9 Budget Stays
on Koh Chang, Trat
We've Written Up

Among the 9 budget stays we reviewed, if you go purely by score, Macura Resort is the highest at 9.0 on Trip.com (Agoda 8.6 · Booking 8.8). · It's a small boutique resort of around 16 units set in a shady green garden full of mature trees and tropical flowers, open since 2010 and run by Thai-European owners who come down to welcome and look after guests themselves — which is why so many reviews use the phrase "like staying at a friend's house." · The thing it gets talked about most for is the saltwater swimming pool in the middle of the garden, which real reviews say is easy to swim in, doesn't sting your eyes and has no harsh chlorine smell, paired with a pool bar where you can sip coffee in the morning and a cold beer in the evening. · There are several room types, from the garden-view Deluxe Bungalow and pool-view Superior to the highlight Deluxe Tree House raised on stilts in the garden. · The thing to understand before booking — and reviews say the same — is that this is not a beachfront resort; it's a garden stay set back from the beach, around a 5-minute drive or motorbike ride to White Sand Beach, the island's liveliest, so come with transport sorted. · Honest caveats from the reviews: pool upkeep and some parts of the resort can be inconsistent at times, a few of the bamboo rooms don't block sound well, and food options on site are limited. · Best for couples, travellers who like peace and quiet, and small families who value a pretty garden, a saltwater pool and personal care more than a beachfront location — at a starting price of just a few hundred baht.

Among these 9 stays, if you go by sheer character, Oasis Koh Chang is the one people talk about most — a small bungalow resort of around 17 units hidden on the hill above Lonely Beach village, on the side near Kai Bae Beach. · What sets it apart from other bungalows at the same price is its restaurant with a treehouse pavilion — a multi-level timber deck raised high above the dining house, with panoramic views over forest, sea and islands, which many reviews call one of the best sunset-watching spots in the area, paired with an infinity pool whose edge looks like it runs straight into the treetops, which reviews say is "prettier and cleaner than the price suggests." · Rooms split into the original timber fan bungalows, the cheapest option, and newer A/C rooms like the Deluxe Studio/Bungalow, which reviews say are great value at the mid-range level. · Food is another plus — generous Thai-Western portions, consistent in quality. · The thing to understand before booking: this is not a beachfront stay; it's around a 3-minute walk down to Lonely Beach village and 7–10 minutes down to the beach, with an uphill climb on the way back. · Honest caveats: some of the older timber bungalows are starting to show wear, fan rooms get hot in the hot season, and long-tailed macaques drop by regularly since it borders the national park forest — keep food well sealed. · Best for backpackers, laid-back couples, and anyone who values atmosphere and value over sleeping right on the sand.

Jungle Garden is the place for people who come to Koh Chang to "be in nature without paying a fortune" — a cluster of around 12 timber and woven-bamboo bungalows with thatched roofs, spread through a shady green garden in the forest at Bailan Bay on the island's west coast, just south of Kai Bae Beach. · Real reviews keep coming back to three things: a shady, peaceful garden where you wake up to birdsong, a great kitchen at friendly prices, and owners who look after you as warmly as family. · The strongest point people mention is the garden restaurant and bar — many reviews say the food, especially the bold-flavoured Thai dishes, is filling and tasty enough that you barely want to eat out. · Rooms come both as fan bungalows starting at just ฿700 and A/C ones for those who want to sleep more comfortably; every unit has a queen bed, an en-suite bathroom with hot water, and a garden-view balcony. · The thing to understand before booking: this place is not on the beach and has no swimming pool; it's around a 5-minute walk to Bailan Beach, but Bailan itself has little natural sand, so if you want a pretty beach to swim at you'll need to ride to Kai Bae or Klong Prao. · Honest caveats: being in a garden in the forest means the odd ant and insect gets into the room, housekeeping can be inconsistent on some days and needs asking for, and rooms are fairly small for the price. · Best for backpackers, couples and budget travellers who want to stretch their money over more nights, prioritising quiet, nature and good food over luxury.

