Koh Chang Kayaking in Mangrove Park + Authentic Fisherman’s Village

Kayaking is extremely popular in Ko Chang and you can rent a kayak to enjoy on almost every beach. However, this article is about kayaking in the island’s Mangrove park – an activity that’s organized by a local and authentic fishing village in the area.

♥ At the end of the article you’ll find a video I took on the kayaking and fishing site.

As you can see in the attached map – on the east side of Ko Chang, that is hardly visited by tourists, there are 2 bays – Salak Kok and Salak Phet – on the south of the island.

Much of the east side attractions are near ​​these 2 bays – hiking trails in the mangrove forests, special resorts and interesting restaurants, creating coconut decorative products, local schools, fishing villages and more.

♦ To my article on the east side of Koh Chang => Click for link (coming soon)

This article will review the fisherman’s village located in Salak Kok – a bay protected from winds and storms with special kayaking activities in the heart of the local mangrove reserve.

♥ The activity is included as part of our new trip plans from Bangkok to Koh Chang

When traveling on the east side of Ko Chang, you will hardly see a handful of tourists exploring the area – but in my opinion it is a great miss out if you don’t visit there.

This is where you’ll find the real life of Koh Chang – tiny, peaceful villages that engage in fishing, with a life routine that has not changed for many years – an authentic, quiet, beautiful and calm Thailand experience that tourists usually do not get.

It is a little difficult for a tourist to get acquainted with this area due to the lack of English signs – but a narrow concrete alley will take you for a short ride, and on the left side of the road is the entrance to a small village within the mangrove forest, a simple seafood restaurant and a kayak rental station (Salakkok Kayak Station)

If you continue down the road till its end, you will reach another small fishing village with a beautiful view of the bay and surrounding mangrove forests, with Koh Chang mountains in the background ♦ in the picture to the right.

This kayak rental station is a local community project designed to attract tourism but without causing harm to the environment, community and nature (Ecotourism).

In 2007, the project was awarded the Ecological Tourism Award of the Thai Ministry of Tourism.

This project belongs to the entire community living there – they all cooperate in maintaining and operating the local restaurant, cruises and kayaks on site – so they have another source of livelihood, but no harm or change is made to their lifestyle.

Summary and Opinion – A visit to the unknown eastern side of Koh Chang is a must for those visiting the island, if they want to experience the authentic, pleasant Thailand, with its unique and unusual nature.

I highly recommend kayaking but also – for those who are not interested in boating – I truly recommend visiting the Salak Kok area and the fisherman’s villages in the area.