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Voykit pocket guide · Thailand
Chaiya
Spend 4–6 h in Chaiya to see Wat Phra Borommathat, Wat Long, the national museum and hot springs; stay only if using it as a Gulf‑coast base.
Chaiya is a small historic town on Thailand's Central Gulf Coast. Its main attractions—ancient Srivijaya temples, a national museum and hot springs—can be covered in a half‑day. Overnight stays are useful mainly as a staging point for trips to Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat or nearby islands.
- Country
- Thailand
- Best months
- Nov–Apr
- Avoid
- May–Oct (rainy season)
- Stay
- 0–1 (optional base for Gulf‑coast trips) nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- THB
- Money
- Currency is the Thai baht (THB, ฿). Cards work in malls, hotels and many restaurants; street food, markets, boats and small taxis are cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget ฿300–500 excl. bed · Mid ฿500–800 excl. bed · High ฿800+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AIS and TrueMove H sell tourist SIMs at airport arrivals; passport registration is required.
- Emergency
- Police 191 · Ambulance 1669 · Tourist police 1155
- Plugs
- Types A, B, C, O · 220 V · 50 Hz · Most sockets take flat US pins and round European pins; type O is the Thai three-pin standard. UK plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Street food: Nothing.; Sit-down restaurant: Leave ฿20–100 or the coins; skip it if a 10% service charge is on the bill.; Taxi / Grab: Round up to the next ฿10 or ฿20.; Massage: ฿50–100 per hour to the therapist, in hand.; Guide / driver day: ฿300–500 for the guide, ฿200–300 for the driver.; Hotel porter / housekeeping: ฿20–50.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap. Street refill machines charge about ฿1 a litre; bottled water everywhere.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in malls and hotels; squat toilets with a water bucket in rural stops. The hose ('bum gun') replaces paper; paper goes in the bin in older buildings. Some public toilets cost ฿3–5.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Chaiya National Museum entry | ฿100 |
| Siam Hot Springs entry | ฿20 adults, ฿10 children |
| Minivan bus from Surat Thani | ฿80 |
| Songthaew from Surat Thani | ฿50 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- URT · Surat Thani International Airport
- about 45 min by road
Typical fares
- Surat Thani Airport → Chaiya (taxi, 45 min)
- ≈ ฿300–400, check exact fare
- Minivan bus Surat Thani → Chaiya
- ≈ ฿80, hourly 8:30‑17:30≈ ฿80, hourly 8:30 AM‑5:30 PM
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Local buses (minivan 80 baht, hourly 8:30‑17:30 from Surat Thani) and songthaews (50 baht). Train stops at Chaiya station on the Bangkok‑South line. Taxis are scarce; rent a motorbike if comfortable.Local buses (minivan 80 baht, hourly 8:30 AM‑5:30 PM from Surat Thani) and songthaews (50 baht). Train stops at Chaiya station on the Bangkok‑South line. Taxis are scarce; rent a motorbike if comfortable.
See and do
Known for
- Wat Phra Borommathat Chaiya
- Wat Long
- Chaiya National Museum
- Siam Hot Springs
- Suan Mokkh monastery
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Surat Thani town | Minivan bus 80 baht, 45 min; or train 30 min from Chaiya station | ≈ 1 h |
| Wat Phra Mahathat (Chaiya) | Walk 10 min north from town centre | ≈ 20 min total |
| Koh Samui (main island) | Bus to Surat Thani bus terminal 45 min, then ferry 1 h 30 min | ≈ 3 h |
Sleep
- Town guesthouses
- basic rooms near the bus stop; suitable for 1‑night stays
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | ขอโทษkŏ thôt |
| Thank you | ขอบคุณkòp kun |
| How much is it? | ราคาเท่าไหร่ráa kaa tâo rài |
| Where is the bus stop? | ป้ายรถเมล์อยู่ที่ไหนbpâi rót mee yùu têe năi |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: A wai (palms together, slight bow) to return a greeting; a smile and nod for shop staff; avoid: Waiing children or service staff first — it confuses; hugging strangers
- Head and feet: Keep feet on the floor, sit with legs folded to the side in temples; avoid: Touching heads (even children's), pointing feet, stepping over people or food
- Temples: Covered shoulders and knees, shoes off, sit lower than monks; avoid: Women touching monks or handing them things directly; climbing Buddha images
- Monarchy: Stand for the royal anthem in cinemas and at 08:00 and 18:00 in public places; avoid: Any joke or comment about the royal family; stepping on a banknote
- Keeping calm: Stay polite and smiling when things go wrong ('jai yen' — cool heart); avoid: Raising your voice; public anger loses the argument
- Names: Khun plus first name ('Khun Somchai'); nicknames are normal; avoid: Using the family name alone
- Home visit: Shoes off; bring fruit or sweets; step over the threshold, not on it; avoid: Sitting with feet towards the family shrine
- Beckoning and pointing: Palm down, fingers waved towards you; point with the whole hand or chin; avoid: Pointing at people with a finger or with your foot
Scams and watch-outs
- Bus schedules end early in the afternoon; plan return trips accordingly.
- Hot springs can be very hot (38‑44 °C); watch children.
- Some temple areas lack signage in English; ask locals.
Generally safe; watch for traffic when crossing roads, keep valuables covered, and avoid isolated beaches after dark.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Chaiya yet. Suggested stay: 0–1 (optional base for Gulf‑coast trips) nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Wat Phra Borommathat Chaiya
- Wat Long
- Chaiya National Museum
- Siam Hot Springs
- Suan Mokkh monastery
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Chaiya, revision 5329749 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5329749
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/chaiya). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.