Chanthaburi Chanthaburi

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HOW TO GET THERE 7 ATTRACTIONS 9 Chanthaburi 9 Amphoe Mueang Chanthaburi - Amphoe Laem Sing - 20 Hat Chao Lao - Hat Khung Wiman - Amphoe Tha Mai Route Amphoe Khao Khitchakhut Route 32 Amphoe Mueang Chanthaburi - Amphoe Makham - 35 Amphoe Soi Dao Route Amphoe Kaeng Hang Maeo Route 40 Amphoe Mueang Chanthaburi – Amphoe Laem Sing – 42 Amphoe Khlung Route 42 INTERESTING ACTIVITIES 49 Agro Tourism Attractions 49 Homestay 51 Sports 51 Spa 51 EVENTS AND FESTIVALS 52 LOCAL PRODUCTS 53 SOUVENIRS SHOPS 56 LOCAL FOOD 58 EXAMPLE OF TOUR PROGRAMMES 59 TRAVEL AGENCIES 60 RECOMMENDATIONS IN VISITING TEMPLES/MUSEUMS/ ANCIENT MONUMENTS 60 TRAVEL TIPS 61 MAPS 62 USEFUL TELEPHONE NUMBERS 66 TOURISM INFORMATION SERVICE CENTER 67 Old Town Chanthabun CHANTHABURI Chanthaburi Town

Chanthaburi, otherwise known as ‘Mueang Chan’, Boundary is an abundant with various factors North orders and contributing to the successful cultivation of fruit, especially , , mangosteen, South borders the Gulf of and other economic crops; such as, pepper and East borders province and the rubber trees. The province also serves as a hub Kingdom of of gemstone trading, with diversified tourist West borders province attractions to offer ranging from mountains, forests, waterfalls, beaches, places and objects of antiquity to soft adventure and ecotourism How to get there activities; such as, trekking, mountain biking, By Car, The province is accessible by 5 routes: rafting, etc. 1. Highway No. 3: This old route starts from Bang Na, via Chon Buri province – Bang Saen Covering a total area of approximately 6,338 – – – Sattahip – Ban Chang – square kilometres, Chanthaburi is administra- Rayong – Chanthaburi, a total distance of 330 tively divided into 10 ; namely, Amphoe kilometres. Mueang Chanthaburi, Amphoe Tha Mai, Amphoe 2. Motorway – Highway No. 7 starts from Srina- Khlung, Amphoe Laem Sing, Amphoe Pong garindra Road in and ends in Pattaya, Nam Ron, Amphoe Makham, Amphoe Soi Dao, Chon Buri, a distance of 90 kilometres. Then, Amphoe Na Yai Am, Amphoe Kaeng Hang Maeo continue on Highway No. 36 for 50 kilometres and Amphoe Khao Khitchakut.

Chanthaburi 7 and Highway No. 3 for another 108 kilometres, Private operators: a total distance of 248 kilometres. - Cherdchai Tour, Ekamai office, Tel. 0 2391 3. Highway No. 36, currently a main route, starts 2237, and Chanthaburi office, Tel. 0 3935 0357, from Km. 140 on in Bang 0 3931 1801. Lamung, Chon Buri, turn left at the Krathing Lai - Pornnipa Tour, Ekamai office, Tel. 0 2391 5179, T-junction via the Pira Circuit to end at 0 2936 2256, and Chanthaburi office, Tel. 0 3931 Choeng Noen in Amphoe Mueang Rayong, 1278, 0 3931 2532. , a distance of 60 kilometres, From the Bangkok Bus Terminal (Chatuchak) on then turn into Highway No. 3 for 108 kilometres Kamphaeng Phet 2 Road to , a total distance of 308 - Transport Co., Ltd. For more information, kilometres. please call Tel. 0 2936 2852 - 66. 4. Highway No. 344, the – Klaeng Private operators: route, the other main road that can save a - Cherdchai Tour Tel. 0 2936 0199. distance of up to 70 kilometres, starts from Km. - Pornnipa Tour Tel. 0 2936 2256. 98 on Sukhumvit Road in Amphoe Mueang Buses are also available from Chanthaburi to Chon Buri, via Amphoe Ban Bueng of Chon Buri other provinces including , province, Amphoe Wang Chan and Amphoe Trat, Rayong, Sa Kaeo, , Buri Ram, Pra- Klaeng of Rayong province, a distance of 110 chin Buri, and Tak. For more information, please kilometres. Then, continue on Highway No. 3 for contact the Chanthaburi Bus Terminal at Tel. 0 58 kilometres to Chanthaburi, a total distance 3932 2197. of 266 kilometres. 5. The connecting route between the Northeast Distances from Amphoe Mueang and the East starts at Km. 200 on Highway No. 33 from Amphoe Kabin Buri, Prachin Buri Chanthaburi to other districts province, turn right at Km. 230 in Sa Kaeo Tha Mai 17 kilometres province onto Highway No. 317, continue for Makham 12 kilometres 189 kilometres via Amphoe Wang Nam Yen, Khlung 24 kilometres Amphoe Soi Dao, Amphoe Pong Nam Ron, Laem Sing 34 kilometres and Amphoe Makham to Chanthaburi, a total Khao Khitchakut 30 kilometres distance of 219 kilometres from Amphoe Kabin Na Yai Am 40 kilometres Buri. Pong Nam Ron 42 kilometres Soi Dao 72 kilometres By Bus Kaeng Hang Maeo 78 kilometres From Bangkok Eastern Bus Terminal (Ekamai) on Sukhumvit Road Distances from Chanthaburi - Transport Co., Ltd. offers both air-conditioned and ordinary buses leaving daily. For more province to other provinces details, please contact the Ekamai office, Tel. 0 Trat 70 kilometres 2391 6846 and Chanthaburi office, Tel. 0 3932 Rayong 110 kilometres 2197. Pattaya 175 kilometres

