3 Best Sights in Koh Si Chang, The Gulf Coast Beaches

King Rama V built this summer palace and named it after his son, Prince Chudhadhuj, who was born on the island on July 5, 1893. Earlier in the 19th century, King Rama V's father, King Rama IV, had learned that the island's residents lived longer than anywhere else in Thailand and had concluded that Koh Si Chang's climate was responsible. The palace was abandoned in 1894 when France blockaded the Gulf of Thailand during a political crisis. Few buildings remain today, but the palace gardens are great for a stroll. King Rama V also commissioned another residence here, Vimanmek Mansion, which in 1901 he had moved to Bangkok. All that remains is the mansion's beachside foundation. Nearby, an old wooden pier has been restored to its former glory.

Hordes of weekend visitors from Bangkok descend on this temple on the north side of town. Khao Yai is a hodgepodge of shrines and stupas lining a 400-step walkway up a steep hillside. It's an arduous climb to the main temple building, but the view of the northern half of the island, the mainland, and rows of barges and ships is worth the effort. Koh Si Chang has no natural water sources. From this perch, you can see that nearly every roof on the island has a big jar for collecting water.

It's easy to spot this temple west of town as you near the island by boat—atop a hill, it has eight enormous reservoirs. The wat often donates drinking water to villagers when they need it. But Yai Prik is as dedicated to the spiritual as it is to the practical. Meditation courses are taught, and signs throughout explain Buddhist principles. Simplicity rules here: though donations are accepted, the monks don't collect money to build ornate temples.