Thailand (Lonely Planet, 13th Edition) - China Williams [179]
If you are coming from northeast Thailand, regular air-con bus services travel to Rayong and Pattaya from Khorat and Ubon Ratchathani.
Getting Around
Getting around southeastern Thailand is straightforward, with good bus links and steady minivan services between all main attractions. Hourly ferries run to the region’s main islands throughout the year, although services to the outlying islands of the Ko Chang archipelago are reduced during the wet season.
CHONBURI PROVINCE
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SI RACHA
pop 141,400
Si Racha is a jumble of fishing-village roots and immigrant implants. A labyrinth of rickety piers and pontoons testifies to its Old Siam history, while the glitter and glam of sushi restaurants and karaoke bars highlight the Japanese and Korean immigrants of the present. Down on the seafront you’re just as likely to see fishermen mending their nets in a tropical twilight as you are a crowd of hundreds aerobicising as one colour-coordinated unit. Though ships waiting to dock at Si Racha’s modern port stud the near horizon, they’re far enough away not to spoil the illusion of days gone by.
Si Racha is home to the famous nám prík se rah·chah (spicy sauce), a perfect complement to the town’s excellent seafood.
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Information
Coffee Terrace (94 Th Si Racha Nakorn 1; noon-11pm) Coffee (45B) and internet (25B per hour).
Krung Thai Bank (cnr Th Surasak 1 & Th Jermjompol)
Post office (Th Jermjompol) A few blocks north of the Krung Thai Bank.
Samitivej Sriracha Hospital (0 3832 4111; Th Jermjompol, Soi 8) Regarded as Si Racha’s best.
Sights
Working-class Si Racha’s attractions are limited, but the shambling ambience of the waterfront piers is worth a second glance, and Ko Loi, a small rocky island connected to the mainland by a long jetty at the northern end of Si Racha’s waterfront, is fun to explore. Here you’ll find a Thai-Chinese Buddhist temple (daylight), a low-key festival atmosphere, food stalls, and a couple of giant ponds with turtles of every size, from tiny hatchlings to seen-it-all-before seniors. Just south of Ko Loi jetty is the Health Park, where you can spot – or join – fitness-conscious individuals walking off a meal. Just a little inland is Night Square, where an evening market sets up – it’s not too exciting but it’s a good landmark to get your bearings.
Sleeping
The most authentic (read: basic) places to stay are the wooden hotels on the piers. A couple of better hotels are located inland.
Siriwatana Hotel (0 3831 1037; 35 Th Jermjompol; s/d 160/200B) This wooden hotel sits above the sea – in fact, you can look straight through the squat toilet’s hole to the ocean. It’s simple, but the basic rooms are cheap.
Samchai (0 3831 1800; Soi 10; r 300-450B; ) The Samchai has a similar ambience, though it feels a bit like a port: cement floors with yellow lines wind through the large complex. When we visited a few of the rooms were getting a facelift with new floors and paint (both turquoise). The highest price should secure you air-con and a hot-water shower.
Seaview Sriracha Hotel (0 3831 9000; 50-54 Th Jermjompol; r 890-1150B; ) Lovely rooms are large and comfortable, and some have delicious views of the sea and piers. Rooms facing the street can be a tad noisy, but Si Racha is not Times Square, and a gentle hush settles relatively early.
City Hotel (0 3832 2700; www.citysriracha.com; 6/126 Th Sukhumvit; r from 2300B; ) Si Racha’s fanciest hotel comes with wi-fi internet, a swimming pool and a gym. Service is slick but friendly, and the slightly austere rooms are softened with a veneer of Asian decor, and marble sinks.
Eating & Drinking
Si Racha is famous for seafood, and a sprawling night market