Chanthaburi is a cozy French city in Thailand! Chanthaburi - the jewelry capital of Thailand Arrival and transport to Chanthaburi.

In 2018, you can book an individual sightseeing tour to Chanthaburi from Koh Chang with us!

Chanthaburi province is the fruitiest part of Thailand. But what do tourists really know about the city they pass by on their way to Koh Chang island? Only that it is here, in the fruit stalls scattered along the main highway, that you can buy kilograms of delicious and inexpensive fruit for your flight back home. Meanwhile, the city is interesting not only for its agricultural achievements! The distance between the city and Koh Chang is 70 km. On the map of Thailand it is located in the central-eastern part. Pliu waterfall and many others, coastline, beautiful local cuisine, and the fabulous old waterfront district of Chanthaburi, in which many cultures - Thai, Chinese, Vietnamese and French - have left their mark - all this you will see if you stay here for just a few hours! The city of Chanthaburi, which locals call “Chan,” is located along the river of the same name, 20 kilometers from the Gulf of Thailand. The symbol of the city is the rabbit, hundreds of figures of which are located on lampposts everywhere. Believe me, it’s especially good here old quarter, which stretches along the Chantabun embankment - the old, sleepy wooden houses of the streets and alleys beckon with their sophistication. The central street of the old quarter consists of old two-story houses in the Chinese style, and houses on stilts have windows and balconies overlooking the river. The balconies and shutters are a trace of the French colonial style - when the province came under French control for 12 years after the Franco-Siamese War of 1893. For several centuries, the Chinese built their houses. There are many temples and shrines here, and all the attractions are located in the central part of the city and within walking distance from the hotel you choose, for example, the most famous Maneechan resort.
Lovers beach holiday will find peace and solitude on Laem Sing and Chao Lao - two of the most famous local beaches. Don't even expect to see foreign tourists here - the resort is known only among the Thais who flood the coast during weekends and national holidays. After the Vietnam War, in the 70s of the last century, the Vietnamese diaspora was renewed in Chanthaburi, because people fled the communist regime. They built catholic cathedral in Gothic style, which is the largest in Thailand. The church still receives its parishioners, mostly Vietnamese Catholics. The church is the main place to see, as is the gem market!
To feel the spirit of Chanthaburi, it would be nice to stroll along the streets, try “pad sen chan buu” - stir-fried rice noodles with fresh local crabs, guava flavored ice cream, coffee in a cafe overlooking the river and then go wandering through the jewelry stores. Chanthaburi is considered the gem capital of Thailand. Until recently, rubies, sapphires and other gemstones were mined in the province. gems. The city stone market is open on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays; sellers and buyers from countries neighboring Thailand come here.
Another significant and sacred place for many Thai residents is located a little north of the old quarter - this is the Memorial in honor of the Siamese general Thaksin, who was half Chinese by blood. After the fall ancient capital Ayutthaya, he rallied thousands of people from Chanthaburi and won the war with Burma in 1767, later becoming king of Siam. The stupa temple is built in the shape of the hat Thaksin wore, and inside the building is a seated statue of him.
But most travelers leave rave reviews about Chanthaburi after visiting the Oasis Sea World dolphinarium, which is the largest in Thailand. Pink and snub-nosed dolphins live here with whom you can swim in the pool and watch a show of trained dolphins. Contact us and we will organize a trip from Pattaya or Koh Chang!
In the province, a must-visit is Namtok Pliu National Park, which is named after a waterfall where dozens of carp are found in a bowl and in whose crystal clear water you can swim. The park has a chedi stupa erected in memory of the deceased wife of King Rama V. Khao Kitchakut National Park is located 30 kilometers north of the city. The waters of a thirteen-level waterfall flow from Khao Mountains Phra Bat is also the source of the Chanthaburi River. Locals They believe that the streams of the waterfall have cleansing powers and make pilgrimages here. Nearby is the very famous active monastery Wat Khao Sukim, which is located on high mountain. A large, beautiful staircase leads to the temple. For those who cannot climb these stairs, there is a funicular. Inside the temple there are about twenty wax figures of monks famous in the Thai Buddhist world. From the veranda of the temple there is a magnificent view of the surrounding area.

Wat Khao Sukim is one of the most unusual Buddhist temples in Thailand. The most interesting thing is that it was built on the edge of a cliff surrounded by magnificent nature. This temple teaches meditation techniques. According to Buddhist teachings, meditation helps to achieve inner satisfaction and clear the mind. The temple is a typical Buddhist building. The interior decoration of the temple is magnificent. Its walls are decorated with Chinese paintings, which gives the temple special grandeur. However, getting to such a magnificent temple is not very easy, since everyone must overcome at least 300 steps on the way to it. Those who cannot withstand such a long journey can take advantage of a ride on a rail car.

