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| Chanthaburi | ||
| province | Chanthaburi | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents | 23.835 (2014) | |
| height | 10 m | |
no tourist info on Wikidata:  | ||
| location | ||
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Chanthaburi (Thai: จันทบุรี, pronouncedchan-tá-burii, colloquial müang chan) lies in the eponymous province in Eastern Thailand. It is a center of the gem trade and fruit growing.
background
Because of its importance as the center of the gem and jewelery trade (sapphires, rubies, emeralds, jade, agates), Chanthaburi is much more lively and interesting than you might expect from such a small provincial town.
The city has a checkered history: It was probably founded in the 9th century AD as a city in the Khmer Empire of Angkor founded; in the 14th century it then became part of the Siamese Kingdom of Ayutthaya. After its fall and destruction by the Burmese in 1767, the charismatic general Taksin came here to gather his troops and prepare for the expulsion of the occupiers; later he made himself king.
Already at that time there was a notable overseas Chinese community that traded here - benefiting from its location at an estuary. In the 19th century there were also refugees from South Vietnam, mostly Christians who fled religious persecution in their homeland. Further waves of migration came in the 1920s to 1940s (fleeing from French colonial rule) and after the communists' victory in the Vietnam War in 1975. The result is the very multicultural climate in the city; Architecture and kitchen.
Between 1893 and 1905 Chanthaburi was occupied by French colonial troops as part of a border conflict with the then neighboring French colony of Indochina. If you look closely, you can also discover a certain French influence in the city.
getting there
By plane
The nearest airport is the regional airport of Stepped, 60 km southeast of Chanthaburi. There are more flights to U-Tapao Airport between Pattaya and Rayong (see below Pattaya # By plane). From there it is 150 km to Chanthaburi.
The nearest airport with intercontinental flights from Europe is Bangkok Suvarnabhumi (220 km away). Direct buses from the bus station at the airport to Chanthaburi leave at 10.20, 15.10 and 16.10 (as of October 2013), you can also take buses to Trat and Laem Ngop (Ko Chang) and get off in Chanthaburi. A taxi from Suvarnabhumi to Chanthaburi costs about 2400 baht.
By train
There is no connection to the railway network.
By bus
| Distances | |
| Bangkok | 250 km |
|---|---|
| Pattaya | 170 km |
The bus station is about 1 km west of the old town. From there you can take a pickup taxi to your destination in the city for 40 baht.
Long-distance buses from Bangkok's Eastern Bus Terminal Ekkamai drive approximately every hour during the day. The journey takes a good 5 hours and costs 183 baht. The state-owned company offers three times a day The Transport Co. Ltd. Class ม. 1 ข buses traveling on the motorway. You only need 4 hours, price 191 baht. Minivans drive approximately every hour from the Victory Monument in Bangkok in 4½ hours for 220 baht to Chanthaburi.
There are also direct connections from / to Aranyaprathet (on the border with Cambodia), Nakhon Ratchasima (in northeast Thailand), Pattaya, Rayong and Ko Chang or. Stepped.
From the Ban Pakkat / Phsar Prum crossing on the Cambodian border (19 km northwest of Pailin) there are also minivans to Chanthaburi. The claim made by smugglers that you have to take an expensive taxi should not be believed.
In the street
Chanthaburi is located on National Road 3 (Thanon Sukhumvit), which runs along the eastern Gulf coast from Bangkok via Pattaya and Rayong to Trat and to the border with Cambodia. It's about 250 kilometers from Bangkok. The quickest way is to take the toll motorway towards Chon Buri, at the Ban Bueng / Chon Buri / Klaeng exit, change to the four-lane national road 344 towards Ban Bueng (Chanthaburi is already signposted here), before taking the national road at Klaeng 3 is coming. At best, you need a little more than three hours, but the actual travel time depends heavily on the traffic situation. From Pattaya it is approx. 170 kilometers (driving time approx. 2:20 hours), from Rayong 110 kilometers (1½ hours), from Trat 70 kilometers (one hour).
mobility
In Chanthaburi there are taxis in the form of smaller, blue-yellow or red-blue painted Mazda pickups (called Mad-sa-da). They don't have a taximeter so the price has to be negotiated. A ride within the city should cost around 40 baht. If you want to take a taxi to an excursion destination in the surrounding area (e.g. to Laem Sing for 250 baht), you usually have to pay for the return trip, as the drivers fear that they would otherwise have to drive back empty.
There are also songthaeos (larger, blue-painted pickups with seats on the loading area that follow a route as shared taxis; price 5-15 baht) and motorcycle taxis (max. 60 baht for trips within the city.
Songthaeos and minivans to the surrounding area leave from Thanon Amphawa, at the post office at the north end of the market. Minivans to Pong Nam Ron (hot spring) and Ban Pakkat (border crossing to Cambodia) leave from Thanon Trirat, at the east end of the large bridge.
If you want to be independent, you can rent a bike or motorcycle. Some guest houses and hotels in the city offer this.