8 Chanthaburi King the Great Shrine

ATTRACTIONS Taksin Camp of the Royal Thai Marine Division Amphoe Mueang Chanthaburi opposite the City Pillar Shrine and designed King Taksin the Great Shrine by the Fine Arts Department in the form of a (ศาลสมเด็จ cruciform concrete building with three way พระเจ้าตากสินมหาราช) staircases at the front and on 2 sides. The located in front of the Taksin Military Camp building enshrined a deity figure, which was on Tha Luang Road, is a nonagonal building a designated god of King Taksin the Great, but with a roof taking the shape of a royal hat his self-statue had not yet appeared. In 1991, with a pointed spire. Housing a statue of King government officers, businesspeople and the Taksin the Great, the Shrine was built from the people of Chanthaburi donated money for faithfulness of the people of Chanthaburi building a new King Taksin the Great Shrine and nearby provinces to pay respect for located side by side with the former shrine. auspiciousness. Formerly, it was just a wooden The new shrine measures 16.9 metres high shrine next to the City Pillar Shrine. Later, in the and is adorned with golden designs; on the serving time of M.C. Saritdidej Chayangkun as a top is a golden 9-tiered umbrella with a brass Royal Commissioner of the Chanthaburi Circle, black oxide cast statue of King Taksin the Great the Shrine was rebuilt in 1920 at the front of the

Chanthaburi 9 inside in a seated gesture. The interior wall was the Kingdom of Ayutthaya. Originally, it was beautifully painted with the Thai Phum Khaobin assumed that the Shrine was built with laterite pattern. There is an annual merit-making and since there was some physical evidence; offering ceremony in commemoration of his however, the construction was so ruined that heroic deeds on 28 December, the day of his it was difficult to tell how it looked like. The accession to the throne. current shrine and city pillar were constructed in 1981 and have undergone restoration as City Pillar Shrine (ศาลหลักเมืองจันทบุรี) well as changed the surrounding landscapes. located on Tha Luang Road opposite the King Taksin the Great Shrine, was presumably King Taksin the Great Monument (พระบรม constructed when King Taksin entered ราชานุสาวรีย์สมเด็จพระเจ้าตากสินมหาราช) Chanthaburi in 1767 and used the city as a located at Somdet Phrachao Taksin Maharat stronghold for recruitment and collection of Public Park (Thung Na Choei Public Park) on armaments and foodstuff for the liberation of Tha Luang Road opposite the City Hall on Liap

