I'm taking my 21 and 18 yr old daughters to Thailand at Christmas. We want to spend the last 8 days (24th to Jan 1st-- 8 days) on Koh Chang Island. Can you recommend the best beach (We've been recommended White Sands Beach ??)and some medium priced ($60-110)resorts on the beach (with hopefully an outdoor restaurant) within close distance to activities. Can you also recommend activities for us - outdoor and shopping, etc.

Koh Chang will be rainy at Christmas. If you want good weather, you'll want to be on the other side of the peninsula (Phuket and surrounding area)or, on the mainland, such as Hua Hin.

I don't believe the above is correct. November should be relatively dry around Koh Chang. It's Samui that is quite wet at that time of year. For that matter, Phuket gets more rain in November than Koh Chang.

Oops, don't know why I was looking at November. Koh Chang is very dry in December.

My wife and I were on Koh Chang last December and had great weather, cant promise that you will! We stayed at Barali and it was great!!!!!!I think that we payed about $85 a night for the ocean view bungalow. We have some great pics if you want to see them. There is not much to do on the island. Elephant trekking, and the monkey school and some snorkeling is about it. There is only one road on the island and the shopping is almost all in one strip of it. When we were there, there was a huge carnival at the temple next door that was fun. almost forgot, Barlai has an outdoor restaurant. But the old lady down the street has an awesome tiny place to eat, that was some of the best food I have ever had!

I stand corrected. I thought Koh Chang had the same weather pattern as Koh Samui.

we also stayed at barali but found the food not great there....easy solution, stay there and eat next door...

we thought the best place on the island was the amari emerald cove resort, but i think much more money...

there is really not a lot to do other than vedge on chang.....there is some elephants into the national park, some fishing, some kayaking, but lots of rest.....the girls may be very bored i am afraid....

samui would provide much more for them to do...

the beach where all the resorts are is down one side of the island