A few kilometres inland from the beach, Wat Neramit Wippassana is Cha-am's principal temple and sits at the edge of a forested hillside that gives views over the town and the Gulf beyond. The temple itself is active and working — monks from the forest monastery come and go along a covered walkway — rather than a heritage site groomed for visitors. That is part of its appeal.
The climb up through the trees to the hilltop chedi takes about fifteen minutes and the views from the top repay the effort. Early morning is the best time to visit: the light is good, the heat is manageable, and you may find monks in the covered walkways beginning their rounds. Dress respectfully (shoulders and knees covered) and leave shoes outside any building you enter.