Top 15 BEST Things to do in Rayong (Thailand)

Looking for the best things to do in Rayong? Read more and find out!

Rayong is a beachy getaway destination located in the eastern coastal part of the Gulf of Thailand. Many people in a hurry to get to the more hip places like Pattaya, Bangkok, and the Koh islands ignore this hidden gem.

Rayong is probably one of the few places in Thailand that many tourists have not overrun. The site is still in its pristine and untouched condition and thus is a perfect choice for someone looking for a tranquil and solitude-filled weekend getaway or a full-blown vacation with plenty of things to do in Rayong.

Rayong is an absolute favorite among the locals, who flock here often during the weekends. While on weekdays, Rayong is quiet and deserted as there are not many people around but come weekend, you are greeted with sights of Thai families enjoying themselves in the shady beach restaurants while their kids play on the sandy beaches.

Unlike the overcrowded and touristy places like Pattaya and Jomtien, where you see more foreigners than locals, it is entirely the opposite here in Rayong. Here you are more likely to bump into local Thai families, college students, and urbanites from nearby Bangkok who come here to let their hair down after a stressful week.

In terms of accessibility, Rayong is just over an hour’s drive away from glitzy Bangkok and 45 minutes away from Koh Samet, which is one of the most beautiful island destinations near Bangkok.

While most people consider Rayong a stopover heading toward Koh Samet, that does not mean there is nothing to do here.

Rayong has a lot more to offer than you might think. Here you can get delectable local food at shady beachside restaurants, fresh seafood from the local seafood market, and a variety of tropical fruits like durians, rambutans, and juicy mangoes.

Let’s dive into some of the interesting things to do in Rayong that can help you explore this region to the fullest.

Where to stay in Rayong? Find a great deal and book your hotel here!

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Top 15 BEST Things to do in Rayong

Visit the Rayong Aquarium

If you are bored with the never-ending beaches and mangroves and want to see something new, visiting the Rayong Aquarium might sound like a good alternative. Unlike the big ones found in other metropolis, this one is small.

Even then, it boasts 43 tanks, and a huge glass tunnel showcases exotic underwater life. Since Rayong experiences very hot days and a lot of rain, especially on such days when your plans for a beachy day get married, you can instead visit this aquarium. The experience will make you beam from ear to ear.

Where to stay in Rayong? Find a great deal and book your hotel here!

Go to Koh Samet

Khao Laem Ya–Mu Ko Samet National Park — via Wikimedia Commons| Wiranya Youwattana

Koh Samet is one of the most beautiful islands that is 4 hours away from the city of Bangkok. It is part of the Rayong province and is extremely popular among tourists. Its pristine translucent aquamarine waters are sure to take your breath away when you get a glimpse of it.

The national park of Khao Laem Ya Mu Ko Samet occupies about 90% of the island. Most of its popular beaches are located inside this national park. Diamond Beach or Haad Sai Kaew and Ao Phai are two of its most famous beaches with great options for eateries and beverages.

Where to stay in Rayong? Find a great deal and book your hotel here!

See the Rayong City Pillar

This ancient shrine of the Rayong City pillar is located just a few blocks up north of Yomjinda Road on Lak Muang Road. The vibrant and ancient pillar perfectly embodies the spirit of this city.

Locals visit the Rayong city pillar to pay their respects, make donations, and burn aromatic incense sticks while saying their prayers. This pillar acts as the epicenter for the Thailand festival, or the Songkran festival, which is held annually in April.

Where to stay in Rayong? Find a great deal and book your hotel here!

Wonder about nature in the Koh Talu area

Koh Talu, or the island with a hole as translated in English, is a quaint island located 11 kilometers from the mainland. The island covers an area of 1.6 square kilometers.

It is a go-to for those who want some peace and solitude, so they wind up here to steer clear of drunken partygoers and the usual glitz and glamor of the mainland. Over 60 percent of the island is covered in thick foliage, while the rest is dotted with resorts and plantations of coconut.

Here you can go snorkeling in the reefs or kayaking. You can even hike up through the forests toward the island’s highest point. Here you get to witness the clear blue sky and snow-white clouds guaranteed to melt all your worries.

Where to stay in Rayong? Find a great deal and book your hotel here!

Watch the sunset at Khao Laem Ya

Sunset at Khao Laem Ya Mu Ko SameT National Park — via Wikimedia Commons|Wiranya Youwattana

While the famous Koh Samet stays abuzz with an endless slew of tourists, the serene beauty of Khao Laen Ya often gets overlooked. Most of the area of Khao Laem Ya is covered with grasslands. On a map, it resembles a finger reaching up to Koh Samet.

Boasting an enchanting sunset viewpoint perfect for going on a picnic, Khao Laem Ya is truly a must-see for all nature lovers. You can pitch a tent on its crescent moon-shaped beaches and doze off under a starry night sky.

