Thailand (Lonely Planet, 13th Edition) - China Williams [197]
To get off Ko Samet in a hurry, charter a speedboat. Ask at your hotel, or call Jimmy’s Tours (08 9832 1627). Prices start at 1200B from Na Dan.
Getting Around
Ko Samet’s small size makes it a great place to explore on foot. A network of dirt roads connects the western beach and most of the southern bays, while walking trails snake over the boulders and headlands that separate beaches all the way to the southernmost tip.
It’s only a 15-minute walk from Na Dan to Hat Sai Kaew, but if you are carting luggage or want to go further, grass-green srng·ta·ou meet arriving boats at the pier and provide drop-offs down the island. Set fares for transport from Na Dan are posted on a tree in front of Na Dan harbour. Nobody takes them that seriously, but you shouldn’t have to pay much more than 20B to 50B. If drivers don’t have enough people to fill the vehicle, they either won’t go or they will charge passengers 200B to 500B to charter the whole vehicle. Srng·ta·ou also congregate at Silver Sand and behind the beach on Ao Wong Deuan.
You can rent motorcycles nearly everywhere along the northern half of the island. Expect to pay about 300B per day or an hourly rate of 100B. The dirt roads are rough and quite hilly – you may want to walk. At any rate, make sure to test the brakes before you decide.
CHANTHABURI PROVINCE
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CHANTHABURI
pop 86,400
The so-called ‘City of the Moon’ is proof that all that glitters is not gold. Here, gemstones do the sparkling, and if traders get the deal right, the glimmer infuses their pockets with healthy profits. Buyers from across Southeast Asia come to Chanthaburi to deal in sapphires and rubies, and from Friday to Sunday the city is bustling and cosmopolitan. On other days the city breathes out, and a diverse history including French, Chinese and Vietnamese influences echoes around the quiet riverside lanes to provide a calming remedy to the push and shove of its more mercantile face.
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History
The city’s Vietnamese community began arriving in the 19th century when Christian refugees escaped religious and political persecution in Cochin China (southern Vietnam). A second wave followed in the 1920s and 1940s, fleeing French rule, and a third arrived after the 1975 communist takeover of southern Vietnam.
From 1893 to 1905, while negotiating with the Siamese over the borders for Laos and Cambodia, the French occupied Chanthaburi, stamping their own identity on the town as well.
Orientation
Th Si Chan, or ‘Gems Rd’, runs parallel to the river and is Chanthaburi’s commercial heart. Around this thoroughfare is where you’ll find famed gem shops. The bus station and King Taksin Park are about 800m west.
Information
Banks with change facilities and ATMs can be found across town.
Bank of Ayudhya (Th Khwang)
Chanthaburi Bangkok Hospital (0 3935 1467; Th Tha Luang; 6am-9pm) Part of the Bangkok group; handles emergencies.
Om.com (134 Th Si Chan; per hr 10B; 9am-10pm) Possibly the cheapest internet in Thailand.
Sights & Activities
Peering through magnifying glasses in gem shops along Th Si Chan and Th Thetsaban 4, the city’s gem dealers are Chanthaburi’s living, breathing highlight. All day Friday and Saturday, and on Sunday morning, the surrounding streets are overflowing with the banter and intrigue of the hard sell. You’ll be offered the ‘deal of a lifetime’, but walk away unless you really know what you’re doing. This is strictly a spectator sport – great deals can be clinched by the savvy, but amateurs are likely to go home with a bagful of worthless rocks. You’re better off filling up at the food stalls surrounding the commercial bustle; there’ll be more guarantee of satisfaction. If you really feel the urge to buy, plenty of air-con gem shops offer pricier but less risky deals.
The Vietnamese and French have left an indelible stamp on Chanthaburi.