Chon Buri travel guide
Buffalo races, granite mortars and Bang Saen's Sunday beach
The provincial capital on the Gulf of Thailand, an easy bus ride from Bangkok, best known for its October buffalo races and nearby Bang Saen beach. Come from November to February for dry, warm weather, or in October for the races. One or two nights is plenty. Prices are low, and many nationalities enter Thailand visa-free.
Chon Buri is the working capital of its province, about 100 km south-east of Bangkok on the Gulf of Thailand. Pattaya draws the holiday crowds further down the coast; this town is where the province does its business, worships at its temples and goes to the beach on Sunday. The name means city of water.
Do not come expecting a resort. Industry and the Laem Chabang port shape the coastline, and the sea in town is no swimming spot. What you get instead is ordinary Thai life: fishing piers, street-food bazaars and a mix of Thai temples and Chinese shrines that reflect a long Teochew presence.
October is the month to be here. For more than a century the town has held buffalo races on the grounds in front of the Provincial Hall, with decorated animals, a parade and a sprint along a short track. It is one of the few places in Thailand where the old farm festival survives on this scale.
The best-loved local escape lies just south within the same district: Bang Saen beach, a long casuarina-shaded strip that Bangkok families have visited for generations. Between it and town sit Ang Sila, a fishing village famous for granite mortars, and Khao Sam Muk, a small headland full of monkeys.
Two days covers the town, the beach and the seafood. Many visitors fold Chon Buri into a trip to Pattaya or the islands, which works well: buses run constantly along Sukhumvit Road.
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Top things to do in Chon Buri
Temples, Chinese shrines and markets in town, with Ang Sila, Khao Sam Muk and Bang Saen strung along the shore to the south.
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Best time to visit Chon Buri
Month by month, so you can pick the weather and the crowds you want.
Rain drops to 7 mm in December and 18 mm in January, with lows around 23C, so evenings at the Ang Sila seafood stalls are pleasant.
Highs reach 35C in April and May; Songkran and the Phra Phutthasihing procession arrive in mid-April.
September is the wettest month at about 280 mm, but the October buffalo races are worth timing a visit around.
The buffalo races fall in October, around the end of Buddhist Lent; exact dates follow the lunar calendar, so check with the province or TAT before booking.
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Getting there
Airport bus from Suvarnabhumi and Ekkamai coaches
Most travellers fly into Suvarnabhumi (BKK). A free shuttle links the arrivals hall with the airport's own bus terminal, from where buses run to Chon Buri, about 85 km and roughly 70 minutes. From central Bangkok, coaches and minivans leave the Eastern Bus Terminal at Ekkamai frequently through the day. The motorway (Highway 7) is the fast road for drivers and taxis. A single slow train each weekday leaves Bangkok's old Hua Lamphong station in the morning, with an extra weekend service; it is scenic but rarely convenient, so check current State Railway timetables first.
- Suvarnabhumi (BKK)
- Free shuttle to the airport bus terminal, then about 70 minutes by bus
- Ekkamai (Eastern Bus Terminal)
- Frequent air-conditioned buses through the day
- Train
- One slow train each way on weekdays, extra on weekends
- Road
- Motorway 7 or Highway 34 from Bangkok
- Tell the conductor Chon Buri town; many Pattaya buses only drop on the bypass.
- Grab and Bolt work in town if you land late.
Where to stay
Town centre or Bang Saen seafront
Two bases make sense. The town centre suits travellers here for the races, temples and markets. Bang Saen, south within the same district, is the better choice for a sea breeze and evening walks, and is full of Thai families at weekends.
- Town centre near the Provincial Hall
- Walk to the buffalo races and markets; business hotels, little nightlife
- Bang Saen beach road
- Seafront hotels and condos, lively at weekends, quiet midweek
- Ang Sila
- Small and local, close to the seafood piers and Khao Sam Muk
- Weekend rates in Bang Saen climb when Bangkok families arrive; midweek is calmer.
