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Chonburi

Radek Kucharski from Warsaw, Poland · The Sanctuary of Truth (51870146207).jpg · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0

Region · Thailand

Chonburi

The nearest sea to Bangkok — a carved wooden sanctuary on the shoreline, islands within an hour, and a coast that has been Thailand’s weekend since the railways.

Best timeNov–Feb
Ideal stay3–5 nights
Main hubPattaya
GatewaysU-Tapao (UTP) · Bangkok
Overview

Chonburi

Chonburi is the coast Bangkok reaches first, which explains almost everything about it. The province runs down the eastern side of the Bay of Bangkok through eleven districts, from the university beaches at Bang Saen, past Si Racha — its largest city, and the one with a long Japanese community — to Pattaya in Bang Lamung and the naval town of Sattahip at the southern end. Offshore are Ko Sichang, which King Chulalongkorn used as a royal retreat, and Ko Lan, which is where Pattaya goes for clear water. The province carries a reputation built on a few streets in one town; the rest of it is an ordinary, pleasant, working Thai coast that happens to be two hours from a capital city.

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Cities & Places

Where to go in Chonburi

Pattaya
Pattaya
Highlights

What Chonburi Is Known For

A carved wooden building that has been going up since 1981, and a coastline that works best if you get off the mainland.

The Sanctuary of TruthA 105-metre sanctuary at Na Kluea built entirely from wood — Mai Deang, Mai Takien, Mai Panchaat and teak — begun in 1981 by Lek Viriyaphan and still unfinished. Carvers work on site while you walk through it, which is the whole point of visiting.
Ko LanThe island off Pattaya, and where the clear water actually is. A short ferry, a handful of beaches, and far better as a full day than as a half.
Ko SichangQuieter, reached from Si Racha, and carrying the remains of King Chulalongkorn’s royal retreat. The version of this coast that existed before the resorts.
Bang Saen & Si RachaThe domestic end of the province — a university beach town and a working port city with a long-established Japanese community and the food that comes with it.
When to Go

The Best Time to Visit Chonburi

A short dry season, a long hot one and a monsoon that is less disruptive here than on the Andaman side.

November – FebruaryThe clear season and the reason to come. Dry, breezy, and the best water clarity of the year for the islands. This is also the busiest window, and weekends fill with Bangkok.
March – MayHot and increasingly humid. The sea is warm and calm, the beaches are quieter midweek, and the middle of the day becomes an indoor activity.
June – OctoberThe southwest monsoon. This coast is more sheltered than the Andaman side, so rain tends to come in short heavy bursts rather than settling in — but ferry crossings to the islands can be cancelled in rough weather.
WeekendsWorth naming as a season of its own. Chonburi is Bangkok’s nearest coast, so Saturday and Sunday are materially busier than the rest of the week everywhere in the province.
Getting Around

Reaching & Crossing Chonburi

Most visitors arrive overland from Bangkok, which is straightforward. Within the province, the shared songthaew does most of the work.

Getting there

  • U-Tapao (UTP) — the province’s own airport at the southern end, roughly a 45-minute drive from central Pattaya, with a limited international schedule.
  • Bangkok (BKK / DMK) — how nearly everyone actually arrives. Buses, minivans and private cars run the route continuously through the day.
  • Indian passport holders should confirm the current entry requirements for Thailand before booking, as the arrangements have changed more than once in recent years.
  • The province is on the eastern rail corridor, and the train is slower but a genuinely pleasant way in if you are not in a hurry.

Getting around

  • Shared songthaews run fixed loops through Pattaya for a flat fare. Agree the fare before boarding if you are asking for a route off the loop.
  • Ferries to Ko Lan leave from Pattaya’s Bali Hai pier; Ko Sichang is reached from Si Racha. Both run to a schedule and both stop in rough weather.
  • A car or scooter makes sense only if you want Bang Saen, Si Racha and Sattahip in the same trip — within Pattaya itself it is more trouble than it saves.
  • The Sanctuary of Truth is at Na Kluea, north of the main beach, and is a short ride rather than a walk from most of the town.
Suggested Itinerary

Four Nights in Chonburi

Day 1

Arrive & Na Kluea

In from Bangkok, then the Sanctuary of Truth in the late afternoon when the sea light is on the carving and the day coaches have gone.

Day 2

Ko Lan

Early ferry from Bali Hai and a full day on the island rather than a half. Back for the evening on the mainland.

Day 3

Si Racha & Ko Sichang

North along the coast, across to Ko Sichang for the royal retreat ruins and the quiet beaches, and back through Si Racha for dinner.

Day 4

Bang Saen or slow

Either the domestic beach at Bang Saen and the seafood along it, or a day that does nothing at all — which is a legitimate use of this province.

Continue Planning

Related to Chonburi

The places in Chonburi that have a guide of their own, and where to stay and eat once you are there.

AttractionSanctuary of TruthAttractionJomtien BeachHotelWhere to StayRestaurantWhere to Eat
Frequently Asked Questions

Chonburi Travel FAQ

Yes, with a little care about where you stay. Pattaya’s reputation comes from a small and well-defined part of one town; the province around it is an ordinary Thai coast with island ferries, quiet beaches at Bang Saen and Ko Sichang, and the Sanctuary of Truth. Choosing a base away from the nightlife strip settles the question almost entirely.
A 105-metre building at Na Kluea made entirely of wood — Mai Deang, Mai Takien, Mai Panchaat and teak — with every surface carved. Work began in 1981 under Lek Viriyaphan and it is still unfinished, so carvers are usually working on site while visitors walk through. That, rather than the finished object, is what makes it worth the trip.
Around two hours by road in normal traffic, which is why this is Bangkok’s weekend coast. Buses and minivans run continuously through the day, and a private car is the comfortable version. U-Tapao airport is at the southern end of the province if you are flying in directly.
Offshore. Ko Lan, a short ferry from Pattaya’s Bali Hai pier, is where the clear water is, and it deserves a full day rather than a morning. Ko Sichang, reached from Si Racha, is quieter still. The mainland beaches are pleasant but they are not the reason to come.
November to February — dry, breezy and with the best water clarity of the year. March to May is hot but calm. The southwest monsoon from June brings short heavy bursts rather than all-day rain on this sheltered coast, though island ferries can be cancelled when it turns rough.
Three to five, from a single base. That covers the Sanctuary of Truth, a full day on Ko Lan, and a day north to Si Racha and Ko Sichang. The province does not need you to change hotels, and there is no circuit to complete.
Plan Your Trip

Design Your Chonburi Journey

Tell us who is travelling and we will pick the base first — it is the decision that shapes everything else on this coast.

Plan My Chonburi Trip →