Aiyapura Resort Koh Chang was the final stop of our 2021 island tour. This is a place we have wanted to go for some time and we finally had the chance to see it in person. Our 2 days and nights at the resort were delightful and we thank the kind staff for making our stay really warm and special.
We booked a premier double room, but when we spoke to the reception staff, we were given a different room. Not sure of the classification, but the cost was the same at 2600 baht per night. The room was down from reception and very close to the restaurant and waterfront area of the resort. Meanwhile, other rooms we up the hill, featuring panoramic views across the bay.
Aiyapura is located very close to the main pier in Koh Chang, on the Northern end of the island. The resort is nestled on the hills surrounding a small bay with very shallow water. The scenery is beautiful and there is a small island about 1 km west of the resort, which looked like it might be a good spot to snorkel. There were a few boats coming and going throughout the day, since the marina was inland from where the resort sat, but very few compared to before covid hit the island so hard…
Our room was dated and had some strange features. The main room had the usual bed, desk chairs and storage with a television. There was plenty of water in the room for us, which was great. The bed for comfortable enough, but nothing of note. The room featured a small outdoor area with loungers. The view was nice, but not as beautiful as the rooms up the side of the hill. The bathroom was a functional disappointment, since it was awkward, with a semi-outdoor shower and incredibly low fixtures. Adam literally broke his back trying to use the toilet, sink and tub in this bathroom at 6’3” tall! It was not pretty to watch!
We did not spend much time in our room, so the downsides did not bother us much. We DID spend much time exploring the amazing property of Aiyapura Resort Koh Chang, which we loved! Super views and a great hike without even leaving the resort grounds. There were many perfect photo locations here and took full advantage of the natural vistas. We would like to extend a special thanks to the staff who offered to drive us around to some of the highest areas in a golf cart on the hottest day for our video tour.
Aiyapura had a small pool that was quite crowded every afternoon. Although the resort is waterfront, the bay is not really swimable. We tried and the visibility was zero. Furthermore, there were big jellyfish around in the water and we opted for the safety of the pool for our daily swims instead. Obviously, the other guests did the same… Our hopes of snorkeling to the small island were never realized once we saw the conditions were not favorable for any type of snorkeling or diving here.
The very best part of Aiyapura were the peacocks that lived at the resort. Not 1. Not 2. More than 100! Peacocks everywhere! It was great! These huge birds were real characters and it was a joy getting to know them. They came to sit on our outdoor terrace daily. They also kept us company at the restaurant, where the “girls” liked to eat right out of your hand if you could figure out what it was they liked to eat! The males were far too busy looking beautiful for the ladies to bother eating with us…lol! One thing we learned quickly is that peacocks are super loud! Their calls literally echoed across the whole bay!
The restaurant at Aiyapura Resort Koh Chang was indoor/outdoor, with lots of space for guests to spread out and feel safe. Breakfast was ok, with just enough to eat, but limited for vegetarians like us. We did not eat dinner here, but did have a lunch one day, which was tasty and not expensive. We did venture into town to eat dinner and shop, since the location of Aiyapura is very convenient to the main pier area.
Our time here passed too quickly and soon we were back on the ferry leaving Koh Chang. Songkran 2021 was over and we would soon be under lockdown again, with the worst covid wave 3 of Thailand in full effect. However, we still have nice memories of nature and joy thanks to Aiyapura and all the wonderful people of Koh Chang.
