Rayong

Rayong is Bangkok's nearest proper beach escape — three hours east, the coast opens up with long sandy beaches, fresh seafood, and the jumping-off point for Koh Samet. The island is the province's star attraction: powdery white sand, clear water, and enough variety across its beaches to satisfy both party-seekers (Hat Sai Kaew) and solitude-hunters (Ao Wai, Ao Kiu). Weekends get crowded with Bangkok day-trippers, so midweek visits are worth planning.

On the mainland, Ban Phe is the ferry town with a fantastic seafood market — the dried squid and shrimp paste here supply restaurants across Thailand. Mae Ramphueng Beach is a long, mellow strip popular with Thai families. The Rayong Botanical Garden and Khao Chamao-Khao Wong National Park offer inland alternatives with waterfalls and hiking. The province is also the center of Thailand's fruit belt — durian, rambutan, and mangosteen orchards carpet the hills east of town, and the annual Rayong Fruit Festival (May-June) is a sweet, sticky celebration.