Wat Khao Sukim Temple

Chanthaburi Fruit Farm

Chanthaburi Fruit Farm is an area where fruit plantations are located and exotic fruits are grown. Rambutans, pineapples, pomelo, watermelons and many other fruits grow here. At the entrance to the farm there is sculptural composition, depicting the famous Thai fruit delicacy - rambutan, around which there are figures of no less interesting fruits - mangosteens. Guides at the farm tell you in detail about the composition and usefulness of each fruit. You can also try and buy your favorite fruits here at a very inexpensive price.

Chanthaburi Fruit Farm

Cave temple in Chanthaburi

The cave temple in Chanthaburi is a large Buddhist temple complex, located in a rock cave. Thousands of years ago, the rock was part of the seabed; over time, the water receded and a cave with amazing grottoes and bizarre stalactites remained in this place. Wandering monks settled in it and formed a temple here. This temple has many statues and sculptures of Buddha. The entire temple area is decorated with flowers and ribbons. Along a stone staircase covered with moss, you can climb to the top of the rock and see there a majestic statue of a walking Buddha. This place is also notable for the fact that it is home to large number wild monkeys.

Cave temple in Chanthaburi

Namtokflyo National Park

National Park-Namtokphlio Nature Reserve is a large-scale park that is home to many species of flora and fauna. The reserve covers an area of ​​more than 134 square kilometers. Animals such as wild boars, mongooses, Himalayan bears, and gibbons live here. Also in the park there are reservoirs that are home to many species of fish characteristic of the waters of the Gulf of Thailand. Among other things, this park has very beautiful waterfalls. Namtokflyo National Park is under the protection of the Ministry natural resources And environment Thailand.

Namtokflyo National Park Reserve

Siamese Cultural Park

The Siam Cultural Park contains a Natural History Museum, an Art Gallery and a Wax Exhibition. It was founded in 1997 as a gathering place for the artistic and historical significance of Thailand. There are several Thai houses in the park, inside of which the main exhibitions of the park are located. In the park you can trace the main historical periods of Thailand. Those who come will be helped with this wax figures, which are the main part of the exhibition. Some figures are made in the spirit of Buddhist mythology. Among them there are even those that reproduce religious scenes. In addition, the park has antique items, bronze figurines of Buddha, and objects contemporary art. Siamese Cultural Park is located eighty kilometers from Bangkok. You can get here by train, train or bus.

Between January and March, people go to Khao Hichahut Natinal to worship the footprint of Buddha. It is a popular pilgrimage site for Thai Buddhists. There they train their patience and strengthen their minds.

If you want to go to a place where it is fresh and cool, go to the Pliev Waterfall. This is a waterfall with a pool and cool, clear water. You can feed the cave fish. Troc Nong Falls is a beautiful waterfall with a river that flows all year round. Adventure seekers can go rock climbing.

The eastern province of Chanthaburi is a mining center known for its abundance of tropical fruits, green forests and picturesque waterfalls.

The huge plantations around the city grow oranges, pineapples, mangoes and durian, which has an unpleasant odor. Chanthaburi also plays a special role in the Thai jewelry industry. In the jewelry shops along the main street, you can watch tiny rubies, sapphires and other precious stones from the surrounding mines being cut and sorted. However, only real experts can take the risk of buying something!

Chanthaburi is probably very ancient settlement: written evidence of the Khmer era (IX century) was found here, who used this place as a harbor and shopping mall. In the XIV century. Chanthaburi became part of the Ayutthaya Empire. After the destruction of Ayutthaya by the Burmese in 1767, the local governor attempted to achieve independence from the new capital Thonburi. However, King Taksin defeated him in battle and executed him. From 1893 to 1905 the city was occupied by the French. Today, a significant part of its population is of Chinese or Vietnamese origin, which was facilitated by the “green border” with Cambodia. There are also many Vietnamese Christians in Chanthaburi who fled persecution in their homeland.

There are several gem deposits around Chanthaburi where you can officially go treasure hunting for a small fee.

You can hardly count on a fabulous haul, but if you are lucky, you can keep the find for yourself and make a beautiful ring (for information, contact the TAT branch in Chanthaburi).

How to get there

• By car:
  From Bangkok on national highways No. 3 and No. 344 (309 km), from Pattaya on national highways No. 3 and No. 36 (200 km).
• By bus:
  From Bangkok from the Eastern Bus Station (the journey takes at least 6 hours) and from Pattaya (about 3 hours). Regular buses stop on the outskirts of the city, from there you need to get to the center minibus. Air-conditioned buses go directly into the center.

