Sapphires, a cathedral and the old waterfront
Chanthaburi is the province east of Rayong, on the way towards the Cambodian border, and its town has a character all of its own. For generations it has been a centre of the gem trade: in the streets of the gem quarter, dealers sit at small tables sorting sapphires and rubies under bright lamps, and buyers come from far away to look. A short walk away is the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, a French-style church said to be the largest Catholic church in Thailand. Along the river, the Chanthaboon Waterfront is a long lane of old wooden houses, small cafes and family shops.
Outside town the province is orchard country, famous across Thailand for durian, mangosteen and rambutan, with roadside stalls when the fruit is in season. Further out there are waterfalls in the hills and quiet beaches on the coast.
A long day east, broken up sensibly
Plan on two and a half to three hours each way. That makes Chanthaburi a full day from Pattaya, or an easy overnight if you would rather not rush. Most visitors want more than one stop — the gem quarter, the cathedral, lunch by the river, a fruit stall on the way home — so it pays to tell us the outline before you go. You can sketch the whole day with our trip planner, and the price for the full route is agreed in chat before you leave.
- Leave Pattaya early to have the town while it is cooler
- The driver can stop at service stations and fruit stalls along the way — just ask
- Staying the night? Book the return for the next day and it is priced in chat before you go
- Bringing boxes of fruit home? There is room in the back of the van
Which vehicle for the run east
The price is for the whole vehicle, not per person, and it covers tolls and fuel. A couple will be comfortable in a sedan; a family of four or five, or a group of friends, is better off in the Toyota Commuter, with nine seats and space for eight bags. On a long drive the extra legroom matters more than it does on a short hop across Bangkok.
There is no published fare for Chanthaburi, so the fixed price for the whole vehicle is confirmed in chat before the trip. Booking a van Pattaya to Chanthaburi starts with one message: your pickup address, the date, the number of people and the stops you have in mind. You pay the driver in cash at the end, with no deposit. A Van Pattaya to Chanthaburi day leaves you free to look, taste and wander, and to sleep on the way home.