A coastal city 80km from Bangkok with Thailand's largest industrial port. Home to the active Laem Tong Beach and traditional fishing villages along the Gulf.
Chon Buri sits 100 kilometers southeast of Bangkok along the Gulf of Thailand. You'll find century-old buffalo races, fresh seafood markets, and local families relaxing at Bang Saen Beach. From the top of Khao Sam Muk hill, you can look out across the water while locals burn incense at the shrine of Chao Mae Sahm Muk.
Getting to Chon Buri
You can reach Chon Buri from Bangkok via Sukhumvit Road (Route 3) or Motorway 7, with the journey taking about two hours by car or bus. The city is 120 kilometers from Suvarnabhumi Airport and 45 minutes from U-Tapao International Airport, which serves domestic and some international flights.
Bang Saen Beach Experience
Bang Saen Beach has calm waters and a wide sandy shore where you can swim and fly kites. Local families fill the beachfront restaurants on weekends, and in April during Songkran, people gather to build Buddha sculptures in the sand.
Buffalo Racing Festival
The Buffalo Racing Festival runs each October in the Ban Bueng and Nong Yai districts. Watch as owners lead their decorated buffaloes in races in front of the town hall. The festival includes competitions where judges evaluate the animals' physical condition and appearance, making it unlike any other sporting event in Thailand.
Local Food Scene
Markets like Nong Mon sell fresh fish, shrimp, and crab caught daily in the Gulf of Thailand. Try Khao Lam, a sweet made from sticky rice and coconut milk cooked in bamboo tubes - it's so important to the area that it appears in the provincial motto. The old market area has rows of food stalls and small restaurants where you can sample both seafood dishes and local recipes.
Khao Sam Muk Viewpoint
Climb Khao Sam Muk hill for views of the Gulf of Thailand and surrounding coastline. At the top, you'll find a sala with a statue of Chao Mae Sahm Muk. Local fishermen come to the shrine before heading out to sea, leaving offerings and lighting incense for good fortune.
