There's so much to see on Ko Sichang that we're still discovering new attractions after twenty years of visits and five years of living here.
There's hardly a corner of the island where you won't find something worth looking at. Below we list the most popular targets, plus a couple that are often overlooked, but shouldn't be. Samlors will take you to most of these on the standard tour of the island. Make sure to allow plenty of time--just tell the driver how long you want to wait, and it's her/his call whether to wait, or go off and come back...
Rama V Palace |
Chinese Temple |
Wat Tham Yai Prik meditation center |
Yellow Buddha |
Sunsets |
Old Town |
Buddha's Footprint |
Dracula's Castle |
On the staircase up to the Buddha's Footprint
In a little gazebo about 100 meters above the main shrine of the Chinese Temple is the Buddha's Footprint. This does not pretend to be the actual mark of Gautama's foot; it is a shrine reproducing the 32 marks on the sole of the foot of a great soul, copied from a Sri Lankan original under the supervision of Thailand's greatest historian and scholar, Prince Damrong Rajanuparb, about 1891.
If you have the energy for a fairly stiff climb, the ideal approach is to go up the rear or western stairway early in the morning. After 505 stairs you step suddenly from close bush to a panoramic view of the harbor and Siracha on the mainland, spectacular at sunup. An improvised walking stick is handy for the steeper parts and for making yourself understood by any stray dogs that might claim the stairs for themselves. Ring the big bell three times (hit it moderately hard with the stick provided) to let the spirits know you have come to pay homage