Best Places to Visit in Chonburi, Thailand for Every Traveller

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Chonburi is the province that holds Pattaya, but at about 4,500 sq km it offers far more than one resort city. Its capital is Chonburi, its largest city is Si Racha, and its coast on the Bay of Bangkok stretches from Bang Saen Beach to the island of Koh Sichang and the temple hills south of Pattaya. The places to visit in Chonburi range from a giant wooden temple and one of Asia’s biggest open zoos to coral islands a short boat ride from the mainland. The province is about 120 km by road from Suvarnabhumi Airport, via Sukhumvit Road and Motorway 7, which makes it an easy add-on to Bangkok. This guide covers the five best places to visit, how the attractions break down by traveller type, a quick reference list and a sample two-day plan.

Best Places to Visit in Chonburi

These five places give the best mix of culture, nature and family-friendly activities across the province.

1. Sanctuary of Truth, Pattaya

Designed and built by the Thai businessman Lek Viriyaphan, the Sanctuary of Truth is a temple-and-castle hybrid built entirely of wood, including teak. Construction began in 1981 and is still ongoing, and it may not be finished until 2026 at the earliest. It covers 13 hectares, has a central spire about 105 metres tall and contains only wood-carved idols and sculptures. The rooftop carries a four-faced Brahma and an elephant-headed Ganesha, and each of its four halls has a different theme: Buddhist, astronomy, classical elements and the Hindu Trinity, and family. Because it is unfinished, visitors enter wearing hard hats. Activities on site include boat trips, carriage rides, costume rental and a place to watch the wood carvers at work.

2. Khao Kheow Open Zoo, Si Racha

Established in 1974 and opened to the public in 1978, Khao Kheow Open Zoo is in Bang Phra, Si Racha, covering about 800 hectares, and is described as the second largest zoo in Asia. It holds more than 8,000 animals of over 300 species. Zones include an African Savannah where visitors can feed animals, a night safari, a cats complex with 48 cat species, a walk-through aviary with over 80 bird species and an Eld’s deer park. You can drive, rent a golf cart or walk. The zoo became internet-famous in 2024 for a pygmy hippopotamus named Moo Deng. If you plan to go, note that its elephant show was criticised after a 2021 photograph, so consider choosing exhibits over shows.

3. Koh Larn (Coral Island)

Koh Larn is the largest of the near islands off Pattaya, about 7.5 km from the nearest shore, roughly 4 km long and 2 km wide, with a Buddhist shrine on its highest point at 180 metres. Sources count between four and eight beaches, most on the west side, and Tawaen is the most visited, with a small harbour lined with shops and restaurants. Tien, Samae, Tonglang, Tayaiy and Nual are the other named beaches. The island receives about 3,000 visitors a day in low season and up to 10,000 in high season. Waste is a serious problem: about 50 tonnes of solid waste are generated daily, but only 20 to 25 tonnes are removed, so carry out what you bring.

4. Nong Nooch Tropical Garden

On Sukhumvit Road near Pattaya, Nong Nooch is a botanical garden of roughly 500 acres that opened to the public in 1980. The land was bought in 1954 by Pisit and Nongnooch Tansacha. Highlights include two French gardens inspired by Versailles, opened in 1998, a Stonehenge replica built in 2000, and Dinosaur Valley, opened in 2017 with more than 180 dinosaur replicas. It also stages cultural shows, including elephant shows and martial arts demonstrations, and is a scientific centre for cycads. The garden calls itself the largest botanical garden in Southeast Asia.

5. Koh Sichang

Koh Sichang is a district of its own about 12 km off the coast of Si Racha, once a royal retreat. King Rama V built a summer palace there, Phra Chuthathut Palace, named after his son Prince Chuthathut, who was born on the island. The palace was largely abandoned in 1893, and parts of it were moved to Bangkok in 1900 to become part of Vimanmek Mansion. Ferries run from Si Racha. The climate is tropical savanna, hot year-round, with the monsoon from May to October bringing heavy rain.

Chonburi Attractions by Traveller Type

The best chonburi attractions depend on who you are travelling with. Here is a short guide to matching a place to your group.

Families

Khao Kheow Open Zoo and Nong Nooch both suit families, and Bang Saen adds a marine aquarium: the Institute of Marine Science at Burapha University, also called the Bang Saen Aquarium, displays clownfish, seahorses, corals and a Bryde’s whale skeleton, plus tanks with sharks and rays.

