Phuket is the most famous island of Thailand, located in the Andaman Sea in the southern region of the country. Koh Chang is a quiet beach destination located in the eastern Gulf of Thailand, close to Bangkok.
In this article, I will compare Phuket and Koh Chang. I will outline the differences and similarities of these islands based on their location, accommodations, beaches, nightlife, shopping, food, and cultural attractions.
I traveled to both Phuket and Koh Chang, so I can share my opinion about these two islands from my personal experience. If you’re searching for whether to visit Phuket or Koh Chang, keep reading.
Should you visit Phuket or Koh Chang?
I personally think Koh Chang is the better place to visit if you want a beach holiday close to Bangkok, and if you want to visit other islands in The Gulf of Thailand such as Koh Mak and Koh Kood. Koh Chang has a quieter vibe than Phuket, which is ideal for those who want a relaxing holiday.
Phuket is the most popular island of Thailand, making it a better destination for first-timers to Thailand. Phuket has everything in one place, and will give a good introduction of classic tropical island holidays in Thailand. You can enjoy the beaches, wide range of tourist amenities, activities, and island hopping.
Phuket has an airport, so it’s easier accessible both domestically and internationally. Phuket is located in South Thailand, making it an ideal base to explore famous places such as Koh Phi Phi, James Bond island, Krabi, and Ao Nang/ Railay.
Koh Chang is only accessible by boat, so the island will require a longer time to reach. It’s in the eastern Gulf of Thailand, which is convenient to explore Koh Kood, Koh Mak, or Koh Kradat.
Koh Chang is the most developed island in the group of islands in Trat Province, but still less developed than Phuket. Koh Chang has a good nightlife scene, especially in the main town White Sand Beach, but it’s still quieter than Phuket.
If you want wild nightlife and lots of modern shopping malls and nightlife markets, Phuket is the place to go. Phuket also has a wider range of cultural & historical and food to explore.
I had a great time on each island. On Phuket, I rented a scooter, so I was able to explore most parts of the island. I enjoyed different beaches, viewpoints, hiking trails, night markets, and exploring the picturesque old town.
In Koh Chang, I enjoyed the challenging hike to the top of the tallest mountain on the island, Mount Salak Phet. I also enjoy the sightseeing tour around the island, visiting famous sights such as the Kai Bae Viewpoint, Khlong Phlu Waterfall, and Salak Phet Mangrove Forest.
My recommended accommodations in Phuket:
- Luxury: Phuket Graceland Resort
- Mid-range: Quality Beach Resort
- Budget: Seven Seas Hotel
My hand-picked hotels in Koh Chang:
- Luxury: KC Grande Resort
- Mid-range: Kacha Resort & Spa
- Budget: Banpu Koh Chang Resort
Location & How to Get There
The two islands are located in different regions of Thailand. Phuket is located in the Andaman Sea in South Thailand. Koh Chang is located in the eastern Gulf of Thailand, close to Bangkok.
To travel between the two islands, you’ll likely have to transit in Bangkok. There are no direct flights or boats between the two islands.
Phuket is more easily accessible. You can get to this island by air, road, and sea. Phuket International Airport is located in the northern part of the island, around 40 minutes drive from the main beach town, Patong.
If you’re staying at nearby mainland destinations like Khao Lak, Krabi, or Khao Sok National Park, you can get to Phuket by bus or taxi. The island is well-connected with the mainland via a bridge at its northern tip.
From other islands in the Andanman Sea, you can get to Phuket by taking direct boat rides. There are boats from Koh Yao Yai, Koh Phi Phi, Koh Lanta, Koh Lipe, Railay, and Ao Nang.
Koh Chang is only accessible by boat from mainland Trat and nearby islands. There are direct boats between Koh Chang, Koh Mak, and Koh Kood in the high season. The boat from Aow Thammachat Pier in mainland Trat to Koh Chang runs all year round.
