Ko Sichang

Ko Sichang is a small island in the Gulf of Thailand off Si Racha in Chonburi Province, forming Ko Sichang District with Tha Thewawong as its main settlement and pier area. Notable for its former royal summer palace, Chinese shrine, beaches and viewpoints, the car-free island is accessible by ferry from Ko Loi Pier. It combines historical sites, coastal scenery and local fishing community atmosphere within a compact, hilly landscape.

Visitors arrive by ferry at Tha Thewawong Pier and explore a compact, hilly island without private cars, using tuk-tuks, motorbike rentals or bicycles. Expect a mix of historical sites including Phra Chuthathut Palace, the hillside Chao Pho Khao Yai Shrine with sea views, small beaches such as Hat Tham Phang, caves, viewpoints like Chong Khao Khat, fishing village streets, seafood restaurants and quiet coastal scenery. Terrain includes slopes and stairways.

Ko Sichang served as a royal retreat during the reigns of King Rama IV, Rama V and Rama VI. King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) built Phra Chuthathut Palace between 1888 and 1892 as a summer palace, named after his son Prince Chuthathut. The palace complex and associated structures reflect late 19th-century royal use of the island before the palace was abandoned after a French occupation in 1893.

The island is home to the revered Chao Pho Khao Yai Shrine, a Chinese shrine built into the hillside and highly respected by Thai-Chinese visitors. The shrine, palace grounds and local fishing community reflect the island's blend of Thai royal heritage and Chinese folk beliefs, with ongoing religious observance and festivals.