. There is plenty of parking at The Chill, just across the road from the resort. While most of it is not covered, there is a security guard to make sure that your car will be fine for the duration of your vacation. Besides, with the ease of getting your car across to Koh Chang on the ferry from the mainland, there is really no reason to not take your car, allowing you the flexibility to explore the island.
Just outside the resort, literally within 80 meters of the entrance, you will find local restaurants, gift shops, massage places, laundry shops and a selection of bars. If you do not feel like having dinner at the resort then it’s very easy to explore the many dining options along the main street. Consider a visit to ‘Bananas Koh Chang’ for some excellent spare ribs, or perhaps a visit to ‘Indian Chef Restaurant’ for your choice of some fine Indian cuisine. During my time on Koh Chang I only had dinner at the resort twice, preferring the different dining options along the main road, generally after I had gone for a leg massage earlier in the evening. You need not worry that there is noise from the road. Firstly, the main road right outside the resort is relatively narrow and does not have a great volume of cars. Also, the entertainment areas are sufficiently far from the resort such that you will not hear them once you are in the haven of The Chill.
Speaking about dining options, each room comes with breakfast included for two persons. Even though I was traveling by myself, it was pointed out to me that a second breakfast was included in the room rate for no additional charge. Heading to the breakfast area alongside the pool and the ocean, you will be spoiled for choice what you could choose off the menu. There is no buffet option at The Chill but you are welcome to select whatever you like off the menu, including a fine selection of coffees, smoothies and health juices. Make sure to select a table right alongside the ocean to enjoy the morning breeze as you await that perfect eggs benedict and cappuccino that you ordered. Your dinner options are just as varied as your breakfast options. Arrive early, enjoy a cocktail while enjoying the sunset and then make your dinner selection from the extensive menu.
Perhaps you have already explored Koh Chang earlier in your vacation and are now looking for a quiet day at the resort. How about a visit to the onsite spa? Although I did not visit the spa during my trip to The Chill, there are many spa options from which you can choose to make sure that your holiday is indulgent as you would like it to be.
Perhaps you are more inclined to spend a few hours at the gym. The Chill has a small gym on the property, overlooking one of the pools. Again this is something that I did not use while on vacation but the reasonable selection of exercise equipment should keep you busy for a good number of hours.
Better still, grab one of the loungers right alongside the pool and ocean, position that umbrella just perfectly and work on that tan. The staff at The Chill will make sure that your drink orders are handled efficiently and they will reposition your umbrella as often as you like. The Chill is the perfect resort on Koh Chang at which to spend quiet vacation days of relaxation, doing as much or as little as you prefer. What I liked to do was head down to the oceanside infinity pool around 5pm and enjoy a relaxing swim while watching the sunset before heading over to the dining area for cocktails and dinner.
During my selection process of where I wanted to stay on Koh Chang, I considered various other options, mainly KC Grande Resort Koh Chang, Santhiya Tree Koh Chang Resort and The Retreat. I visited KC Grande Resort for dinner and enjoyed a lovely quiet evening at ‘The Beach Restaurant’, enjoying cocktails as I watched the sun set over the ocean. KC Grande Resort Koh Chang would be a good choice – the resort is large though I did get the feeling that it is rather outdated. The beach is much wider than at The Chill and you can enjoy nice walks on the sand, something that you cannot do so easily at The Chill, so if this is a priority then take this into consideration when making your choice of accommodation in Koh Chang.
I did not visit Santhiya Tree Koh Chang Resort so cannot provide any meaningful insight on that resort. I did visit The Retreat for cocktails and dinner one evening. The Retreat is literally within walking distance from The Chill, just turn right outside the main entrance and walk down the main road until you see signs for the resort. The Retreat is a truly beautiful resort with accommodation options similar to The Chill. I did not notice a beach of any size, similar to The Chill so perhaps this is not the ideal choice if you have children who are looking to spend hours on the sand.
All in all I was very satisfied with my selection of The Chill for my island vacation on Koh Chang. The staff are really friendly and will make sure that you enjoy your visit. The rooms are lovely and quiet with direct pool access from the ground floor rooms. You have many dining and relaxation options at the resort or just outside the main entrance. Start your planning to The Chill by considering accommodation options with booking.com here or with Agoda here.
Booking.comWith Koh Chang having recently been voted as the second best tropical getaway in the world by Travel and Leisure Magazine, as detailed here, there are many reasons that you should visit this magical tropical island, the third largest island of Thailand.
The process of leaving the island by ferry was just as easy as when you arrive to the ferry terminal on the mainland, perhaps even easier. I drove to the ferry terminal, here on Google Maps, around 8am, paid 200 baht for the ticket for my car and myself and waited just five minutes before driving onto the ferry. The ferry crossing was 25 minutes and I was back to the Thai mainland after a very smooth and efficient ferry journey, feeling relaxed and refreshed after my seven-night vacation to The Chill.
Enjoy your vacation to Koh Chang.
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(Visited October 2024)