On your next vacation to Thailand, why not extend your visit beyond Bangkok? Come and discover the Chon Buri coast. It’s quickly becoming one of the most desirable destinations in Thailand. A stay at the MASON Pattaya resort puts you right in the heart of this vibrant and colorful region near Bangkok and allows you to easily explore the new and old cultural attractions of Chon Buri.
The modern high-rise condos that stretch along the Chon Buri coast and help make the region a getaway destination are a fairly recent addition. It’s hard to imagine, but Chon Buri used to be a quiet region of little fishing villages up and down the coast. Even the major tourist resort of Pattaya was once just a stretch of beach and the small shacks of fishing people who made their living from the sea. You can experience what life was like many years ago when you book a stay at the MASON Pattaya resort and enjoy our private cultural tour of the Chon Buri region.
Recent History of Chon Buri
The Chon Buri province has always been known in Thailand for the quality and abundance of the seafood it offers. The region is a popular supplier to the many restaurants further north in Bangkok. But things began to change for Chon Buri in the 1960s.
The U-Tapao airport that now serves Chon Buri’s commercial airline needs used to be a Thai military airport that was used by the US and other countries fighting in the Vietnamese war. It served as a resupply airport and also as a nearby, convenient destination to send soldiers for some much-needed “R and R”.
The soldiers landing in Chon Buri found a paradise of pristine beaches fringed by coconut palms with restaurants up and down the beaches offering a mouth-watering array of fresh seafood dishes. As the soldiers told their friends and family about the beauty and lifestyle they found in the Chon Buri region of Thailand, it became a popular destination for foreign tourists, as well as people in Bangkok who used it as a weekend getaway.
Cultural Experiences in Chon Buri
Today you can still find the same simple beauty that made such a lasting impression on the soldiers, although you might have to travel a bit farther out of Pattaya to find it. A good place to discover the fishing lifestyle in Chon Buri is at Underwater World Pattaya. This is a modern, well-organized, and beautiful aquarium that acquaints visitors with the variety and abundance of marine life living just offshore in the Gulf of Thailand. Visiting the aquarium also helps visitors understand the fishing lifestyle of the region.
But nothing helps visitors truly appreciate the fishing lifestyle as much as seeing it for themselves. Bang Sare and Ban Amphur are two locations within a half-hour’s drive down the coast from central Pattaya that allow visitors to do just that.
Ban Amphur is a fishing village and fish processing port that has two large jetties flanking its cove. Fishing boats stream in and out of the port all day and into the night, unloading their catches. The village is a never-ending hive of activity which allows visitors to experience the local fishing life in Chon Buri. It’s also home to some of the region’s most famous seafood restaurants, like Tree @ Sea, Preecha, and Sri Nuan.
A bit further down the coast is Bang Sare, a favorite destination of local Thai families. They flock to the village to set up a comfortable spot under the coconut palms, feast on fresh seafood and visit the local temple.
Venture Offshore
Seeing all the marine life at Underwater World Pattaya may inspire you to dive into the local waters and see it for yourself. There are plenty of snorkeling and diving day trips that can be arranged off the Chon Buri coast.
Or why not visit the nearby island of Koh Lan. This is the nearest island to Pattaya and can be seen just offshore. It’s an inhabited island with plenty of shops, restaurants, and hotels. One of the highlights of visiting the island is taking a ride around to the offshore side of the island and visiting the many beaches. The water clarity and turquoise color can be amazing as it’s out of the main channel and is subject to much less boat traffic.
Book a Stay at MASON Pattaya
MASON Pattaya is uniquely located to offer a glimpse of what life was like in the region before it became a major vacation destination. We’re located right on Ban Amphur Beach, just south of the jetties and fishing village of Ban Amphur.
Booking a stay in one of our luxurious ocean-view villas provides the perfect location to explore all the unique experiences that Chon Buri has to offer. After a day of touring the region, relax with a drink and enjoy the view of the sunset over the gulf while ordering an exquisite meal to sample some of the region’s famous fresh seafood at our Zila Street Bistro & Bar.
Contact us to book your getaway at MASON Pattaya.
