Rayong province is located on the coast of the Gulf of Thailand, approximately 200 km from the capital. This delightful resort is located on the east coast of Thailand, an area of ​​3,552 square kilometers, bordered to the north and west by Chon Buri, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand, and to the east by Chanthaburi province.

The development of Rayong began only about twenty years ago, but today this province is already ahead of others in many respects. Holidays here are appreciated among lovers of quiet places, with a pleasant atmosphere and all the conditions for a wonderful vacation. This resort does not offer a vibrant nightlife, and its main attractions are kilometer-long beaches and amazing fruit forests and plantations, as well as all kinds of seafood and the famous fish sauce. Unlike more popular Thai resorts, people come here not for bright entertainment shows, but to enjoy the picturesque nature and soak up the magnificent clean beaches. Rayong's pristine beaches stretch for 100 km along the coast, especially famous for Khatsaytong Beach - a beach of "golden sand". It is also the only holiday destination in Thailand with geothermal mineral springs. The best time for a holiday in this province is from November to February, when the air temperature is around +28 degrees Celsius.

Despite the small size of this town, tourists will find shops, exhibitions and fairs with handicrafts, bars, many small cafes and cozy restaurants.

The main attractions of Rayong include the altar of King Thaksin located in the local temple, Wat Pa Pradu Temple with a nodding Buddha, Phra Chedi Klang Nam Pagoda, located 2 km from Rayong, Sri Muang Park, Soba Botanical Garden, with one of the most extensive and famous in Thailand for its collection of various plant species. One of the main attractions of the city is the Dhammarachanusornsathan temple complex, and it will also be interesting to visit the archaeological museum and Rayong Aquarium.

The fishing village of Ban Phe is located 22 kilometers from Rayong. From the pier of this village, ferries regularly run to Samet Island, which is part of the island complex of Khao Laem National Park and is the largest and most popular among tourists.

Traditional festivals of this area are Rayong Fruit Festival, Sunthon Phu Day and Tom Pha Pa Klang Nam. The Fruit Festival takes place every year in May, when more fruits ripen. Sunthon Phu Day - June 26, takes place near the monument to Sunthon Phu - the great poet of Thailand.

Travelers make many discoveries for themselves in Thailand, but for me, the province of Rayong with its villages was a discovery. This is a fairly new place in terms of mass tourism, and in my review I will try to tell as much useful information as possible about this beautiful corner.

Rayong province is located 200 km from Bangkok, 65 km from Pattaya. Tourists usually fly into Bangkok airport. Rayong itself is a small village with developed infrastructure - markets, bus station, restaurants and shopping centers. Russian tour operators currently offer a small number of hotels to choose from in this region. There aren't many of them there. However, most hotels are located not in Rayong itself, but on the coast - on the first coastline, the sea is across the road from the hotels. As a result, you remain cut off from civilization. There are plenty of cafes and shops near the hotels, and street food vendors periodically walk by, but you will have to get to the center of Rayong by transport - local tuk-tuks or pickup buses. Travel time is 10-15 minutes.

Another point where you will often have to go for everything you need is the village of Ban Phe. You can also get there by bus or by renting a scooter. Ban Phe is 4-7 km away. That is, the concentration of hotels is somewhere in the middle between Rayong and Ban Phe. Whether this is a minus or a plus is up to you to decide. In my case, the most important things were silence, clean air, sparsely populated areas and, most importantly, the proximity of the sea.

We stayed at the Nice Beach 2* hotel (a separate review about it).

During our holiday in February, the sea here looked more like a lake in calm weather - not a single ripple. The bottom is sandy, pleasant white sand on the beach. The beach itself is slightly hidden from the road by palm trees.

Why choose Rayong?

If we compare Rayong, Pattaya and Phuket, then Rayong is optimal for people who need relaxation, clean sea nearby (you won’t find this in Pattaya), service unspoiled by tourists (prices in cafes are cheaper than in Pattaya and Phuket), free exotic a stone's throw. Pricing policy: tours to this resort are comparatively cheaper than to Phuket, often even cheaper than to Pattaya. Lunch or dinner is much cheaper than at the other two resorts, and there is Asian and European cuisine. No noise and dirt (compared to Walking Street). Here you will not see erotic shows, travesty shows and other entertainment activities that Pattaya abounds in. Therefore, families with small children have a green light.

