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Full of Eastern promise

Published on May 17, 2008

An easy hour’s motoring from Bangkok, Bang Saen and Koh Sichang are ideal destinations for a weekend escape

Manote Tripathi
The Nation
Nationphotos

Less than two decades ago, visitors had very mixed feelings about Chon Buri. The province had a reputation for being home to “camps” of hit men kept by local politicians as well as to mafia types rumoured to be laundering money through property development and tourism.

Back then Bang Saen beach, some 13 kilometres from Chon Buri town, was an eyesore, with tents and umbrellas pitched all along the badly kept and dirty stretch of powdery sand.

Today, there’s a sense of orderliness. The resort has been renovated and it’s cleaner and much safer. The umbrellas are still there but there are fewer of them and they’re better organised. The beachside road is wider and cleaner too, with more shade and plenty of greenery.

Less than an hour by car from Bangkok, Bang Saen is a popular destination with Thai families. Whether day-tripping or spending a weekend, these visitors make for the umbrellas and, as eating is an integral part of a Thai beach holiday, place their orders for som tam and grilled chicken from nearby stalls.

Bang Saen offers a great view of the sunset over the Gulf of Thailand and there’s no better place to enjoy it with a significant other than from Laem Tan, an attractive piazza with a pavilion and a scattering of benches. On balmy afternoons, Laem Tan can resemble a mini motor show, with the members of such trendy auto clubs as the Mini Cooper club driving in to hold their meetings.

Laem Tan is also home to several food stalls offering inexpensive fresh seafood, and many visitors stay on in the evening to savour the local fare, not at tables but on mats spread on the pavement.

An alternative is to drive to nearby Khao Sam Muk with its characteristic white fence, park in the lay-by and take a stroll up the hill to admire the golden sea before sunset and peer down at the monkeys below, who’ll be eyeing your car expectantly for any food you may have left inside.

A short drive away is Ang Sila, which is renowned for its sprawling fishing villages as well as for its mortars and pestles. Ang Sila is one of the oldest seaside resorts in this part of Thailand and was favoured by King Rama V.

Unless there’s a pressing need to return to Bangkok, stay overnight in one of Bang Saen’s fine hotels, and discover more of Chon Buri’s attractions the following day.
Less than a 30-minute drive is Sri Racha, the gateway to Koh Sichang, a small island just 12km offshore. Leave the car in one of the car parks in the town and catch one of the ferries that depart every 40 minutes on a 45-minute cruise to the island.

Si Chang is a sprawling hilly island with a winding road that’s mostly empty, and perfect for cycling. Bring your own mountain bike and feel the freedom of the open road as it rises and dips through the hills, or rent a motorbike.

There are a few beaches to enjoy, the nicest of which is Tham Khao Phang on the west of the island, which boasts a long stretch of sand and an inviting calm sea that’s ideal for splashing about.

A favourite destination is King Rama V’s summer palace, a cluster of teakwood houses with its own beach called Tha Wang. The view is breathtaking and the monarch’s preference for European landscaping is reflected in the garden, which is still well maintained.

Chong Khao Khad, on the south of the island, is a popular place for admiring the sunset; below it is the beach where the king used to watch this marvellous sight himself.

And after a day on the island, you’ll be relieved that Bangkok is just an hour away.

HOW TO GET THERE

From Bangkok, use the Bangkok-Chon Buri motorway (No 7), or Bangna-Trat Highway (Highway 34).

WHERE TO STAY

The Tide Resort
Tel: (038) 399 222
Price range: Bt1,900-Bt2,500

Bang Saen Royal Beach Condo
Tel: (038) 383 550
Price range: Bt600-Bt1,200

Bang Saen Villa
Tel: (038) 382 088
Price range: Bt980-Bt3,200

Bang Saen Beach Resort
Tel: (038) 381 628-9
Price range: Bt500-Bt2,500

WHERE TO DINE

Pakarang
Bang Saen 1 Road
Tel: (038) 383 331

Ban Thalay
Ang Sila
Tel: (038) 397 441

Wang Muk
Sam Muk Road
Tel: (038) 384 021

Ban Khun Yaa
Bang Saen 1 Road
Tel: (038) 383 027

Chai Thalay Bang Phra
Laem Tan
Tel: 038 341 964

Fah Thalay
Laem Tan
Tel: 081 761 6781, 081 996 1123

Discovering Nemo’s world

Undersea World Pattaya lets you get to know the marine creatures personally - diving tanks await

Weeranuch Puttachartsaewee,
Nattareewan Sirichantarat
The Nation

Since Underwater World Pattaya (UWP) opened in 2003, it has been a favourite destination for “kids of all ages”. Where else can you take a fabulous voyage to the bottom of the sea without getting wet?
Today, visitors to the most modern aquarium in Asia can do more than just watch shoals of fish through acrylic windows in 100-metre-long tunnels. Now they too can take the plunge and dive to the deep in Underwater World’s “Edutainment Theme Park”.

Two tanks are open for the diving sessions. The coral reef tank, in which you can touch the colourful creatures like tiny marine fish, is open to anyone wishing to skindive. For more excitement, plunge into the shark and ray tank and feed the powerful predators that prowl the ocean depths. This section is reserved for divers holding an Open Water certificate.

“It’s not just the divers that will have a good time but also the spectators. Parents will love looking at their kids feeding the fish,” says general manager David Hong,
The shipwreck tank in the final zone will also delight. A powerful picture of the wrecks is now provided showing how the sea has become a perfect habitat for marine life.

For those wanting to get up close and cosy with the fish but not in the mood to dive, the Touch Pool in front of the tunnels is full of friendly and healthy species.

The Underwater World Pattaya is home to more than 4,500 forms of marine life classified into 200-plus species. The long-fin banner fish is the symbol of UWP. This sociable colourful fish is easily found in coral reefs lying in the depths of the sea.

Plates explaining the biology of each species are provided with the aim of educating visitors about more than just physical appearance.

One regular visitor is actress Daraneenuch Pothipiti, who loves taking her children along. “Activities at Underwater World not only support our close family relationship, but also help my children to learn. Nature teaches them outside the classroom and awareness of the ecosystem is planted in their minds while they’re having fun.”
All precautions are taken to avoid harm coming to visitors. Hong affirms that the thick acrylic windows along the tunnels are built for safety and durability. As for the diving activities, visitors can appreciate the beauty of marine nature under the guidance of UWP’s chaperones. The number of people participating is limited to make sure that it is safe for both for the visitors and the fish.

Underwater World Pattaya is open daily from 9 am to 6 pm. Special family rates are available during the summer season. For more information, call (038) 756 879.