Chanthaburi

Things to Do
Gem Street
A trip to Chanthaburi would not be complete without visiting Gem Street; the best time to come is Friday, Saturday and Sunday when you can witness throngs of locals and foreigners haggling over exotic stones. It’s a sight to behold and serious money can be seen changing hands as bags full of rocks move from one broker to the next.
It’s also a good indication of how safe the city is, as security seems to be almost non-existent.
To get a better incite into how the Gem trade works then visit 4 Pillars House of Gems behind the K.P. Grand Hotel. The incredibly beautifully festooned house displays a breathtaking array of priceless jewels like a one million Baht tree made entirely of gems, and they also host tours where you can witness the different processes of burning and cutting the stones. There’s absolutely no obligation and it’s fascinating to see such a display of wealth. Tel. 039 340 444

The Cathedral of Immaculate Conception is almost 300 years old and was built to accommodate the influx of Christian Vietnamese who arrived in Thailand to escape religious persecution.
It’s Thailand’s largest Christian church and has been renovated and rebuilt a number of times, the last major reconstruction was in 1909 when it acquired its present day Gothic appearance.

Tha Mai District
Chantaburi’s best beaches may not compare to Koh Kood or Koh Samet but they are still a very pleasant getaway and much cheaper than other resort towns like Pattaya or Hua Hin.
The best beaches are in Tha Mai district where you’ll find some of Chanthaburi’s most scenic spots including a beautiful coastal road that takes you past Chao Lao Beach, Khung Wiman Beach, Laem Sadet Beach and Ao Khung Kraben Nature Reserve.
Most popular is Chao Lao Beach which offers miles of golden sand and a multitude of resorts and hotels, with an equal number of excellent inexpensive seafood restaurants.
Khung Wiman Beach with its reddish colour sand is also very, very attractive with fine natural surrounding and just a few restaurants and resorts. While you’re here look out for the Sun Dried Squid, it’s a local delicacy, sun dried for a just few hours then barbecued and served with spicy seafood sauce or sweet chilli sauce, it is seriously delicious.
At Khung Kraben Bay the north end of Chao Lao you can discover the mangrove forests via a 1600 metre board walk, unfortunately though none of the explanatory signs are in English. A few hundred metres from there on the beach side is a new aquarium which at this time doesn’t have too many species but it is free, it will be completed in October.

Laem Singh District
Among the many attractions of Laem Singh is the Phlew (pronounced Phleel) National Park which is host to Nam Tok Phlew one of Thailand’s most popular waterfalls. The fall descends 20 metres from the top to the waters surface and at the foot of the waterfall is a pyramid shape monument built by Rama V in memory of his beloved Queen who drowned in a boating accident on the Chao Phraya River.
The area surrounding the waterfall is maintained excellently with excellent signage and concrete paths leading to the falls and other attractions which include accommodation for group visitors, a visitor centre and a 1.2km nature trail through the jungle.
Other equally impressive waterfalls in the park are Klong Narai, Trok Nong and Makok, the latter two reached on the 3277 road to Makham District.
Admission: Thais 40Baht Foreigners 400Baht

Laem Singh cont.

Just before you reach the turning for Phlew National Park is Wat Mangkon Buppharam, which is very visible from the main road because of its fetching Chinese style architecture, it’s a worthwhile and convenient break from driving if you’re skipping straight through to Trat.
Or actually on the road to Phlew National Park you’ll see a temple (Wat Khao Ta Nim) a few hundred metres on the right side, park in the temple grounds then ask the monks for the Hin Sumpow Jeen, you will be directed onto a jungle path where after 300 or 400 metres you’ll reach a precariously balanced huge stone naturally shaped like a Chinese Merchant Ship.
Back on Sukhumvit going towards Trat and then turning right towards Laem Singh on highway 3149 look out for Wat Chak Yai, even if you’re not slightly interested in religion you can’t fail to be impressed by this magnificent display of statues and monuments spelling out the life of Buddha. The grounds are beautifully kept and the enormous statues are quite magnificent.
All these temples are situated no more than a few kilometres from each other, each of them displaying their own unique attraction.

Also on road 3149 if you follow the signs, is another of Laem Singh’s most popular tourist destinations, Oasis Sea World. Here you can get a close up look at a variety of species of dolphin performing various acts for the bi-hourly show and for 400Baht you can swim with them and get involved with the tricks and feeding.
Admission: Thais 90Baht Foreigners 180Baht Call.039 363 238

Then back on road 3149 to Laem Singh pier is Khuk Khi Kai a small brick prison built by the French where they used to put Thai’s and bizarrely torture them by letting chicken’s excrete on them from above.
When you finally reach Laem Singh you are greeted with the possibilities of seafood on the beach, Laem Singh National Park, and the islands that are dotted around the cape.

Pong Nam Ron District
The main reason for visitors to Pong Nam Ron is the Soi Dao Highland Golf Club & Resort which offers 18 holes of challenging golf with panoramic views of the majestic mountain background. Facilities are of a decent standard with reasonably priced rooms, attractive club house, sauna, Jacuzzi, and swimming pool.
However, there are other attractions apart from golf like the Pong Nam Ron Hot Springs and picturesque rafting trips on the Pong Nam Ron Canal.
And along with Soi Dao District, Pong Nam Ron is home to the Khao Soi Dao Wildlife Sanctuary covering 793 sq.kilometres and is home to a huge variety of birds like the Chestnut Headed Partridge native only to this area. The highest peak is Khao Soi Dao Dtai (south) at 1670m whilst Khao Soi Dao Nua (north) at 1566m hosts the spectacular 16 level waterfall Nam Tok Khao Soi Dao.

Khao Khitchakut Sub-District
Khao Khitchakut National Park is one of Thailand’s smallest at just 59 sq.kilometres; however, the park has many very popular attractions and a range of wildlife including elephants, barking deer, gaur, and numerous bird species.
The Phrabat Mountain has a peak of 1065m and is not only a source of much wildlife but also a popular pilgrimage as at the summit is Buddha’s footprint.
Two fabulous waterfalls are also situated within the park and there are numerous nature trails.
Facilities include bungalows, camping, toilets and a restaurant.
Contact: Khao Khitchakut National Park. Tel. 039 452 074