🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026
Khao Sam Muk is a low hill, about 45 metres high, sitting on Laem Sam Muk headland between Bangsaen Beach and the Ang Sila area, in Mueang Chonburi district. From Bangsaen Beach it's only about a 2-kilometre drive. Most people swing by here as a follow-on from a beach day, because you get the whole package in one place — pay respects at the shrine, see the monkeys, and head up for the sea view. It's a public area, free to enter, with no admission fee.
The legend of Chao Mae Sam Muk and the name ‘Sam Muk’
The name Khao Sam Muk comes from a love story that doesn't end well. As the tale goes, in the late Ayutthaya period there was an orphan girl named ‘Sao Muk’ who lived with her grandmother near this hill. She fell in love with a young man named ‘Saen’, the son of village headman Bai, but the romance wasn't accepted. In the end Sao Muk threw herself off the cliff into the sea, and Saen, heartbroken, jumped in after her. Villagers named the hill after Muk, and over time it shifted to ‘Sam Muk’. The name Bangsaen Beach, meanwhile, comes from the young man in the same story.
On the hill stands the Chinese-style Chao Mae Sam Muk shrine, facing out to sea, revered by locals. Visitors, workers and students from the area often stop by to pray for luck in love and in their studies. It has the feel of a red Chinese shrine, with incense, candles and offerings sold out front.
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The wild monkey troop, and what to watch out for
The thing most people remember Khao Sam Muk for is the monkeys. There's a large troop of wild crab-eating macaques here, all over the road and the stair railings, and there are stalls selling monkey food (peanuts, corn, bananas) for tourists to buy and feed them — a few baht a bag. They look cute at a glance, but some of these monkeys are tame, some are aggressive, and they're all lightning-fast at snatching things.
- Keep your stuff stowed away — glasses, hats, plastic bags, phones, snacks in your hand: a monkey can grab them in a flash.
- If a monkey grabs something, let go immediately — don't try to pull it back, or you risk getting bitten or scratched.
- Don't wave a bag of food around — the monkeys will swarm you. Feed a little at a time and you'll be safer.
- Watch small children — kids holding snacks are easy targets, so keep them close.
Straight talk
In the car, close the windows fully and lock the doors — monkeys will climb on the vehicle and get into anything left out if you're not careful. And if you'd rather not deal with the monkeys at all, you can head up to the shrine and the viewpoint without going down into the feeding zone.
The viewpoint on the hill — what you can see
The part a lot of people miss is the viewpoint up on the hill. From the top you get a wide view of the sea — the sweep of Bangsaen Beach, Laem Taen reaching out into the water, and the Ang Sila side. On a clear day the horizon is sharp. Evening is the most popular time to come up, because you can sit and watch the sun set over the sea. There's an easy walking path, with ramps for wheelchairs along some stretches.
Hilltop viewpoint deck
Bangsaen Beach, Laem Taen and Ang Sila all in one frame. Breezy in the evening and great for sunset.
Bangsaen letter tunnel
A photo-spot landmark with the big Bangsaen / Khao Sam Muk letter sign — the most popular check-in here.
Chao Mae Sam Muk shrine
A Chinese shrine facing the sea. Pray for luck in love and studies; offerings are sold out front.
When to go, and what to pair it with
The best times are early morning and late afternoon before sunset, when the sun isn't harsh and the air is pleasant. Khao Sam Muk doesn't take long — about 30 minutes to an hour is plenty — so it pairs well with a day in Bangsaen. Spend the morning on the beach with some seafood, head up to Khao Sam Muk in the afternoon for the shrine and the monkeys, come back in the evening to stroll the beachfront road and catch the sunset, then stop by Nong Mon Market for souvenirs on the way home.
- Go in the morning or evening — skip the harsh sun from 11:00–15:00; the evening gets you the sunset.
- Pair it with Bangsaen Beach — only about 2 km apart, so it's an easy single-day trip.
- It gets fairly deserted at night — best visited from daytime into the evening; don't head up late.
Tip
Wear comfortable shoes — there's a walking path and stairs up the hill — and bring drinking water. If you're going to feed the monkeys, buy the food from the stalls on the hill; don't pull out your own snacks, or the monkeys will swarm you.
Getting to Khao Sam Muk
Khao Sam Muk sits on the Bangsaen–Ang Sila route and is easy to reach by both car and public transport. From Bangkok it takes about 1.5–2 hours. Driving is the easiest option since there's parking up on the hill.
- Self-drive — from Bangkok take Motorway 7 or Bangna–Trat Road (Highway 34), about 1.5–2 hrs; there's parking up top.
- From Bangsaen Beach — take the beachfront road toward Laem Taen; it's signposted the whole way, about 2 km.
- From Ang Sila — head along Highway 3134 for about another 3 km, then turn off following the Khao Sam Muk signs.
- Songthaew — Bangsaen songthaews run along the beachfront this way; the fare is in the low tens of baht.
Keep planning your Chonburi trip — where to eat, what to see, and where to stay
See the Chonburi travel guide →