Day 2: Monday 3 October
Painful Exit....... After yesterday's excitement we need to really get into it today covering at least 7 or 8 attractions which require a much earlier start than yesterday. I just hope that Katoon is compliant. On the plus side we can stay in Chonburi until dusk as Bangkok is an hour and a half away but overnight a worrying situation has developed. Is gout about to hit me again? I do have medication in Bangkok but not here. Gout requires almost immediate treatment as the pain is quite severe.
We agree to leave just after breakfast which is a simple affair of coffee and pastries, the microwave in reception proving quite handy. At 9:30am we are ready to check out obviously anxious to visit some sites today to make up for yesterday's shortcomings. In that department I will just have to manage the pain the best I can. We choose a starting point south of Chonburi.
Bang Sean Aquarium....... Bans Sean aquarium is located in the grounds of the Institute of Marine Science. It's just after 10am as we make our way to the counter to inquire about tickets. Not unexpected here is dual pricing common in Thailand which works out at 220 baht for foreigners and 85 for Thais. I've visited a fair number of aquaria over the years so I'm interested to know how this one compares.
On the ground floor are the live species tanks and which as expected contains a wide variety of marine fish from the region varying from small beautifully coloured types to larger marine species. A couple of differences here I note from other aquaria is the wide variety of jellyfish which they display in a setting of multi coloured lighting. Then the main tank is of unusual design with a seating area on one side and the main tank above and around the viewing gallery. The live species area can be covered in about 30 minutes but then unusual for an aquarium there is a marine science museum on the 2nd floor. Compared to the live species aquarium this museum attracts much less attention. However, it's cramped full of information on marine evolution, habitat and environmental issues with an abundance of still life exhibits. This should add at least another 30 minutes onto your visit. In all we spend well over an hour here. It's time to head back in the direction of Bangkok and see what else this area has to offer.
Bang Saen Beach....... Bang Saen is a long sandy beach which if it wasn't for the weather and the time of week would be crowded with local people. Today however it's almost deserted with row and row of unoccupied deck chairs and umbrellas. One attraction however we can try is just a short distance away.
Leam Tean....... Further South from here is Pattaya offering attractions of a different sort but our intent is to concentrate on the area around Chonburi. We head north skirting the shoreline. As the beach peters out, we reach a headland known as Leam Tean. This is a recreation area for locals and fisherman. In the evening street market stalls are set up a little further on turning the area into a lively night market with entertainment. This is known as Bang Sean Walking Street. Well, here before lunch it's quite deserted especially as it's a Monday and because of the weather which is certainly unpredictable.
Khao Sam Muk....... We proceed around the headland stopping at any point of interest to take photographs and of course for me, to record more sites for my website. We proceed to another headland; this one with a hill known as Khao Sam Muk. Both on the shoreline and on the hillside are viewpoints with spectacular views to the west and north. A particular feature of this rocky outcrop much like Gibraltar is the presence of a monkey troop, their presence encouraged by local vendors selling food to visitors who promptly give it away to inquisitive but grateful friends. Returning to the beach road we continue another 2 to 3 kilometres reaching arguably the most iconic tourist attraction in the area.
Ang Sila Fish Bridge....... The Ang Sila Fish Bridge is a pier given over almost entirely to the sale of fresh and dried seafood. It's an attraction at any time but after sunset it becomes a glorious location to take dinner. But today we are among the day trippers so lunch on the pier will do it for today.
Maharaj Building....... With the weather so unpredictable it was only a matter of time before the cloud doubled up and showers appeared. Not an issue at the pier but then we're only halfway through the day. Still we've done well with potentially only 3 or 4 more attractions to visit. The first of these is not far away. Katoon is looking to locate an historic residence. Sure enough in Ang Sila village there are a couple of buildings that were constructed in colonial style although right now you would struggle to identify them because they are being renovated. Quite why such buildings are receiving such significant attention by builders soon becomes clear. Katoon's good knowledge of her nation's history comes into play as this was an important Royal residence during the rain of King Rama V. It is quite common for kings of Thailand to have consorts. This king came to visit this site on occasions and it is at this point where one of his consorts, the daughter of the King of Chiang Mai died. Despite building works progressing Katoon insists on walking down to the beach area which today is a recreational and exercise area for local people. In the past Royalty would have had exclusive use of the gardens beautifully laid out here.