Getting around
Songthaews along Sukhumvit Road
Chon Buri sprawls along Sukhumvit Road (Highway 3), and songthaews, the pick-up trucks with bench seats, shuttle up and down it. Flag one, ride, and pay the driver when you get off. Songthaews also link town with Bang Saen and Ang Sila. Motorbike taxis in numbered vests handle short trips, and ride-hailing apps cover the urban area. Walking is fine around the market and temples, less so along the busy highway.
- Songthaew
- Sukhumvit Road between town, Ang Sila and Bang Saen
- Motorbike taxi
- Short hops from stands near markets
- Grab or Bolt
- Reliable for trips to Bang Saen at night
Know before you go
What makes Chon Buri worth the trip, and what catches visitors out.
Why travelers love it
- The October buffalo races, when farmers dress their animals in costume and sprint them in front of the Provincial Hall.
- Stone carvers at Ang Sila, chiselling the granite mortars found in kitchens all over Thailand.
- Sunset from Laem Thaen, the cape at the end of Bang Saen with pavilions over the water.
- Wat Yai Inthraram, the town's oldest major temple, with late Ayutthaya lines and painted murals.
Good to know
- The monkeys at Khao Sam Muk grab food and bags; keep snacks out of sight.
- Town beaches are not for swimming; go to Bang Saen or further south.
- Some temples close their halls at lunchtime and late afternoon.
Trip fit
BookingMentor editorial ratings out of 5, based on a first-time visitor's experience.
Weather in Chon Buri, month by month
Chon Buri is nearly dry in December, while September brings around 280 mm, the year's peak.
Climate figures are approximate long-term averages for Chonburi (World Meteorological Organization, via Wikipedia).
A weekend in Chon Buri from Wat Yai Inthraram to Laem Thaen
A weekend in Chon Buri town covers its temples on Saturday and the Bang Saen coast on Sunday. Saturday runs from Wat Yai Inthraram and the Phra Phutthasihing shrine to Wat Thammanimit and the stone carvers of Ang Sila; Sunday starts on Khao Sam Muk and ends with sunset at Laem Thaen.
Saturday morning. Start in the old centre at Wat Yai Inthraram, whose ordination hall has the curved base of late Ayutthaya building and murals inside. Walk on to the shrine of Phra Phutthasihing, the image paraded each April. Then visit the Nacha Sa Thai Chue shrine, packed with Chinese deities.
Afternoon. Take a songthaew to Wat Thammanimit, where a mosaic-tiled Buddha sits in the boarding-a-boat posture. In the late afternoon, head for Ang Sila to watch the stone workshops and buy a granite mortar if your luggage allows.
Sunday. Climb Khao Sam Muk early, before the heat and the monkeys wake up, for the view over Bang Saen. Spend the middle of the day under the casuarinas on Bang Saen beach with a rented deckchair, then walk out to Laem Thaen for sunset and grilled fish at the pavilions. If you still have energy, ride back to Bangkok on an evening bus, or continue south to Pattaya.
Ang Sila crab, Nong Mon khao lam and the Bang Saen piers
Chon Buri's food is seafood. The piers at Ang Sila and Bang Saen serve steamed crab, hoy tod and grilled squid, and Ang Sila is known for raw oysters. Nong Mon Market sells khao lam, sticky rice roasted in bamboo, and the town centre fills with street vendors after dark.
Seafood is the point. Ang Sila and Bang Saen line their piers with restaurants serving poo nueng (steamed crab), hoy tod (crispy oyster or mussel omelette), and grilled squid. Ang Sila is also known for its fat local oysters, eaten raw with chilli, fried shallots and lime.
Nong Mon Market, on the road between town and Bang Saen, is where Thais stop to buy souvenirs to take home: dried squid, shrimp paste and above all khao lam, sticky rice with coconut milk and beans roasted inside bamboo tubes. Buy a few tubes warm and peel the bamboo back as you eat.
In the town itself, evenings belong to street vendors who take over corners and empty lots with carts and tricycles: boat noodles in small bowls, curries ladled over rice, and trays of kanom, Thai sweets. The Chinese community adds rice porridge and roast duck shops near the old market. Eat where the queues are; turnover keeps food fresh.
