Chonburi - Ban Bang Saray

I first visited the “English Club” in Ban Bang Saray in 1999. Back then, Bang Saray was a sleepy fishing village with a few good seafood restaurants. The “English Club”, actually named “The Bang Saray Club“, is a restaurant trying to maintain some of the atmosphere of a member’s only club for gentlemen, e.g., by maintaining a dress code. 
I forgot why the club back when was located where it is, but there is a distinct deficit of high-society types in Bang Saray, so the club is slightly derelict. Service is slow, prices are high, but the atmosphere is relaxing and views across the bay to Jomtien and Pattaya are interesting.

Ten years ago, I was briefly involved in my friend’s attempt to sell Bali-style houses to foreigners. The project did not get off the ground. Things have moved ahead fast in Bang Saray since then. In recent years, a lot of housing estates and guest houses have been built as Bang Saray has become a popular destination for European retirees.

The beaches around Bang Saray are not impressive, but the beaches north of the small harbor are popular destinations for picnic. The beaches to the south are slightly better, but are located inside a Thai naval base. However, the guards can easily be talked into letting you inside the base.

Chonburi - Sattahip

Samaesan is a small "typical" Thai fishing village just south of the port / base used by the Royal Thai Navy. The smell is the first thing you notice in Samaesan. The pungent smell comes from the cooking, drying and processing of small fish (whatever they are called). During a boat trip you will see thousands of "silver fish" making big jumps out of the water around the boat. Thai people like to eat this fish dried or fried in oil with sugar and salt.

http://samaesan.com/Location/shop-19.html

To escape the smell, visit the beautiful temple on the hill. From there, there is the view of islands just off the coast with their white beaches and crystal-clear water.

The waters around the islands have several coral reefs and the wreck of Hardeep, which was sunk in the Second World War. It is now at the bottom of the sea at 26 meter and is a popular destination for SCUBA divers. The wreck is home to moray eels, sea turtles, and a lot of other marine life.

Wreckdiving is exciting and challenging. But the sea around Samaesan has strong and treacherous currents, which can be dangerous - I ran out of air during one of my Hardeep dives - so one has to be extra careful.

http://www.thaiwreckdiver.com/hardeep_wreck.htm

Chonburi - Sanctuary of Truth

Located on Laem Rachvate in Na Kluea (just north of Pattaya) is a somewhat peculiar structure. While the webpage talks about ancient (Eastern) vision and wisdom as well as of ancient Thai ingenuity, the wooden building's style is an overly "busy" version of Khmer architecture.

While that in itself can be interesting -- and the official website (see link below) goes to a great length explaining the symbolic meaning of the many carvings -- I am not impressed by the entrance fees charges, by the tourists that arrive by the bus loads, and by the numerous side-activities going on to generate revenues.

http://www.sanctuaryoftruth.com/history.php

To me, money rather than spiritual enlightening and pursuit of "truth" has become the main objective. But, each to one's own.