Chonburi Grand Canyon....... Now two more sites lay between us and the way back to Bangkok. Neither are any real distance from where we are. The first is Chonburi Grand Canyon. Thailand has a number of canyons that have attracted this name but in comparison to the one and only Grand Canyon in Arizona I can confirm that none comes even close to that national treasure. The Grand Canyon in Chonburi lies on private land allowing the owners to charge a parking fee but they have also created the Grand Canyon coffee shop which as I mentioned before would be popular at weekends and during better weather. Today all is quiet as we view the canyon noting also that a railway line from Bangkok to Pattaya and Sattahip runs close to here with a northbound oil train passing as we arrive. So far, it's been surprising that the rain has held off for much of the time but now more persistent rain threatens and this is not particularly the best place to be stuck out in a rain storm. I take my usual photographs which is all I need to do at this site. It's on to the next one.
Wat Yai Intharam....... Moving back into Chonburi itself for the first time since I arrived in Thailand, I find myself heading for a Buddhist temple. Wat Yai Intharam is located in the old part of the city. It's singled out because of its Royal connections. In this case the Royal king is King Taksin in the Great. King Taksin was a general who returned with an army to expel the Burmese invaders who had sacked Ayutthaya in 1767. This history has been drummed into my head after countless visits to historic sites. After the Burmese invasion the commander and his army retreated east reaching Prachinburi before turning south through Chachoengsao then down the coast arriving at Chonburi here. His stopover on the retreat in Chonburi is commemorated here. History relates that he continued eastward along the coast of Rayong reaching Chanthaburi far away from the clutches of the Burmese army. In a quiet estuary in Chanthaburi an increasing band of supporters built an armada of ships which eventually sailed back around into the Chao Phraya estuary catching the Burmese garrison by surprise and putting them to flight re-establishing Siamese sovereignty once more. As I look around Wat Yai Intharam, I don't need at this stage to delve into more history but I can see there are two older buildings. One would be the viharn (prayer hall) and the other an ubosot (for investiture of monks). Both have the hallmarks of Taksin. For example, both buildings have a design feature at the base showing curvature which signifies a boat travelling over the waves as Taksin would have done during the campaign to liberate his people. The halls would have been redesigned after Taksin's visit from earlier temple buildings from the Ayutthaya period.
Chonburi Railway Station....... Well, that does it for this interesting two-day trip except for dotting the odd 'i'. I make it to Chonburi railway station which is hardly used for passenger traffic these days with just 4 passenger trains per day. However, this line is regularly used for freight trains heading from the deep-water port of Laem Chabang to the industrial areas to the east of Bangkok.
Finally, it's time to head back home and right on cue the rain starts again and seems to be here to stay for the rest of the day, As I mentioned at the start of this tour it's affecting the whole country now with numerous areas of flooding but right now all I can think of is reaching the residence and to try and sort out this problem with my gout.
Conclusion....... Traffic around Bangkok is predictably slow and it's well past 6 o'clock before we make it to the residence having picked up something for dinner. After this I will be able to ignore any misadventures, mishaps or misdemeanours and declare that I've achieved everything I came for, giving the time constraints that I set up. In terms of national coverage, Chonburi is one of the provinces which needed my attention. You should note that Chonburi is the provincial town but in terms of population it was overtaken Pattaya due to popularity as a tourist destination. I have covered some areas around Pattaya in the past but for now I can be quite satisfied with what I eventually achieve in this province despite the slow start and of course we took in that amazing football game on Saturday evening. There now follows a few days of inactivity baring the odd excursion until the first major tour starts on Friday.
First Page.
Painful Exit....... After yesterday's excitement we need to really get into it today covering at least 7 or 8 attractions which require a much earlier start than yesterday. I just hope that Katoon is compliant. On the plus side we can stay in Chonburi until dusk as Bangkok is an hour and a half away but overnight a worrying situation has developed. Is gout about to hit me again? I do have medication in Bangkok but not here. Gout requires almost immediate treatment as the pain is quite severe.
