At a Glance
- Likely to meet: Travellers, couples and tourists
- The Beach: Not its strong point, small beach at southern end, tiny one at northern end, very tidal, rocks underfoot
- Accommodation: Large hotel, 1/2 star resorts, traveller and backpacker
From 600bt up to 5,800bt for the pool villas- Hotel/Resorts: Mercure Hideaway, Bailan Beach Resort, White House
- Bungalows: Elephant Bay, Lazy Republique, Cocoon, Vanara, Sanook, Jungle Garden, Kamrai, Red Moon Hideaway
- Restaurants: Mainly cheap Thai, bit of western, pizza on the beach
- All Cuisines Vanara, Cocoon, Tamarin, J & K, Lisca Beach (Italian), Coconut Cafe, Pah Jae (noodles), Kohchang 7 (Korean), Nanny
- Coffee Shops: Bailan Cafe, Zest at Fresh
- Nightlife: Very low key
- Bars: 3 Trees (sports), Bailan Bar (if open)
- Other: Minimart, Pharmacy, ATMs, Ticket agent, Motorbike Rental
- Highlights: Local, easy going atmosphere, peace and quiet
- Lowlights: The beach, village is getting more cramped as it develops
At an Island Pace – Bailan Beach
Bailan Beach (or Bailan Bay) sits about 2 kms down the road from Lonely Beach. Known for its local, quiet atmosphere and laid back tourism, it boasts a brand hotel (Mercure) at the southern end, a couple of 2 star resorts and plenty of bungalows.
Alongside them, you’ll find a few cheap and cheerful restaurants, minimarts and a bit of massage. There is no nightlife – part of its attraction. On the downside, the small beaches at either end are certainly not award winners, so you need to head to either Lonely Beach or Bang Bao Beach for the proper sand and sea experience.
Northern End | Central | Southern End | Summary
At The Northern End
Coming from Lonely Beach, the road sweeps round a couple of corners before reaching the vestiges of Bailan Bay Resort, and just a few hundred metres further along, The Mangrove, both of which have closed down.
Next up, the two resorts of Lazy Republique and Cocoon, both French owned, are on the mountain-side, immediately followed by the cheap Thai diner Coconut Cafe and the rooms of Green Resort and Baan Sanook. Completing the row, Vanara offers a mix of newly refurbished and older style bungalows in a large garden behind its roadside restaurant.
Opposite Coconut Cafe, a small soi leads to the large 1/2 star Bailan Beach Resort, bungalows on the seafront, swimming pool and a small hotel block behind. There is a sweet little beach here, which runs northwards past the front of The Mangrove but, due to the rocks underfoot, you can only swim if the tide is up. Incidentally, at certain times of the year when the tide retreats its furthest, Koh Chang’s coast becomes a perfect spot for the locals to harvest a specific type of clam.
You can walk right to the end of the beach and through the old Bailan Bay to reach the abandoned buildings on the little peninsula.
The Central Area
Back at the road, on the ocean side, Faye Orchid Resort, Kamrai Resort, 3 Trees Guesthouse, and Jungle Garden, with its bar, bungalows and cannabis/hammock shop, run in a line to the bridge.
From the bridge, small minimarts, Pah Jae (noodle shop), a motorbike rental and a laundry are all tightly packed together as you enter the middle of the village.
The boutique resort Red Moon Hideaway (changed hands again in 2024) sits at the top of the small street which leads down to the sea, with Fresh, 8 rooms and and cafe, next door. Opposite, the remains of the old Muay Thai Boxing Club sit abandoned.
Green Cottage Resort and Daw Seafood/Bay Yard Hut face the ocean at the bottom but following the curve, the ever popular Elephant Bay Resort has cheap and mid-range huts as well as a swimming pool.
At the very end, Kohchang 7 Guesthouse, seafront cabanas and a Korean restaurant on stilts over the water, finishes the accommodation off. The coastline here is rocky, with clumps of mangroves, little local fishing dinghies and no beach.
The Southern End – Bailan Beach
Across the main road from Harley Moon, you’ll find Tamarin, a long running Thai restaurant with a Khmer slant and another good cheap diner, J & K. Across the way, one of Koh Chang’s many building merchants neighbours the restaurant and rooms of The Happy Turtle, which changed hands pre-pandemic but has never reopened since (June 24).
Running down the side of The Happy Turtle, the street leads past the Lucky Gecko Garden and its six or so bungalows to The White House. You’ll also find other houses for rent in the garden area behind.
A mid-range resort with swimming pool, The White House is located right on the seafront and you can discreetly walk straight through it to drop down onto the beach. Let’s be honest, this is certainly not the best strand in Koh Chang but combined with the headland in the distance, it’s still makes an impressive overall panorama.
On the Beach
Next door to The White House, The Mercure Hideaway, a mixture of villas, a hotel block and various swimming pools, dominates the beach at this southern end of Bailan. Indeed, the beach was mostly created by them when they first arrived, with sand imported and rocks dredged, all to give it more of a holiday brochure feel. They also built that weirdly curving stone breakwater to keep it all in place.
At the far end, the Italian/Thai owned Lisca Beach (high season only), a chilled out bar/restaurant also offers a few teepee tents. Previously you could walk up to the headland but it has now been wired off as private property – a pity as from its tip, there is a fabulous view looking back at the bay itself or across to Lonely Beach in the distance.
Far Southern End on the Street
Back at the road, opposite the remnants of The Happy Turtle, the inland street leads past Bailan Cafe on the corner to the few bungalows of Blue Garden Resort (currently closed) and other local and long stay houses.
In the next little section heading towards Mercure Hideaway, there’s a laundry and minimart as well other good local diners including Nanny on either side of the road. The police box, an ATM and Preecha Seafood restaurant are opposite the hotel entrance. The bungalows and restaurant of Rock Inn straddle the start of the hill next door.
Just before you leave Bailan, you”ll spot another track leading seawards, which brings you out at Lisca Beach. The canopying, Treetops Adventure Park, which was also down here, has long since closed down.
Summary – Bailan Beach
All in all, Bailan Beach makes a good base for those not too fussed about lying on the beach. There’s a good range of accommodation, a few cheap diners and enough chill-out spots to relax in the evening, without any late night partying.
You can easily hop over to Lonely Beach using a songthaew or your own bike. To walk takes under 15 minutes. Or head the other way, further south to Bang Bao Beach (6 kilometres or so) and you can hang out for the day on that fabulous beach.
UPDATED June 24
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