Getting to Koh Si Chang
Getting to Koh Si Chang is quite easy. You have to travel to Si Racha first and then take a ferry from Koh Loi pier. The ferry costs 50 Baht per person and it departs every hour starting at 7 am. The journey to the island is about 40 minutes.
You can take a taxi, or a bus, or drive to Si Racha from Bangkok or Pattaya. There is parking available at Loh Loi.
If you book a stay at Novotel Koh Si Chang, you can park at Novotel Si Racha and take their shuttle van to the pier, free of cost. It is available 2 times per day at 11:30 and 13:30.
About Novotel Koh Si Chang
Novotel Koh Si Chang is an extension of Novotel Marina Sriracha. While Si Racha or Sriracha branch has premier rooms and suites, Koh Si Chang focuses more on villas. Both are unique on their own and depend on the experience you want to have.
Novotel Koh Si Chang has 4 private pool villas, 5 premier villas, and 24 deluxe sea-view rooms with the finest amenities. It also has a restaurant, a large outdoor pool, a fitness center, and a spa.
The Stay
I stayed at one of their 46 sqm 1 bedroom villa with a private pool. The room was sublime in every single way. Spacious, clean, and modern but with a touch of Thai tradition.
The pool and view looked out towards the ocean with small islands and the mainland in the distance. All make for an incredible and tranquil stay.
While the boats and ships on the horizon were kind of an eye soar, it was easy to ignore them and simply enjoy the beauty of the ocean and the comfort of the pool deck as well as the room itself.
The bed was definitely one of the softest and most comfortable beds I have ever laid on. It gave me such an amazing 2 nights of sleep.
The amenities at the villa included everything from free Wifi and a 55” LG smart TV to a fully-stocked mini-bar with a coffee and tea-making kettle.
The villa also features a gigantic bathroom that is divided into 3 parts – the toilet, dressing and washing space, and the bathtub plus shower area.
Whether it is for leisure or a place to work away from the hustle and bustle of the city, Novotel Koh Si Chang is definitely a great luxury hotel to stay in.
Dining & Snacks
I got to try quite a lot of food at Novotel Koh Si Chang, actually.
Let’s start with breakfast. There was a good selection of bread, eggs, cornflakes, sausages, and staple Thai dishes. I was most surprised that they even make Eggs Benedict. That was quite nice.
Lunch was had outside the hotel at the beach so let’s talk about that later.
Finally the dinner. The hotel has a big international and Thai menu. They asked me which I preferred, so I went for western because I have Thai food quite a lot.
Here is what I had.
For starters a mushroom soup with truffles. I am not a fan of truffles but this soup was delicious. Along with it, I ordered some tropical and tangy cocktails. I loved the sweet and sour balance of the drinks.
As for the main course, first came a roasted chicken – super soft, juicy, and full of flavor.
Then a lamb shank, which was nice but I think needed to be cooked a bit longer. I expected the meat to be melting off the bone, which wasn’t the case. It was nice though with the sauce and mashed potato. They also gave me a chicken Ceasar salad, which I didn’t have much of because I was already full. It looked pretty good though.
Overall, the food was good but needs a little extra zing to it to be great.
The next day, we were served their special afternoon tea set, which comes with a variety of snacks, desserts, and tea.
I am not much of a sweet or tea person but I loved the design and presentation. I did like the sushi roll and the chicken wings, though. More of that next time, please.
Exploring the island
Unlike most hotels, Novotel Koh Si Chang actually has a very cool service in which they provide sightseeing day tours around the island. You can rent a half-day or full-day service with them where they will take you to famous locations and landmarks.
For me, they did a special half-day tour with their hotel shuttle bus that took me to 4 different locations in Koh Si Chang.
Other than the driver, I was also accompanied by their security guy, who literally walked around with me everywhere as if he was a personal bodyguard and friend. It was very cool.
Chao Pho Khao Yai Shrine
First, we went to Chao Pho Khao Yai Shrine, a famous mixed-faith temple. It is a beautiful red temple situated on a hill with Chinese Buddhism and Hindu influences.
To go up to the top, you can either take the stairs or sit in the cable car that will take you up.
If you know me, I am not spiritual or a man of faith but I do appreciate architecture and culture. I enjoyed the ambiance at the temple – it was very calm and serene up here.
You also get a wonderful panoramic bird’s eye of the fishing village and pier below.
Chong Kao Kat
This is another phenomenal natural attraction of Koh Si Chang that is really worth seeing in my opinion.
I was amazed by the landscape of this place and of the entire island in fact. There is not much I can say about Chaon Khao Khat or แหลมเขาขาด other than if you like stunning views and a bit of hiking over jagged rocks, this is a must-visit spot.
You really have to be there to recognize its majestic beauty. But, here are more photos of this place to awe at.
It is said that this is the best sunset spot on the island but unfortunately, I could not make it back here for sunset due to weather conditions.
Phra Chudathut Ratchathan Palace
Next up, they took me to the Phra Chudathut Palace Museum, which is the former summer royal residence built during the reign of King Chulalongkorn. It was abandoned during the French occupation of the island and later converted into a museum.
On my visit, the museum was not open but I got to walk around the garden and beach along the land. It was so nice and peaceful here. So lush and green against a bright blue sky.
I was very lucky with the weather as it had been raining quite a lot for the past few days.
Chakrabongse Cape
This viewpoint along with a kind of secret hidden cave is yet another incredible place to see on the island. Known as Chakrabongse Cape or แหลมจักรพงษ์, boasts a stunning view of the Gulf of Thailand. While everyone was busy taking photos from the upper-view spot, I went down to the cave for a mini adventure.
Here I was able to take some unique and creative shots with my Insta360. I absolutely enjoyed this little spot. This and every other spot on this day trip really made my day and further validated my love for travel.
Now the rain was coming through so we made our way to the beach nearby called Hat Tham Phang.
Here we had lunch and spent some time relaxing, before heading back to the hotel.
Overall, it was an amazing trip. I always heard of Koh Si Chang and had put it off for more “beautiful” and far-flung islands but I was wrong. This island has a lot to offer with one of the best hotel chains doing their best to create a wonderful travel experience.
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