8 Things to Do
in Chonburi

Khao Kheow Open Zoo is a huge open-plan zoo covering more than 5,000 rai in Bang Phra, Si Racha District, about 130 km from Bangkok — just over an hour by car, which makes it a favourite for families who want to take the kids to see real animals on a short break. The draw is that the animals live in large, semi-natural enclosures rather than cramped cages, with more than 300 species including famous residents like Moo Deng (the pygmy hippo), Mae Mali the long-lived hippo, capybaras, giraffes, penguins, and a Tiger Valley that gathers several tiger species in one zone.

What visitors love to talk about most is the animal feeding stations dotted along the way — feeding giraffes, deer and capybaras, plus a lemur island you can walk into for close-up photos. Add shows like the penguin parade twice a day (around 10:00 and 14:00) and the elephant swimming show viewed through an underwater glass tank. Come in the late afternoon and you can carry on to the Night Safari to watch nocturnal animals. It opens 08:00-17:00 daily; entry for Thai adults is around 150-200 baht, kids 30-50 baht, foreigners 350 baht, plus 80 baht per vehicle to drive in.

One thing to know before you go: the grounds really are huge, and walking the whole thing gets tiring and hot, especially midday. Many people rent a golf cart (around 500 baht/2 hrs) or drive their own car along the permitted routes. On busy holidays, arrive early to secure a golf cart in time, and watch out for monkeys that may climb up to grab food bags or things left in your car — keep everything out of sight.

If you hit blazing sun or rain at Bang Saen, a good place to duck into is the Institute of Marine Science, Burapha University — better known as the Bangsaen Aquarium. It's a long-established aquarium right beside Bang Saen, inside the Burapha University campus and a short walk from the beach. Inside it's cool with air-con, easy to stroll around without breaking a sweat. Entry for Thai adults is 80 baht and kids 40 baht — very reasonable compared with many private aquariums. Kids under 90 cm, seniors over 60, and monks get in free.

Inside it's split into several zones: colourful Thai marine fish tanks, a coral zone, and a mangrove zone that explains the coastal ecosystem. The highlight everyone photographs is the jellyfish tank, lit so beautifully the jellyfish seem to glow as they drift, and the underwater tunnel in the newer zone where you walk beneath a large tank as sharks, rays and big tuna swim overhead — kids love it. Another one not to miss is the diver fish-feeding show in the big tank, held daily at 14:30, with an extra 10:30 round on weekends and public holidays. If you want to catch it, time your visit around the show.

It suits families bringing kids to learn about sea life in a relaxed way, or couples and groups of friends who want an indoor add-on to a Bang Saen beach day. Allow about an hour and a half to two hours to see it all. Good to know: it's open daily 9:00–16:30, but come before 3 p.m. to walk every zone without rushing. On holidays it gets fairly packed and parking can be hard to find at peak times, so leave a little extra time to park.

Koh Sichang is a small island off the Si Racha coast that's almost surprisingly easy to reach: drive to Koh Loi pier, hop on the ferry for about 40-45 minutes, and you're on the island. Its charm is that you can do it all in a single day trip — there and back, no overnight stay needed — and still get the views, the sea and the food. At the island pier you can rent a motorbike for 200-250 baht a day, or if you're in a group, chartering a skylab (a three-wheeled motor tuk-tuk with a driver who takes you around the island) is more convenient, since the sights are scattered across different corners of the island and walking really isn't feasible.

The highlight visitors agree on is Phra Chudadhuj Palace, a summer palace from the reign of King Rama V and the only royal palace on a Thai island, with the white wooden Atsadang Bridge stretching out over clear water that photographs beautifully. Next comes Chong Khao Khat, an open sea-view point many rate as the island's best view. Stop to pay respects at the Chinese-style Chao Pho Khao Yai shrine, and finish at Hat Tham Phang, the island's main sandy beach where you can swim, kayak, or just relax by the sea. Finding a seafood restaurant during the day is easy.

What makes the island great for a modest budget is that there's no island entry fee — you only pay for the ferry and vehicle rental, coming to little more than a couple of hundred baht per person for the whole day. Boats run every hour from morning to evening, but plan carefully because the schedule is limited: lose track of time and you could miss the last boat. Many viewpoints are sunny with little shade, so bring a hat, sunglasses and water.

Bang Saen is one of the closest beaches to Bangkok — barely over an hour's drive — which is why it's a childhood-memory beach for so many Central Thais. The draw is a long shoreline shaded by coconut palms, lined with brightly coloured deck chairs you can rent to sit and catch the breeze while ordering seafood, som tam and fried oyster omelette right by the sea. If you want a bit of thrill, head to the watersports stalls dotted along the beach — banana boats, towable donut tubes, and jet skis for hire. Renting is very easy, with no paperwork or deposit, and prices are negotiable, especially in a group. Another favourite is renting a bike to ride along the beach in the cooler morning or evening.

Wonnapha Beach, just to the south, is quieter and more open than the main Bang Saen strip, ideal if you want a chiller vibe, with cafés, food trucks and lovely sunset photo spots. If you're with kids, it's worth stopping at Khao Sam Muk at the end of the beach, which has a sea viewpoint and a troop of monkeys to watch. The activities here suit families and groups of friends who want to swim, eat seafood and take photos all in one trip. You can go there-and-back in a day or stay overnight, since there's plenty of accommodation around the beach with reasonable starting prices.

Before you go: the municipality caps deck-chair rental at no more than 50 baht each, so any vendor charging more or pressuring you to over-order food is breaking the rules — always ask the price clearly before sitting down. Most beachfront shops close every Tuesday under Saen Suk town rules, so avoid that day if you're coming to eat and rent chairs. Sea-water quality varies by season — sometimes clear, sometimes murky with floating litter — so check conditions on the spot before swimming.