Wat Phai Lom

10 Chanthaburi Noen Road. It covers an area of approximately Wat Phai Lom (วัดไผ่ล้อม), 480,000 square metres surrounded by a fish located on Tri Rat Road, Tambon Chanthanimit breeding swamp of the Provincial Fishery on the left of the Chanthaburi Riverbank, is a Office. On an islet in the middle of the swamp royal temple built in 1777 and royally granted a is installed the monument of King Taksin the consecrated boundary in 1782. The temple was Great accompanied by his 4 trusted soldiers; chosen to be a developed temple model in 1966 namely, Phra Chiang Ngoen, Luang Phichai Asa, and royally upgraded to be a third-class royal Luang Phrom Sena, and Luang Ratchasaneha, temple in an ordinary type in 1996. In terms of as a memorial to King Taksin the Great’s its architecture, the building is surrounded with selection of Chanthaburi to be a stronghold boundary walls in 4 directions with an entrance for the historic liberation of the Kingdom of on each side. The cloister behind the ordination Ayutthaya. (A ramp for the disabled is provided.) hall is supported by 5 pillars without a capital on top. The building’s foundation is a straight Thanon Anyamani - Jewellery Road (ถนน line. There are also mural paintings of bonsais อัญมณี หรือ ตลาดพลอย), and Chinese-style flowers, the story of the Lord located on Si Chan Road and Soi Krachang, is Buddha’s ten incarnations, and his biography. a trade area of many gem-cutting shops and jewellery stores, which is considered to be the The Catholic Church Chanthaburi or the biggest commercial market of the gemstone Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception business in the country. On Friday – Sunday (โบสถ์คาทอลิกจันทบุรี หรือ อาสนวิหารพระนางมารีอา during 10.00 a.m. – 3.00 p.m., for people who are ปฏิสนธินิรมล), interested, they can observe the gems trading is situated at 111 Mu 5, Santisuk Road, Tambon atmosphere of jewellery traders coming from Chanthanimit, Amphoe Mueang Chanthaburi, many places both Thai and foreigners. opposite the Old Town Chanthabun Waterfront with the running past at The Chanthaburi Gem and Jewellery the front. This long historical Catholic Church Traders Association (สมาคมผู้ค้าอัญมณีและ has a construction history of over 300 years. เครื่องประดับจันทบุรี) Gem and Jewellery First, it was built in 1711 on the left side of the Centre (ศูนย์อัญมณีและเครื่องประดับ), Chanthaburi River by Father Nicolas Tolentino situated at 1/59 Maharat Road, Tambon Talat, and Annamese Christians. In 1836, it was was established in 2003 with an aim of being removed to be built on the eastern side of the a centre of trading of the country’s top quality River, which is the current location. In 1903, products of gems and jewellery. The symbol of the Church was reconstructed to be larger to the Centre is a Thai architectural style combined support the increasing number of Christians. with the shape of the jewel’s dimension Built in the Gothic architectural style, the to represent the city of gemstones. Open Church is 60 metres long and 20 metres daily between 9.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. For more wide with spiral towers. There is a 4.7-metre information, please contact Tel. 0 3930 3118-9. circumference big clock installed on the right tower. From the tower’s angle, we can see the

Chanthaburi 11 The Catholic Church Chanthaburi or the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception

12 Chanthaburi Wang Suan Ban Kaeo

city’s panorama as far as 2 kilometres. The please contact in advance at Tel. 0 3931 1578, interior is decorated with exquisite artwork www.cathedralchan.or.th. of stained glass pictures of saints aged more To get there: Use the same entrance as that than 100 years. The Church also houses the of Wat Phai Lom. Once arriving at the temple, figure of the Virgin Mary adorned with more continue for about 1 kilometre or from than 200,000 gems or more than 20,000 karats downtown Chanthaburi, cross the bridge of donated by Christians and the people of Wat Chan and follow Chanthanimit Road, then Chanthaburi as they were supporters of turn right at the junction to the Catholic Church. building the Virgin Mary Statue as well. This Catholic Church is considered to be the largest, Wang Suan Ban Kaeo (วังสวนบ้านแก้ว) oldest and most beautiful church in the Eastern located in Tambon Tha Chang, inside the region. Open daily from 8.30 a.m. - noon and Rambhai Barni Rajabhat University, 6 kilometres 1.00 - 4.30 p.m., except on Sunday, it is open from the city on Highway No. 316. The palace from 10.00 a.m. - 4.30 p.m. For group visitors, used to be a royal residence of Queen Rambhai

Chanthaburi 13 Ruean Daeng, Wang Suan Ban Kaeo

Barni, the Royal Consort of King Rama VII, for 18 dancing room, local cultural room, gem-digging years during 1950–1968. room, and local wisdom room. Buildings within the palace include: Ruean Khiao located 200 metres to the Phra Tamnak Yai or Phra Tamnak Thao is a half- southwest of Phra Tamnak Thao is a green wooden and half-concrete European style wooden single floor house. Currently, it is private residence wholly built with golden the Office of Art, Culture and Community teakwood, which was used as a royal guest Development of the Rambhai Barni Rajabhat reception as well. Today, the residence is University. the exhibition of a collection of the Queen’s Ruean Daeng located to the southwest of Phra personal belongings that reflect her simple and Tamnak Thao, is currently a research and study ordinary way of life, room for the biography of King Rama VII. Phra Tamnak Don Khae or Phra Tamnak Daeng, Wang Suan Ban Kaeo is open on Tuesday - a 2-storeyed European style building built Sunday, during 9.00 a.m.–4.00 p.m. For group with teakwood houses the Chanthaburi visits, please contact the Office of Art, Culture, Folk Museum that is divided into 5 chambers: and Community Development, the Rambhai Chanthaburi geography room, music and