The sea is really clean, but the beach is a little littered, although it is swept from time to time. For sun loungers they charge 20 baht for the whole day, you can take it, you can lie down with your own mats. There are practically no people, I’m talking about the sea, the beach and the cafe. A sense of privacy is guaranteed. There is one annoying moment - if you go a little deeper into the sea, something starts to pinch your legs, no more painful than a nettle stings, but still unpleasant. There is no itching afterwards, the pain only lasts a couple of minutes, if you can call it pain. This is plankton - it is not contagious, not dangerous, and therefore there is no need to panic and run to the doctor. And on the beach at night there are a lot of small ants, so they can paint your leg with red specks! During the day they are not there. Where would you like to spend your time after dinner if the hotel doesn’t have any grounds and you’re already tired of walking along the shore?

Visit the massage parlor in the building next to the Nice beach hotel. Costs about 200 baht for the whole body. Very reasonable prices, there is no point in looking for cheaper. Most likely there are such salons in other hotels, but I’m not sure. In general, this hotel is a landmark; everyone knows it, including taxi drivers.

Go to the Oceanarium in Ban Phe (4-6 km from the hotel). Entrance is 30 baht per adult, there are a lot of impressions from seeing the strange fish. The oceanarium is quite large, the territory is also very beautiful, so you should definitely go!

Rayong Aquarium (located in Ban Phe)

Fruit market with very affordable prices. The market is non-tourist, for locals, so it will be difficult to find it the first time. But ask any tuk-tuk driver and he will take you there, wait for you and bring you back for a reasonable fee. Just ask: fruit market. The market is open on certain days, 2 times a week. On what exact days - I won’t lie, the schedule could change. The market is very interestingly located on the school grounds, where you can see the pagodas. The market sells all kinds of fruits, starting with mangoes, ending with mangosteens and others (you won’t remember all the names). Half of the market is filled with seafood and... even frogs - live and smoked.

They also sell ready-made food - for example, grilled fish or octopus, piping hot with hot sauce. One grilled fish cost us about 50 baht.

In addition, there is a lot of all sorts of things on the market - clothes, accessories, toys. It was interesting for me to see what the locals were buying, so it was also a kind of excursion. The market is located a little deeper, if you look from the beach - don’t risk it on foot: it’s far away and there are snakes along the way.

A little further from the fruit market there is a wonderful park. I think it's called Nature Park. It would be better if you ask the locals Park with black swan. The fact is that black swans really live in the park, and they are the identifying mark of the park. The park has: a large pond where you can ride a boat, a water slide that comes right out of a tree, exotic trees, plants, waterfalls, restaurants, as well as black swans, ducks, fish in the pond (you can feed them), a peacock, a toucan and other. Worth a look. The entrance is free. Themed shows are also held there on certain days. Do not confuse this park with a National Wildlife Refuge. And bring swimwear just in case.

The national reserve is located almost at the entrance to Ban Phe, there is an entrance fee.

The embankment towards the center of Rayong is incredibly beautiful, there is also something like a square with columns and gazebos. Great place for a photo shoot.

To the left of the Nice beach hotel (if you are facing the sea) there is a small fishing village on the rocks, it is very interesting to see or even take part in catching crabs and fish.

In the evening, a couple of times while walking we came across animated shows from other hotels, no one chased us away. Mostly they sing songs or dance. In general, Thais love karaoke. More than once we have seen a family gathering in the yard, bawling in every possible way like March cats.

Boats depart from any pier in Ban Phe to Samet Island. Check the return flight schedule. Entrance to the island is paid, but it is easy to get around if you are not a group of tourists (hello from the Russian mentality). From Pattaya they take you there on excursions. But to be honest, I still don’t understand why this island is remarkable. Except snow-white sand. And so - there are a lot of people, prices are inflated and there are no attractions.

Other excursions are only from Pattaya. Among other things, we went from Pattaya to Cambodia. How to get to Pattaya? From the bus station in Rayong. All buses passing along the sea reach the bus station, but just in case, check, the Thais are an unpredictable people. We got back from Pattaya to our hotel late at night by taxi - it cost about 1,600 baht, the ride took 2 hours.

