Hostels and dorms proliferated in Koh Chang before Covid-19 hit but have suffered enormously since March 2020, with several now shut down permanently and others too financially strapped to renovate and re-open.
For those that have survived, the 22/23 season cannot come soon enough as hopefully, those months will see the return of the budget traveller. Below, we bring you the latest updates.
Prices still start at 250bt upwards for a bunk bed in either a mixed or gender separated dorm, fan or a/c. Room sizes vary from 4 beds up to 8. Bathrooms are shared and in most cases, male or female assigned.
The hostels usually have a central communal living area, with tea and coffee, access to a fridge, DVD’s and books. Individual safe boxes, laundry services and WiFi are standard.
Most of the hostels also offer private rooms with ensuite bathrooms to cater for families or couples who want to spend a bit more. Indeed, this style of Koh Chang accommodation can be up to resort standard, with well reviewed in-house restaurants, bars and swimming pools.
Pajamas Hostel – Chai Chet Beach
Pajamas was the first of the hostels to set up shop on the island when they opened on Chai Chet Beach around 8 years ago. Still going strong, they remain the best of the bunch.
In a colour scheme brimming with Greek island summer exuberance, Pajamas offers a mix of dorms and private rooms set around a kidney shaped swimming pool, with chill-out areas nearby and WiFi throughout.
Food and Location
For food, you go next door to effectively their in-house restaurant, Signature, with serves a full Thai and western menu from breakfast through to dinner. Upstairs, it has a very Insta coffee shop and bar.
You can also head down to the beach via the public walkway, where a right turn takes you in front of all the Chai Chet resorts. Flira i Talay has a good evening BBQ. Its’s about 8 minutes to VJ Plaza and the 7/11 if you walking along the main road.
Chai Chet beach, by the way, is one of the finest stretches on Koh Chang – not long but lovely clear blue waters and fine sand.
Prices and Booking
Prices for a bed in a mixed dorm are 520bt per night. A whole 8 private dorm is around 3,300bt, whilst deluxe double rooms by the pool go for 2,100bt to 2,300bt in high season.
Habitat Hostel – Chai Chet Beach
Located on the bottom floor of VJ Apartments in Chai Chet, itself at the rear of VJ Plaza, this popular hostel offers a selection of 4 bed dorms, with security boxes, vibrant colours and other nice design touches. There’s a communal area, WiFi, good clean bathrooms and an upbeat fresh feel about the place.
Private rooms, with more being added for 22/23 season, supplement the dorms, with ensuite twins, doubles and quadruples.
Food and Location
Habitat does not have a restaurant but you can make tea and coffee and prepare food in the communal area. It has a shared fridge, toaster and microwave too.
From the hostel, it’s a couple of minutes to the supermarket and 7/11 as well as cheap restaurants across the road and around the corner. You access the beach (same one as Pajamas above) using the little street running past Coconut Resort.
Prices and Booking
Dorm beds start at 400bt, private ensuite doubles from 1,400bt and the quadruple family set-up at 2,300bt.
Beach Jungle – Lonely Beach
Beach Jungle, run by an Australia/Thai couple, sits roadside at the southern end of Lonely Beach.
It offers a mix of accommodation but for budget travellers, the stand-outs are the 6 Bed Deluxe Dorm, the Triple Room and One Bedroom Villa. The Dorm and Triple, both fan, are located at the front of the resort and share a bathroom. There’s privacy curtains on the bunks, a personal safe and a seating area too.
The Villa is out back in the garden, with fan, double bed and ensuite bathroom. Also in the garden, Beach Jungle also has a small selection of more deluxe private bungalows and a two bed house, so it covers all traveller options.
Food and Location
The bar area has table tennis, pool and big screen sports. You can make tea and coffee, there’s a restaurant on site too.
Overall, this is a clean, friendly hostel, a 7 minute walk to the beach and with the village (nightlife and restaurants) on your doorstep.
Prices and Booking
Rates start at 450bt a night for dorm bed, 1,250bt for the Villa – peak season.
