🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026
The main route follows Sukhumvit Road heading east. It's about 1.5 hours from Bangkok to Bang Saen, another 1.5 hours from Bang Saen to Rayong, and roughly 1 hour 40 minutes from Rayong to Chanthaburi town. The prettiest stretch is Chaloem Burapha Chonlathit Road, the seaside highway that runs unbroken from Rayong through Chanthaburi to Trat — over 100 km in total. Roll the windows down and cruise it all day.
This trip works best if you have a car, since several stops like Tung Prong Thong and Noen Nang Phaya have no public transport going right to them. If you'd rather not drive, you can hire a car with a driver by the day, but you'll be less flexible and the budget goes up.
Day 1
Bang Saen–Ang Sila–into Rayong
08:30
Leave Bangkok for Bang SaenTake the motorway or Sukhumvit and you'll reach Bang Saen around 10am. Leaving early means much lighter traffic.
10:30
Ang Sila local fish marketBuy fresh seafood — prawns, squid, shellfish, crab — and there are stalls that'll cook it on the spot. Prices are easier on the wallet than at the beachfront. Stop to see the famous Ang Sila stone mortars while you're here.
12:30
Lunch on Bang Saen BeachGrab a seafront restaurant and order curry-fried crab, baby clams stir-fried with chilli jam, and deep-fried egg-stuffed squid to kick off the trip.
14:30
Nong Mon Market for snacks and giftsSticky rice in bamboo (khao lam), khanom jak, the well-known hoi jor, and dried seafood — stock the car before heading south. Save the Chanthaburi gifts for the last day.
16:00
Drive on into Rayong, check in near Mae Ramphueng BeachBang Saen to Rayong is about 1.5 hours. You can base yourself around Mae Ramphueng Beach or in town, whichever you prefer.
18:30
Walk Ban Phe evening market and eat seafoodBan Phe is the pier for boats to Koh Samet and Rayong's fresh seafood market. Wander and graze on grilled seafood, oysters and barbecued prawns.
On where to stay the first night
If you also want to fit in Koh Samet, stay in Ban Phe the first night and take the boat over for half a day — but that eats into the main trip a fair bit. This route focuses on hugging the mainland coast, so we've left Koh Samet for a separate trip.
Day 2
Mae Ramphueng Beach–Tung Prong Thong–into Chanthaburi
07:30
Morning stroll on Mae Ramphueng BeachA sandy beach more than 10 km long, with a beachfront road that's great for a walk or a cycle in the morning breeze. Quiet, with good light for photos.
09:30
Set off for Pak Nam PrasaeDrive along Chaloem Burapha Chonlathit Road, about an hour from Rayong town. Sea views alternate with mangrove forest the whole way.
10:30
Tung Prong Thong, Pak Nam PrasaeWalk the wooden boardwalk through the mangroves, where the golden-green prong thong trees stretch out in a wide field. Free entry. The late-morning sun is strong, so bring a hat and water.
12:00
Lunch at Pak Nam PrasaeAn old fishing community with riverside seafood restaurants — try the fish noodle soup or river prawns. Stop to see HTMS Prasae, the navy ship moored as a memorial at the river mouth.
14:00
Cross into Chanthaburi, Kung Krabaen BayThe Kung Krabaen Bay Royal Development Study Center has a mangrove nature boardwalk. It's just before you reach Chanthaburi town.
16:30
Noen Nang Phaya for evening viewsA viewpoint over a curving coastal road that many call the prettiest in eastern Thailand. The soft late-afternoon light is best for photos.
18:30
Check in to Chanthaburi town, find dinnerStaying in town makes it easy to get around on foot. Sleep in Chanthaburi tonight so you can explore the old quarter first thing tomorrow.
On the sun and the timing
Tung Prong Thong is comfortable to walk in the morning before 11am; after midday the sun is fierce and the boardwalk gets hot. Noen Nang Phaya, meanwhile, looks best in the evening. Splitting these two across different parts of the same day works out perfectly.
Day 3
Chanthaburi old quarter–Phlio Waterfall–home
08:00
Chanthaboon Riverside CommunityAn old trading quarter along the Chanthaburi River, lined with old wooden houses where three religions live side by side. Walk and eat breakfast — Chanthaburi rice noodles (sen chan), local Thai sweets. The area has won a UNESCO conservation award.
09:30
Cathedral of the Immaculate ConceptionThe largest Catholic church in Thailand, across the river from the riverside community — cross the Niramon footbridge to reach it. Gothic architecture and beautiful stained glass.
11:00
Tuk Daeng and Khuk Khi Kai, Laem SingHistoric buildings from the period of the French occupation of Chanthaburi, at the Laem Sing river mouth, about 40 minutes from town. Worth a stop if you like history.
12:30
Lunch around Laem Sing or Phlio WaterfallPick a seafood restaurant around Laem Sing, or drive straight on to Phlio Waterfall.
14:00
Phlio WaterfallA waterfall inside the national park with clear, cool water year-round and a school of soro brook carp in the pool. It's a short walk in — a swim to cool off before the drive home. There's a park entry fee.
16:00
Buy Chanthaburi gifts and head homeDurian in season, dried fruit, Chanthaburi pepper, dried seafood. Stop at a gift shop before getting on the road back to Bangkok.
Rough budget per person (3 days, 2 nights)
- 2 nights' accommodation — around ฿1,200–3,000 per person sharing a twin room, depending on the standard of the stay
- Fuel + tolls — around ฿1,500–2,200 per car for the Bangkok round trip; much cheaper per head if you split it among several people
- Food — around ฿1,200–1,800 per person, with seafood as the main meals and cheaper market bites in between
- Entry fees — Phlio Waterfall and the national park charge admission; Tung Prong Thong and Noen Nang Phaya are free. A few hundred baht per person all told.
🎟️Book the activities in your Rayong trip ahead
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.
🎟️ See all Rayong tours & activities (Klook) Adjusting the plan to the time you have
Short and sweetOnly 2 days, 1 night
Drop Bang Saen and head straight into Rayong. Day one: Mae Ramphueng Beach, Ban Phe, Tung Prong Thong, sleep in Chanthaburi. Day two: old quarter, Phlio Waterfall, then home.
Nature loversNature focus
Add more time at Kung Krabaen Bay and Phlio Waterfall, and trim the gifts and old quarter. Lean into the mangroves and the waterfall.
FoodiesSeafood focus
Hit Ang Sila market, Ban Phe, Pak Nam Prasae and Chanthaburi's fresh market, with seafood for every main meal. The viewpoints become a bonus.