So, Rayong is the sea, relaxation, exoticism, cheapness, the opportunity to observe the life of the locals and boredom in the evenings.

Shopping, food, currency exchange

As I wrote above, there is no shortage of small shops and shops. But not all of them work late. Shops traditionally carry water, alcohol, chocolates, chewing gum, household chemicals, suntan products, shorts, and T-shirts. There's a problem with fruit. For fruit, go either to the fruit market (see above), or to Ban Phe or Rayong. It was closer and easier for us to get to Ban Phe by scooter - the traffic there is not as crazy as in Rayong.

In Rayong or Ban Phe you will also find entire markets with souvenirs, seafood, locally produced clothing and cosmetics. By the way, I have already sung odes to Thai cosmetics in other reviews. Creams, dental care products, coconut oil, hair masks - I still can’t forgive myself for not buying more of them.

Rayong province risks becoming in the near future no less a tourist destination than the notorious Pattaya. This will entail all the joys and vices, including the high cost of everything. Therefore: a lot of housing is sold here for “inexpensive”. What if you dream of giving up everything and becoming a downshifter or even the owner of a small guest house? There are already a lot of people interested and looking out for it. Hurry!

Cafe for every taste. There is a purely European cafe, where the owner seems to be Israeli. You won’t pass by it - this is the only cafe where European music plays in the evenings.

These are the little pigs running around the cafe

There is no currency exchange near the hotels. Only in Ban Phe or Rayong. Dollars are exchanged for bahts only in banks - in any bank, the difference in the exchange rate is insignificant. You can get by in dollars, but with the current exchange rate there is a risk of overpaying.

If you have already seen Pattaya, but don’t want to overpay for Phuket, if you are a family with small children and are worried about their physical and moral health, then Rayong is for you. This resort captivated me with its serenity and unspoiledness, its true originality, and not window dressing for tourists. Here they will not try to rip you off or invite you to dubious shows. Earning much less than us Russians, they are ready to treat you: we noticed that all Thais drink some kind of mixture, or an alcoholic drink from small brown bottles. We couldn’t resist and went up to the police to ask what they were all drinking? Instead of answering, they handed us 3 of these bottles to try. For free. It turned out that it was a sweet, sweet and thick energy drink. And in another case, the owner of one of our favorite cafes ran to the store for a drink that was not on his menu. Although we didn’t even think about asking him about it. Well, how can you not love them? And in Ban Phe we took part in a very interesting activity - we helped a family from Bangkok (mother and little son) collect shells from the bottom of the sea during low tide, for which we were rewarded with a short story on how to cook them.

Come here, relax your soul and body, communicate with the Thais and be imbued with their spiritual purity and love of life.

The review was detailed, but if you still have questions, write me, I love talking about travel. And if you managed to read my review to the end, then I have a small request for you - write in the comments: write me other reviews about unpublished resorts in other countries, or is all the necessary information already available on the Internet?

I’ve been meaning to see the beaches of Rayong for a long time. Rayong is a city not far from Pattaya. This is where the Ban Pe pier is located, from where ferries depart.
Rayong is a city on the coast, the beaches stretch for many kilometers. And I was very interested in why it doesn’t become like Pattaya, why there
few tourists come and is the infrastructure developed there?

Rayong Beaches – photos and reviews

Masha was hosting a tennis tournament in Raoing, so we combined business with pleasure by going to the tournament and at the same time seeing all the beaches of Rayong.
What can I tell you? Everything is sad. Great, great place, but first things first.

Rayong beaches – photo, location, review

Rayong Beaches – photos and reviews

The beaches of Rayong stretch throughout the city and suburbs for almost 100 km. The beaches follow one after another: Hat Laem Chaeroen Beach, Hat Mae Rampueng Beach,
Hat Seng Chan, Ban Phe fishing village.

All the beaches of Rayong, if you have your own transport, are easy to see at one time. Very similar to Beach Road or Jomitien beaches in Pattaya. In the sense that
on the right is the beach and sea, and across the road are hotels and cafes.