It is a national park consisting of Mae Rum Phung and Ban Khon Ao beaches and several other small islands. It is located at a distance of 125 miles from the capital city of Bangkok and is easily accessible via highway 7. You can take a bus or a private taxi to get here.

Where to stay in Rayong? Find a great deal and book your hotel here!

Are you planning your travels? Here’re my top travel resources!

I’m a serial planner both in life and in travel – I have bucket lists, things to do, see, and everything. So, I always love when my life is sorted easily using tools and resources that would make my general planning a little smoother and easier. Therefore, in my many years of traveling the world, I’ve seen myself returning to these travel resources repeatedly. And here I am, sharing my tips to make your life easy and breezy so you can stress less, travel heaps, and focus on the fun part of travel!

Booking.com – I book all my hotels through this website and don’t honestly use anything else. They always have the best prices, in my opinion.
Airbnb – If I’m traveling long-term to one destination, I book my flats through Airbnb.
Skyscanner – The best place to find cheap flights on flexible dates. I use this a lot to score cheap flights within Europe!
SafetyWing – Always travel insured! Never leave your home country without one. It is worth the extra money, I promise you!
GetYourGuide – Hands-down, the best place to find cool and unique tours if you don’t feel like winging it, and go straight to a local expert. I use this a lot in new destinations to get acquainted with the area!
My Pretty Wild World Travel Diary (coming soon) – A book you can write down your travel plans, create itineraries, track down your budget, and dot down memories along the way! A handy book you can keep and read later to revisit memory lane.
Pretty Wild World Travel Planning Printables (coming soon) – Are you a nut like me when it comes to planning? Yes? Good. My travel planning resource in one zip file is an easy-to-use printable planner that comes with tips that helps you plan your travels during the planning stage, a pre-flight checklist, an itinerary planner, and so on.

Admire the fascinating beauty and serenity of Koh Mannork

Koh Mannork is part of a three-island group that includes Manklang and Mannai. Koh Mannork takes away the cake as the most popular one out of the three.

The Thai navy owns the island just 3 hours away from Bangkok. It is the ultimate destination for an overall relaxing experience. While you are here, you might bump into its beautiful residents- the peacocks.

The island is blessed with pristine forests and sandy beaches, providing you with amazing views of the sea and the lapiz lazuli sky. This is the place to be if you are searching for peace and solitude, which is very hard to come by in Thailand.

Where to stay in Rayong? Find a great deal and book your hotel here!

Scramble Around a Warship

Care to dwell in some historic warcraft? The HTMS Prasae is an erstwhile Royal Thai Navy warship that has now been transformed into a historical exhibit. It is a 30-minute walk and a 10-minute drive from Tung Prong Thong.

The Warship served during the Korean War and World War II. After the war, it was handed over to Thailand in 1951, and till 22 June 2000, it served in the Royal Thai Navy.

Entry to see this Warship is free, and it is open seven days a week from 7:30 in the morning to 6:30 in the evening. Visiting this Warship is one of the unique things to do in Rayong to see the historical side of Thailand, the party capital of Asia.

Where to stay in Rayong? Find a great deal and book your hotel here!

Get your seafood supply at Ban Phe Market

The Ban Phe Pier falls on the way to the island of Koh Samet. Its Ban Phe market bustles with many people, mostly locals, who come here to get fresh seafood from the sea. From fresh squids, octopuses, shrimps, and even seafood snacks like dried shrimps, this market will surely vow your palate with its varied seafood options.

You even get to take these snacks back home to reminisce about Thailand, and every time to take a bite, you will surely be flooded with nostalgia.

Where to stay in Rayong? Find a great deal and book your hotel here!

See More Mangroves and Climb the Skyview Tower

If you are short on time and want to squeeze in some more places to sightsee before hopping on a plane back home, the Mangrove research center and the Skyview tower are your ultimate bet.

The Mangrove research center is a mere 15 minutes away from the city and can easily fit into less than an hour’s worth of exploring. The Skyview tower has 11 stories and provides breathtaking aerial views of the reserve.

Where to stay in Rayong? Find a great deal and book your hotel here!

Walk around Yomjinda Road (Old Town)

The Yomjinda road consists of a few old neighborhoods that have now been transformed into charming and artsy old towns based on celebrating Thai culture and heritage.

The acclaimed Yomjinda road is built alongside the Rayong River and consists of teakwood buildings with heavy inclinations towards Chinese architecture.

Yomjinda road is dotted with numerous cafes and art galleries that act as perfect stopovers for when you get tired exploring its various attractions like the King Taksin Shrine, Wat Pa Pradu, and the city pillar.

Where to stay in Rayong? Find a great deal and book your hotel here!

Hold up! Have you thought about the importance of travel insurance?

Remember this: anything can happen. Travel is fun, but your health is more important; thus, I always, always, always recommend getting insured during the duration of your trip. I have benefitted from having one multiple times, and it has been covered for thousands of euros!

