Rayong in Thailand

ระยอง
Central Thailand
209 km from Bangkok
Province of Rayong
Population : 50 000

Budget

Recomm. stay

0 à 1 jour

Visits

General Information about Rayong

Rayong is above all a point of passage to other destinations and the first of them is obviously Koh Samet island (departure of the boats from Ban Phe). Yet its ''old town'' and in particular its most famous street, as well as one of its temples, especially the Reclining Buddha temple, are worth devoting a short day to visit. Otherwise, the province on the land side, often shunned by international tourists in favor of Koh Samet, has some interesting places for those who will give it a chance and like to go out of the beaten tracks. Its coastline also offers some pleasant beaches which, apart from weekends, are far from overcrowded. The most famous is probably Mae Ramphung Beach, about 15 km away from the city but there are several others like Suan Son Beach, Laem Mae Phim Beach or the more confidential Ao Kai. Between temples unique in Thailand, the tradition of shadow theater, nature, national park, and mangroves, Rayong province, apart from Koh Samet, is certainly not a flagship destination in Thailand but is worth devoting a few days to discover it.

Accommodations in Rayong

In Rayong city, you will find accommodation a little bit everywhere around the city, some of them are in the Bus Terminal area. There are several hotels between Rajbamrung or Pojnakorn Road and Sukhumvit Road. If it is in Ban Phe you want to stay, where the boats leave to go to Koh Samet, there are a few accommodations and guesthouses across the street from the pontoons and in the small streets that go up. There are also a lot of, sometimes very luxurious, resorts along the province's coast. They are, from my point of view, a better option than sleeping in the city to explore the land and enjoy the beaches but you will have to find transportation to get around. The advantage of having a hotel in Rayong city is that you will have more local transport options, although, for a lot of the sightseeing, it will not be enough to reach them.

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Practical information about Rayong

There is already a page dedicated to Koh Samet on the website so on this one, I will more focus on the rest of Rayong province. To discover it on the land side, I recommend that you choose a hotel near one of the beaches rather than a accommodation in Rayong city. Three days seem to be an ideal duration to take the time to discover the essentials but you will need to have a means of transport otherwise you will be very limited in your visits.

How to get around in Rayong ?

If visiting the city can be done quite easily by walking or by hiring a tuk-tuk, to visit the rest of Rayong province, it will be quite complicated if you do not have your own means of transport. Whether you rent a car (I recommend it more than renting a scooter as the statistics of accidents and deaths on the road in Thailand are quite high for 2 wheels vehicles and be aware that you need a motorcycle driving license and international driving license to drive legally a scooter regardless of its power in Thailand) or the services of a driver or a tour agency (often hotels can offer tours).

Festivals in Rayong ?

Here is a list of the main festivals taking place every year in Rayong. I mention their dates as soon as they are official on Thai Festivals page.

Rayong Fruit Festival

This festival generally takes place in the month of May

Plus d'infos sur Rayong Fruit Festival

How to ask in Thai to go to Rayong ?

I want to go to Rayong / Yak paï ti Rayong.
Where is Rayong ? / Rayong you ti naï ?

Must-visits in Rayong

Yomjinda Road (Old town)

ยมจินดาถนน

My opinion :

The old town of Rayong is quite famous, especially Yomjinda Road which is the prettiest street in the area and probably the most interesting to visit. There are also a few nice and delicious little local cuisine restaurants.

Wat Pa Pradu (Reclining Buddha temple)

วัดป่าประดู่

My opinion :

It is the most visited and respected temple in Rayong City. Its long reclining Buddha, unique in its position, is very famous and makes it a must-visit places in Rayong.

Rayong Botanical Garden

สวนพฤกษศาสตร์ระยอง

My opinion :

Despite the name of botanical garden which might not interest so many people, it is a magnificent piece of nature, mainly composed of swamps, that can be explored by boat or mountain bikes. Very pleasant !

Prasae Estuary and Tung Prong Thong

ทุ่งโปรงทอง

My opinion :

It is the most famous nature spot and the largest mangrove forest in Rayong province. Whether it is the area nicknamed golden meadow or the path of wooden footbridges through the shade of the mangroves, it is a superb place for a walk!

Other places to see in Rayong

Wat Namtok Thammarot

Weather & climate in Rayong

Rayong has a tropical savannah climate with a rainy season (less than 30 days) less marked than in most provinces of Thailand. Warm temperatures vary little during the year.

The best time to come to Rayong is between November and March. Aside from maybe September, there is no time when it is really not advisable to come to Rayong.

See weather forecast in Rayong

When to go to Rayong ?

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