Culture and Temples

The Sanctuary of Truth is the headline cultural site. Khao Chi Chan, also called Buddha Mountain, is a hill south of Pattaya with a giant Sukhothai-style seated Buddha image on its cliff face, designed on a computer and lasered into the rock, then filled with gold leaf. Sources give its height as about 109 metres or 130 metres, so quote it as more than 100 metres. It is reported open daily from 6 AM to 6 PM and free, with donations welcome. Wat Yansangwararam, a temple complex of about 145 acres roughly 20 km south of Pattaya, is described alongside the neighbouring Viharn Sien, an ancient Chinese temple with Chinese art and pottery. Wang Saen Suk Hell Garden near Bang Saen is a macabre park of life-sized statues showing punishments from Buddhist scripture, each with an explanatory sign.

Beaches and Islands

Bang Saen Beach runs about 2.5 km in Saen Suk subdistrict, roughly 108 km south of Bangkok. The sea is usually murky but becomes clear from October to February. Khao Sam Muk, a low hill at the beach with a shrine to Sam Muk, is also home to monkeys, so keep food and loose items out of reach. In Pattaya, the city beach is about 2.7 km long, with Jomtien Beach to the south, and Phra Tamnak Hill gives viewpoints and Wat Phra Yai temple. Koh Larn and Koh Sichang are the island options.

Festivals and Local Life

The Chonburi Buffalo Racing Festival, which is the 155th this year, runs for nine days from October 17 to 25, 2026, with the buffalo races on October 25 on the grounds in front of the Chonburi Provincial Hall. Expect food stalls, live music and traditional entertainment, and treat the dates as provisional, since one source says the race is held a day before the October full moon. Other dates include Songkran at Bang Saen Beach on April 16 to 17, known for its sand Buddha contest, and Loi Krathong in Pattaya.

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Chonburi Sightseeing: A Sample Two-Day Plan

A two-day plan for chonburi sightseeing works best if you split the province into south (Pattaya and Sattahip) and north (Bang Saen and Si Racha). This plan is our own suggestion and has not been timed.

Day 1: Pattaya and the South

Start at the Sanctuary of Truth, then drive south to Khao Chi Chan, then spend the afternoon at Nong Nooch. Finish with the Phra Tamnak Hill viewpoint or a stroll on Pattaya Beach.

Day 2: Bang Saen, Si Racha and the Islands

Visit Bang Saen Beach, Khao Sam Muk and the aquarium in the morning, then Khao Kheow Open Zoo. If you have a spare day, take the ferry from Si Racha to Koh Sichang, or swap in a boat trip from Pattaya to Koh Larn.

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Chonburi Tourist Attractions: Quick Reference

For anyone scanning the chonburi tourist attractions at a glance, here is the short version, followed by notes on timing and getting around.

• Sanctuary of Truth: Wooden temple in Pattaya, under construction since 1981.
• Khao Kheow Open Zoo: About 800 hectares, Si Racha.
• Koh Larn: Island about 7.5 km off Pattaya.
• Nong Nooch Tropical Garden: Botanical garden of roughly 500 acres near Pattaya.
• Koh Sichang: Island about 12 km off Si Racha, with a royal palace site.
• Khao Chi Chan: Cliff-carved Buddha south of Pattaya.
• Bang Saen: A 2.5 km beach with an aquarium and Khao Sam Muk.

Timing: Pattaya’s weather is hot and rainy from May to November, with the heaviest rain in September and October. Another source gives November to February as the peak, cool and dry season, with temperatures of about 25 to 30°C, and May to October as the low season with short, intense downpours. If you are travelling now, in mid-October, expect rain and consider the buffalo festival as an inland alternative.

Getting around: Pattaya is about 150 km southeast of Bangkok. Buses run from the Ekkamai and Mo Chit terminals and take about 2.5 hours depending on traffic. An ordinary train from Hua Lamphong takes about 3.5 to 4 hours, and a weekend-only express takes about 2.5 hours. A direct bus runs from Suvarnabhumi Airport, and U-Tapao International Airport is about a 45-minute drive south of Pattaya. Songthaews, called baht buses, handle local trips.

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Conclusion: Mix the Resort With the Rest of the Province

The best places to visit in Chonburi go well beyond the beach: a temple still being carved, an open zoo, a botanical garden, a royal island and a festival that celebrates farmers and their buffaloes. Pick one anchor in Pattaya, add a day in the north and carry out your rubbish if you take a boat to the islands.

Heading to eastern Thailand? Use the Explurger app to plan your route and meet fellow travelers heading to Pattaya, Koh Larn and beyond.

FAQs About Places to Visit in Chonburi