Unlike Pattaya, it is very calm there, there is little transport, there are no tourists at all, literally at all. That is, only Thais.
I had high hopes for the beaches of Rayong, as this is a good option for traveling with the whole family. Not as far as - you don’t need to take a ferry, rent a hotel, or pay a fee to visit the reserve.

I wrote about our trips to Samet Island from Pattaya :

And the drive from Pattaya is only 30 - 45 minutes. About 60 km.
But everything turned out to be very, very neglected.

Rayong - why do the beaches look like garbage?

Rayong Beaches - photo. It's very sad to watch

This question has been tormenting me for several days now. Marvelous. God has given such a beautiful place to people (Thais). Wonderful, fertile nature (Rayong is one of the most important agricultural
regions of the country, very fertile land), a magnificent beach, a beautiful turquoise sea, and mountains, MOUNTAINS of garbage.
The beaches of Rayong are one big garbage dump.
If you think I'm exaggerating, then no. Compared to the beaches of Rayong - ".
I can assume that I was unlucky, we found ourselves in some kind of abnormal low tide, but I’m afraid that this is always the case here. Will explain.

There are such “finds” at every step. Full of sharp shells, traffic jams, in my opinion it is dangerous for a child.

All the beaches of Rayong (and we literally drove the entire coastline, stopped several times, took photographs, looked closely) are strewn with garbage.
In addition to the garbage that the sea brings - sauce packets, bags, slippers, cans of shampoos and deodorants, etc. there is still garbage that
people bring to the beach: bullheads, leftovers and wrappers, and other traces of life.

Rayong Beaches – photos and reviews

The beaches themselves in Rayong are very beautiful: white powdery sand, turquoise transparent sea, in general, everything is like on Samet. But there is simply no living place from garbage.

You can swim in the sea.

Since the water is clear, it is clear that there is not much garbage in the sea itself, there are places where you can swim. But if you were thinking of coming there on vacation,
it's not worth it. Otherwise, you will be extremely disappointed.

Beach infrastructure – prices in Rayong

Like everywhere else, there are plenty of sunbeds and tables for them. The price for a sunbed is 30 baht, if you order food in the same cafe it’s 20.
The prices in the cafe are normal, I would say cheap. Rice with chicken, Pad Thai with shrimp, main Thai dishes cost around 45 - 50 baht.

A large bowl of Tom Yam soup - for several people - 150 baht.

Tom Yum in Rayong is delicious!!!

They also sell inflatable toys, sand sets, and everything that is usually sold on the beach.

Rayong seemed abandoned to me. Or rather, its beach part. Hotels and condos on the first line, mostly empty, literally -
The 35-story building stands, completely rebuilt, but not residential, it wasn’t even glazed, and it’s been there for a long time.
There are small hotels on the shore. They don't look very good. The price of hotels on the first line of the beach in Rayong, on booking costs from 1000 baht. They are
not worth it at all. Well, in general, with such beaches, there is no point in staying there. Or rather, these are not even hotels, but small bungalows.

Of course, we shopped and took pictures, but it was torture, not relaxation. People like this amaze me. You have built a cafe, sit and wait for tourists who are not there,
but it never occurred to me that it’s worth taking a big bag and at least cleaning up your own section of the beach???

sun lounger with umbrella in Rayong – 30 baht. Nobody here. They are in no hurry to clean up

The same applies to the coastline behind the road. Basically there are bushes of weeds, which are one big garbage pit.
If you look at the photo from afar, you can see how beautiful it is here. But a person can turn even the most beautiful place into a pigsty.

Dasha liked it very much) Children, they are so spontaneous. The sea is great! Dirty? No, I haven't seen it

How to save on insurance?

Insurance abroad is required. Any appointment is very expensive and the only way not to pay out of pocket is to choose an insurance policy in advance. We have been applying for many years on the website, which gives the best prices for insurance and selection along with registration takes only a couple of minutes.

P.S. I do not rule out that we were somehow particularly unlucky, and we found ourselves in a period where ALL, ALL the beaches of Rayong were littered with garbage. Could this be the season?
I would be interested to hear comments from people who were there shortly before us or after us, after March 2015. Has anything changed or not? For the better, I mean.
I’ll definitely go there myself, in a month, for example. See what has changed.