14 Chanthaburi Wat Phlap

Barni Rajabhat University, at Tel. 0 3947 1064, constructed in 1898, and a wooden scripture hall 0 3931 9111 ext. 7000-1, www.rbru.ac.th. in the middle of the pond or Ho Trai aged older than the pre Era of the . Wat Phlap (วัดพลับ), In addition, there is a bell-shaped Stupa in the located in Tambon Bang Kacha, is about 1 middle of the pond built in the Rattanakosin kilometre from Noen Wong Camp. There is a style, and a cruciform shaped wooden wihan direction sign on the left leading to the entrance aged more than 100 years old that houses of the temple. Archaeological evidence shows the principal Buddha image in a gesture that the areas of the Wat Phlap and Ban Bang of practicing asceticism constructed in the Kacha communities were settled around 1757 reign of King Taksin the Great when he visited A.D. as well as were a rest camp of King Taksin Chanthaburi. In addition, the ubosot of this the Great’s troops. Some interesting construc- temple was used as a venue for the Ceremony of tions in the temple include the gilded wooden Murathaphisek at the beginning of the Chakri scripture cabinet with the pattern of the Lai Rot Dynasty (Murathaphisek is sacred water for Nam or gilded black lacquer technique in the pouring onto the king’s head in a coronation late Ayutthayan style, a Prang-shaped pagoda ceremony or other royal ceremonies). กู่กาสิงห์

Chanthaburi 15 Wat Thong Thua (วัดทองทั่ว) Taksin Camp (ค่ายตากสิน) situated 4 kilometres from downtown on Chanthaburi, is one of the main historical Sukhumvit Road on the Chanthaburi - Khlung attraction sites that should not be missed. It was route, houses an ubosot and stupa aged assumed that King Taksin the Great declared over 100 years old as well as being a sanctuary his will to attack Chanthaburi at this camp and for keeping Khmer art artefacts; such as, took it as a stronghold for liberation after losing Thalaborivath and Prei Kameng styled lintels the Ayutthaya City to Burma in 1767. In 1893, (607-707 A.D.), Angkorian styled colonnettes tried to expand its influence in and and an unfinished statue of Ganesha made of Cambodia. Threatened by the French troops, white sandstone. Thailand was forced to surrender the territory on the left side of the River to Laos Boran Sathan Mueang Phaniat (โบราณ and the outer area of Cambodia meanwhile Chanthaburi was occupied as a guarantee. สถานเมืองเพนียด) The reason Chanthaburi was chosen was is an ancient monument located at Mu 4, Tambon because the city is located in a strategic position Khlong Narai, about 300 metres from the city. controlling the at the It was assumed that this monument might be connecting point with the Malay Peninsula, the original settlement of Chanthaburi in an then a colony of the United Kingdom and to early age or about 1,000 years ago. Nowadays, be able to access the most natural abundant 3 only ruined laterite walls and an unidentified . The French troops set a earth mound with a height of about 1 - 3 metres camp on the area that is now Taksin Camp and remain. at the Laem Sing Estuary as well as built many constructions. Today, the Camp is a site of the Wat Bot Mueang (วัดโบสถ์เมือง) 2nd Infantry Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, located on Benchamarachuthit Road, Tambon Royal Thai Marine Division. However, there Talat, adjacent to the right of the Chanthaburi is still some historical evidence for visitors to Riverbank built in 1852, is believed to be study from the time of the Chanthaburi City constructed in the late Ayutthaya period as Wall before King Taksin the Great had a talk for evident from the white sandstone boundary cooperation with Chanthaburi regarding markers as well as ordination hall (Phra Ubosot) national liberation, the spot where it was and Ceylonese bell-shaped Chedi. At the front believed that King Taksin the Great destroyed of the ubosot is a sculpture of a lintel of the late all the food and utensils as a point of no return Baphuon style (967–1080 A.D.) depicting the symbol before attacking Chanthaburi and the God Indra on his Airavata elephant in a niche. buildings that were constructed during the 10- The temple compound also includes a sermon year period under the French’s control. hall, a chapel, and a large stupa enshrining the Buddha’s relics surrounded by 4 small stupas Old Town Chanthabun Waterfront (ชุมชน at each corner. The wax candle moulding for Buddhist Lent of Chanthaburi province has ริมน�้ำจันทบูร) is an approximately 300-year-old community taken place here from the past to present. established since the reign of King Narai the

16 Chanthaburi Old Town Chanthabun Waterfront

Great. Currently, the area of the Chanthabun Khanom Plaek Community at Khlong Riverside has been developed and promoted to Nong Bua can