What to see

In Chanthaburi, it seems, everyone lives by selling precious stones: jewelry shops can be found at every turn. As part of the excursion program, you can visit the quarries in the neighboring village of Boray (Trat province, travel on highway No. 3249), where rubies, sapphires and zircons are mined in the open pit.

At the northern entrance to the city, on a small lake, there is a monument to the famous Thai poet Sunthon Phu (1786-1855).

The French Cathedral of Notre Dame (Church of the Immaculate Conception), built by Vietnamese refugees in 1898 in the ancient style, is the largest Roman Catholic church in Thailand. The Christian community of Chanthaburi (about five thousand parishioners) gathers here for services. At a girls' school, under the guidance of nuns, students make elegant wicker items.

What remains from French colonization is a quadrangular brick building at the entrance to the city (probably a former customs house) and the city library on the market square, which formerly served as a prison.

Chanthaburi area

About 5 km southwest of the city near Khainenwong (Little Hill Camp) are the remains of a fortress built in 1834 by King Rama III. Inside the fortress walls, in places overgrown with lush greenery, stands the wat Yothanimit, founded by the king. The complex includes a well-preserved 11th-century Khmer prang, surrounded by a wall with four dilapidated chedis. The temple itself was built in 1977 on the foundation of an ancient temple.

The port of Chanthaburi, 11 km from the city, has now lost its economic significance because it is too far from the main economic center - Bangkok. However, the idyllic fishing village on stilts is worth a visit. From there you can also take a ride to nearby islands.

6 km southwest of Chanthaburi, near the village of Bangkacha, is the nearest gem deposit (open to the public). Mount Phu Phloiwen (Mountain of Gems) is topped by a temple with the symbolic footprint of Buddha.

The cascades of the Krathing waterfall (Bull Falls), located 28 km north of Chanthaburi, fall into the river from bizarrely shaped cliffs 400 m high. Along highway No. 317, admiring the amazing mountain tropical landscapes, you can drive to another waterfall called Khausoidau. Not far from it is thermal spring. The local population likes to go for walks to Phliu Waterfall, which is 13 km southeast of Chanthaburi, because you can swim in its reservoir. This entire area has been declared Namthok Phliu National Park. Minibuses run regularly from the center of Chanthaburi.

On the way to Phliu Waterfall, you can look at the ruins of the Khmer Thong Thua Monastery. The stone sculptures of the 17th century are remarkable here. Not far from the falls stands a simple white chedi that contains the ashes of Queen Sumantha, who tragically died in a boating accident at Bangpain.

Thailand is a fabulous country that can distract any tourist from the bustle of the city. A trip to an amazing kingdom will remain unforgettable thanks to its mild climate, incredible culture and friendly people. In Thailand, you can easily and inexpensively rent a car and go get acquainted with the historical sights and traditions of the Thais.

Many tourists seek to visit the province of Chanthaburi, whose name literally translates as “moon city”. That is why the symbol of the province is the Moon, and in it there is a rabbit, which symbolizes a calm, peaceful life.

This region is the main mining area for rubies and sapphires. There is an entire block in the city center where Thais offer inexpensive gems.

The main attraction of the city of Chanthaburi is the Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. It was built by the French in the nineteenth century, when they expected King Rama IV to hand over the Thai possessions in Laos to the colonialists. Since then, Gothic spiers have risen fancifully among tropical landscapes.

Chanthaburi province is rich in interesting monuments and attractions - both historical and natural. Literally 20 kilometers from the city is the Khao Sukim Monastery. A huge four-story building perched on the edge of a mountain cliff. But you will have to climb the mountain either by stairs or, less romantically, by cable car. For followers of Buddha, this monastery is a sacred place to learn the art of meditation.

The blue ribbon of the river gently bends through the entire Chanthaburi, which outside the city, running through the mountains, forms a whole series of wonderful waterfalls. This is Khao Khitchakut National Park, which occupies a vast area. It is famous not only for its majestic waterfalls, but also for its evergreen forests inhabited by jungle animals. The mountains here are not high, but stunningly beautiful. Here the Thais offer tourists to spend the night in the jungle, where elephants and bears live.

One of the most visited waterfalls is Phrieu. Thousands of huge carp live under it. Bean pods are immediately sold to feed them. You can also swim with them. On the bank of the waterfall there is a stupa with a bell on top. It was erected in memory of the first wife of King Rama V, who drowned in the Chwuphraya River.

