Day 5, Thursday, 15 October - Sattahip
One More Night....... This is our last day in Rayong, and I had considered returning to Bangkok tonight but today sees the end of a long three-day holiday in Thailand and the return journey could well be chaotic. Staying one more night makes sense as of the roads should be a bit quieter. However, we haven't considered spending the final night in Rayong and have booked a hotel with which we are familiar with in the next province. This way we can finish up by adding some final attractions here, this is our last day in Rayong and I had considered returning to Bangkok tonight but today sees the end of a long three-day holiday in Thailand and the return journey could well be chaotic. Staying one more night makes sense as of the roads should be a bit quieter. However, we haven't considered spending the final night in Rayong and have booked a hotel with which we are familiar with in the next province. This way we can finish up by adding some final attractions here, several of which are in Rayong City. There are a number of attractions in the old city which could be described as a Chinese Quarter such was their cultural dominance in the 19th century.
Yomjinda Road....... We head east and pass Suan Si Mueang, a city park which also houses the Suan Si Mueang Stadium, arriving at the eastern end of Yomjinda Road. This narrow old street is one-way only and is home to several significant buildings, part of Rayong's cultural heritage. The most obvious is Chao Mae Tubtim Shrine. The Chao Mae Tubtim Shrine is a popular shrine dedicated to the Chinese Goddess Tubtim, who is believed to bring good luck and fertility to those who worship her. Not needing her services, we proceed to another worth-visit attraction.
Satudom House (Rayong Heritage Museum)....... The second most visited, Satudom House, also known as the Rayong Heritage Museum, is a wooden house built in 1920. The house was named after its owner, Pong Satudom, and has been converted into a museum that showcases antiques and artifacts from Rayong’s past. The museum has two floors open to the public. The first floor displays daily household items such as kitchenware, telephones, transistor radios, working tools, decorative items, and photographs of the townsfolk of Rayong from back in the day. The second floor features a bedroom furnished with a bed, a small wardrobe, a television, and more photographs.
Yomjinda Road is best visited on foot but I'm just not in the condition to explore more now. Still, it's enough as there are more sites to visit close by.
Wat Lum Mahachai Chumpon....... Doubling back, we must include Wat Lum Mahachai Chumpon, a Royal Temple on account of its association with King Taksin the Great. Taksin was born in Tak and became famed for his leadership in battle. After the Sack of Ayutthaya by the Burmese in 1767, Taksin rose to liberate his people expelling the Burmese and was appointed king. The story of his retreat from Ayutthaya with his army intact is well known. The retreat took him to Rayong where he rested his troops then on to Chanthaburi where he raised a great armada of ships that sailed back around the coast and up the Chao Phraya River taking the Burmese completely by surprise and putting them to flight. A shrine to him here at Wat Lum Mahachai is one of the best memorials to him Thailand.
Rayong City Pillar Shrine....... There is one final visit before we leave the city. The Rayong City Pillar Shrine is a sacred place where the second pillar is located. It was built in the reign of King Mongkut but in 1943 it collapsed. in 1991 villagers in the province cooperated to restore the pillar within a mondrop to protect it.
At this point lunch is due and beside the shrine they have prepared vegetarian food per Chinese custom. Well, I try to explore every avenue, but consuming cold vegetarian food is not the best idea. I think I'll just stick to seafood for now.
Leaving Rayong....... It's time to head out of the city and make progress west towards Sattahip. This takes us through and beyond the Maptaphut industrial complex retracing our steps from yesterday. The idea is to hug the coastline till we can proceed no further, the way blocked by Uttapao Airport. Our final visits in Rayong province include a string of beaches that I need to check out.
Haad Nam Rin....... This beach is not far from the industrial complex and it's hardly worthy of note except for the fact it offers a good view of the pier, we were introduced to yesterday, supporting the pipe racks through which natural gas flows from below the ocean floor. This pier is 5.66 kilometres long making it the largest pier in the world. The beach itself is unspectacular, lined with sea pine trees behind a reinforced wall with a narrow strip of sand unsuitable for swimming.
