Chanthaburi Sights and POI
Despite low popularity with foreign tourists, Chanthaburi is a charming little city with a diverse cultural background, making it a fascinating place to explore for a few days.
From fading French colonial shopfronts, to exquisite Chinese Buddhist temples, Chanthaburi’s cultural diversity is extraordinary, especially its eclectic mix of religious buildings and structures.
It’s also famous for gem trade, and exploring the gem shops along Si Chan Road is a must. There’s enough to see in the city to fill a two-day itinerary, plus we spent three days exploring the surrounding province, which is home to waterfalls, national parks, temples and several coastal towns. If you have longer to spend in Thailand, a trip to this province can easily be combined with a visit to one of the Eastern islands, such as Koh Chang.
Chanthaburi temples
At least half a day is needed to explore the temples, churches and shrines of Chanthaburi, and it’s best to do so in morning before it gets too hot.
Starting with the largest and most important temple, Wat Kate Na Boonyaram draws inspiration from a blend of cultural influences, including Thai, Chinese and Vietnamese. It’s considered one of the main landmarks in the city, and its central location (between Benchamarachutis and Sukhapiban Road) makes it a good starting point for a day tour.
From here, we walked north up Sukhapiban Road to visit the oldest temple in the city, Wat Bot Muang.
The walk itself is part of the cultural experience, as it takes you through the centre of Chantaboon Old Town, which is a melting pot of cultures, with Vietnamese sandwich shops, French colonial shopfronts and Thai temples. It’s also the home of the gem trade and the best place to try the unique, local cuisine. Before continuing to the temple, we stopped by one of the riverside cafes for a Thai ice tea, and made a quick stop at the King Taksin shrine too. Wat Bot Muang is worth checking out for the strange art and statues, but it’s not the most impressive temple in the province.
We then crossed over the river and made our way to the Cathedral of Immaculate Conception. This gothic-style cathedral was built by the Vietnamese, and in addition to being the most prominent landmark in Chanthaburi, it’s also the largest Catholic church in Thailand.
Gem market
After a busy morning, we then made our way over to the famous gem market. On weekends, the streets around Si Chan Road come alive, as traders sift through stones at the various gem and precious stone stalls.
Whilst buying is probably an activity best left to the experts, it’s still fascinating to watch trades unfold. These days, gems are not locally sourced but acquired from all over the world, as there’s only one mine still operating in the province (Khao Phloi Waen).
Chanthaburi markets
Other markets worth exploring include Chalerm Jan, Nam Phu, and the Chathuchak night market. All of these markets are great places to go and experience daily life, and eat some local delicacies, including crab noodle soup and durian fruit!
Attractions outside the city
Once you’ve finished exploring the city, there are several sights worth visiting in the surrounding province. However, you will need to hire a motorbike or pay for a taxi to do so. We discovered several impressive temples on our way to the Namtok Phlio and Khao Kitchakut National Parks, which we visited on separate days.
Wat Mong Gorn Phupharam is a gorgeous Chinese Buddhist temple en route to Namtok Phlio, which was surprisingly only built during the 70’s. The attention to detail and intricate craftsmanship make this temple an incredible sight to behold, and a must-visit for anyone interested in Buddhism.
The temple on the way to Khao Kitchakut is not quite as aesthetically pleasing to the eye, but its fame among Thais makes it a worthwhile detour.
Finally, a good viewpoint of the province can be found at the top of Khao Ploi Waen. There’s also a small temple here, and the walk to the top is quite scenic.
