A Spontaneous Escape to Chanthaburi: A “Moon City” Adventure
Chanthaburi holds a special place in our hearts, so when my husband suggested a spontaneous long weekend escape, I was all in. It had been five years since our last visit, and as is typical for our local adventures, he handled all the planning and bookings just a week before our trip! His motivations were twofold: a personal quest for some dark sky photography to capture the Milky Way, and a delicious “bait” for me—one last taste of Chanthaburi’s famous durian, even as the season wound down. We even made a point to stop in Klaeng, a town in Rayong province, on both legs of our journey.
Our Beachside Base Camp
Our destination was Plaei Ta Le Resort (ปลายทะเล รีสอร์ท หาดเจ้าหลาว), nestled by the serene Chao Lao Beach. My husband had chosen it for its night sky photography potential, as it was within walking distance of the Chao Lao Fishing Boat Pier. As a budget stay, I braced myself for the notoriously firm Thai beds—a common feature in affordable accommodations. We were given a standard room located at the back, away from the group-occupied bungalows, and were pleasantly surprised by a quiet and peaceful two-night stay. On the upside, the guesthouse offers free bicycles, which was a big win.
The Durian Quest and First Discoveries
For those unfamiliar, Chanthaburi, often called the “Moon City,” is a true gem renowned for its fruits and gems. While the peak durian season typically runs from May to July, my husband, ever the optimist, believed we might still find a late-season gem that would capture my notoriously picky palate. Unlike the Thai preference for a firmer, less ripe durian, my palate gravitates towards the creamy, intensely fragrant, and perfectly ripe variety. My personal favorite is the Puangmanee (พวงมณี) and the Chanee (ชะนี), a Chanthaburi native known for its richer, more intense flavor than the sweeter Monthong.
Our journey to durian bliss began with my husband taking over the research while I drove. He quickly found the Khao Din Fruit Market (ตลาดผลไม้เขาดิน) at Klaeng, where we snagged a 2.1 kg Monthong durian for a mere 100 baht—an absolute steal! However, it wasn’t quite as ripe as I prefer.
Unexpected Flavors and Sobering Realities
Our afternoon was a blend of flavors and sights. We drove to Moo Liang Noodle Phrayatrang (ร้านก๋วยเตี๋ยวหมูเลียงพระยาตรัง) for a late lunch, a spot we’d enjoyed on our previous trip. As we were in the land of “sen chan” (เส้นจัน) (Chanthaburi noodles), we had to have some. After a short drive to SAY Coffee Roasters for a cuppa, we finally checked into Plaei Ta Le.
The rest of the day followed a relaxed rhythm: a walk to the pier, a stop to check out the fresh and grilled seafood at Rim Thale Market (ตลาดริมทะเล), and a break back at the guesthouse. My husband then returned to the pier for his sunset photography while I stayed in.
For dinner, we tried Je Ing Seafood (เจ๊อึ่ง ซีฟู้ด), but the food was unfortunately mediocre and not recommended. It was on our drive around after dinner that we spotted a motorhome parked at the Krung Kraben Wildlife Sanctuary’s parking area, which got me really excited as it was a reminder of our fantastic campervan experience in Iceland last year.
The next morning, we headed to Pu Nim Seafood (ปูนิ่มซีฟู้ด), a restaurant we had frequented before. The restaurant was surprisingly empty, which made us wonder if we’d missed something. We had a delicious, rare fried softshell crab with garlic and chili (280 baht) and a Chanthaburi specialty, Moo Chua Muang (pork curry with Chamuang leaves) (100 baht). The lack of customers raised concerns, and we later read that the province had experienced a significant number of cancellations. I’d had some lingering worries about recent unrest and flooding, but my husband reassured me we were well over 100km away. The night before, however, a local fisherman we met at the pier had shared stories of missile activity and evacuations near the border—a stark reminder of the realities near the border.
After lunch, we drove to Jedi Glang Nam (เจดีย์กลางน้ำ). Having been to Chanthaburi a few times, I was surprised we were still discovering new spots. I liked the quiet serenity of the temple and the walk on the wooden bridge.
For dinner, we went to the Chao Lao market (ตลาดเจ้าหลาว) area, where we picked up another durian at 90 baht/kilo (again, not quite ripe enough!) and a simple dinner of grilled chicken and yum mama (instant noodle salad).
The Durian Reality Check
Our durian luck didn’t quite turn around. Leaving Chanthaburi the next morning, we spotted a durian stall selling at 70 baht/kilo that was packed with customers. We checked two other stalls, plenty opposite Chao Lao market on the same stretch as souvenir stalls, rejecting their offerings before finally settling on super—in fact, overly ripe—durians at 50 baht/kilo Sadly, a portion of it had gone bad by the time we made the long drive back to Bangkok, forcing us to discard some. Despite our dedicated search, we only managed to find Monthong durians on all three attempts, never the specific Chanthaburi species like Puangmanee and Chanee I was hoping for.
All the durian stalls had the word “ripe” (s̄uk) on their signs, but it seemed to mean “ripe for the Thais”—a firmer texture—and not for my preference. While our durian quest had its ups and downs, our Chanthaburi escape was a memorable blend of relaxation, exploration, and unexpected insights into local life.
We also grabbed some souvenirs for my husband’s office. There are plenty of souvenir and dried seafood shops around the Dugong Circle. We found one with particularly good salesmanship that offered “freshly” baked durian chips. They simply heat the chips in an oven to give them that golden-brown crispy output, but the result is highly recommended!
Our last stop was for a pleasant lunch at OK Khao Tom Pla Nai (OK ข้าวต้มปลาทนาย) in Mueang Klaeng, where we enjoyed delicious fish and seafood dishes.
Trip Details:
- Plaei Ta Le Resort (ปลายทะเล รีสอร์ท หาดเจ้าหลาว)
- Khao Din Fruit Market (ตลาดผลไม้เขาดิน): A great spot for a variety of local fruits.
- Moo Liang Noodle Phrayatrang (ร้านก๋วยเตี๋ยวหมูเลียงพระยาตรัง): A local favorite for Chanthaburi noodles.
- Say Coffee Roasters:
- Je Ing Seafood (เจ๊อึ่ง ซีฟู้ด): Not recommended.
- Pu Nim Seafood (ปูนิ่มซีฟู้ด): A good option for Chanthaburi specialties like Moo Chua Muang.
- Jedi Glang Nam (เจดีย์กลางน้ำ): A peaceful and scenic temple on the water.
- OK Khao Tom Pla Nai (OK ข้าวต้มปลาทนาย):
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Ok-%E0%B8%82%E0%B9%89%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A7%E0%B8%95%E0%B9%89%E0%B8%A1%E0%B8%9B%E0%B8%A5%E0%B8%B2-%E0%B8%97%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A2-100070115913126/?locale=th_TH
- Good fish and seafood dishes at Mueang Klaeng.