These two sit so close together — less than a kilometre apart — that they've become a landmark pair drivers passing through Sattahip usually stop at together in one trip. Start with Khao Chi Chan: its centrepiece is a Buddha image laser-carved into a cliff face over 100 metres tall, outlined in gold on the grey rock and visible from far away. Out front is a wide plaza with a nicely arranged flower garden, open and breezy, with plenty of angles to walk and photograph. The calm atmosphere suits paying respects and resting your eyes. Free entry, open from morning to evening.

Then drive a little further into Silverlake Vineyard, a vineyard of over a thousand rai laid out with European-style buildings, a lake and a windmill for photos that feel like a slice of Italy. If you'd rather not walk far, a tram tours the grounds (adults 70 baht, kids 30 baht), or you can rent a bike to ride alongside the grape rows in the cool breeze. In the vineyard there's the Movie Cafe selling ice cream and snacks, an Italian restaurant for wine tasting, and a shop selling grape products — grape juice, jam and cookies to take home.

Good to know: both are open-air plazas with almost no shade, and the Chonburi sun is genuinely strong, so bring a hat, umbrella and sunscreen. In the rainy season the cliff view can turn hazy and the ground muddy. Khao Chi Chan is a sacred site, so dress modestly. Silverlake is open 09:00-18:00; for the best light and cooler air, come in the late afternoon and stay through to sunset.

Viharn Sien, officially Anek Kusala Sala, is a three-storey Chinese-style building packed with statues of gods, Guan Yin, bodhisattvas, and more than 300 Chinese antiques genuinely brought over from China. Many who walk in say it feels like being whisked off to China while still in Chonburi. The unmissable highlight is the Terracotta Warriors, replicas of those from the tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huang said to be over 2,000 years old, along with an upper floor offering both mountain views and images to pay respects to. Anyone who loves photographing unusual, old-Chinese-style angles will have a great time here.

What makes this trip better value than you'd expect is what sits nearby, all doable in a day. Just past Viharn Sien is Wat Yansangwararam, a royal temple on a shady, quiet hill that's perfect for carrying on with merit-making, and a little further is Khao Chi Chan, with its laser-carved cliff Buddha visible from afar. Both Wat Yan and Khao Chi Chan are free and open from 06:00, while Viharn Sien opens 08:00-17:00 with 50 baht adult entry. Together they make a well-rounded temple-and-art route for anyone in Pattaya wanting to escape the beachfront bustle for half a day.

Good to know: inside Viharn Sien you must remove your shoes and there's no air-con, so it gets fairly hot midday, and the stairs up to the 2nd and 3rd floors are quite steep with no lift — worth bearing in mind if you're bringing elderly visitors or anyone using a wheelchair. The site itself takes about 1-2 hours to cover, but to hit all three places you'll want your own car, since the spots are a fair distance apart and public transport doesn't reach them easily.

Bang Phra Reservoir is a large Royal Irrigation Department reservoir in Si Racha District that has become an outdoor playground for locals around Chonburi and nature-minded visitors from Bangkok. It's easy to drive to, free to enter, and has a cycling loop around the reservoir of about 20-22 km, shaded by big trees on both sides. Before dawn you'll find groups of hundreds of cyclists gathering. Some stretches have a bike lane separated from the road, while others still mean riding alongside traffic. If you don't cycle, you can also stroll, jog, or use the exercise equipment along the way.

Another highlight many come to try is kayaking out to the middle of the reservoir to catch a cool breeze and take in the wide, quiet water view. The reservoir is ringed by scrub woodland home to plenty of birds and small animals, making it a good spot for birdwatching and nature photography. Some come for relaxed fishing along the banks, and there are several waterside cafés and à-la-carte restaurants to stop at for coffee and a view after a ride. It suits families, couples, or groups of friends who want a low-key getaway without travelling far.

Good to know: this is a reservoir for agriculture and tap water, not a full-on amusement park. Facilities on some sides of the reservoir are sparse, so bring your own drinking water, and fishing at some points is restricted by the authorities — check with staff first. Kayak and bike rentals aren't reliably available every day, so it's best to check on-site or contact the waterside shops in advance.

If you want to escape the city for the sea without a long drive, the ferry from Koh Loi pier in Si Racha to Koh Sichang is the first gateway most people use. Leave your car on the Koh Loi side (there's free parking) and walk onto a large passenger boat; crossing to Koh Sichang takes about 45 minutes. Along the way you sit and catch the breeze, watching enormous cargo ships anchored out in the bay — some boats have an upper deck you can go up to for photos of the sea view and the flocks of birds following the boat. It's a simple, local-boat feel, not a fancy tour, but you get the full out-to-sea experience.

Boats run every hour from morning to evening, with several round trips a day, ideal for a there-and-back Koh Sichang day trip. Once on the island, rent a motorbike or take a skylab to tour around — pay respects at the Chao Pho Khao Yai shrine, stop at Phra Chudadhuj Palace, Hat Tham Phang, and the Chong Itsariyaphon sunset viewpoint (Chong Khao Khat). The fare per trip is only in the tens of baht, very cheap for what you get. If you don't want to wait for the regular boat, there are speedboats too — more expensive but they cross in a little over ten minutes.

Good to know: the last return boat leaves in the evening, so check the time carefully and don't get so caught up sightseeing that you miss it. On long weekends and Saturdays–Sundays it's crowded, boats are packed and you'll queue. In the monsoon, strong winds and waves can rock the boat enough to make some people seasick, and the Koh Loi pier has had periods of closure for renovation, so always check its current status before setting out.