Sol Beach Koh Chang is a boutique beachfront hotel on Klong Prao Beach in Thailand, with bungalows on the sand and its own gym, sauna and ice bath. I’m staying here right now while I write this review. We came straight from The Retreat Koh Chang, and the two couldn’t be more different.
Below I’ll tell you where it’s located, why we nearly didn’t book it and what our room is like. You’ll also learn about the food and prices, the facilities, the downsides, the nearby attractions and whether I’d stay again.
I have to say, the food is exceptional, we can walk out of our room and be in the sea in like 30 seconds, and the sunset with the DJ playing was a proper pinch me moment. But it’s expensive for Thai prices what you get in the room, breakfast isn’t included, and the shower isn’t great, so read the downsides before you book.
We paid for our stay ourselves so this is not a sponsored post.
See prices and availability at Sol Beach Koh Chang
Where is Sol Beach Koh Chang?
Sol Beach Koh Chang is located at the northern end of Klong Prao Beach, in the middle of the west coast of the island. Nearly everything is spread along the coast road, as you can see on this map so it’s not like you can just walk out of the hotel and head to 7/11 like you can at The Retreat for example.
Is Klong Prao a good area to stay in?
Klong Prao is known for its long, scenic beach, and it’s good for swimming and relaxing. Being central makes it easy to explore the island, but we’re a bit out of the way from the main road, and you can’t just walk out to different shops like we could at The Retreat. There are some other resorts with restaurants to go to along the beach from Sol Beach if you want to mix it up. I don’t think it’s the best beach in Koh Chang, but it’s definitely got the ‘pinch me, I’m in Thailand’ vibe.
How to get to Sol Beach Koh Chang
I’ve written a full guide on how to get to Koh Chang from Bangkok, with the flights, the buses and what we paid. It’s a long day, so have your travel insurance sorted before you set off.
You need to take the ferry over to Koh Chang from Trat which is about a 30 minute ferry ride. From there, it’s about a 30 minute drive to Sol Beach. The staff at the hotel will help arrange a transfer on WhatsApp, and there’s free parking. We got a cab here from The Retreat, which was 300 baht.
Why we picked Sol Beach Koh Chang
Sol Beach Koh Chang is a hotel I was drawn to instantly, and when I checked, it was rated 9.0 out of 10 on Booking.com from over 260 real guests. But we only decided to stay at the last minute, because online the rooms looked right next to the bar, and we thought the DJ would make it noisy and we wouldn’t get much privacy with the rooms being on the beach.
We’ve since found out the DJ is only on between 4 and 7pm, and the bar closes at 10pm. So if that’s what’s putting you off, like it did me, it’s worth knowing. Plus, we actually went to bed at 7:30pm each night during our stay and our room was right on the beach.
Check in at Sol Beach Koh Chang
Check in was super easy and quick, even though we’d only booked minutes before. Check in and check out times are 2pm and 11am, and reception is open from 8am to 10pm.
Our room at Sol Beach Koh Chang
We’re staying for two nights in Luna 1, a family room with two king size beds. We booked literally minutes before turning up, and it’s much larger than the other rooms.
The beauty of it is the direct access to the beach. I just open our door, and bam, you’re straight onto the sand, and we can be in the sea in like 30 seconds, which is absolutely amazing. It’s hard to not get sand into the room, but it hasn’t been that bad, to be honest.
We’re paying AU$220 a night without breakfast, which is about AU$50 less a night than The Retreat. Prices vary depending on your dates, so search yours before you book.
The other bungalows and family rooms
Sol Beach’s website says there are 16 bungalows. They’re stylishly furnished, each with air conditioning, a private bathroom and modern amenities like a Nespresso machine, and some have a balcony with sea views. The first row is on the beach and the others are in the garden behind, so ask for the first row if you want to walk straight onto the sand.
If you’re coming with children, there are family rooms and a Two Bedroom with two bathrooms, and one listing mentions cots on request, a children’s menu and a play area, so message them to check. Unlike The Retreat, which is adults only, there are families staying here while we are.
The beach and the pontoon at Sol Beach Koh Chang
There’s no swimming pool on the property, which the hotel says is by design, so it’s all about the beach. Its sister hotel, Saga Boutique Villas, is about 10 metres behind and has one.
They’ve got really beautiful sun loungers which are reserved just for guests, and it’s the type of environment where I could just sit there all day drinking aperols.
There’s also a pontoon to swim out to, and it’s the coolest pontoon I think I’ve ever seen. It’s got chairs on it, and you feel like you’re on your own little pirate ship. It’s about a 3 minute swim to get on to it, or go at low tide and you can pretty much walk straight out onto it.
Sunset and the DJ
The sunset was absolutely beautiful, and the DJ was spot on, playing really beautiful chill-out Ibiza music. It was a proper pinch me moment, and it felt like we’d actually made it to Thailand, which after the nightmare we had getting to Koh Chang was amazing.