October buffalo racing and the Phutthasihing procession
Chon Buri's biggest event is the Buffalo Racing Festival, held in October at the Provincial Hall around the end of Buddhist Lent. In mid-April the annual fair, timed with Songkran, carries the Phra Phutthasihing image around town. November to February is the most comfortable time to visit, with almost no rain in December.
The town's great day is the Chonburi Buffalo Racing Festival, held in October on the grounds of the Provincial Hall around the end of Buddhist Lent. Farmers bring buffaloes in elaborate costumes, there is a parade and a pageant, and riders sprint the animals over a short course to roars from the stands.
Mid-April brings Chon Buri's annual fair, timed with Songkran: the Phra Phutthasihing image is carried in procession around town, and water fights follow.
The climate is hot all year, with highs of 33C to 35C. November to February is the comfortable window, with January lows around 23C and almost no rain in December. The rains peak in September, at about 280 mm. For day trips, the small island of Ko Si Chang is reached by ferry from Si Racha, and the beaches of Ko Samet are a longer ride south-east.
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How we research our Chon Buri travel guide
Chon Buri's buffalo racing dates are rechecked each year against the province's official website. Entry follows the Royal Thai Embassy notice and the Thailand Digital Arrival Card.
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Checked against trusted sources:
Official website of Chon BuriRoyal Thai Embassy noticeThailand Digital Arrival Card
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Quick answers to the questions travelers ask most before visiting Chon Buri.
Timing & weather
In October, around the end of Buddhist Lent, on the grounds of the Provincial Hall. Dates follow the lunar calendar and change every year.
The best time to visit Chon Buri is Nov to Feb. The driest months; December averages just 7 mm of rain and highs stay near 33C.
- Dry season: November - February (Rain drops to 7 mm in December and 18 mm in January, with lows around 23C, so evenings at the Ang Sila seafood stalls are pleasant)
- Hot months: March - May (Highs reach 35C in April and May; Songkran and the Phra Phutthasihing procession arrive in mid-April)
- Rains and buffalo races: June - October (September is the wettest month at about 280 mm, but the October buffalo races are worth timing a visit around)
Getting there
Yes. Ride the free shuttle from arrivals to the airport bus terminal and board a Chon Buri bus; the 85 km ride takes about 70 minutes.
The Eastern Bus Terminal at Ekkamai, with frequent air-conditioned buses through the day.
Yes, but only one slow service runs each way on weekdays, with an extra train at weekends. Buses are far more frequent.
Most travellers fly into Suvarnabhumi (BKK). A free shuttle links the arrivals hall with the airport's own bus terminal, from where buses run to Chon Buri, about 85 km and roughly 70 minutes. From central Bangkok, coaches and minivans leave the Eastern Bus Terminal at Ekkamai frequently through the day.
General
No. Chon Buri is the provincial capital to the north; Pattaya is a separate resort city further south in the same province.
Yes, Bang Saen is the local swimming beach, best on weekdays. The waterfront in Chon Buri town itself is not suitable for swimming.
Sticky rice cooked with coconut milk inside bamboo tubes, the classic snack Thais buy at Nong Mon Market on the way home from Bang Saen.
They are wild and will snatch food or bags. Keep snacks hidden and do not feed them.
Granite mortars and pestles and carved stone animals made by local craftsmen, plus dried seafood.
During the mid-April Songkran fair the town's principal Buddha image is paraded through the streets.
Chon Buri sprawls along Sukhumvit Road (Highway 3), and songthaews, the pick-up trucks with bench seats, shuttle up and down it. Flag one, ride, and pay the driver when you get off. Songthaews also link town with Bang Saen and Ang Sila.
Visa & documents
From 15 September 2026, Thailand replaced its 60-day visa exemption with a 30-day exemption for tourism, covering about 60 countries; a one-time extension of up to 30 days may be possible at an immigration office. Some nationalities can get a visa on arrival, and others need an e-Visa before travel. All foreign visitors must complete the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) online before arrival.
Health & safety
Visitors to Thailand rarely run into serious trouble. Road accidents, especially on scooters, cause the most harm, followed by scams and strong sea currents in the monsoon. Ignore anyone who says the Grand Palace is closed, and swim only where no red flag flies.