Haad Payun....... Haad Payun get its name from a rock feature resembling a payun (dugong). It is the most popular one in the area with ample street food and tables laid out under a strip of sea pine and other trees. As popular as it seems to be, there are a couple of things that kill it in favour of beaches to the east of Rayong. The one drawback is that the beach is not clean with debris washed up on the beach. The second is the backdrop of a huge apartment complex which is a complete eyesore as a failed building project. Even if it were complete, it'd be a blot on the landscape. In another direction there is a Chinese shrine. You reach it via a bridge; no ordinary bridge. It takes the shape of a dragon's body, and you simply enter its mouth to get to the other side, quite convenient if it rains provided you are not digested
Haad Phala....... We are now close to the Uttapao Airport which lies on the provincial border with Chonburi and the last piece of coastline in Rayong Province before it continues west. From here you can see the Samaesan coastline with the attractive island of that name. However, looking back from there to Haad Phala is far less attractive. The beach itself is littered with debris with no attempt to keep it clean.
Well, it's the case of leaving the worst till last and it's with some relief we can make our way around the perimeter of the airport and on to the accommodation we booked. The surprise is, with our concentration on mopping up in Rayong province, our destination today is now only 15 minutes away.
Bleu Marine Sattahip....... We arrive at Bleu Marine Sattahip before 3.00pm and that breaks the string of a late arrivals at our accommodation allowing us a rare opportunity to take some rest. Settling in at Bleu Marine is no issue at all since we were here last December. Despite having to climb a flight of steps to the next level, I'm grateful for some peace and quiet after a rather chaotic few days.
Seafood during a Storm ....... It's now just a question of what to do for dinner. We will need to take the car as we don't have the luxury of just walking out into the street. The plan was not to go far, but since we've made the start, we may as well go the whole hog and repeat the journey of last December where we took dinner with a sea view at Samaesan. We pass the Samaesan Seafood Market then after a couple of kilometres reach the coast and a choice of restaurants. Last time we were here it was Katoon's birthday, and we took dinner at Jae Boo, the most popular restaurant here but we decide on a change and go for a smaller now much quieter restaurant nearby named Che Bee. We note the seating arrangement is either out in the open or at bamboo tables under a thatched roof. One thing we won't have, is a glorious sunset; we're on the wrong side of the peninsula for that. But we do have the ocean view and a view we're most familiar with. Black clouds have formed out to sea with frequent flashes of lightning. The hope is that they stay well away from the coast. We order our customary seafood meal. It arrives while I'm taking some crazy photographs of the deepening storm clouds in the distance. They still look at a safe distance as we tuck in, but almost immediately the wind picks up. That's a sure sign that it's heading our way, and we move undercover of the thatched roof. The next few minutes brings utter chaos as the pre-storm wind strengthens sending plates flying and overturning glasses. Its damage limitation as a table is set up in the kitchen area and everything moved to a more secure place. We've been hit point blank with a vicious thunderstorm but like most thunderstorms in Thailand they're over in a flash. We settle down and continue our meal as if nothing ever happened. I'm so grateful to the girls here for their sterling effort in the face of adversity. A generous tip is their reward. We return to Bleu Marine no worse for ware and with a wry smile. Well, that was fun!
To all intents and purposes, the honeymoon ends today and tomorrow we will be returning to Bangkok with my focus of attention again on the railway where I hope to expand my scope.
Next Page.