Size
Phuket is the largest island of Thailand, around 50km long and 17km wide. Koh Chang is also a large island of Thailand, around 21km long and 10km wide.
Phuket has a main road connecting every part of the island from north to south, and west to east. Koh Chang’s main road is not a complete loop. If you want to travel from the south west side of the island to the east coast, you need to drive back to the north side then to the east.
Both islands have mountain terrain and a beautiful coastline. In both places, the main tourist beaches are located on the west coast. The east coast has more local life.
The east coast of Koh Chang is the local farm lands, the island’s main pier, some local temples, and the Salak Phet Mangrove Forest. The east coast of Phuket is the historic old town, the piers, some beaches and viewpoints at the south eastern coast.
Beaches
I personally prefer the beaches in Phuket more. It has a wider range of beaches with a livelier atmosphere and more beach amenities. Koh Chang’s beaches have a more laid-back atmosphere.
The beaches on the two islands are ideal for swimming, sunbaiting, and watching the sunset (since most beaches are on the west coast). Phuket has more classic watersport activities such as jet skiing, banana boat, surfing, snorkeling, or diving. Ko Chang is more about snorkeling, diving, SUP, and kayaking.
The most popular beach on Phuket is Patong. Paong has a quite central location and is the nightlife hub of the island. The beach has white sand, and lots of amenities such as sunbeds, umbrellas, beach bars, and watersport activities.
The equivalent beach to Phuket in Koh Chang is White Sand Beach. The beach is especially more lively from sunset time to night. It has a fire show, bars, and restaurants with chairs, tables, and bean bags on the sand for a romantic dinner.
Other quieter beaches but still have a lively atmosphere on Phuket are Kata, Karon, Kamala. If you go further to the north or the south, you can find more peaceful beaches like Mai Khao or Naithon. There are also small secluded spots such as Nui Beach or Freedom Beach.
Similar to Koh Chang, you can explore the quieter beaches of Klong Prao Beach, Kai Bae, and Lonely Beach. Further south to Bang Bao and the national park, the beaches are more peaceful.
Accommodations
Both islands have hundreds of hotels and resorts scattering around the island. Phuket is a more developed island, so it has more luxury options. The resorts on both islands have similar facilities like swimming pools, fitness centers, and comfortable bed rooms.
In addition to the typical beach front resorts, you can find many charming boutique hotels in Phuket Old Town. If you want a historic atmosphere, you can consider staying in the old town of Phueket.
Both islands are popular destinations in the high season, so if you’re traveling during this time, usually from November to May, you should definitely book in advance.
I had experience booking at the last minute in both islands, and it wasn’t pleasant. I was able to book places to stay but the accommodations are not at the best quality. Additionally, I had to book multiple hotels and the taxi to transfer between places is also expensive, which adds up to the total cost a lot.
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Nightlife
As the most popular and developed island, Phuket is a better island to visit for nightlife. The nightlife in Phuket is varied, so whatever you’re looking for, Phuket has it all!
If you want wild nightlife and parties until morning, you must visit Patong and Bangla Road. These are the night hubs of the island, packed with bars, night clubs, and entertainment venues. The 400m is always packed with people in the evening.
For a bit quieter, more family-friendly atmosphere, less loud music, but still vibrant nightlife, you can visit Kata, Karon, Kamala Beach, which are the neighbors of Patong.
If you want to check trendy restaurants, authentic local food and night markets, you must check out Phuket Old Town. This area has a great food scene, cheap with many beautiful restaurants, cafes, and boutiques. The historic atmosphere of the old town adds to the area’s unique nightlife scene.
The nightlife in Koh Chang is generally more chill and relaxed than in popular areas of Phuket. The nightlife hub of Koh Chang is White Sand Beach. You can find bars and restaurants along the main road and at the beachfront area.
From late afternoon, many tables, chairs, and bean bags were set up on the sand to prepare for a romantic dinner on the beach. There are also fire shows at some beach bars.
