During this long weekend, where should we go...well, most of the time...we'll start looking for places to visit....we'll look at places that are trending..or at least familiar. We keep searching...until we reach Chanthaburi...for Chanthaburi (Chanthaburi) a city famous for fruits. We'll know that...it's a city of fruits...there are many fruits to choose from...a lot. But for tourist attractions, not many people talk about it (for us, we don't know much. Others may know something already). We started looking for where to go...hey...there are places to visit too. Then we started planning and finding places to visit and stay. For this trip...the co-traveler is none other than...Mom Ouan...herself.

Got the information...all set....for the trip to Chanthaburi. And the long weekend has arrived. We brought our mother....from the provinces..to join us on this trip. We have planned a 2-day, 1-night trip.

Okay... let me give you some advice... before you travel... for those who travel by public transport, there are vans going to Chanthaburi at... Victory Monument... Mo Chit... and Future Park Rangsit... whoever is near which one, go there. As for me, I took the bus at Rangsit, the fare is 230 baht, the journey takes about 4 hours, it's more expensive, longer, but closer to home. It depends on your convenience.

The first day of the journey

Today...we woke up early to catch a van at Future Park...which we...just made it in time for the 9:00 AM van. Then we bought tickets, this and that, and got on the van. It took quite a while, passing through Chonburi, Rayong, and into Chanthaburi. It was a long time. When we arrived, it was already past noon. The van queue here is next to Lotus Muang Chan...There is a small Mazda car waiting to serve and a motorcycle view on the opposite side. Then you...just choose which one you want to use. For us....we came with 2 people, so we chose the small Mazda to get to our accommodation.

After we finished arranging our accommodation, as we only had 2 days to travel, we immediately headed out to explore... without delay.

P.S. A little off-topic... This time we stayed in the old town area of Chanthaburi. We stayed at two places: Baan Luang Rajamaitri and Thanmaja (if I remember the name correctly, if I'm wrong, I apologize profusely because this time we stayed at Baan Lao Wong Rajamaitri).

And this time we came in May 2016, which was very hot. The temperature was 40 degrees Celsius. We had to check the temperature... just to be sure. Then we looked for a motorbike rental shop to go for a ride. In Chanthaburi, there is only one rental shop. The rental fee is 300 baht per day per bike. If you rent for 2 days, it is 400 baht per day per bike. The deposit for the bike is 1,000 baht.

By the time we got the car to go out for a spin, it was already 3 pm. Without further ado, we headed to Chaolao Beach, Nang Phaya Hill, Laem Sadet, and Ao Kung Kraben. These places were on our map, so we headed out towards Ban Tha Mai, which was about 30 kilometers away. It was quite a distance, but we weren't daunted, so we set off, just the two of us, mother and daughter.

The first place we reached was the Ao Kung Krabaen Study Center. Getting there, I must say, was quite a challenge, as we managed to get lost. Before reaching our destination, we stopped by Haad Chao Lao, which is on the way to Ao Kung Krabaen. However, due to our slight detour, we ended up driving past it.

Note: This motorcycle ride...what helped us was the GPS and the road signs. Don't be fooled by people who have driven before, because that doesn't mean they know the way either. Because they might be looking for a way or getting lost. Oh...if you get lost, you can ask for directions.

After we walked around the loop, we headed to Laem Sadet Beach (I apologize if I can't remember the name of the beach, because at that time we were at Nang Phaya Hill). We turned right out of Ao Kung Krabaen because it wasn't far. That place is a good place to relax because there is food, a bathroom, and accommodation before we go to another place. There were a lot of people there, and the sea was beautiful, but it wasn't that impressive. But we stopped to eat and drink because it was already 5 pm.

After recharging our batteries, our next destination was Nang Phaya Hill, a landmark that everyone who comes here must visit, and Khung Wiman Viewpoint, because the area offers beautiful views. As we left Laem Sadet Beach, we turned right and headed straight there. The recommended route is to follow the signs. If you're confused, just ask for directions, as it's almost 10 kilometers away. But once you get there, I can tell you that it's very crowded. It's no wonder it's a place that everyone has to come to.

There were so many people who came to take pictures to keep as memories. But for us, we came to take pictures of our fellow travelers in particular.

This is also a point that they have tried hard. It's beautiful, you know... Notice... there is a key inserted. It's like a promise.

Finally...we arrived at this point of the day. And on the way back, there were beautiful photo spots, especially during the sunset. We also enjoyed the fresh air and beautiful views before heading back.

Let's go back to the accommodation. That's the end of the day. Oh... We'll take the same way back, which is 30 kilometers. We'll return to the city. We just relied on the road signs and GPS. When we came, we took another way. When we returned, we took another way. It's confusing... but we arrived safely. When we arrived, it was already dark... Relax at your leisure.

There is no walking street in Chanthaburi, but there is a night market. We could go there to find something to eat, but it was far from our accommodation. My mother and I decided not to go because we were exhausted from riding a motorbike all day. We preferred to rest instead.

Day two

We only have a few destinations in mind because we're leaving today. The first is The Immaculate Conception Cathedral, also known as the Mother of God's Immaculate Conception Cathedral, which is located behind our accommodation and is very close. The second and third points are the City Pillar Shrine, King Taksin Shrine, and nearby is Taksin Camp, which houses a museum for those who want to learn more. However, it doesn't seem to get much attention. But I recommend going to check it out. Even if you don't go in to learn anything, you can still take some photos. It's quite beautiful.

Fortunately, we still have... We came on Saturday... The church was still open. If it was Sunday, it would be open for half a day. Or if we came on a day when they had a ceremony, we would have missed it. They wouldn't allow us to go inside. Once inside, we could experience its beauty and tranquility.

After that, we went to the City Pillar Shrine and King Taksin Shrine, which are located in the same area. Most of the people who came here also prayed for blessings and good fortune for themselves.

Just a little further is the Shrine of the City Pillar, which is located directly opposite the Chanthaburi Provincial Hall. This point is very close to our accommodation because we have to check out before 11 am.

Then we went to the Taksin camp. He went to absorb knowledge...

After we had a good time together, it was time to go back home. We headed to our accommodation to collect our belongings before catching the bus back to Bangkok. We took the same route we came from and got on the bus that was scheduled to leave at 11 am. The bus actually left at 11.15 am and we arrived in Bangkok at almost 4 pm. It was a long journey, but it was worth it. This trip was full of fun and excitement, and we will never forget it.

Anyone interested in going can join us.

Note: If you go during the fruit festival, you will also get to eat free fruit. Check the dates and times carefully. I heard it's around the middle of May.