🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026
The full name here is the Rayong Aquarium, and a lot of people just call it the Rayong fish museum. The building sits inside the Eastern Marine Fisheries Research and Development Center in Phe sub-district, near Ban Phe market and the pier for Koh Samet — which makes it a natural stop to fold into a Rayong beach trip. It isn't a big, flashy mall-style aquarium; it's a learning center run by the Fisheries Department, focused on marine life from the Gulf of Thailand. Families come to walk through at an easy pace, and it doesn't take long.
What's there to see
The walkway is laid out in zones, starting with shallow-water tanks and working through to coral tanks and the commercial fish of the Gulf. The bit that gets the loudest reaction from kids is the glass tunnel you walk under the big tank, with fish swimming right over your head.
- Underwater glass tunnel — a big tank you walk beneath, with schools of fish swimming all around you. It's the photo spot kids love most.
- Touch pool — a shallow pool where kids can try holding a starfish, sea cucumber, and other soft-bodied sea creatures, with staff keeping an eye on things.
- Coral and clownfish tanks — a bright, colorful zone where kids will point and ask the names of every fish.
- Sea turtle pool — sea turtles to watch up close, with signs explaining the conservation work.
- Seashell and fishing-gear museum zone — telling the story of the fishing trade and the marine resources of the eastern coast.
Bringing little ones
Kids under 120 cm get in free, and the touch pool is the highlight for the preschool crowd. Bring a hand towel along — hands will definitely be wet after holding a starfish.
Want more out of Rayong? Book tours & activities
Booking online ahead on Klook or GetYourGuide is usually cheaper than the gate and skips the queue. Pick only the experiences you actually want — prices and availability are shown live on each site.
Tickets and opening hours
The price is genuinely cheap compared with most indoor attractions. The one thing to lock in your memory: it's closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Plenty of people drive all the way to the gate and find a closed sign, so check the day before you set off.
- Tickets: adults 30 THB · children (under 15) 10 THB
- Free entry: kids under 120 cm tall and seniors aged 60 and over
- Open Wed–Fri: 10:00–16:00
- Open Sat–Sun and public holidays: 10:00–17:00
- Closed: Monday–Tuesday
- Contact: tel. 0-3865-3741
How long it takes
At an easy pace it's about 45 minutes to an hour to see everything. It's a short stop you can pair with Ban Phe market or a boat over to Koh Samet on the same day — no need to block out the whole day for it.
Getting there and parking
The building is inside the research center grounds in Phe sub-district, about 20 km from Rayong town — roughly a 30-minute drive. If you're coming from the Ban Phe pier it's just a little further on. There's a parking lot inside the center, so you can park there with no separate parking fee.
Ban Phe Market
The souvenir and fresh-seafood market is right nearby — walk over for dried shrimp and fish sauce, or sit down for a seafood meal.
Onward to the islandsKoh Samet Pier
Catch a boat across to Koh Samet from Ban Phe. It works well to hit the aquarium in the morning, then carry on to the island by boat.
Eat nextRayong Food
A Ban Phe trip pairs easily with seafood and local Rayong eats.
Straight talk before you go
Don't expect it to be as big or eye-popping as a Bangkok mall aquarium. This is a Fisheries Department learning center — compact in scale, and a few of the tank signs are getting old. But in exchange for a ticket of just a few baht and an uncrowded feel, it's great value for bringing kids to see real sea creatures up close. The draw here is the price and a location that slots into a beach trip — not spectacle.
Best days to skip the crowds
Weekdays (Wed–Fri) are far quieter than weekends, so kids get the touch pool to themselves without jostling. If you can avoid it, steer clear of long holiday weekends when it gets packed.
Plan a full-day Rayong–Ban Phe–Koh Samet beach trip
See the Rayong travel guide →