Koh Chang Karp emerges as southern Thailand’s stunning new diving spot
Koh Chang Karp has recently emerged as the most stunning scuba diving destination in Trang, in the southern part of Thailand. Local tour boats hailed the island as the most beautiful scuba diving site in the province.
Koh Chang Karp, also known as Koh Reur Rop (battleship island), is a hidden gem located between two popular attractions in Trang: Koh Lao Liang and Koh Phetra. Several Thai media outlets invited diving enthusiasts to visit the island, saying it is a new and popular diving site in the province.
After being closed for a long period during the pandemic, the island’s natural marine resources in Trang’s sea have fully recovered, and Koh Chang Karp has become more abundant and resourceful after its long break.
According to the local tour boat operator, Suriya Haadden, Koh Chang Karp is the most beautiful diving spot in Trang at the moment. The 500 square metres diving site offers diverse species and formations of coral reefs, and it is also home to a variety of marine life, particularly clownfish.
Suriya further stated that most divers who visit Trang rate Koh Phetra as the best diving site in the province. However, he believed that Koh Chang Karp was now taking the lead in this regard. He added that the island is now popular among foreign tourists.
Koh Chang Karp can be reached most easily by taking a boat for one hour from Koh Libong. Visitors can also continue their journey to nearby islands like Koh Sukorn, Koh Petra, and Koh Lao Liang.
Koh Chang Karp is included in the legend of the islands in Trang, which narrates the story of a man named Libong and his wife Mook, who travelled to China by ship to start a business. However, the couple ended up dying in the sea due to their parents’ curse.
As they did not visit their parents upon their return to Thailand, the parents were angry and cursed their boat to capsize. Libong, Mook, and all of their belongings and products floated separately in the sea, bringing the names of each island in Trang, such as Koh Libong, Koh Mook, Koh Chueak (Rope island), Koh Waen (Ring Island), etc.
The southern provinces of Thailand offer tourists several stunning diving spots like Koh Similan in Phang Nga, Koh Tao in Surat Thani, Koh Phi Phi, and Koh Lanta in Krabi, etc. For travellers who have a full schedule or do not want to travel far from Bangkok, Koh Samae San in Chon Buri and Koh Chang in Trat are the perfect choices.