Shopping
Phuket is a better place to go shopping as it has several shopping malls with luxury goods and local markets with cheap souvenirs.
The shopping malls in Phuket are concentrated in the southern half of the island around Patong and Phuket Old TOwn. The most famous malls are Central Phuket and Jungcelon Mall. These malls have mid-range and high-end shops, foot courts, and upscale restaurants.
Phuket has a vibrant night market scene. Most major towns have at least one big night market. Phuket Old Town and Patong itself are home to several night markets.
Some of my favorite markets to visit are Chillva Market, Banzaan Market, Kata market, and Phuket Indy market. You can also check out the Phuket Old Town Walking Street (only Sunday though), and the Naka Night Market. Bargaining at the night markets is a fun activity to do when shopping.
Koh Chang is more about natural beauty than the shopping malls and night market. There are no big shopping malls on the islands, just small minimarts, convenient stores, and local shops selling typical Thai souvenirs and beach wear.
Food
Phuket has more markets, cafes, and restaurants than in Koh Chang, so it has wider choices of dishes, including both Thai and international food. Both islands are great places to eat fresh seafood.
Typical Thai food can be found easily on both islands. Food is mainly served in local restaurants in Koh Chaang. There are clusters of street food stalls on Chaweng Night Market. In Phuket, you can find food at the many night markets, local restaurants, and the foot court in the shopping malls.
Several beach towns on Phuket have beachfront markets where you can eat and drink and shops along the beaches. You can check these beach markets at Kata Beach, Nai Harn Beach, Surin Beach, and Kamala Beach.
The food in the beach towns are quite touristy, so if you want something more local with a cheaper price, make sure to visit Phuket Old Town. Not only is the food here good, but the restaurants and cafés are also nicely decorated.
Cultural attractions
Phuket is a better place to go to explore the cultural and historical attractions. Koh Chang is mostly about the beaches and mountains, but it does have some small local temples to visit.
The popular cultural attractions in Phuket are the old town, the Big Buddha, the Wat Chalong, and many other small temples scattered around the island.
Old Phuket Town is the historic heart of Phuket Town, packed with colorful Chinese temples, small museums, and old Sino-Portuguese houses with colonial style architecture.
The main streets of the old town are Thalang, Dibuk, Krabi, and Phang Nga. These places have a vibrant street art scene, trendy cafes, restaurants, night markets, and boutiques.
Phuket Big Buddha is located on the highest point of the island, offering stunning views of Kata, and the surrounding mountains. You can spot the Big Buddha from many corners of the island, from Khao Rang Hill near the old town, to Karon Viewpoint, or at the southern eastern part.
Wat Chalong is also a popular tourist destination on Phuket. It has a big ground with beautiful statues, halls, and a peaceful atmosphere.
Koh Chang has some small temples located on the east coast. You can visit the colorful Wat Khlong Son near Koh Chang main pier, and the Salak Phet temple near the Salak Phet Mangrove Walkway.
Viewpoints and Hiking
Both islands have good viewpoints and great opportunities for hiking enthusiasts. As the larger island, Phuket has more viewpoints and hiking trails to explore.
My favorite place to hike on Koh Chang is the challenging trail to the top of Mount Salak Phet, which is the highest point of the island. Some sections were very steep, but I was able to reach the top. The views are rewarding, with sweeping vistas of the islands, mountains, and valleys.
On Phuket, I had a great time hiking on the quite difficult trail to Monkey Hill Viewpoint. There were many wild monkeys on the trail. The view was not magnificent but the trail is well worth checking if you like hiking.
Other easier viewpoints to reach in Phuket are Karon Viewpoint, Windmill, Promthep (popular at sunset), Black Rock Viewpoint, and the big Buddha Viewpoint.
Other viewpoints in Koh Chang are the White Sand Beach Viewpoint, Kai Bae Beach Viewpoint, and the light house near Salak Phet pier. Kai Bae Beach Viewpoint is the most beautiful one of these, as it has beautiful views of the three islands, and has a bigger viewing platform.