Rayong province, despite its beaches and proximity to Bangkok, was unknown to foreigners for a long time. The tourism industry has not developed, since agricultural production and fishing have historically been concentrated here. The proximity of giant Bangkok and expensive Pattaya has led to the province's specialization as the main food supplier for these areas of Thailand.

In recent years, tourists in search of new places sometimes come to Rayong, and foreigners purchase real estate. By the standards of Thailand, it is inexpensive and has its own attractions.

How to get there

Rayong is conveniently located in the eastern part of Thailand on the shores of the Gulf of Thailand. In the west and north, the province borders Chonburi, i.e. it is nearby (58 km). Bangkok is also close - 183 km. By car or bus from Rayong you can easily reach the central cities of Thailand.

Rayong does not have its own airport. The nearest one is (33 km from Rayong). Regular and charter flights from Russia and other countries land in Utapao. Minibuses run from the airport to Rayong.

There is no direct flight from Bangkok to Utapao. With a transfer in Phuket, a flight from Bangkok Airway will cost $175. Therefore, people usually travel from the capital to Rayong by bus. They depart from Ekkamai bus station every hour or more often. The route passes through Pattaya. Travel time is about 3 hours. Ticket price is from $10.

The aquarium operates at the Marine Research Center. Yes, Thailand is not only beaches and entertainment, but also quite serious institutions. The main task of the Center is to study the underwater ecosystem in its natural form. The tourism component exists as a complement to the research component.

Of particular interest to visitors is the aquarium with a through tunnel. Tropical fish, shellfish, crabs, and cuttlefish swim in it. Open reservoirs are home to turtles, starfish, and marine flora is widely represented.

There is also a sea museum here, which exhibits not only living, but also extinct, marine inhabitants. A separate exhibition is dedicated to fishing as a traditional occupation of the Thai people. Location: Ban Phe fishing village in the Mueang metropolitan area - 40 km from Rayong city. The aquarium is open: 10.00 - 16.00, except Monday and Tuesday.

Parks

Traditionally, natural parks and gardens are the main attractions of Thailand.

Khao Chamao National Park - Khao Wong

The park is located in the eastern part of Rayong and borders Chanthaburi province. It is a mountainous landscape covered with tropical forest. There are 2 trails through the park: one is two kilometers long, the second is three kilometers long. On both sides there are waterfalls, rapids, and several dozen limestone caves. During the rainy season it is most interesting here. If you find yourself in Thailand in March or April, then this is a good reason to visit Khao Chamao - Khao Wong.

On the territory of the park there is a campsite with tents and bungalows. Accommodation – from $6. You can bring your own tents, but you will have to pay almost the same amount.

How to get there: From Rayong, take Route 3, then take Route 4010, then Route 3377 and then follow the sign. Entrance to the park is paid - $10.

Administratively, the park includes the territory of all the islands belonging to Rayong and the coastline of the mainland part of the province. On the mainland, the hills Laem Ya Hill and Phet Hill are of interest, with views of the sea and the island of Samet. They are easy to climb along specially laid paths. The length of the route is a little more than 1 km, which can be easily overcome in the fresh sea air. There are several places to eat at the top. The possibility of long-term accommodation in the park is provided. A room with all amenities will cost $40 per night.

The park is located next to Rayong's Mae Ram Phung beach. Entrance to the territory costs $5.

More than 20 thousand plants have been collected in the garden. Almost all of them are used in traditional Thai homeopathy. Visitors are transported around the park on an environmentally friendly bus. Sometimes stops are made, and guests have the opportunity to get acquainted with representatives of the Thai flora more closely. It is not permitted to enter lawns or approach plants directly. There is a shop at the botanical garden. It presents rare living plants, home-made dried products, vegetable and essential oils, literature on homeopathy, and souvenirs.

How to get there: follow Route 36 from Rayong towards Pattaya, turn left at the intersection with Route 3191 and continue for another 1.5 km. The botanical garden is located on the right side of the road.

Despite the fact that markets are considered attractions with a big stretch, the one located in the large fishing village of Ban Phe deserves attention. Everything that floats in the waters of the Gulf of Thailand is sold in this place at prices that cannot be found lower in Thailand. The market is open all day, but for the freshest you should come in the first half of the day. In addition to seafood, you can buy spices, vegetables, fruits, and handmade souvenirs. Boats depart from the nearest piers. That's why it's always crowded here.