One More Night....... This is our last day in Rayong, and I had considered returning to Bangkok tonight but today sees the end of a long three-day holiday in Thailand and the return journey could well be chaotic. Staying one more night makes sense as of the roads should be a bit quieter. However, we haven't considered spending the final night in Rayong and have booked a hotel with which we are familiar with in the next province. This way we can finish up by adding some final attractions here, this is our last day in Rayong and I had considered returning to Bangkok tonight but today sees the end of a long three-day holiday in Thailand and the return journey could well be chaotic. Staying one more night makes sense as of the roads should be a bit quieter. However, we haven't considered spending the final night in Rayong and have booked a hotel with which we are familiar with in the next province. This way we can finish up by adding some final attractions here, several of which are in Rayong City. There are a number of attractions in the old city which could be described as a Chinese Quarter such was their cultural dominance in the 19th century.
Yomjinda Road....... We head east and pass Suan Si Mueang, a city park which also houses the Suan Si Mueang Stadium, arriving at the eastern end of Yomjinda Road. This narrow old street is one-way only and is home to several significant buildings, part of Rayong's cultural heritage. The most obvious is Chao Mae Tubtim Shrine. The Chao Mae Tubtim Shrine is a popular shrine dedicated to the Chinese Goddess Tubtim, who is believed to bring good luck and fertility to those who worship her. Not needing her services, we proceed to another worth-visit attraction.
Satudom House (Rayong Heritage Museum)....... The second most visited, Satudom House, also known as the Rayong Heritage Museum, is a wooden house built in 1920. The house was named after its owner, Pong Satudom, and has been converted into a museum that showcases antiques and artifacts from Rayong’s past. The museum has two floors open to the public. The first floor displays daily household items such as kitchenware, telephones, transistor radios, working tools, decorative items, and photographs of the townsfolk of Rayong from back in the day. The second floor features a bedroom furnished with a bed, a small wardrobe, a television, and more photographs.
Yomjinda Road is best visited on foot but I'm just not in the condition to explore more now. Still, it's enough as there are more sites to visit close by.
Wat Lum Mahachai Chumpon....... Doubling back, we must include Wat Lum Mahachai Chumpon, a Royal Temple on account of its association with King Taksin the Great. Taksin was born in Tak and became famed for his leadership in battle. After the Sack of Ayutthaya by the Burmese in 1767, Taksin rose to liberate his people expelling the Burmese and was appointed king. The story of his retreat from Ayutthaya with his army intact is well known. The retreat took him to Rayong where he rested his troops then on to Chanthaburi where he raised a great armada of ships that sailed back around the coast and up the Chao Phraya River taking the Burmese completely by surprise and putting them to flight. A shrine to him here at Wat Lum Mahachai is one of the best memorials to him Thailand.
Rayong City Pillar Shrine....... There is one final visit before we leave the city. The Rayong City Pillar Shrine is a sacred place where the second pillar is located. It was built in the reign of King Mongkut but in 1943 it collapsed. in 1991 villagers in the province cooperated to restore the pillar within a mondrop to protect it.
At this point lunch is due and beside the shrine they have prepared vegetarian food per Chinese custom. Well, I try to explore every avenue, but consuming cold vegetarian food is not the best idea. I think I'll just stick to seafood for now.
Leaving Rayong....... It's time to head out of the city and make progress west towards Sattahip. This takes us through and beyond the Maptaphut industrial complex retracing our steps from yesterday. The idea is to hug the coastline till we can proceed no further, the way blocked by Uttapao Airport. Our final visits in Rayong province include a string of beaches that I need to check out.
Haad Nam Rin....... This beach is not far from the industrial complex and it's hardly worthy of note except for the fact it offers a good view of the pier, we were introduced to yesterday, supporting the pipe racks through which natural gas flows from below the ocean floor. This pier is 5.66 kilometres long making it the largest pier in the world. The beach itself is unspectacular, lined with sea pine trees behind a reinforced wall with a narrow strip of sand unsuitable for swimming.