Coconut Garden – Bang Bao
A ten minute walk from Bang Bao Pier, Coconut Garden has moved away from dorms over the last couple of years but still makes a good hostel style option.
It now offers single beds in its Twin Rooms (fan) or double beds (a/c) in its Treehouses. Both have shared bathrooms. There are other wooden fan bungalows and stone a/c bungalows too, both ensuite and set in a spacious well kept garden up above the road.
Food and Location
The main reception building is over two storeys, with the top floor communal area housing a restaurant and bar.
Nearby, all within walking distance, you’ll find a few cheap restaurants, the actual pier (seafood) and the odd bar such as Rasta View, complete with its magnificent view. The more energetic can walk the 15 minutes to the nearest beach at Hat Sai Noi and then another few minutes to Bang Bao Beach.
There is also a great little swimming pool at the back of the hostel.
Prices and Booking
Prices start at 500bt for the Tree Houses, 800bt for the Wooden Bungalow or Twin Room and 1,500bt for the Stone Bungalow. Their website is here.
BB Hostel – Lonely Beach
Located at the rear of the BB complex in Lonely Beach, the small hostel offers 4 mixed dorms and a handful of private fan single rooms. It’s basic, clean and functional and you get access to the divers’ pool out the front, as well as a very relaxed and bohemian communal area, decent WiFi and all round friendly vibe. There’s also a gym and daily yoga next door.
Whilst the actual beach is about 10 minutes walk away, all the restaurants, bars and shops of the village itself are on your doorstep.
Prices are 250bt for the fan dorm bed, 350bt for the a/c dorm bed. Private rooms, all ensuite are 650bt for the fan up to 1,200bt for the double a/c.
River View Hostel – Klong Prao Beach
Located canalside at the northern end of Klong Prao Beach, Riverview Hostel is a stylish modern spot of 2 dorms and 2 private rooms.
The dorms are either female only, 6 to an a/c room sleeping in bunk beds or the same set-up, mixed. Bathrooms are ensuite with showers or there is also an additional communal one to keep queues to the minumum. Each dorm bed has its own reading light and electric socket.
The private a/c rooms feature a double bed, one sharing a bathroom with the mixed dorm and the other ensuite.
The hostel offers safe boxes, WiFi, a central chill-out area with TV. There is no restaurant but you can still get a coffee, shake or beer to enjoy the sunsets on the river terrace. Take a wander down the canal for restaurants and bars such as Phu Talay, Moleys and Sapparot Bar. Alternatively, you can walk up to the main road to flag ar taxi to other areas.
Dorm beds are 500bt a night. The private rooms are 1,050bt.
Koh Chang Hostels in Lonely Beach
As expected in the primary travellers’ area of Koh Chang, Lonely Beach has a few more hostels from to choose.
Stay Inn Hostel is a tiny place with just 2 mixed dorms for 4 to 8 pax, prices from 280bt a night. Located on the main road before the village, it is literally only a couple of minutes from the beach itself.Closed down due to the pandemic tourism downturn.- The uniquely styled prison camp chic of KLKL Hostel has double and triple rooms. Prices from 600bt, swimming pool and WiFi in the common areas. Check ahead on whether it is open or not?
- Sleepy Owl at the top of Soi 2, has not opened since March 2020, with no indication yet if it will restart for 22/23 season.
- At the far southern end of the village, My Hostel, with its brightly coloured 8 bed dorms in individual portakabin style blocks combined with private a/c double rooms and swimming pool is currently closed due to the pandemic tourism downturn – no news on if it will reopen for 22/23 season.
Other Hostels
- Bee Sleep, once of Klong Prao and Lonely Beach, has closed down due to the pandemic tourism downturn.
- Up at Hat Sai Noi Beach, Home Hostel has fan and a/c rooms, share and private bathrooms from 250bt a night – currently closed.
- Over on the other side of the island, Sleepover! sits tucked away down a little lane in the local area of Salak Phet. It offers two 8 bed a/c dorms over two storeys, a communal area and WiFi throughout. Currently closed due to the pandemic tourism downturn, no news on if it will reopen for 22/23 season.
UPDATED November 23
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