Koh Rang, the uninhabited 12 island group at the centre of the Koh Rang Marine Park, is situated well over an hour out from Bang Bao on Koh Chang and just to the west of Koh Mak. The main island has a ranger station, a couple of bungalows and a very passable restaurant, with toilet and washing facilities for overnight camping. Accommodation can be booked from Koh Chang, though people staying is a rarity. The best beach on Koh Rang is at the south eastern tip, with another popular spot in the north west, and rougher strands along the eastern shore.
The islands in Detail
The islands scattered around Koh Rang are in 3 distinct groups. In the east and south east, Koh Laun (sometimes referred to as Koh Yak Lek), Koh Yak and further south, Koh Mapring are combined with the very pretty beach at the southern end of Koh Rang to make up one of the main snorkeling areas.
To the north west, that name again, Koh Mapring, which sits alongside Koh Klang and another Koh Thian form the second grouping. The smaller speedboats may call in here, so that people can have lunch on the beach over on the main island itself. In the north east, Koh Thong Lang, Koh Kra and Koh Thian were also a principal and very popular destination for the snorkeling trips. Unfortunately, the degeneration of their coral, its bleaching in particular, has forced the Marine Park authorities to place these islands off limits.
Visiting on a Day Trip
To visit Koh Rang, you either jump on a snorkeling trip or take a day out on one of the dive boats. When out and about on Koh Chang, you’ll see the snorkeling advertised as 4 or 5 Island, with everything from large tour boats to private speedboats on offer. Meanwhile, the diving is recommended due to the sheltered bays of Koh Rang giving good visibility as well as manageable depths. From Koh Mak, the more adventurous can kayak but there are organised tours too.
National Park Fee
Koh Rang has a government tax of 200bt per person, 100bt for kids levied on all snorkelers, 400bt and 200bt respectively for divers. Thai Nationals are 40bt and 20bt. This is collected by the rangers once you arrive in the Marine Park area. It is an additional cost to any advertised daily rates.
Getting there
There are lots of tour operators in Koh Chang that organise day or half-day trips to Koh Rang Marine Park with large wooden boats or speedboats. The majority of these tours include the transfer by minivan from your hotel, the roundtrip by speedboat from Bang Bao pier, tropical fruit, juice and water on board, snorkelling equipment, lunch buffet on beaches, tour guide and insurance. The large number of tourists transported from one point of view is negative, but makes it very competitive price, with prices ranging from 800 to 1200 THB, depending on the service offered and boats used. Alternatively you can rent a speedboat in Bang Bao or Kai Bae, the price is between 3,000 and 4,000 THB for a half-day tour, up to 6 people.
