Centara Koh Chang Tropicana Resort

Klong Prao is the stretch of Koh Chang I'd pick if I wanted beach without the noise, and this place sits right on it. That's the whole point of staying here. You walk out of your room, you're on the sand. No crossing a road, no shuttle, no five-minute trudge past someone else's resort.

Rooms run from simple to suites, and the design leans into the tropical setting rather than fighting it with marble and mirrors. There's a spa and dining on site, which matters more on Koh Chang than it would elsewhere, because Klong Prao isn't a place with restaurants stacked end to end. If you want variety in the evenings you'll be arranging transport, so factor that in. Big families and couples who want to do very little both do well here. Anyone after nightlife should look at Lonely Beach instead.

Come between November and April. The sea is calm, the rain stays away, and the beach actually looks like the photos. Outside that window, expect gray days and rougher water.