Haad Payun....... Haad Payun get its name from a rock feature resembling a payun (dugong). It is the most popular one in the area with ample street food and tables laid out under a strip of sea pine and other trees. As popular as it seems to be, there are a couple of things that kill it in favour of beaches to the east of Rayong. The one drawback is that the beach is not clean with debris washed up on the beach. The second is the backdrop of a huge apartment complex which is a complete eyesore as a failed building project. Even if it were complete, it'd be a blot on the landscape. In another direction there is a Chinese shrine. You reach it via a bridge; no ordinary bridge. It takes the shape of a dragon's body, and you simply enter its mouth to get to the other side, quite convenient if it rains provided you are not digested
Haad Phala....... We are now close to the Uttapao Airport which lies on the provincial border with Chonburi and the last piece of coastline in Rayong Province before it continues west. From here you can see the Samaesan coastline with the attractive island of that name. However, looking back from there to Haad Phala is far less attractive. The beach itself is littered with debris with no attempt to keep it clean.
Well, it's the case of leaving the worst till last and it's with some relief we can make our way around the perimeter of the airport and on to the accommodation we booked. The surprise is, with our concentration on mopping up in Rayong province, our destination today is now only 15 minutes away.
Bleu Marine Sattahip....... We arrive at Bleu Marine Sattahip before 3.00pm and that breaks the string of a late arrivals at our accommodation allowing us a rare opportunity to take some rest. Settling in at Bleu Marine is no issue at all since we were here last December. Despite having to climb a flight of steps to the next level, I'm grateful for some peace and quiet after a rather chaotic few days.
Seafood during a Storm ....... It's now just a question of what to do for dinner. We will need to take the car as we don't have the luxury of just walking out into the street. The plan was not to go far, but since we've made the start, we may as well go the whole hog and repeat the journey of last December where we took dinner with a sea view at Samaesan. We pass the Samaesan Seafood Market then after a couple of kilometres reach the coast and a choice of restaurants. Last time we were here it was Katoon's birthday, and we took dinner at Jae Boo, the most popular restaurant here but we decide on a change and go for a smaller now much quieter restaurant nearby named Che Bee. We note the seating arrangement is either out in the open or at bamboo tables under a thatched roof. One thing we won't have, is a glorious sunset; we're on the wrong side of the peninsula for that. But we do have the ocean view and a view we're most familiar with. Black clouds have formed out to sea with frequent flashes of lightning. The hope is that they stay well away from the coast. We order our customary seafood meal. It arrives while I'm taking some crazy photographs of the deepening storm clouds in the distance. They still look at a safe distance as we tuck in, but almost immediately the wind picks up. That's a sure sign that it's heading our way, and we move undercover of the thatched roof. The next few minutes brings utter chaos as the pre-storm wind strengthens sending plates flying and overturning glasses. Its damage limitation as a table is set up in the kitchen area and everything moved to a more secure place. We've been hit point blank with a vicious thunderstorm but like most thunderstorms in Thailand they're over in a flash. We settle down and continue our meal as if nothing ever happened. I'm so grateful to the girls here for their sterling effort in the face of adversity. A generous tip is their reward. We return to Bleu Marine no worse for ware and with a wry smile. Well, that was fun!
To all intents and purposes, the honeymoon ends today and tomorrow we will be returning to Bangkok with my focus of attention again on the railway where I hope to expand my scope.
Next Page.
Rayong Province
Suan Si Mueang, Nai Mueang Rayong
Yomjinda Road, Nai Mueang Rayong
Chao Mae Tubtim Shrine, Yomjinda Road,
Nai Mueang Rayong
Satudom House (Rayong Heritage Museum), Yomjinda Road, Nai Mueang Rayong
Street Art near Chao Mae Tubtim Shrine, Yomjinda Road,
Nai Mueang Rayong
Wat Lum Mahachai Chumpon,
Nai Mueang Rayong
Rayong City Pillar Shrine,
Nai Mueang Rayong
Haad Nam Rin, Ban Chang,
Ban Chang District
Haad Payun, Ban Chang,
Ban Chang District
Haad Payun Chinese Shrine, Ban Chang,
Ban Chang District
Haad Phala, Phala, Ban Chang District
Chonburi Province
Che Bee Restaurant, Samaesarn,
Sattahip District