Attractions — Chon Buri

At Sai Kaew Beach (Military Beach) — also called Hat Nangram — the water is clearer, the sand whiter, and there are fewer people. The infrastructure is weaker than in town, but there’s the basic minimum for relaxing and water activities. The trip from Pattaya to the beach takes about an hour one way. Entrance fee is 50–100 baht. Sai Kaew Beach and Hat Nangram are open until 18:00, when cafés close and activities wind down.

Khao Chi Chan (Buddha Mountain). The Golden Buddha is a rock image of the Buddha covered with gold plates. The monument was created to mark the 50th anniversary of King Rama IX's reign and cost three million dollars. Local residents took part in collecting money and gold, bringing cash, rings and jewelry. At the foot of the mountain there is a park that is clean and well kept. Opening hours: 06:00 to 18:00. Entrance is free.

Wat Yansangwararam is a Buddhist temple complex that houses a footprint of the Buddha (at least believers say so). It is believed that climbing the 200 steps to the footprint cleanses one's karma. For a donation the monks perform a ritual called the Funeral of Misfortune: the participant is placed in a kind of coffin-sarcophagus, covered with cloth and prayers and mantras are recited. After five minutes they are released — according to the monks with cleansed karma and reborn. The temple is an excellent spot for meditation enthusiasts: the park area, lake and ponds create a peaceful atmosphere. The temple also offers meditation courses in English, which include accommodation in the complex.

The Columbia waterpark was originally themed around Cartoon Network cartoons, but after the COVID closure it was bought by Sony and rethemed to Columbia’s popular franchises — Jumanji, Ghostbusters, Hotel Transylvania and others. The park has slides for every taste and a huge screen where you can watch studio films straight from the pool. Tickets cost 1590 baht for adults and 1290 baht for children. If you have a foreign bank card you can save by buying tickets online on the park’s website or via Klook.

Skywalk is a 226‑meter bridge with a 50‑meter glass section. It offers excellent views, but getting there takes some effort: first you walk through the park for about 30–40 minutes to the summit where a small temple stands, then descend to the bridge. Entrance to the bridge costs 40 baht.

Khao Kheow is a zoo located in a natural reserve. Animals are kept in near-natural conditions — they look content and clean, not confined to small cages. You can see a huge variety of animals: from meerkats to elephants, from binturongs (also called bearcats) to giraffes. For 20 бат you can feed a giraffe, an elephant and a rhino. Be careful with rhinos — they spit. The zoo covers more than 800 hectares, so it’s hard to see everything in one day. For comfort and to save time you can rent a golf cart — rentals start from 500 бат. Be extremely careful when driving a golf cart: macaques act like the owners of the zoo and may jump onto the road from any side. Also don’t leave personal belongings in the cart — macaques can snatch them. Entrance fee is 350 бат for adults and 120 бат for children (height 90–140 cm). How to get there: public transport doesn’t go to the zoo, so there are only three options: a tour, taxi or renting a bike or car. Taxi: one-way trip costs 700 бат. Tour: a day tour costs from 1000 бат per person, including transfer, a zoo guide and the entrance ticket.

Ramayana Water Park is the largest waterpark in Thailand and one of the biggest in Southeast Asia, themed around ancient Asian myths and legends. The park has four huge themed zones, 26 slides, three pools (including a wave pool) and a 600‑metre lazy river. Tickets cost 1490 baht, but discounts are common and tickets can be found from around 1000 baht. A big plus: Russian tourists can book tickets online at a reduced price without a bank card and pay for them in cash at the entrance.

As part of temple tours, tourists are brought to a Karen village. The Karen are one of the peoples living in Thailand and Myanmar. Some women of the Kayan Lahwi subgroup wear rings on their necks, which visually lengthens them. There is not much entertainment here — mostly watching locals work at looms or carve wood. Today it is more of a tourist attraction than a genuine Karen village where you can see authentic traditions. Keep this in mind if you go independently. If you buy a tour, you will usually stop to see a Karen performance, because the village visit is included in most sightseeing programs.

At Sai Kaew Beach (Military Beach) — also called Hat Nang Ram — the water is clearer, the sand whiter, and there are fewer people. The infrastructure is weaker than in town, but there’s the basic minimum for relaxing and water activities. The trip from Pattaya to the beach takes about an hour one way. Entrance fee is 50–100 baht. Sai Kaew Beach and Hat Nangram are open until 18:00, when cafés close and activities wind down.