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Eastern Thailand · Rayong

Rayong travel guide: orchards, old town streets and the Samet coast

Rayong is best known as the jumping-off point for Koh Samet, but the province itself repays a road trip. TAT describes orchards where you can feast on durian and mangosteen in season, an old town of wooden houses, a rare shadow-puppet tradition, mangrove walks and west-facing beaches with sunsets over the Gulf.

AsiaVela editorial teamUpdated 3 min read
The wooden shopfront of the Rayong Museum on Yomjinda Road with old objects on display
The Rayong Museum on Yomjinda Road.
Suggested time
2 days, plus Koh Samet
Where to stay
Rayong town or the coast near Ban Phe
Season and timing
June and July for orchard fruit, according to TAT; November to April for the beaches.

The short answer

Spend two days. Visit an orchard for a fruit buffet in June or July, walk Yomjinda Road in the old town and eat boat noodles, see the Nang Yai shadow puppets at Wat Ban Don (call ahead), and walk the mangrove boardwalk at the Prasae estuary. Then cross to Koh Samet from Ban Phe. U-Tapao–Rayong–Pattaya Airport is the nearest airport.

Orchard fruit tours

In June and July, when the monsoon rains return, Rayong's orchards are heavy with mangosteen, rambutan, durian and jackfruit, as TAT describes. Many orchards offer tours in open trams through the groves followed by a fruit buffet.

TAT lists several orchards in Ban Khai, Wang Chan, Klaeng and Khao Chamao districts. Call ahead; seasons vary from year to year.

Rayong old town

In town, Yomjinda Road along Khlong Yai is the most famous street of the old town, with old wooden houses and shops, a small Chinese shrine, street art and local restaurants; TAT recommends Rayong-style boat noodles for lunch.

The Rayong Museum, in the former home of a local mill and shipyard owner, collects old photographs and everyday objects; the directory lists it as open daily, 9:00 to 18:00.

Kayakers paddling through flooded forest at the Rayong Botanical Garden
Kayaking at the Rayong Botanical Garden.

Make time for the local food

What to eat and where to look

01

Orchard fruit buffet

Durian, mangosteen, rambutan, longkong and mango with sticky rice at orchard buffets, as TAT describes.

Where to look
Orchards inland in June and July.
Fit it into your day
A long, sweet lunch.

Durian is strong-smelling and rich; seasonal.

02

Rayong boat noodles

Kuay tiew ruea, small bowls of noodles in a rich broth, recommended by TAT on Yomjinda Road.

Where to look
Restaurants in the old town.
Fit it into your day
Lunch in town.

Broth may contain blood; ask.

03

Seafood at sunset

Fresh seafood at beach restaurants facing the sunset.

Where to look
Laem Mae Phim and other beaches.
Fit it into your day
Dinner.

Prices often by weight.

Nang Yai and Wat Pa Pradu

Behind Wat Ban Don, the Nang Yai Museum preserves the large-figure shadow-puppet theatre, now performed in very few places in Thailand, as TAT explains. TAT noted that it opened on request; call before visiting.

Nearby, Wat Pa Pradu's 12-metre reclining Buddha is unusual for lying on its left side.

A mangrove lagoon near the mouth of the Rayong River seen from a viewing tower
Mangroves near the Rayong River mouth.

Mangroves and Ko Man Nai

At the Prasae estuary, boardwalks lead through mangrove forest at Thung Prong Thong, TAT describes. Offshore, Ko Man Nai, about 5 kilometres from Laem Mae Phim, is home to a sea turtle conservation project under a royal initiative, open from 8:30 to 17:00; boats must be booked in advance, according to the directory.

Rayong's beaches face west, so every one has a sunset.

A statue of a mythical figure playing a flute on rocks by a Rayong beach
A statue on the Rayong coast, Khao Laem Ya – Mu Ko Samet National Park.

Getting there

U-Tapao–Rayong–Pattaya International Airport has domestic and some international flights, as TAT reported. From Bangkok, Rayong is reached by road.

Ban Phe, on the coast, is the port for Koh Samet, as the directory notes.

A passenger boat loading at the pier in Ban Phe for Koh Samet
Boats to Koh Samet at Ban Phe.

Practical questions

When is fruit season in Rayong?

June and July, according to TAT.

How do I get to Koh Samet from Rayong?

By boat from Ban Phe, the port for the island.

Can I visit the Nang Yai Museum?

Call ahead; TAT noted that it opened on request.

Which airport is nearest?

U-Tapao–Rayong–Pattaya International Airport.

Sources and checks before you travel

Reference sources for the version dated 1 October 2026. Confirm opening times, access, transport and conditions for your travel dates.

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Photo credits

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