We agree to leave just after breakfast which is a simple affair of coffee and pastries, the microwave in reception proving quite handy. At 9:30am we are ready to check out obviously anxious to visit some sites today to make up for yesterday's shortcomings. In that department I will just have to manage the pain the best I can. We choose a starting point south of Chonburi.
Bang Sean Aquarium....... Bans Sean aquarium is located in the grounds of the Institute of Marine Science. It's just after 10am as we make our way to the counter to inquire about tickets. Not unexpected here is dual pricing common in Thailand which works out at 220 baht for foreigners and 85 for Thais. I've visited a fair number of aquaria over the years so I'm interested to know how this one compares.
On the ground floor are the live species tanks and which as expected contains a wide variety of marine fish from the region varying from small beautifully coloured types to larger marine species. A couple of differences here I note from other aquaria is the wide variety of jellyfish which they display in a setting of multi coloured lighting. Then the main tank is of unusual design with a seating area on one side and the main tank above and around the viewing gallery. The live species area can be covered in about 30 minutes but then unusual for an aquarium there is a marine science museum on the 2nd floor. Compared to the live species aquarium this museum attracts much less attention. However, it's cramped full of information on marine evolution, habitat and environmental issues with an abundance of still life exhibits. This should add at least another 30 minutes onto your visit. In all we spend well over an hour here. It's time to head back in the direction of Bangkok and see what else this area has to offer.
Bang Saen Beach....... Bang Saen is a long sandy beach which if it wasn't for the weather and the time of week would be crowded with local people. Today however it's almost deserted with row and row of unoccupied deck chairs and umbrellas. One attraction however we can try is just a short distance away.
Leam Tean....... Further South from here is Pattaya offering attractions of a different sort but our intent is to concentrate on the area around Chonburi. We head north skirting the shoreline. As the beach peters out, we reach a headland known as Leam Tean. This is a recreation area for locals and fisherman. In the evening street market stalls are set up a little further on turning the area into a lively night market with entertainment. This is known as Bang Sean Walking Street. Well, here before lunch it's quite deserted especially as it's a Monday and because of the weather which is certainly unpredictable.
Khao Sam Muk....... We proceed around the headland stopping at any point of interest to take photographs and of course for me, to record more sites for my website. We proceed to another headland; this one with a hill known as Khao Sam Muk. Both on the shoreline and on the hillside are viewpoints with spectacular views to the west and north. A particular feature of this rocky outcrop much like Gibraltar is the presence of a monkey troop, their presence encouraged by local vendors selling food to visitors who promptly give it away to inquisitive but grateful friends. Returning to the beach road we continue another 2 to 3 kilometres reaching arguably the most iconic tourist attraction in the area.
Ang Sila Fish Bridge....... The Ang Sila Fish Bridge is a pier given over almost entirely to the sale of fresh and dried seafood. It's an attraction at any time but after sunset it becomes a glorious location to take dinner. But today we are among the day trippers so lunch on the pier will do it for today.
Maharaj Building....... With the weather so unpredictable it was only a matter of time before the cloud doubled up and showers appeared. Not an issue at the pier but then we're only halfway through the day. Still we've done well with potentially only 3 or 4 more attractions to visit. The first of these is not far away. Katoon is looking to locate an historic residence. Sure enough in Ang Sila village there are a couple of buildings that were constructed in colonial style although right now you would struggle to identify them because they are being renovated. Quite why such buildings are receiving such significant attention by builders soon becomes clear. Katoon's good knowledge of her nation's history comes into play as this was an important Royal residence during the rain of King Rama V. It is quite common for kings of Thailand to have consorts. This king came to visit this site on occasions and it is at this point where one of his consorts, the daughter of the King of Chiang Mai died. Despite building works progressing Katoon insists on walking down to the beach area which today is a recreational and exercise area for local people. In the past Royalty would have had exclusive use of the gardens beautifully laid out here.
