Koh Si Chang is one of the closest weekend getaway islands from Chachoengsao. After traveling for 2 months during the “Summer break” it was very difficult to get back into the swing of teaching. Although we started with Summer Camp and only taught 2 hours per day, it was another day in Chachoengsao. My friend Kaitlyn, who I met in Hua Hin during our TESOL class, recently moved to Chachoengsao. We made a quick decision that we were going away for the weekend.
About a 30 minute drive to Chon Buri and a quick ferry ride later, we were on the very Thai island of Koh Si Chang. When I describe something as “very Thai,” it means that there isn’t another westerner for miles. I knew this prior to planning our trip, but it still took me by surprise. We were constantly stared at. People stopped whatever they were doing and just watched us. I could be peeling a hard boiled egg and everyone around needed to watch and either laugh or try to help me. It’s a lot to take in even when I’ve been in Thailand for quite some time.
Kaitlyn and I found a quaint guesthouse right off the main street and didn’t look for anything else. We were ready to explore! So, we rented a motorbike and went for a ride around the island to check it out. The beach was covered with umbrellas, the restaurants had fresh seafood, and nothing was written in English yet more people spoke English here than any other place I’ve been to in Thailand. I was shocked!
We checked out the temples on the hill and the large buddha statue overlooking the pier. We spent an entire day walking, riding the motorbike, and getting lost. Then… the torrential downpour started.
We spent the next 12 hours hiding in our guesthouse waiting for the rain to stop. Eventually it did and we ventured out to get a Thai massage. After being lazy all day, we felt continuing the laziness while being pampered was the only option. We learned our lesson quick about leaving right after a horrible rain – we were dodging mosquitos the size of birds! It was disgusting! Riding a bike down the street with these monsters flying at your face is not anyones idea of fun.
Although we didn’t get to relax by the beach, we were able to relax and listen to the rain. We ate amazing seafood and had delicious ice cream in the cutest ice cream shop. We saw incredible views and didn’t have a schedule to follow.
Koh Si Chang was a great weekend getaway but not the kind of island you need to stay longer than 1 night. One great thing is that it doesn’t have the vibe of the touristy islands. If you want to escape the crowds and relax without any kind of agenda, Koh Si Chang is the perfect escape. If you want to swim, hike, relax on the beach, this is not the island for you.
I’m anxious to head down south and see how the islands you see on Google Images stack up to these authentic Thai locations I’ve been able to visit.