Waterfalls
Waterfalls are one of the major attractions of Koh Chang. Although Phuket has several waterfalls, they are often overlooked due to the island’s many other attractions.
The waterfalls on both islands are best visited during the rainy season, when the water flow is at its best. I went to Phuket in the dry season, and the waterfall was very dry (nothing to see).
Popular waterfalls on Koh Chang are Khlong Phlu Waterfall, Than Mayom Waterfall, Khlong Nonsi Waterfall, and Khlong Chao Lueam Waterfall. Most falls have an entrance of 200-300 baht for foreigners.
In Phuket, I visited Ton Ao Yon Waterfall but as I mentioned there is nothing interesting to see in the dry season. Another place to check out when visiting in the rainy seasons are the Kathu Waterfall near Patong and Kamala.
Island Hopping
Phuket is definitely the better location if you want to do many boat trips to see the most famous islands in the Souther of Thailand. You can easily have a day trip to Koh Phi Phi, James Bond island, or Similand islands. These places have white fine sandy beaches, crystal clear water, and breathtaking scenery.
There are also many direct boat connections from Phuket to Koh Yao Yai/ Noi, Ao Nang, RaiLay, Koh Lanta, and Koh Lipe. I explored most islands in this part of Thailand, and was glad that I had a chance to experience them all.
Koh Chang is also surrounded by many other small islands. You can easily take island hopping tours visiting several islands within one trip. You can consider going to Koh Mak or Koh Kood for a few nights to enjoy an even more authentic and quieter atmosphere.
The islands on the eastern Gulf of Thailand don’t have stunning limestone cliff landscapes like in the Andaman Sea, but it has a charming peaceful atmosphere.
Getting Around
Phuket is a more popular island, so it’s easy to find local taxis, tuk tuk, songthaews, and ride share services such as InDrive, Bolt, or Grab. Koh Chang doesn’t have any riding share services, but it does have local songthaews and taxis.
The common thing of using taxis on Phuket and Koh Chang is that they are often more expensive than other parts of Thailand. I used an InDrive taxi a few times in Phuket and it was quite expensive, even though the price listed on InDrive is generally cheaper than in Bolt and Grab.
On Phuket, I rented a scooter to explore the island. On Koh Chang, I used guided tours to explore the island. Both islands have many steep, winding roads, so if you drive, make sure to be cautious. The rental scooter cost around 250-300 baht per day, which is quite similar price on both islands.
Phuket has some fixed bus routes such as the smart bus from the airport to the beach towns on the west coast and the bus from the airport to the old town. This is a cheap way to travel for budget travelers.
There are also several local songthaews bus routes from Phuket Old Town to Patong, Kata, Karon. This is a great way to save money and to experience local ways of traveling.
There are no fixed bus routes around Koh Chang, but there are plenty of shared local pick up trucks (songthaews) at the piers. It was easy for me to just share the ride with other travelers when arriving.
If you want to travel this way, you can wait along the main road, and flag down when they are coming. These songthaews don’t have a fixed schedule though, so you just need to wait when the car is passing by.
See more:
- Phuket or Koh Lanta
- Phuket or Koh Tao
- Phuket or Koh Phi Phi
- Phuket or Pattaya
- Koh Chang or Koh Mak
- Koh Chang or Koh Kood
- Koh Lipe or Koh Chang
I hope you enjoyed reading my article about Koh Chang and Phuket. Overall, Phuket is more ideal for first-timers to Thailand as it’s easily accessible and has a wide range of attractions, activities, and island hopping tours. If you want to explore south Thailand, visiting famous Krabi, Phi Phi island, or James Bond island, Phuket is the place to go.
Koh Chang is a better place to visit if you want a quiet beach holiday away from the touristy island of South Thailand. It’s close to Bangkok, which is a popular weekend getaway from the Thai capital city. It’s also the best base to explore the eastern gift of Thailand visiting Koh Kood and Koh Mak.