The south, which is flanked on two sides by the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, is lined with sandy beaches and palm-fringed islands lying just offshore. Some of the finest beaches in the country are to be found in Phuket, Samui, and the islands in Phangnga Bay. Many significant ruins of historical importance have been discovered, such as the Chedi Wat Maha That in Nakorn Si Thamarat, which is more than a thousand years old.