Paradise Bungalows is a down-to-earth, long-running budget stay at the southern end of Kai Bae Beach village — a popular area that sits midway between the buzz of White Sand Beach and the quiet of Lonely Beach. · It's a cluster of around 26 Thai-style timber bungalows stepping up a low hill, with repeat guests who keep coming back, so the feel is warm and island-guesthouse. · The selling point reviews agree on is the central village location, around a 5-minute walk to Kai Bae Beach and within walking distance of restaurants, convenience stores, bars and massage shops everywhere, plus a massage-spa that many reviews single out — some even call it the best they found on Koh Chang — and friendly, helpful staff. · There are several room types, from the cheapest fan bungalows up to large A/C cottages; every unit has a private balcony, and the upper bungalows on the hill get views out over the Gulf of Thailand. · The thing to understand before booking: this place is not on the beach and has no swimming pool; the bungalows sit along a road climbing the hill, around a 5-minute walk down to the beach. · Honest caveats: it's an older property, with furniture and bathrooms in some units worn with age, thin walls that let you hear the next room, weak water pressure in places, and upper bungalows that take a fair climb up the stairs. · Best for backpackers, budget couples and anyone who wants to be in the middle of Kai Bae at a light price, using the stay as a base for getting out and about.

Among these 9 stays, if you measure by "view per baht," Sea Flower Resort scores very high — a budget seafront bungalow resort at the end of Lonely Beach, running on into Bailan Bay, on the island's southwest side. · What makes it memorable is its clifftop location above the sea with a full-on sunset view, plus a waterside lounging zone set with hammocks, bean bags and chairs to catch the breeze and the last light of the day — which many reviews call the highlight — at room rates starting from just ฿650, under a thousand baht a night. · There are several room types, from the cheapest Economy rooms up to the bungalows and Deluxe Sea View rooms with a balcony and A/C that are the stars here. · The thing to be clear on before booking, which people often get wrong: the front of the resort is sea-facing rocks, not a sandy beach; if you want to swim off the sand you'll need to walk around 7–10 minutes to Lonely Beach, and pack water shoes. · Honest caveats from the reviews: there's no swimming pool and no breakfast automatically included, some of the cheaper rooms are small with little storage, quality varies a lot between room types, and the Lonely Beach zone has bars and beachside parties late at night in high season. · Best for budget travellers, backpackers, and couples who want a romantic seafront bungalow at a light price and value the waterside atmosphere over luxury.

Among these 9 stays, if you measure by review count, Elephant Bay Resort is the one with the most — over 502 reviews on Booking.com at a score of 8.2 (Agoda 8.3). · It's a compact pool resort of around 26 rooms hidden along Bailan Bay on the island's southwest side, leaning on "good value and friendly" more than luxury. · The thing reviews mention most is the large outdoor swimming pool at the heart of the resort, ringed by a wide green garden and sun loungers, paired with a bright-toned sea-view bar and restaurant, a billiards table, and a garden for light sports. · Rooms are bungalows and low concrete buildings in bright tones, both fan and A/C (A/C rooms are limited), most with a private balcony; many reviews say the rooms are bigger and cleaner than expected at this price. · The thing to understand before booking: the front of the resort is a rocky waterfront, not a sandy beach to swim off, so the pool is the main place to swim — if you want the sea, walk or take a songthaew to White Sand Beach (Lonely Beach), around 15 minutes. · Honest caveats: some rooms are plain or starting to age, the beds are fairly firm, views from some rooms are of the garden rather than the sea, and Wi-Fi in some of the deeper-set bungalows is unstable. · Best for backpackers, couples, groups of friends and families who prioritise value, want to stay along a quiet bay with a pool to soak in, at a price where finding a resort with a pool like this isn't easy.

