Wat Koh Phayam

Wat Koh Phayam is the only Buddhist temple on Koh Phayam, identifiable from the water by its sea chapel — a round, white building on a concrete pier with a standing Buddha statue on the roof, facing out over the Andaman Sea. Entry is free, and the site sits about 10-15 minutes by motorbike from the main pier village.

The chapel is the reason to stop here. Lotus-petal detailing runs along its lower edge, and the structure is connected to shore by a concrete walkway rather than sitting directly on the beach — it’s built to be seen from arriving boats as much as visited on foot. Away from the water, the temple grounds hold a gold-painted seated Buddha on a low hill, framed by flowering trees, and a statue of Prince Chumphon, the naval prince still widely honoured along Thailand’s Andaman coast. It’s a working monastery rather than a museum piece — expect to see monks and island residents using the grounds for merit-making rather than a roped-off exhibit.

Fifteen to twenty minutes covers the site properly. There’s no formal parking area or facilities beyond the temple grounds themselves, and no vendors set up nearby, so treat it as a stop on an island loop rather than a half-day destination.

Insider Tip: Time your visit for late afternoon — the sea chapel faces west, and the standing Buddha statue silhouettes well against the sunset light over the water.

Watch out: Like any working temple, dress modestly — covered shoulders and knees — even though the setting feels more like a scenic viewpoint than a formal religious complex.

Combine the temple with a ride to Hat Bang Ben or the Hippie Bar beach stretch on the same Koh Phayam loop, since most of the island’s sights sit within a short motorbike ride of each other.