Chanthaburi is an ancient city with a long and significant history, dating back to the Ayutthaya, Thonburi, and Rattanakosin periods. As a result, the city boasts numerous tourist attractions, including both natural and cultural sites. Today, we will embark on a journey through time, exploring a living museum known as the Chanthaburi Riverside Community.


Chanthaburi Riverside Community is over 120 years old and this road is considered the first road in Chanthaburi.

The architecture in the community is mostly influenced by the West and China.


Our historical street walk begins on Sukhapiban Road.

Along the way, we encounter locals going about their daily routines.


A little further down, we will find the Rocket brand ice cream shop,

which was the first ice cream factory in Chanthaburi to use machinery.


A wide variety of ice cream flavors are available, including coconut, lime, orange, and milk, among others. Each stick costs only 10 baht.


Nearby, we will see an old wooden house. This is the location of a delicious kway chap restaurant called Aun Mai Kway Chap Shop.



This restaurant is truly delicious. The crispy pork is a must-try... it stays crispy for so long that even after taking a picture, the pork remains crunchy.

Across from the "Aun Mai Kway Chap Shop" is the "Baan Luang Rajamaitri," the home of a pioneering rubber plantation owner in the Eastern region.

Currently, the house serves as a "museum guesthouse," offering both historical exhibits and overnight accommodations. This will be our lodging for the night.

Website: http://www.baanluangrajamaitri.com/th/

Map: https://goo.gl/maps/sw8CC5XPc9x

360° View: https://goo.gl/5NgWnr


The Luang Rajamaitri House houses a museum showcasing historical artifacts and narrating the history of the house.

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The reception desk looks like this.

Let's go upstairs to see the room. Please walk softly as the floor is made of wood and may creak.


The hotel offers 12 different room types, each with its own unique name and story.

The room I stayed in was named Ploy.

The room is decorated with various gem-related items, such as historical gem trading documents and a 360-degree view of the gem room. The window of the gem room offers a scenic view of the Chanthaburi River.

The Sapphire Room is a split-level room. The lower level is a living room, and the upper level is a sleeping area.

360-degree view: https://goo.gl/FN6IRv


The top bunk gets blasted by the air conditioner, perfect for those who love the cold.


The room is equipped with amenities similar to those found in most hotels, including a TV, tea and coffee making facilities, and an electric kettle.




A refrigerator, a hairdryer, and adorable rabbit-shaped towels.

The bathroom also boasts a retro style, offering a unique and stylish ambiance.


Let me briefly discuss the conservation efforts undertaken by the riverside community of Chanthaburi.

To ensure the sustainable preservation of the community's architectural heritage and traditional way of life,

a company called Chanthaburi Rak Dee Limited was established.

This initiative is a collaboration between the riverside community, like-minded individuals, and the Arts Ashram Institute.

A portion of the company's profits is used to support community development.

This concept is known as a social enterprise.

I believe this is an excellent approach because it allows us to contribute to the community.



A short walk from Baan Luang Rajamatri, we will find a small alley leading to Wat Khetnabunyaram.

Map https://goo.gl/maps/JvmRGcpMvou

This temple has a unique and unusual feature: it is a Vietnamese temple, one of the few remaining in Thailand.

The architecture and art within the temple resemble a blend of Thai and Chinese styles.


The church, as you can see, is in the Thai style, but has a Chinese-style archway at the front.

Above it are a Thai Garuda and a Chinese dragon.


The temple's curved roof finial symbolizes the Vietnamese diaspora.


The door is a Thai-style artwork, while the wall is made of Chinese-style tiles.

360-degree image https://goo.gl/EaH2vT

We then went out to explore the community together.





Some places have graffiti mixed in, making it an artistic city.


Khun Anuson Sammati House is another place worth visiting.

Because it is the main house of the learning center Chantabun Riverside Community.

But unfortunately, our luck ran out and the house was closed.

We couldn't go inside, but at least we got a picture of the front.



Next, we cross to the Immaculate Conception Cathedral,

the most beautiful Roman Catholic cathedral in the East.

Visiting Hours and Dress Code

The church is open for visits during the following times:

  • Weekdays: 6:00 AM - 7:00 AM and 6:00 PM - 7:45 PM
  • Sundays: 6:15 AM, 8:30 AM, and 7:00 PM

Visitors are requested to dress modestly.

Nighttime Illumination

During the night, the church is beautifully illuminated with decorative lamps.

360° View

For a 360° view of the church, please visit the following link: https://goo.gl/CCfwzg


Returning to the waterfront community of Chanthaburi, we walked a little further down the street, almost to the end.

We will come across a famous noodle shop called "Auntie Id's Riverside". If you search the internet, you will find many different names.

Some call it "Auntie Id's Riverside", some call it "Auntie Id's Riverside", and some call it "Noodles by the River". There are many names.

But let's just say it's the same shop.


This restaurant's signature dish is the seafood tom yum noodle soup, which is generously filled with fresh, high-quality ingredients.

The tom yum broth is flavorful and delicious, and the prices are very reasonable.

The dish I ordered, called "Lord of the Sea," costs 100 baht and comes with a variety of seafood, as you can see in the photo.

This is a must-try restaurant when visiting the Chanthaburi Riverside Community.

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Every morning, we wake up to offer food to the monks.

The monks here start their alms round at 5:30 am and continue until around 7:00 am.


We then had breakfast at Baan Luang Rajamaitri. There are three breakfast options to choose from:

American breakfast (please let me know if there is a correct spelling), Chanthaburi porridge, and Kuay Chap.

We need to choose a breakfast menu when checking in.

We chose Chanthaburi porridge and Kuay Chap. The set also includes soy milk and boiled dumplings.

Other breakfast menu items include tea, coffee, pa thong ko, bread, and banana.


After breakfast, it was time to check out.

If you are interested in staying at Baan Luang Rajamaitri, you can contact them at 088 - 843 - 4516.

Website http://www.baanluangrajamaitri.com/th/

Page https://www.facebook.com/baanluangrajamaitri/

This trip was a great learning experience.

Most importantly, it was good to see that there are still strong communities that are willing to preserve their culture.

They have not been swept away by the tide of capitalism and have not forgotten their own values. I believe that the "Chanthaburi Riverside Community"

will be another place that you will definitely be impressed with.


#chanthaburi
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