Watching the pacific swallow does acrobatic dives as it catches flying insects for food is such a delightful sight to behold. This is the usual sight if you happened to traverse by motor boat or kayak the mangrove area along the southernmost portion of Koh Chang Island specifically the small islands situated in the bay of Thailand such as Koh Lao Nai, Koh Khlum, Koh Wai and the neighboring small islands.
Hirundo tahitica is the scientific name of the Pacific Swallow. It is a small passerine bird in the swallow family. It breeds in tropical Southern Asia from Southern India and Sri Lanka across to South East Asia like the country of Thailand particularly in Koh Chang Island and the islands of the South Pacific. It is resident apart from some local seasonal movements. This bird is associated with coasts, but is increasingly spreading to forested uplands. Pacific swallows are naturally fast flyers. They are known to be agile because of their small body structure measuring only 13 centimeters in length. They love to catch their feeds while airborne. It has a blue back with browner wings and tail, a red face and throat, and dusky underparts.
Pacific swallow is placed into the taxonomic family, Hirundinidae, the swallows and martins. These birds are adapted to catching insects in flight, making them similar to another group of aerial insectivores, the swifts. However, unlike swifts, swallows often perch and wait for individual insects to pursue and capture instead of flying around with their mouths wide open. Further, swallows feed very low in the air column, often engage in aerial acrobatics, and they also can perch -- all behaviors that the swifts lack. Unlike their migratory relatives, Pacific swallows are resident. They are fairly common within their range, but favor open country with lots of water, and are also found in coastal areas and in mangroves. The island of Koh Chang makes a perfect place for this species to thrive in numbers.
Klong Son Beach is good for:
peace and quiet
sandy beach
fishing
Short description:
Klong Son beach (or Had Klong Son) is located on the north of Koh Chang. Nice bay at the very top of the island. Pure white sand stretch of beach, shaded with coconut trees. Klong Son gets very low numbers of visitors with the bulk of the backpackers and tourists alike speeding south enroute to Koh Chang's finer and more popular stretches of sand.
White Sand Beach is good for:
night live
sandy beach
variety of restaurants
shopping
Short description:
Koh Chang's most famous stretch of sand, at over 2km long there's certainly room for everyone! Lined with bungalows, food stalls and shops this is one of the best beaches in all of Thailand.
Klong Phrao Beach is good for:
tranquil surroundings
gorgeous rocky landscape
all sorts of activities
quiet and peaceful
Short description:
Situated on the somewhat less glamorous, northern side of the Koh Chang Island, Klong Prao isn’t all that much of tourist destination, especially for those who are in need of a true holiday experience of the exotic kind.
Lonely Beach is good for:
great sunset
cheap and peaceful retreat
all sorts of beach activities
perfect for family
Short description:
Also known as Kai Bae Beach, this is the spot to catch a great sunset! A few small shops and food stalls are along the beach, a good spot to chill out away from the crowds at White Sands Beach.
Bangbao Bay is good for:
fishing
seafood restaurants
shopping
nightlife
Short description:
A well-sheltered bay with a small and quiet beach. It is a fishing community where residents still live in houses built on stilts and are connected by wooden bridges. There are a growing number of tourist shops, scuba dive outlets and seafood restaurants offering a good selection of seafood.
Salak Khok Bay is good for:
pretty, unspoiled area
traditional Thai community
kayaking
quiet and peaceful
Short description:
There aren’t so much attraction in Salak Kok, but tourists can Kayak among the mangroves. Salak Kok Bay still has a fishing community that doesn’t change so much in many years, a great place to see the real traditional Thai community.
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