Kai Bae

Kai Bae

Though it's much smaller in size, Kai Bae has just about as many options for partying the night away as White Sands Beach. Many are concentrated around the small bridge over the canal in the centre of town, and there's plenty more bar stools to be found further down. For epicureans there's also a good selection of international restaurants.

Commence your grazing with some cheese, olives and fresh bread from Kai Bae Fredo -- a combined Thai-French venue that looks over a canal running through Kai Bae. KBF has a relaxing ambience after dark and is on the south side of the bridge on the main road in Kai Bae.

Accompany the cheese with some wine from Koh Chang Wine Gallery which offers dozens of wines and beers from around the world on display catering for just about every taste and budget. There's occasional wine tastings, and you can ask for a discount if you want to buy wholesale. There's a small bar set-up out the front.

A few doors along from the Wine Gallery, you'll find Hippo Cafe -- a friendly and popular eatery which serves a broad selection of Thai and western dishes. The Thai food is decent, cooked traditionally with plenty of aromatics, though the portions are small. Western food is decent also, the more commonplace fare such as sandwiches and spaghetti complemented by items such as Falafel Pita's. There's a flat top roof which provides a good view and laid back atmosphere for an evening beer.

Tucked down the side of the 7-eleven store at the northern end of Kai Bae is Kharma Restaurant -- a laid back little Mexican outfit run by a friendly Swedish lady. Specialties such as tortilla roll with chicken, veg. and sour cream and salsa will set you back 220B. Alternatives to Mexican are pizza, Greek salad (120B) or a variety of Thai dishes from 70B.

If you've a carnivore streak that needs satisfying, Kai Bae International is a reasonably-priced restaurant that's famed around Kai Bae for its big, juicy steaks. The menu has Thai, Norwegian and general international dishes on offer. There's a bunch of large, bamboo-framed sofas sitting around a pleasant garden out front by the side of the road, quite a relaxing spot despite the traffic.

Come the evening, right in the thick of things, you'll find Blues Cha Cha -- a funky blues bar which opened spectacularly in 2008 with a live music night. Thailand's answer to Bob Marley, T-Bone, came and rocked the house and if that night was anything to go by then this bar could become a fixture. There's a small stage surrounded by a dance floor / bar area, or if you prefer the fresh air then there's a decking out front with a bunch of tables. It's a few doors along from the northern 7-eleven shop on Kai Bae strip. Alternatively try Rock Sugar down at the southern end of own for more late night antics.