Kachapol Hotel is a budget hotel for people who come to Koh Chang to "get out and explore" rather than soak in a resort all day — a small hotel of around 20 rooms sitting right on the main road in the Klong Prao Beach area on the island's west coast, near the edge of Kai Bae. · This is a no-frills stay selling the value of a clean bedroom in a good location. · The thing real reviews most agree on praising is that the A/C rooms are clearly bigger and cleaner than the price you pay — many say they're bigger than hotels at the same price in other areas (one foreign review suggests asking for "room B12" because it's especially large) — plus a location that's around a 4–5 minute walk to Klong Prao Beach, with restaurants, convenience stores and motorbike rental shops lined up nearby, and free private parking. · A note on the name: the hotel was once called OYO 918 Kachapol Hotel while it was in the OYO chain and has gone back to Kachapol Hotel — it's the same place. · The thing to understand before booking: this is not a beachfront resort, has no swimming pool, and doesn't include breakfast. · Honest caveats: because it's on the main road with fairly thin walls between rooms, the roadside rooms get traffic noise and sound from next door, some staff have limited English, and in low season the Wi-Fi/some services may not be at full strength — which is why it's the lowest-scoring in the set at 7.2. · Best for budget travellers, backpackers and people riding a motorbike around the island who just want a clean room to sleep in after a full day out.

Among these 9 stays, if you go by starting price, Kohchang7 Guest House (some platforms list it as Kohchang7 Seaview Bungalow) is the cheapest, from just ฿550/night — a small guesthouse of around 20 rooms clinging to the rocks above the sea in Bailan Bay on the island's west coast, a quiet bay between Kai Bae Beach and Lonely Beach. · The straightforward selling points reviews mention are sea views, a beautiful sunset, peace and quiet away from the crowds, and a praised Thai-Korean kitchen, all at a very light price. · Another highlight is its seafront location where you can go snorkelling straight off the front of the stay, via steps and the rocks, with the guesthouse lending snorkelling gear for free. · Rooms range from budget fan bungalows to sea-view A/C rooms and front-row seafront bungalows whose balconies face straight out to sea, which reviews say get the full sunset. · The thing to understand before booking: this place is not a sandy beach; you get into the water via the rocks and steps, better for snorkelling than walking the sand, and there's no swimming pool. · Honest caveats: some rooms look old and upkeep is inconsistent, water pressure is weak with an iron smell to the water at times, the cheaper rooms often have no TV/fridge, and the location is remote with a narrow, steep access road and no convenience store nearby. · Best for couples and backpackers who want a seafront location, sunset views, quiet and good food at the lightest price in the set.

Cliff Cottage is a small eco-resort clinging to the cliff above Bang Bao bay at the far south of Koh Chang, in an old fishing-village area that still keeps its original feel — for people who want to escape the bustle of White Sand Beach and be with nature and the real sea. · The selling point reviews agree on is sunset views over the sea that many say never disappoint, peace and quiet away from the crowds, and a standout you won't find at similarly priced stays — an in-house PADI 5-Star BBdivers dive centre offering dive courses, scuba, snorkelling and free-diving, plus free kayaking and snorkelling from in front of the restaurant. · There are several room types, from the budget Castaway rooms (fan/shared bathroom) and the en-suite A/C Garden Room up to the Cliff Top Bungalow on the cliff with sea views that reviews talk about most, plus glamping tents open only in the dry season. · The clifftop restaurant serves Thai-Western food, praised for taste and open nearly all day. · The thing to understand before booking: this place is not a sandy beachfront stay; it's a cliff above a rocky bay, with only a small splash pool to soak in, and the nearest sandy beach is Klong Kloi, around a 10-minute walk. · Honest caveats: rooms are basic and fairly small, especially the Castaway rooms, cleanliness is inconsistent at times, there are water issues during the island's dry spells (an island-wide problem in some seasons), and getting around the island is fairly limited. · Best for divers, couples, and anyone who wants sunset views and quiet out in nature on a budget.