Koh Sirey in Phuket

Golden Buddhas on Koh Sirey

Along the way there are several places to pull over and stroll down to the beach. Not being a tourist destination, the island’s beaches are a little scruffy, with rough shingled sand but overall it retains its rustic charm. Life moves at a much slower pace here and it's hard to imagine that the buzz of Patong is only 30 minutes away.

A road bridge from the mainland penetrates the island then makes a T-junction. If you take a right here, several hundred metres down the road on the right-hand side you will see an ornamental gateway leading into the grounds of a monastery.

Follow the road through here then take a right fork up the hill and you will come to Wat Sirey, an unusual Buddhist temple. It is ringed by what look like elevated rooms, housing golden Buddha images, each with a ladder lending access for maintenance purposes. The wat has a clockwise one-way system around it and on its other side there are steps leading up to the temple from where you can have a good vantage point overlooking Phuket and Sirey.

Koh Sirey's Sea Gypsies

Visitors will also find a colony of Moken Sea Gypsies at Laem Tukkae Village here in Sirey. Known locally as 'Chao Ley' (people of the sea) they are said to be the first inhabitants of the Andaman coastal regions of Thailand, Myanmar and Malaysia and were the original inhabitants of Phuket.

Sirey's sea gypsies are somewhat more settled than their counterparts in Myamnar but still retain their own language and distinctive culture and animistic religion. The sea gypsy village at Sirey is well signed and there is a big open-air seafood restaurant next to it. Generally speaking, these nomadic and simple people are approachable but a little shy. All understand Thai.

Good to Know about Koh Sirey

Koh Sirey, or Sireh or Koh Siray – all spellings are used in transliterating from the Thai – has no public transportation except the ponderous 'songthaews' (converted pickup trucks) that lumber around the island's coastal road. It's therefore best to hire a car or motorbike to explore the various nooks and crannies.

There have been a number of private villas and sophisticated residences opening up on Sirey over the past decade and upscale hotels also can’t resist its charm (with the Westin Siray Bay Resort & Spa as their pioneer). Stay tuned!

Opening Hours: All year round
Location: Just east of Phuket Town. To get there means having to pass through Phuket's port area and it takes only 15 minutes or less by car from the town centre.