Eastern Thailand · Chanthaburi

Chanthaburi travel guide: riverside old town, cathedral and waterfalls

Chanthaburi is a riverside provincial town on the east coast, 245 kilometres from Bangkok, with a long multicultural history. Its Chanthaboon waterfront grew from Chinese and Vietnamese communities, a French-style cathedral rises across the river, and inland the hills hold waterfalls and the orchards that make the province famous for fruit.

AsiaVela editorial teamUpdated 1 October 20263 min read

Old wooden houses of the Chanthaboon waterfront lit at dusk and reflected in the river — The Chanthaboon waterfront at dusk.

Suggested time: 2 days
Where to stay: Chanthaburi town, near the waterfront
Season and timing: November to February is driest; June and July are peak fruit season in the east, as TAT describes for Rayong.

The short answer

Spend two days. Walk the Chanthaboon waterfront community and cross to the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, visit the Chinese temple Wat Leng Hua Yi, then spend a morning swimming at Namtok Phlio waterfall, 14 kilometres from town. Add a quiet beach such as Chao Lao or Kung Wiman. Buses leave Bangkok's Eastern Bus Terminal (Ekkamai) hourly, according to TAT.

The Chanthaboon waterfront

On the west bank of the Chanthaburi River, the Chanthaboon Waterfront Community is a 300-year-old neighbourhood of old houses and shops along Sukhaphiban Road, the first road in Chanthaburi, as the Ministry of Tourism and Sports' directory describes. It began as Baan Lum, a community of Chinese and Vietnamese settlers in the early Rattanakosin period.

Walk the one-kilometre street from Wat Chan bridge towards Talad Lang market, looking into old grocery shops, cafés and family restaurants. Shop hours vary.

Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception

Across the river stands the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. The directory traces its history to a church first built in 1711 by Vietnamese Catholics on the west bank, moved to the east bank in 1834, and rebuilt larger in 1903. Inside are paintings and a spiral staircase.

The directory lists it as open Monday to Saturday. Dress modestly and be quiet during services.

The twin-spired grey facade of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception under a blue sky — The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Chanthaburi.

The long side of the Chanthaburi cathedral with its Gothic-style windows and two spires — The cathedral seen from the side.

Make time for the local food

What to eat and where to look

Seasonal fruit

The eastern provinces are known for durian, mangosteen and rambutan, at their best in the early rainy season, as TAT describes for the east.

Where to look: Markets in town and roadside stalls.
Fit it into your day: A snack between sights.

Seasonal; durian is not allowed in many hotels.

Waterfront community food

Family restaurants and old-style shops along the Chanthaboon waterfront serve local dishes and snacks.

Where to look: Sukhaphiban Road.
Fit it into your day: Lunch while walking the old town.

Shop hours vary.

Seafood by the coast

Fresh seafood at restaurants near the beaches of Laem Sing and Chao Lao.

Where to look: Beachside restaurants.
Fit it into your day: Lunch on a beach day.

Prices often by weight.

Wat Leng Hua Yi

Wat Mangkon Buppharam (Wat Leng Hua Yi), built in 1977, is a Sino-Buddhist temple revered by Chanthaburi's Chinese community, as TAT describes; legend has it that it represents the tail of a dragon whose head is Bangkok's Wat Leng Noei Yi.

TAT notes that Mahayana Buddhism is as influential as Theravada in Chanthaburi. Admire the mosaic tiles and the image of the Maitreya Bodhisattva.

A waterfall falling into a rocky pool in green forest at Namtok Phlio National Park — Namtok Phlio waterfall.

Namtok Phlio and the coast

Namtok Phlio National Park, 14 kilometres from town according to TAT, is known for a waterfall plunging into a clear pool full of pluang fish. The directory notes that Kings Rama V, VI and VII came to see it and inscribed their monograms on a rock above the falls, and that Rama V built a laterite chedi nearby.

TAT also recommends the quiet beaches of Laem Sing, Chao Lao, Kung Wiman and Kung Kraben, best on weekdays.

A moss-covered stone pyramid memorial in the forest at Namtok Phlio — The pyramid memorial near Namtok Phlio.

Getting there

TAT gives the distance from Bangkok as 245 kilometres, by Highway 34 or the motorway to Chon Buri, then Highways 344 and 3. Air-conditioned buses leave Bangkok's Eastern Bus Terminal (Ekkamai) roughly every hour, and minibuses run from Victory Monument.

A car is useful for the waterfall and beaches.