Once a sleepy little island in the South China Sea, Koh Chang, Thailand today bustles with activity. It has since awakened to a worldwide heightened interest in eco-tourism.
Koh Chang, Thailand is the largest of an archipelago of some forty islands off the mainland’s east coast. The mountainous island is home to eight native villages scattered about the 217 square kilometers of Koh Chang, Thailand‘s land.
The name “Koh Chang” is translated “Elephant Island,” in spite of the fact that elephants are not indigenous to it. Rather, it refers to its shape, which is much like that of a sleeping elephant.
Though elephants may not be indigenous creatures, Koh Chang, Thailand is practically synonymous with elephants today. The area has a long and rich history with elephants. They have been used as sources of transportation for centuries. Some natives still rely solely on elephants to get around. In Koh Chang, Thailand they are considered working animals, and in addition to traveling they have been used historically in farming/agriculture and in war.
Elephant trekking is Koh Chang, Thailand‘s most popular draw in the eco-tourism market. Thousands of foreign tourists visit the island each year especially for the experience of riding an elephant. Local elephant trekking companies offer various tour packages. Not only do these tours bring visitors into close contact with Ko Chang, Thailand‘s beautiful outdoors, it also educates them about the historical significance of elephants to Thai culture.
The majority of the island of Ko Chang, Thailand is covered by the Mu Ko Chang National Park. The park, much of which consists of virgin rain forest, has only been a designated national park since 2000.
The park is home to hundreds of unique species of plants and animals, both on land and in the sea. Hundreds of thousands of tourists visit Ko Chang, Thailand each year for the chance to delve into its rain forests and examine its indigenous wildlife.
The many mountains of Ko Chang, Thailand feed dozens of streams and rivers which cut through the island and head to the sea. Frequent rainfall and a long wet season (May to October annually) make Ko Chang, Thailand‘s streams some of the cleanest and freshest in the world. Its terrain is also home to some breathtaking waterfalls, which draw a significant number of eco-tourists.
Thanks to greater environmental awareness, Ko Chang, Thailand may be poised to become one of the world’s top eco-tourism destinations in the years to come. Its reputation is beginning to reach beyond its own borders. Foreign tourist numbers to Ko Chang, Thailand may well rival those of local tourists before the decade is over.
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