On a bright and sunny morning, my wife and I boarded a minibus to Si Racha, Thailand (yes, like the sauce).
 |
| a rest stop on the way to Si Racha |
About two hours later, we had arrived in the port city of Si Racha, and after a short tuk-tuk ride to the pier, we boarded a ferry to the island of Koh Sichang.
Koh Sichang is the closest island to Bangkok. It's a historic royal resort island and, while it may not be the most beautiful island in the gulf of Thailand, it has a certain charm steeped in its rich history and quiet, laid-back atmosphere.
To be honest, we both really needed a break. Things have been so busy since we got back from the US, and we were both starting to wear out and burn out a little bit.
We also needed to take some pre-wedding photos (we'll be having our second wedding ceremony here in Thailand for all of my wife's family and friends soon), so we used it as an excuse to get away for a night.
We booked a $20 bungalow on the beach, and after a short ferry ride, we arrived on Koh Sichang. We checked in and chilled in the bungalow for a while, relaxing in the aircon to escape the heat of the day.
In the evening we dressed up and headed down to the beach for our photoshoot. While Koh Sichang isn't really known for its beautiful beaches (the only beach on the island is cramped, rocky, and difficult to get to), I think the pictures turned out really nicely.
It was vacation, so of course we had to have some seafood for dinner!
The first course was a spicy and sour soup (not Tom Yum, but something similar) stuffed full of white fish, octopus, and giant shrimp along with Thai flavors such as galangal, chili, mushrooms, and lemongrass.
The first course was a spicy and sour soup (not Tom Yum, but something similar) stuffed full of white fish, octopus, and giant shrimp along with Thai flavors such as galangal, chili, mushrooms, and lemongrass.
Next up were mussels, one of my wife's very favorite seafood treats. They mussels were served with the iconic green spicy Thai seafood sauce.
Followed by scallops, my #1 seafood dish! In Thai, scallops are called "hoy shell", which I think is really fun. They were served with butter, garlic, and green onion.
The next morning, we hired a driver to take us on a tour of the island.
The rickshaws on Koh Sichang aren't called tuk-tuks but are known for some reason as "skylabs". Don't ask me why, because I have no idea!
The skylabs are bigger than an ordinary Bangkok tuk-tuk and consist of a rattling carriage built atop the body of a motorbike.
The first stop was a Chinese temple known as "Saan Chao Pho Khao Yai" or " The Shrine of the Father Spirit of the Great Hill". The temple was built more than a century ago by Chinese merchants who sailed and docked here while delivering their goods to Siam.
The temple is built into the side of the hill, and consists of several levels of shrines, temple halls, and statues.
It's also one of the higher parts of the island and offers some amazing views across Koh Sichang.
As you climb up the steep stairs, you stop at the various landings built into the side of the mountain on the island. Each landing has its own collection of shrines and statues.
For more than two centuries, this sacred place is said to have served the spiritual needs of merchants from China who sailed near the island. Many pilgrims from different parts of Asia come to the temple during the Lunar New Year.
As we stepped inside the Father Spirit shrine, it was immediately cool and damp. Looking up, we could see small groups of bats huddled together in the cave roof above us.
The interior of the temple cave was dark, and every inch of the wall was hung with bright red Chinese prayer cards upon which people had written their names and wishes.
After we left the temple, the driver took us onward across the island to the lookout point where a large and cartoonish statue of a pirate stood lookout across the Gulf of Thailand.
We walked along the viewpoint admiring the wonderful view across the sea.
Koh Sichang is not necessarily known as Thailand's most beautiful island, but it does have it's remarkable points.
Next, we went to visit the ruins of the old summer palace.
In 1900 King Rama V of Siam built a palace on Koh Sichang. It was his favorite island, and he even built several guest houses (which still stand) and a Buddhist shrine.
When the French attacked Siam from Indochina, HM King Rama V had the palace taken apart piece by piece and moved to Bangkok where it was rebuilt. Today, it's known as the Vimanmek Teakwood Mansion.
After that our skylab driver took us further across the island to the Talu Cave, one of the more iconic scenic viewpoints which is located on the more remote back part of Koh Sichang.
This was a sea cave, only available to visit during low tide.
We climbed down the slippery moss-covered steps, and entered the natural cave formed by the sea.
Here, the ocean had created a natural window, and as we stood in the narrow crevice, we could see both the deep blue sea and the bright sky above us.
Here, the ocean had created a natural window, and as we stood in the narrow crevice, we could see both the deep blue sea and the bright sky above us.
We headed back to the port and booked a ticket on the next ferry back to Siracha.
After a short layover in town (we hung out at the Central Siracha Shopping Mall and enjoyed some delicious grilled bananas), we were soon on our way back to the Big Mango.
