- Best time
- Nov–Apr (dry season)
- From Bangkok
- ~1.5h to Si Racha + ferry
- How long
- Day trip or 1 night
- Getting around
- Tuk-tuk and scooter hire; the island is small and walkable in parts
Updated June 2026
Plan your trip
Recommended by us
Phra Chuthathut Ratchathan Museum
The royal summer palace built by Rama V, partially relocated to Bangkok and partially left here. The ruins on the hillside are the interesting part.
Hat Tham Khao Phang
A small beach with a cave shrine cut into the cliff behind it. Quiet on weekdays and easy to reach by hired bicycle from the pier.
Get to Koh Sichang
Bus or minivan from Bangkok to Si Racha (about 90 minutes), then a short ferry from Si Racha pier to the island.
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Travel insurance
Hired bicycles, boat crossings and cliff walking: sort cover before you go so you're not dealing with it from the island.
Where to stay in Koh Sichang
Also nearby
Attractions in Chonburi
When to go
Nov–Feb The calmest, driest months make it easy to explore the old royal palace grounds, Chinese shrines, and quiet coastal tracks. Ferries from Si Racha run reliably and the island feels genuinely unhurried.
Mar–Apr Warm and mostly dry. A good time to visit if you want the island to yourself. This is one of the least-crowded corners of the Eastern Seaboard, even in peak season.
May–Oct Monsoon rain arrives, though the island's small size means you can retreat quickly. Ferry services continue but can be affected by rough weather. Better suited to curious day-trippers than sun-seekers during these months.
More to explore around Chonburi
About Koh Sichang
Last updated June 2026
Koh Sichang: A Royal Island Off Si Racha
Koh Sichang is a small island in the Gulf of Thailand, about 12 km off Si Racha in Chonburi province. It is only around 8 square km, has no bridge, and everyone arrives by the same ferry. King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) chose it for a summer palace in the 1890s, and the island still has more history than beach: a ruined royal palace, a Ming-era Chinese shrine, a Thai-Gothic temple and quiet viewpoints. It draws day-trippers from Bangkok and weekenders from Si Racha and Pattaya, and it is calm on weekdays.
What to Do on the Island
Phra Chudadhut Palace. The headline sight, and the one the island’s history hangs on. King Chulalongkorn began a summer retreat here, and the main palace was built in 1892 and named after a son born on the island. The French occupied the island in 1893 during the Franco-Siamese crisis and the palace was abandoned. In 1900 parts were dismantled and reassembled in Bangkok as part of Vimanmek Mansion. Chulalongkorn University now runs the grounds and opened the museum in 2004. Exhibits sit in several halls, including the pagoda of Wat Atsadang Nimit. See Phra Chuthathut Ratchathan Museum for hours and access.
Hat Tham Phang. The island’s most popular beach is a small cove with canvas chairs, simple restaurants and kayak hire. It is a pleasant swim and lunch stop rather than a beach holiday. Details at Hat Tham Khao Phang.
Chao Pho Khao Yai Shrine. A Chinese shrine to the “father spirit of the great hill”, north of the harbour, said to have been founded by Chinese sailors in the Ming era. It still draws pilgrims from Thailand and across Asia.
Wat Atsadang Nimit and viewpoints. The temple combines Thai and Gothic architecture, and viewpoints such as Khao Noi look over the bay and the shipping lanes.
Insider Tip: Take a morning boat from Koh Loi. That leaves time for the palace, the shrine and a swim before the return crossing, and the grounds are cooler early.
Finding Your Base
There are guesthouses and a handful of small hotels on the island rather than resort chains. Many visitors stay one night to see it after the last day-trip boat has left. Check availability on Booking.com.
Making the Journey
Go to Si Racha first. From Bangkok it is roughly 1.5 hours by road. Boats to the island leave from Koh Loi pier, a short causeway off the Si Racha waterfront (see Koh Loi Si Racha). The crossing takes about 40 to 45 minutes. Boats run roughly hourly in high season and less often in the low season, so check the return time before you commit to a day trip.
When the Weather Works
Koh Sichang sits in the upper Gulf off Si Racha, so it follows central Thailand’s pattern rather than Koh Samui’s: the rainy season runs roughly May to October, with September and October usually the wettest and the ferry crossing at its choppiest. November to February is the most comfortable window, and March to May is the hottest.
Getting Around
The island is small and cars are not needed. The usual options are samlors (motorcycle taxis with a passenger cart, locally also called skylabs), tuk-tuks that wait near the pier, or a rented scooter. A samlor driver will take you on a loop of the main sights, which suits a short visit. ATMs exist on the island, but carry cash for the shrine, food stalls and transport. English is spoken in the tourist areas, and less elsewhere. Cover shoulders and knees at the shrine and temples.