The village is located approximately 40 km from the city center of Rayong (see above). You can get there by bus, car or – traditionally for Thailand – by bike.

Religious sites

Rayong province, like other areas of Thailand, is rich in places of worship. True, most of them lack scale. Two religious attractions can be recommended for visiting.

Khodtimtaram Temple

The oldest temple in Rayong. It was erected in the middle of the 15th century. The walls are painted with scenes from the life of a very respected monk who lived 500 years ago. Every year on April 13-15, a festive religious festival takes place near the temple.

Phra Chedi Klang Nam is considered one of the symbols of Rayong. The white chedi rises 10 meters in the middle of the river of the same name on a small island. Created in the 18th century, it served as a landmark for passing ships. Today, residents continue to treat this sacred site with respect. Every year on the December full moon, a traditional festival is held: the chedi is “decorated” with fabrics, and hundreds of boats ply along the river.

A hundred meters from the chedi is the Mangrove Research Center. A kind of natural botanical garden has been set up here, in which scientists study the ecosystem of mango thickets. Visitors have the opportunity to walk along special paved walkways with a total length of 200 m and get acquainted with the mangrove forest.

A 22-meter Sky View Tower was erected on the territory of the research center, which offers a good overview of the river, Rayong and the Gulf of Thailand.

The chedi and related facilities are located near the city center, next to Saeng Chan Beach.

Beaches

Rayong's coastline is long and there are many beaches. There are few tourists. Reviews are contradictory. Most vacationers in Rayong say that it is unlikely that they will be able to swim in the sea: the quality and color of the water leaves much to be desired, and the beach areas are not cleaned at all.

If the sea is not the most important thing for you on vacation, and you don’t mind swimming in the hotel pool, then Rayong would be a good option: close to Bangkok and inexpensive.

Where to stay - hotels

There are many hotels in Rayong that stretch along the entire coast. The maximum star category is 4. There are budget options, where a night of accommodation will cost $30 for two. Moreover, the hotel will be located on the seashore. There are luxury rooms for $300. In any case, compared to other coastal areas of Thailand, accommodation in Rayong is one of the most inexpensive. And it is much cheaper than what is offered on the nearest island of Samet.

We suggest choosing the coast as your holiday destination. Maera Phung Beach. There are also options " Mae Rampung Beach", "Meramphueng", "Marapung" and others.

The most interesting thing is that the Thais, apparently, also have no consensus on transliteration. There are different versions:

And in the documents of one company I came across the following:

Another option I came across was this: Maeram pubg Beach, moreover, on business cards of two different organizations. So you don't have to worry about typos.

It is impossible to reproduce Thai pronunciation. Given the lack of sound in their language" R", it's even more complicated. How they pronounce words R ayong, king R ama, Suva airport R nabhumi is a mystery. Judging by the fact that in spoken English they sound " R" is changed to "L" (for example, room is pronounced ) - everything is simple. But why is Rayong transcribed not Layong?

Rayong - a promising resort in Thailand

Exotic Thailand occupies one of the most prestigious positions in the popularity rating of tourist destinations. The magical kingdom of coral reefs, Buddhist temples, pristine nature and eternal summer invariably attracts travelers seeking a bright, emotional, unforgettable vacation. Tours to Thailand are in demand all over the world, regardless of the time of year, and one of the interesting destinations for independent travelers is Rayong province. But recently, more and more Russian tour operators are offering this province to package tourists from Russia. Apparently the saturation of Pattaya with Russian tourists and the high cost of hotels in the high season have an effect. And as is well known, Russian tourists love to vacation where there are no Russians...

The proximity of Pattaya, with its developed tourist infrastructure, also attracts a large number of tourists, because... Many popular Pattaya excursions can be visited from the quiet and peaceful Rayong. True, this mainly applies to excursions offered by tour operators. It is important that such a beautiful island as Koh Samet is within close proximity to Rayong and tourists can always relax on its snow-white beaches without spending a lot of time compared to tourists from Pattaya. All this together makes Rayong a very promising resort for organized holidays, but sooner or later it will turn into a second Pattaya...