The food at Sol Beach Koh Chang
The food at Sol Beach Koh Chang is exceptional, and I think it’s better than The Retreat. At The Retreat I turned to Steve and said I was guessing that would be the best food we’d have all holiday. I was wrong. In the reviews, guests consistently praise the food, and it definitely matched what I’d read.
Breakfast
Breakfast was really good, but you have to pay for it, and it cost us about 800 baht for two, so 400 baht per person. At The Retreat it was included, so it’s one to budget for here.
Lunch and dinner
The beachfront dining is open all day, from 7am to 10pm. It’s Thai and international cuisine on a really diverse menu, from poke bowls to acai bowls, plus sushi, pizza and burgers, with plenty of vegetarian and vegan options. Every meal we’ve had has been delicious, and it feels very, very fresh and clean, which is very noticeable coming from Australia.
The restaurant doubles as the bar and coffee shop on site, and they also do a fire show, which was really fun to watch at dinner.
How much does food cost at Sol Beach?
The alcohol is a bit cheaper than The Retreat. An Aperol Spritz is 300 baht here and it was 450 baht there, which is a big difference. But if I was coming again, I’d definitely stock up on 7-Eleven stuff like beers and water, because it adds up.
Facilities and activities at Sol Beach Koh Chang
The wellness centre has a spa, massage, a fitness room, a sauna and an ice bath, and I think the convenience of just walking up to use them is a real bonus. They’ve even got slacklining between two trees, and juggling as well.
The hotel says the sauna and ice bath are free for hotel guests, and so is the 9am yoga or Pilates class. Most other classes are 400 baht, and you can sign up at reception or on WhatsApp. They also do breathwork, stand up paddleboarding, snorkelling and private boat trips.
The massages are 450 baht, which is pretty good, but they’re even cheaper next door at 280 baht. I had one and it was definitely worth it.
What Sol Beach Koh Chang feels like
Sol Beach Koh Chang feels like the type of place that’s run by people our age, who have been in Thailand from back in the day when it was very much about partying. But they’ve brought it up to date, and you get a young-minded crowd here who are into wellness and self-care.
There are a lot of very fit people, which I thought would feel a bit intimidating, but it’s a relaxed sort of space with a nice balance between relaxing and being social. It’s an intimate place, and we got chatting to some Australians who hadn’t even left in about four days, because you’ve just got everything you need here.
The downsides
The biggest downside for me is that it’s a bit steep for what you’re getting. At AU$220 a night without breakfast, it’s definitely one of the more expensive hotels in Koh Chang.
The shower also isn’t great. It’s an electric shower, and there’s hardly any water coming out of it, which doesn’t feel luxury at all.
There are sandflies around, and there was a bit of sea lice in the water occasionally, but I went back in another time and it had gone.
Finally, even though it’s health conscious, they still allow people to smoke in the public areas, which really surprised me. The Retreat had no smoking or vaping at all.
To be fair, what they’re offering for the price is that spot right on the beach, plus the sauna, ice bath and gym.
Nearby attractions around Sol Beach Koh Chang
Most of the attractions nearby are waterfalls and the national park. These are the distances the listings give:
- Klong Plu Waterfall is about 3.7km away
- Mu Ko Chang National Park is within about 6km
- Than Mayom Waterfall is listed at 8.8km, but it’s on the east coast, so it’s a much longer drive around the top of the island
If you’re planning a hike or a boat trip, check your travel insurance covers it.
Getting around
We got a local taxi to White Sand Beach for 100 baht each, then 700 baht for the rest of our day out and back to Sol Beach. We just took the driver’s WhatsApp, and we didn’t have to wait long, because she picked us up quickly.
Who Sol Beach Koh Chang is for
It’s perfect for:
- Travellers seeking wellness as well as a beach holiday
- Anyone who wants to walk straight out of their room onto the beach
- Anyone who cares about really good, healthy food
- Families, as long as you don’t need a pool
It’s not for you if:
- You want a luxury room and bathroom
- You want breakfast included
- You want to walk out to shops and other restaurants
- You’d rather stay somewhere with no smoking
Would we stay at Sol Beach Koh Chang again?
I loved it from the moment we got there and it grew on me more during our stay. The food is the best we’ve had on this trip, walking straight into the sea is amazing, and that sunset with the DJ playing was so lovely. But for what we paid, I’d want a better shower. If I was coming again, I’d stock up at 7-Eleven first and budget for breakfast because our 2 day stay came to over 8,000 baht in food and drinks (about $340 AUD).
If I had to choose between Sol Beach and The Retreat, I would probably do a mixture of the two. I’m going to write up a full comparison next. Check out my The Retreat Review first.
You can also see what it’s like in our reel on Instagram at @itsannieandsteve.
See prices and availability at Sol Beach Koh Chang
If you’re booking a trip to Koh Chang, sort your travel insurance when you book your flights.
Have you stayed on Koh Chang? Let me know where you stayed in the comments below.