Tourist Attractions
- Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. One of the largest Catholic churches in Thailand (60 meters long and 20 meters wide); Erected in 1880 in neo-Gothic style with two towers; on a large open forecourt with a statue of the Virgin Mary. A very unusual atmosphere for Thailand. In Chanthaburi there is a quite large Catholic community by Thai standards (the diocese has around 35,000 believers), mostly descendants of refugees from South Vietnam.
- Taksin the Great Park (Suan Somdet Phrachao Taksin Maharat). Well-kept public park in the city center with a large pond in which there is an island. In the middle is the Equestrian statue of King Taksin. The legendary and revered warrior king retired after the fall of the kingdom Ayutthaya In 1767 he returned to Chanthaburi to collect his loyal followers and then to liberate Siam from Burmese occupation.
- Old town Chanthabun, on the banks of the Mae Nam Chanthaburi (English "Waterfront"). The ancestors of this community settled here for 300 years during the reign of King Narai the Great of Ayutthaya. Thais and descendants of Chinese and Vietnamese immigrants live together here and cultivate their respective cultural influences. Many of the buildings are historical Chinese townhouses made of wood and have been lovingly restored. There are plenty of food stalls with dishes and snacks from the different national kitchens. A must-see part of Chanthaburi where few foreign travelers get lost. in theLearning house. Tel.: (0)81-9455761. Open: 9 am–5pm.you can learn something about the history of the settlement, with old photos, paintings and construction plans.
- San Lak Müang (ศาลหลักเมือง). Shrine with the city column (place of residence of the city's guardian spirits).
activities
- Fruit festival. In May or June every year. Chanthaburi is a center of fruit growing (pineapple, mangoes, rambutan, mangosteen, durian, etc.). Most of the fruits are ripe during this time. The festival celebrates the region's main product.
shop
Naturally: Gemstones. Chanthaburi is the city of sapphires, rubies, emeralds - and there are those along the Gemstone Route Thanon Si Chan in the city center. After not much gemstones can be found in the mines around the city, an international trade has established itself, and stones from Africa or other Asian countries are now offered in the jewelry shops. The prices are moderate, you can get pretty rings with Thai sapphire for 1000 Baht. If you want to invest more, you should already be familiar with it. Not everything that is offered here is really valuable - as a layperson, it is easy to miss the point. Most of the offerings are on weekends.
kitchen
nightlife
accommodation
If you want to visit Chanthaburi at the weekend, you should definitely make a reservation in advance, because then the gem dealers “invade” the city. Demand is much more relaxed on working days.
- Hotel Kamsensarn. The centrally located hotel offers rooms from 980 baht, but it gets more expensive at the weekend (the gem dealers are then in town) - you pay almost double that. It is only a few steps to the waterfront, the historic district of the city. The rooms have a small balcony and are equipped with TV, fridge and shower.
Practical advice
| Phone code | 039 |
|---|---|
| Post Code | 22000 |
health
The area around Chanthaburi is a malaria risk area. Visitors to the national parks in particular should take precautionary measures, especially protect themselves against insect bites.
trips
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- Khao Phloi Waen gem mine (เขา พลอย แหวน), about 12 km west of Chanthaburi. The mine can be visited.
- Nam Tok Phlio National Park. With beautiful waterfalls and an interesting, 1 km long nature trail. 17 km southeast of the city, a little off the national road 3 towards Trat (a good 20 minutes by car). Songthaeos drive from the north side of the market in Chanthaburi for 50 baht to a stop 1 km in front of the park entrance.
- Laem Sing Beach ("Cape of Lions"). Popular destination about 25 km south of the city, at the mouth of the Chanthaburi River. With boat rental to go to the offshore islands and small restaurants. Nearby are the remains of two 19th century fortresses. French colonial troops maintained a garrison here from 1893 when they occupied part of eastern Thailand. Thais who resisted were im Kuk Khi Kai ("Chicken Dung Prison") imprisoned. The one that is also nearby Oasis Sea World offers, among other things, dolphin shows and a butterfly farm.
- Wat Khao Sukim. Meditation center 25 km northwest of Chanthaburi (half an hour drive), 20 km southeast of the Khao Khitchakut National Park. A museum displays gifts that believers have donated to the temple.
- Khao Khitchakut National Park. With the Krathing waterfall (worth seeing especially at the end of the rainy season). Protected area for various wild animals (including elephants, various species of birds). There is an alleged Buddha's footprint on the top of Khitchakut Mountain. Almost 30 km north of the city on road No. 3249 (a good half an hour by car). Songthaeos drive from the post office on the north side of the market near the park entrance, cost 35 baht and take three quarters of an hour. But be careful! You have to wait a long time for an opportunity to return.
- Pong Nam Ron hot spring. About 55 km northeast of Chanthaburi on road 3193, near the Ban Pakkat border crossing with Cambodia.Open: 6 a.m. - 6 p.m.
- Ko Chang. The ferry port for trips to the popular holiday island in the Gulf of Thailand is located 75 km southeast of Chanthaburi (a good hour's drive).