Geography

In accordance with the territorial division of the country, this region belongs to the eastern part of Thailand, which stands out for its clear geographical contours and resembles a square, one of the corners boldly crashing into the clear waters of the Gulf of Thailand. The western side of the square is the province of Chonburi with the tourist Mecca of Pattaya, and the southern coast is occupied by Rayong, a significant part of which has been declared a national park.

It is no coincidence that the province received a special status. Nature has shown a unique and inexplicable generosity to this small area of ​​the earth's territory. She created a small paradise, the beauty of which takes the breath away of those who see it for the first time. The landscape of Rayong harmoniously combines mountains and lush meadows, tropical forests and sparkling white sand beaches, dizzying waterfalls and quiet bays, fruit tree plantations and the azure infinity of the sea. The created landscapes shimmer with a rich spectrum of colors, from restrained to the brightest, and sound with a bouquet of enchanting melodies. They are so natural that they seem unreal, and this fascinating imaginary paradox is the main thing that distinguishes Rayong from other regions of Thailand and attracts tourists.

The administrative center of the province of the same name is a small town that is ready to accommodate travelers in comfortable hotels and cozy bungalows. It differs from eccentric Pattaya in its sedateness and restraint. Those who crave vivid impressions of communication with nature, rather than endless entertainment shows, come to Rayong.

Attractions

The fashionable resort has something to surprise its guests. Its beaches are considered one of the best in Thailand and are famous throughout the world. The most popular is Khatsaytong Beach, whose sand is compared to precious grains of white gold. In total, the province's coastline has about 100 km of pristine sandy beaches.

Rayong provides guests with the opportunity to improve their health through the healing power of geothermal mineral springs. Other regions of Thailand do not have such a natural resource.

A special touch of local flavor is the numerous fishing villages where you can get acquainted with the fishing industry, enjoy freshly prepared seafood with Nam Pla sauce and buy souvenirs from exotic sea shells.

In the general scattering of fishermen’s settlements, the leader is the village of Ban Phe. It is famous for the fact that, firstly, it supplies Thai delicacies to Europe, and secondly, ferries run from its pier to the island of Koh Samet, which is the most valuable pearl in the collection of Rayong's wealth.

On the island, nature itself has created ideal conditions for lovers of snorkeling, diving, and boat trips. Quiet lagoons, marvelously beautiful coral reefs, tropical trees and flowers, beaches with light and delicate sand like powder - this is the tourist attraction of Koh Samet. You can walk around the island in a couple of hours, but despite its small area, its territory accommodates both campsites and upscale hotels.

The local aquarium is considered a point of pride for Rayong, which introduces guests to representatives of marine fauna, and in the Sobha Botanical Garden, travelers enjoy the ornate beauty of a variety of strange plants and rare species of birds.

For those looking for a thrill, excursions to wildlife reserves are offered, where you can see tigers and leopards, elephants and Malayan bears, bantengs and Asiatic buffaloes, white-handed gibbons and langurs.

The province is rich not only in natural attractions, but also in monuments of Thai culture. Majestic religious buildings are located both in the administrative capital and beyond.

Tourists are greatly impressed by the altar of King Taksin with a statue of the monarch himself and a three-hundred-year-old tree growing nearby, to which, according to legend, he tied his war elephant.

The Wat Phra Pradu temple is famous for the majestic statue of the reclining Buddha, which has a length of 12 m and a height of 3.6 m. This colossus is shrouded in a special mysterious aura, since, unlike similar idols, it lies not on the right, but on the left side.

Two kilometers from the city of Rayong rises the 10-meter pagoda of the Wat Pak Nam temple. Tourists who make an excursion to it on the full moon of the 12th lunar month witness the celebration, which is accompanied by religious ceremonies and sports competitions.

On the island of Koh Samet there are two objects of interest: a statue of the White Buddha and a sculptural composition dedicated to the work of the Thai poet Sunton Phu, which tells the story of a mermaid and the prince she saved.

The appearance of Rayong is organically completed by several modern touches: a golf club and equestrian base, shops and cafes, restaurants and nightclubs are available to tourists.


(c) Reclamist, St.-Petersburg