Between the waterfalls you can take a fascinating walk through a real jungle, admiring unprecedented trees and flowers. It is better for tourists to take comfortable shoes with them for this exciting walk. The second waterfall, the multi-cascade Kratinga, is good for its surrounding pools, where you can safely cool off after a walk through the humid jungle.

The third waterfall, Changsai, is located 12 kilometers from the center of the park and is more often used by the local population for swimming. But extreme tourists also come to it to enjoy the exotic.

On the coast of Chanthaburi province there is a shady Ao Yang beach and gorgeous island Ko Chula with charming corals, accessible by ferry. The island is amazingly colorful. It is surrounded by greenery tropical forests, inhabited by exotic colorful birds. It is also cut by many small rivers, which, before flowing into the ocean, transform into multi-tiered cascades of waterfalls. The most beautiful of them are the Than Mayom, Ngang Yom and Klong Nonsi waterfalls. On west coast The islands are home to coral reefs.

For tourists, a trip to Chanthaburi province will leave a lot of pleasant impressions. From your trip you can bring back the most beautiful precious souvenirs made from local rubies and sapphires, or more modest but lovely wickerwork made from bamboo.

Songhthaew from our beach to Ao and beyond long word on "p" it costs 60 baht, but there were only two of us, so the driver dropped us off at the center of the ponte and demanded an additional payment of 20 baht per nose for the continuation. They spat and went to buy a ticket for the ferry, if you buy a ticket for the first one separately it costs 100 baht, if you take the continuation it will cost 80, the ticket to Chantaburi actually cost us 120 baht, I asked again three times, it’s only an hour...

We got there, a taxi driver, that is, Songkhthaew, caught us at the bassstand, the bargaining was not successful, no other transport options were found, for 60 baht he took us to the River Guest House hotel on the embankment, where we were going to stay. This hotel is mentioned in Lonely, and it is really good, or rather cozy. For 150 baht doubles without, for 250 with shower, 400 with air conditioner. True, the double turned out to have a one-and-a-half bed, it’s not clear why this is a double, but again there are no other options because everything was booked for the occasion of the jewelry market, for which I also turned here. Otherwise, very nice rooms with wooden furniture, a patio too, tables in front of the hotel, fast internet for 20 baht. This guest house is located directly on the right side of the Srichan Road bridge, it is about a kilometer from the bassstand. from Chantaburi they run every hour with rare exceptions; at the bassstand they give out a piece of paper with a schedule until yokamai and mochita.

Jewelry bazaar in Chanthaburi

I read on bourgeois websites that jewelers from Cambodia come here to Chanthaburi on weekends and bring stones, I thought to look at the beauty.
The bazaar turned out to be 1 block away from us, but... It is professional, not a sale. People are sitting, pouring out colorful stones or counting them in thick piles. Well, we also looked at the scatterings of large rubies from south africa, which were sold from Bangalore.
I sat down next to them and let’s look at them. They ask me: what is this? Ruby. Real? She shone it with her ultraviolet flashlight and amused the traders.

A large ruby ​​is quite clean and rich, without inclusions or cracks, but cloudy, approximately 1.5-2 x 2-2.5 cm in size, I don’t know in carats, probably about 25-30, probably costs 100 bucks, they offered to buy smaller ones for 20. I wish I had a ring to wear on my finger.....
As I say in such cases, there is no money, but I have a camera, which I took as a souvenir.
Another trader called us to look at green sapphires, local Thai, small, probably 3-4 mm in diameter, but very beautiful - they shimmer from dark green to blue-green, he said that these stones are 200 baht per carat, beautiful, but why do I need them ...

There are still white people living in our guest house, at dinner they talked about emeralds, of course I didn’t understand anything, but apparently they didn’t come here on an excursion, although there are excursions here too, but in the absence of normal beds, we will only spend the night here and then move on to Bangkok.

We went looking for food, of course we were looking for some kind of restic, but there was only local food, but there was so much... And so different that it was not even clear what it was, so we decided to buy understandable things or from English-speaking sellers.
I couldn’t pass up the banana pancake (15 baht) and the pineapple 10 baht for half.
We bought grilled chicken fillet on sticks for dinner (20 baht), at the pastry shop we bought a package of small buns stuffed with lettuce, tomato and something else (40 baht, 5 pieces per pack), small pies like our custard nuts with pistachio cream (24 b for 6 pcs in a box).
Everything, absolutely everything, turned out to be sweet, even the small burgers, but still delicious. Prices here are lower than in Bangkok and Chang, but drinking water is rare and even cheap water costs 20 baht for 1.5 liters in a store, in a hotel 15 baht for half a liter.

