Rayong

Situated 200 kilometers from Bangkok, Rayong is one of those places that’s usually known for only one thing: being the jump off point to one of the islands closest to Bangkok: Koh Samet. Although it’s only an hour east of Pattaya and only 20km west of the ferry in Ban Phe to Koh Samet, virtually no travelers go to the capital of the province, again named Rayong. If travelers did take some time to explore this beautiful province, they’d discover a mix of Thai temples, Chinese shrines, along with a few gorgeous French/European influenced houses in the mix.

Rayong consists of over 3,500 square km of land and 100km of beach that’s connected to the Gulf of Thailand. There are 10 islands in this province, one of which is of course Koh Samet.

Rayong’s chief industries are industrial plants, oil refineries and chemical plants by revenue, it also produces famous local products such as fruit and seafood since it’s one of the larger fishing ports in the south of Thailand. The massive Tapong Fruit Market bursts with seasonal fruits such as durian, mangosteen, rambutan, pineapple, and snakefruit during the early months of the rainy season, usually in May and June. There are many factories that make seafood products widely used in Thailand such as fish sauce, shrimp paste, and dried food in this region as well.

History of Rayong

Late in the Ayutthaya period in Thailand’s history, the former capital of Thailand was being destroyed by the Burmese. General Phaya Tak marched his troops to Rayong to build up the navy in order to win the war. He was anointed as King here in Rayong, and later became King Taksin to ultimately defeat the Burmese.

Surrounding Environment

Phetchaburi

A beautiful glimpse into the past of Thailand, Phetchaburi is a relaxing, mellow town of the old Thai style. Many people who work in Bangkok either have their families in Phetchaburi or still live there. They often go back during the weekends to visit.

Ratchaburi

Famous for the Damnoen Saduak floating market, this makes a great day trip for tasty snacks and souvenir shopping. The countryside has hot springs to relax in, as well as a few waterfalls to trek to in the area. Khao Ngu Stone Park is famous among rock climbers for its fantastic formations, so there’s a little something for everyone here.

Bangkok

A much more metropolitan city filled with international tourists and expats, it’s a much faster pace of life than in Rayong. A bit of a drive, at 3-4 hours depending on traffic, it’s a good weekend trip to get a different pace of life.

Transportation

The nearest airport to Rayong is the U-Tapao-Pattaya International Airport, and is a hub for AirAsia Thailand. It’s a joint civil-military public airport that serves Rayong and Pattaya in Thailand. However, flights in and out of this airport are often delayed, or otherwise incredibly expensive. While it is possible to fly in and out of here, it’s not usually recommended unless you’re incredibly short on time. The most cost efficient and time efficient way to get to Rayong is from Bangkok.

By minivan

Take the BTS to Victory Monument, and take exit no. 2. There will be minivans there, although you may have to ask the counter for where exactly to wait. Vans will cost between 180-250THB. It’s advantageous to get into the van early, although it may be inconvenient, because there are “good” and “bad” seats in the van. The “bad” seats are the ones in the back, where legroom is tight and those shorter than 5’6 or about 167cm will have a hard time touching the floor with their feet. The best seats are in the front, or the seats next to the door. The vans will wait until its full or almost full before departing.

By bus

Buses leave from Ekkamai Bus Terminal (Eastern Bus Terminal) starting at 8:00 until about 16:00. Schedules sometimes change depending on demand, such as for holidays and long weekends. Buses tend to leave every hour or every two hours, and take between 3-5 hours depending on traffic and road conditions. Buses cost between 180-250THB, and include a bathroom break every 2 hours or so.

Hotels in Rayong

There are all sorts of accommodations and hotels located in Rayong, suited for every kind of traveler.

Centara Q Resort Rayong

Conveniently located on the soft, white sands of Laem Mae Phim Beach, the centara Q Resort Rayong is a modern gem near the beach. Intimate at only 41 innovative, chic rooms, this resort was just recently renovated. Very Western in its style, with clean, crisp lines combined with mellow lighting makes this feel like a sophisticated, after hours bar in any major international city. Breezy, ocean view rooms, a full service spa, a gigantic swimming pool, restaurant, fitness center, poolside bar, access to tour booking assistance, and a business center make this a luxurious stay for families, couples, or a weary solo traveler wanting to enjoy some of the finer things in life for a few days. The hotel is also able to arrange transportation from Bangkok for ou with prior notice.

Tamarind Garden Hotel

Fantastically located in the heart of Rayong’s downtown area, this is a great home base to explore all the nature related beauty that Rayong has to offer. The staff at the Tamarind Garden Hotel is at the top compared to other resorts in Rayong, and the amenities are unparalleled. A business lounge, incredibly comfortable beds, 24 hour reception, laundry service, a garden, restaurant, elevator, and access to tour bookings make this an ideal place to stay in Rayong. There’s a bonus: each room in the hotel even has its own bathtub!

Samed Pavilion Resort

Located on the beach at Ao Phai Beach, Samed Pavilion Resort is the luxury hotel of Koh Samed. Guest rooms are carefully thought out in terms of their decor, with hair dryers, hot and cold showers, flat screen cable equipped TVs, drinking water, free WiFi, mini bar and access to a swimming pool are all available at this resort.