The latest one is not necessarily “health” related – it was during the peak of the unspeakable terrible C that consumed the world. I was living in Vietnam when I received an email from SafetyWing (my travel insurance) that if I want they’ll fly be back home to Finland as the world goes through a global emergency alert. I flew back fully covered, and dealing with SafetyWing was a breeze despite the roar of people in contact with them trying to get back home.

I can’t highly recommend them enough. Otherwise, I rarely get sick; hence I don’t always need to head to a hospital, but knowing that I have travel insurance makes me feel safe at the very least.

Read my post about why you should get travel insurance for more information. Otherwise, you can get a free quote from SafetyWing – they’re the best, in my opinion.

Get a FREE quote from SafetyWing

See a Reversed Buddha Statue

The Ayutthaya period temple, known as Wat Pa Pradu, is located on the other side of Sukhumvit Road from the Ymjinda road.

It is famous for its reversed Buddha statue. Normally the Buddha lies in a reclining position on his right side with his right hand supporting his head, but in this temple, it is completely the opposite; the Buddha is seen reclining on his left side with his left hand supporting his head.

This might be the only reversed Buddha statue in entire Thailand. Locals flock here to offer their prayers and can be seen burning incense sticks and lying prostrate in front of its huge Buddha statue.

Where to stay in Rayong? Find a great deal and book your hotel here!

Pay respect to the floating pagoda, PhraChedi Klang Nam

Things to do in Rayong: Phra Chedi Klang Nam — via Wikimedia Commons|Y.Thanongsak

Phra Chedi Klang Nam’s pagoda was built in 1873 by Phraya Sri Samut Pokchaiyachok Chitsongkram. It is just 2 kilometers south of Amphoe Muang, near the Rayong River.

The pagoda is built on an islet in the middle of the Rayong River. The pagoda measures 10 meters in height and is surrounded by thick mangrove forests. In the olden times, this pagoda was a landmark for people to let them know they had reached the Rayong precinct.

Each year during the full moon day of the lunar calendar, the robe that envelops the pagoda is changed. The Loi Krathong Festival is celebrated here.

Where to stay in Rayong? Find a great deal and book your hotel here!

Visit the King Taksin Shrine

King Taksin was famous for reinforcing the Thai forces after the Burmese forces demolished Ayutthaya. He bravely fought the invaders, reclaimed Ayutthaya, and established the present city of Bangkok as its capital.

The concrete elephant built inside the shrine is covered with numerous ribbons and is thought to be the exact spot where King Taksin tied his elephant. If you find yourself wandering in the Old Town vicinity, you should visit this shrine dedicated to one of Thailand’s most lauded heroes.

Where to stay in Rayong? Find a great deal and book your hotel here!

Ban Ko Ao – The fisherman’s village

Located at the end of Hat Mae Ramphueng, the fisherman’s village of Ban Ko Ao is one of Rayong’s most famous places where you get a taste of the typical and rustic fisherman’s life.

Tourists can witness the various methods used by the fishermen of this village to catch fish and also see them process seafood. Another must-see attraction of this village is the great Catholic Church, over 100 years old.

Where to stay in Rayong? Find a great deal and book your hotel here!

Explore The Strawberry Town

Remember that you so excitedly planned a Holland trip for strawberry field trips, but for some reason, you could not go? Well, you can do that while in Thailand! Quite frankly!

The Strawberry town typically brings up images of endless fields of juicy red strawberries, but it has absolutely nothing to do with them.

It is sort of like a theme park built around Dutch architecture. You can see Dutch houses, buildings, and even a windmill. Visiting the strawberry town can be among those interesting things to do in Rayong that can be a fun activity with your kids as there is a playground on the premises.

The strawberry town is a bit hard to categorize as it is a bit of a theme park, has lots of restaurants, and is also a resort known as the Brookside Valley Resort. It is surrounded by lush green forests and has immaculate lawns and grounds. Definitely one of the many exciting attractions you cannot miss while in Rayong.

Where to stay in Rayong? Find a great deal and book your hotel here!

What are my favorite travel must-haves?

As a frequent traveler, I’ve learned a lot throughout my years of travel, and there are five items that I always carry with me regardless of where I go and how long the trip is. Here are my five travel must-haves!

Warm packable jacket – I always carry a light jacket, even when heading to warm countries. There hasn’t been a time I never used it, especially in airports and planes.
Transparent toiletry bag – I often bring a carry-on if I’m only traveling within Europe for a few days. Life is so much easier to go through security checks with a transparent toiletry bag.
Kindle Paperwhite – I love a good read and always take my Kindle everywhere. It keeps me entertained during long flights and waiting times.
Powerbank – I don’t know how I could travel without one! Having a power bank saved me a ton since I carry a lot of electronic devices with me.
Travel Adapter – I never leave my luggage without a travel adapter! I carry one with me all the time. It is just one of that travel-must haves that doesn’t hurt to have in your bag at all times.