Chonburi Grand Canyon....... Now two more sites lay between us and the way back to Bangkok. Neither are any real distance from where we are. The first is Chonburi Grand Canyon. Thailand has a number of canyons that have attracted this name but in comparison to the one and only Grand Canyon in Arizona I can confirm that none comes even close to that national treasure. The Grand Canyon in Chonburi lies on private land allowing the owners to charge a parking fee but they have also created the Grand Canyon coffee shop which as I mentioned before would be popular at weekends and during better weather. Today all is quiet as we view the canyon noting also that a railway line from Bangkok to Pattaya and Sattahip runs close to here with a northbound oil train passing as we arrive. So far, it's been surprising that the rain has held off for much of the time but now more persistent rain threatens and this is not particularly the best place to be stuck out in a rain storm. I take my usual photographs which is all I need to do at this site. It's on to the next one.
Wat Yai Intharam....... Moving back into Chonburi itself for the first time since I arrived in Thailand, I find myself heading for a Buddhist temple. Wat Yai Intharam is located in the old part of the city. It's singled out because of its Royal connections. In this case the Royal king is King Taksin in the Great. King Taksin was a general who returned with an army to expel the Burmese invaders who had sacked Ayutthaya in 1767. This history has been drummed into my head after countless visits to historic sites. After the Burmese invasion the commander and his army retreated east reaching Prachinburi before turning south through Chachoengsao then down the coast arriving at Chonburi here. His stopover on the retreat in Chonburi is commemorated here. History relates that he continued eastward along the coast of Rayong reaching Chanthaburi far away from the clutches of the Burmese army. In a quiet estuary in Chanthaburi an increasing band of supporters built an armada of ships which eventually sailed back around into the Chao Phraya estuary catching the Burmese garrison by surprise and putting them to flight re-establishing Siamese sovereignty once more. As I look around Wat Yai Intharam, I don't need at this stage to delve into more history but I can see there are two older buildings. One would be the viharn (prayer hall) and the other an ubosot (for investiture of monks). Both have the hallmarks of Taksin. For example, both buildings have a design feature at the base showing curvature which signifies a boat travelling over the waves as Taksin would have done during the campaign to liberate his people. The halls would have been redesigned after Taksin's visit from earlier temple buildings from the Ayutthaya period.
Chonburi Railway Station....... Well, that does it for this interesting two-day trip except for dotting the odd 'i'. I make it to Chonburi railway station which is hardly used for passenger traffic these days with just 4 passenger trains per day. However, this line is regularly used for freight trains heading from the deep-water port of Laem Chabang to the industrial areas to the east of Bangkok.
Finally, it's time to head back home and right on cue the rain starts again and seems to be here to stay for the rest of the day, As I mentioned at the start of this tour it's affecting the whole country now with numerous areas of flooding but right now all I can think of is reaching the residence and to try and sort out this problem with my gout.
Conclusion....... Traffic around Bangkok is predictably slow and it's well past 6 o'clock before we make it to the residence having picked up something for dinner. After this I will be able to ignore any misadventures, mishaps or misdemeanours and declare that I've achieved everything I came for, giving the time constraints that I set up. In terms of national coverage, Chonburi is one of the provinces which needed my attention. You should note that Chonburi is the provincial town but in terms of population it was overtaken Pattaya due to popularity as a tourist destination. I have covered some areas around Pattaya in the past but for now I can be quite satisfied with what I eventually achieve in this province despite the slow start and of course we took in that amazing football game on Saturday evening. There now follows a few days of inactivity baring the odd excursion until the first major tour starts on Friday.
First Page.
Bang Saen Aquarium,
Mueang Chonburi District
Bang Saen Beach, Mueang Chonburi District
Leam Tean, Mueang Chonburi District
Khao Sam Muk (Viewpoint),
Mueang Chonburi District
Ang Sila Fish Pier, Mueang Chonburi District
Maharaj Building, Mueang Chonburi District
Chonburi Grand Canyon,
Mueang Chonburi District
Wat Yai Intharam, Mueang Chonburi
Chonburi Railway Station, Mueang Chonburi