Novotel Rayong Rim Pae Resort

Only 1.5km from Rim Pae Beach, the Novotel Rayong makes sure that its guests want for nothing during their stay here. There’s a private beach for guests and breakfast is included in some of the packages, and otherwise available for a la carte purchase. There are 2 all day dining restaurants, and access to sailing and windsurfing activities nearby. Only a 15 minute drive to Ban Phe village, this is a great place to call home base as you explore the wonders of Rayong.

D Varee Diva Central Resort Rayong

A relatively newly opened hotel in 2016, all the amenities are still incredibly new and well maintained. Room service, WiFi, meeting facilities, a restaurant, bar, pool, fitness center, 24 hour reception, air conditioning, and incredibly friendly staff. This is an ideal place for couples and friends to stay, although the facilities are somewhat small and perhaps not as good for larger families who want space for their kids to explore.

Attractions in Rayong

Koh Samet

Many people use Rayong as a jump off point to Koh Samet. The ferry from Ban Phe takes about 40 minutes and costs 50-200 THB depending on the type of service used. It’s a bit tough to do a day trip from Rayong as the ferry only runs from 8:00 to 17:00 so you’d be a bit short on time. However, if your only goal is to go check out Samet and enjoy some island vibes, a day trip is plenty of time as there isn’t a lot to do on Samet. Sai-Kaew is the most popular beach on Koh Samet, approximately 1km from the pier. This is where much of the water activities are located, and there’s a good mix of Thai and foreign visitors to this beach. There are plenty of vendors to quench your thirst and/or hunger, and you can rent a cheap motorbike for about 200 THB to explore Samet for the day. You can also swim and snorkel on Koh Samet.

Opening hours: always open
Entrance fee: free, although the national park on Samet has a 200THB fee

Rayong Aquarium

An outdoor aquarium that’s appropriate fun for the entire family. It includes a tunnel for visitors to feel like they’re truly under the sea, experiencing it with their fellow marine animals and plant life. Marine life there includes crabs, giant clams, a variety of fish, as well as tidepool varieties such as sea cucumbers, a few different kinds of turtles, anemones and starfish. Various tools usually used in fishing are available on display.

Opening hours: Wednesday - Sunday. Weekdays open from 10:00 to 16:00 and weekends from 10:00 to 17:00. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
Entrance fee: 30 THB for adults and 10 THB for children.Same price for foreigners and Thais.

Activities in Rayong

The King Taksin Shrine

Located at Wat Lum Mahachai Chumpon on Taksin Road, the shrine celebrates King Taksin’s stopover in Rayong during the war to liberate the Kingdom of Ayutthaya from the Burmese. The King’s elephant is rumored to have been kept at a stable near the large Parkia tree in front of the shrine. The shrine attracts large crowds during Chinese New Year and December 28th, which is King Taksin Day.

Opening hours: sunrise to sunset, daily
Entrance fee: free

Star Market

A more mellow market than those found in Bangkok or Chiang Mai, you can find things here that aren’t as typical for large markets. Don’t forget to negotiate, as this is tradition and expected in Thailand. The market is typically in the evenings, and is larger on Mondays and Fridays although some variation exists everyday.

Opening hours: the market is most popular on Mondays and Fridays, but is open most evenings starting at 5pm. Hours vary on how busy it is and whether or not it’s raining
Entrance fee: free

Mae Ramphueng Beach

A nice quiet beach that’s relaxing but still has all the amenities needed to make it a comfortable and convenient place to hang out. Since Rayong is a hub for seafood and fisheries, the seafood restaurants on this beach are filled with fantastic and fresh seafood. Do try a grilled fish or two.

Opening hours: sunrise to sunset, daily
Entrance fee: free

Travel Tips

Language - Rayong isn’t frequented by travelers, which means that the people who work and live here aren’t as fluent in English or other European languages. However, the tradeoff is that they tend to be much nicer and less tourist minded. Here are a few general words that will help you communicate with the locals:

1. Ka (girl) kap (boy) - add these sounds to the end of everything, it’ll convey politeness and acknowledgement.

2. Sawadee (ka or kap) - means hello and goodbye

3. Ka pun (ka or kap) - thank you

4. Ow - want (such as ow ka, meaning yes I want)

5. Mai ow - don’t want (mai put in front of a verb means “dont”)

6. A ni - this (used as in ow a ni, meaning i want this)

Haggling - haggling is common and expected in Thailand. Learning some of the basics of language here will help you haggle.

Getting around - because Rayong isn’t as frequented by tourists, it’s also not as equipped with transportation for foreigners. There will be tuk tuks and songtaews (modified trucks used as a local bus). Therefore, renting a motorbike or bicycle is a good way to get around.

1. Be aware that many shop owners will want your passport or a form of ID before lending you a motorbike. Make sure that you take a video or many high quality pictures before taking off with the bike, as it’s a common scam to say that you damaged the motorbike and thus have to pay an exorbitant amount to get your passport back.