Chonburi Tourist Attractions
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Chonburi, the capital of Chonburi Province (population 840,000), was founded by an Ayutthaya king in the 14th c. and is currently a large and lively township of fishermen, merchants and traders on the approach to Bangkok. The harbor is too shallow for large-scale commerce but this is probably also why it has remained a busy little fishing port, where the fishermen still put out to sea in their boats at dusk. Thailand's largest oyster beds are situated south of the town. The main local crops are sugar cane and manioc. This is chopped up and laid out to dry, giving off a pungent aroma, to make tapioca for baking and thickening. Thailand's tapioca is one of its most important agricultural products and is exported to a great many countries.By car: Highway 3 from Bangkok (96 km (60 mi.)).By bus: from Bangkok's Eastern Bus Terminal.
Wat Sam Yot
Wat Sam Yot stands on a hill, with a good view over Chonburi, near the town center, and has a 34 m (112 ft) statue of the Buddha at the moment of enlightenment.Chonburi has many temples, with plenty of decoration but little artistic significance, and only the two oldest - Wat Intharam and Wat Dhama Nimitr - are known by their own names.
Wat Intharam
Wat Intharam, near the old market in the center of town, dates from the late Ayutthaya period and was built under King Taksin, whose statue stands by the entrance. The temple underwent restoration several times in the Rattanakosin (Bangkok) period and has almost completely lost its original appearance, although it is still worth looking at the stucco figures on the roof and the china mosaics on the window arches. The interior of the bot has some very fine frescos, in early Bangkok style, of divinities and scenes from the life of the Buddha, as well as a great number of statues of Buddha, some of them quite rare. The courtyard of the wat is where the festivities take place that mark the great Chonburi buffalo races held every October, attracting thousands of visitors to the town.
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Wat Dhama Nimitr
It is worth also paying a brief visit to the nearby Wat Dhama Nimitr, where the wiharn holds a giant statue of Buddha in a boat. According to legend, Buddha sailed in a boat to the Indian city of Pai Salee and through his compassion and fellow feeling cured many of its people of cholera.
Surroundings
There are a couple of attractions within a short distance of Chonburi.
Ang Sila
Ang Sila, a little place 7 km (4 mi.) south of Chonburi, gets its name, meaning stone basin, from a group of rocks stretching out into the sea. It is famous for its stone cooking utensils, including various sizes of mortar. South beyond Ang Sila lies the Chinese temple of Luk Sam Po, built like a ship.
Khao Khiao
Within the 145 sq. km (56 sq. mi.) of the Khao Khiao nature park close to Chonburi visitors can see over 130 protected species, including butterflies, monkeys and even leopards, and an aviary of particularly rare birds.
