THE EAST COAST OF THAILAND

Located within easy reach of the capital, the east coast of Thailand resorts and islands attract a mixed crowd of weekending Bangkok people, pleasure-seeking expats and budget-conscious backpackers. Transport connections are good, prices are generally more reasonable than at the biggest southern resorts and, if you’re heading overland to Cambodia, the east coast beaches make challenging territory across the border. You’ll find the whitest beaches on the offshore islands – the five-hundred-kilometer string of mainland strands are disappointingly grey and the resorts here cater more for Thai groups than solitary horizon-gazing foreigners. In addition, the discovery of oil and natural gas fields in these coastal waters has turned pockets of the first hundred-kilometer stretch into and unsightly industrial landscape of refineries and depots, sometimes referred to as the Eastern Seaboard. Offshore, however, it’s and entirely different story, with island beaches as peaceful and unsullied as many of the more celebrated southern retreats.

The first worthwhile stop comes 100km east of Bangkok at the less than scintillating town of Si Racha, which is the point of access for tiny Si Chang Island, whose dramatically rugged coastlines and low-key atmosphere make it a restful haven. In complete contrast, Pattaya, just half and hour south, is Thailand’s number-one package-tour destination, its customers predominantly middle-aged Western and Chinese males enticed by the resort’s sex-market reputation and undeterred by its notoriety as the country’s most polluted beach. Things soon look up, though, as the coast veers sharply eastwards towards Ban Phe, revealing the Samet Island, the prettiest of all the beach resorts within comfortable bus-ride range of Bangkok.

East of Ban Phe, the landscape starts to get more lush and hilly as the coastal highway nears Chanthaburi, the dynamo of Thailand’s gem trade and one of only two provincial capitals in the region worth visiting. The other appealing inland city is Trat, 68km further along the highway and an important departure point for Chang Island, a huge forested island with long, fine beaches, plentiful accommodation and a host of smaller, less developed islets off its coasts. East of Chang Island lies the Cambodian border post of Ban Hat Lek beach, one of two points – the other being Aranyaprathet, a little way north – where it is currently legal to cross overland into Cambodia.

Highway 3 extends almost the entire length of the east coast of Thailand– beginning in Bangkok as Sukhumvit Road, and known as such when it cuts through towns – and hundreds of buses ply the route, connecting all major mainland destinations. Buses from Bangkok’s Eastern Bus Terminal (Ekamai) serve all the provincial capitals and tourist spots; there are a few services here from Bangkok’s Northern (Mo Chit) Bus Terminal as well, and tourist minibuses run direct from Banglumphu in Bangkok to the ferry piers for Samet Island and Chang Island. One Eastern Line train a day runs in each direction between Bangkok, Si Racha and Pattaya. There’s and airport at U-Tapao naval base, midway between Pattaya and Rayong, served by Bangkok Airways flights to and form Samui Island and Phnom Penh in Cambodia.

Recommended Island

Si Chang Island – Tiny, barely touristed island with craggy coastlines and appealingly laidback ambience. more …
Pattaya – Away from the girlie bars and high-rise hotels, there’s rewarding year-round wreck and reef diving nearby…
Samet Island – Pretty (and popular) little island fringed with dazzlingly white beaches...
Chang Island – Large, sparsely populated island, with several good beaches and lots of accommodation...
Mak Island – Stay in a teepee-hut on this diminutive island with fine white-sand beaches...