On the morning of March 13, we went to the market again, these are just a few covered areas with tables at which buyers sit, and sellers walk around and offer goods, not vice versa.

Most of all there are corundums - rubies and sapphires of all colors and sizes and cuts, there are a lot of ruby ​​cabochons, although there are relatively few star corundums. Several times there were clusters of yellow and orange sapphires.
Prices for faceted corundum range from 200 to 300 baht per carat for small stones; the price for 1 large cabochon ruby ​​- flat, 5 baht in size - is 119 carats, 300 baht per carat. One aunt sold us green tourmaline the size of 1 baht for 4 thousand baht.

I met some Pakistanis who speak Russian and they said that counterfeits are also found here, so they take the stones as collateral and take them for certification, and the deal is concluded only after that. If, when checking the stone, it later turns out that it is a fake, the office that issued the certificate reimburses the cost of the stone, that is, it actually acts as a guarantor. There are really a lot of shops around where people crowd, apparently that’s where they check the stones.

Very close to our lodge there is a large jewelry store, there is some jewelry and a lot of stones, the owner speaks English, let's go there. Andrey chose mystic topaz, they are 60 baht per carat, a stone measuring approximately 1 cm in length, 200 baht. The frame can be made in 2 days, or you can choose a ready-made one if the diameter is tedious, for example, the ring cost 270 baht, I can’t judge how much silver there is.

then we went to look for the Chinese jewelry district, the locals didn’t know about this one and vaguely waved their hand into the distance. We crossed the bridge and reached the grand hotel, next to a huge jewelry store. The prices are doubled, but the stones are certified, and it also says where they come from. The seller said that 90% of the stones in Chanthaburi are from South Africa, there are some Indian ones, and blue, green and yellow sapphires are mined in Chanthaburi, in the store they cost 500-1000 baht per carat. I asked about yellow sapphires from Chantaburi - are there untreated ones, that is, in English - untreated - untreated, the saleswoman was surprised and said that they were sooooo expensive, I nodded, I just need to look... she pointed to the rows of boxes - ol treated , and for 1 box with 2 large almost square stones, 1.5-2 cm wide, I didn’t ask the price.

For those who are not in the know, in a nutshell, there is such a concept as “enclosing gemstone raw materials.” This means that if they find a rock interspersed with precious minerals, and it turns out that the stones are good, but not very good, for example, cloudy, with cracks, interspersed with irregular minerals, such stones are treated by irradiation, heating, boiling in oil, etc. As a result, such stones become cleaner, more transparent and more beautiful, but they are naturally lower than original quality gemstones. Treated stones lose some of their qualities as a result of processing, for example, in Ayurveda and Joytish they can no longer be used as upayas, but for jewelry they are just fine.
In Russia, in a store they never know what deposit the stone came from - they lie, like from Yakutia, for example, because they know that good diamonds are mined in Akutia, and they also lie about the cure. And they don’t give certificates, but there are shops around the market where you can check all this, so the sellers don’t hide it.

At the market, traders pour stones out of bags on which the carat price is written, in the store the characteristics, origin and weight of the stones are written on the boxes, in the store we were the only visitors, on market day jewelry stores are resting, although you can also buy items here - rings, earrings and gorgeous necklaces, I saw 1 set of necklaces and earrings on display - large rubies surrounded by diamonds in a classic style.

In general, if you need to buy good jewelry, then it’s probably worth flying to Bangkok, especially since Chanthaburi is not far from Bangkok, the savings on expensive jewelry will cover all transportation costs, and if you buy stones and make them according to your own design, it will probably not be expensive at all compared to Moscow. For example, I’ll say that I saw gold rings with rubies of about 2 carats in Moscow for about 500 dollars, but here such a stone can be bought for 15 bucks.
The only and serious BUT, I read in the bourgeoisie that the Thai police without a uniform catch buyers of stones, the purchase of several pieces is already considered as, and this is prohibited by law tourist visa, so the stones are confiscated, and the owner is sent to prison and then on a visa blacklist.

At the reception they called us a taxi for 50 baht, buses run constantly, the only thing we couldn’t figure out was where we should go to ekamai or mochit, we went to ekamai by bus, which left 45 minutes earlier than Mochitovsky, the price was 187 baht, the second one cost 193, it is newer, We drove one like this yesterday. Well, okay, anyway, it’s still somehow possible to get from the busstand to the station, Andrey wants to immediately leave for Chiang Mai today, I’m not sure if this is a good idea, but we’ll see.