Rating: 3.8/5 (5 votes)

Open Days: Daily

Opening Hours: 06:00–18:00

 

Chaloem Phra Kiat Mangrove Forest, Rayong lies in Pak Nam Prasae Subdistrict, Klaeng District, Rayong. This mangrove tract has been restored to health through joint efforts by the community and local authorities. It now serves as a living nature classroom, the city’s green lung, and a quiet retreat along the Prasae River mouth. Visitors stroll along wooden boardwalks beneath canopies of mangrove species such as Rhizophora (kongkang), Avicennia (samet), Sonneratia (lampu), and Ceriops (prong thong), watch the tides ebb and flow, and spot signature mangrove wildlife like mudskippers, fiddler crabs, and various waterbirds.

 

The project was created with a clear conservation purpose: to restore coastal ecosystems, expand green cover, buffer shoreline erosion, and provide a nursery ground for juvenile aquatic life. Mangroves filter sediments, anchor soil with buttress and aerial roots, and soften wave energy. They are also significant carbon sinks that help sequester greenhouse gases.

 

The landscape here is brackish, weaving forest–water–sea into one continuum, which drives high biodiversity. Dominant plants like Rhizophora and prong thong create habitat for plankton, benthic organisms, shrimp, shellfish, crabs, and fish, forming a food web that supports waterbirds, kingfishers, and small predators. This setting is ideal for field-based nature study by students, eco-minded travelers, and researchers.

 

Popular activities include walking the boardwalk for nature study, photographing wide vistas of the golden prong-thong field, learning about mangrove botany and root structures, taking seasonal boat rides through the mangroves, and joining occasional community-led sapling-planting events. Bring drinking water, a hat, and snug footwear, especially if visiting in late morning to afternoon when the sun is strong.

 

Getting There From Sukhumvit Road (Highway 3) toward Chanthaburi, at the Ban Prasae intersection turn right onto Highway 3162 for about 3.60 km. Then join Chaloem Burapha Chonlathit Road for roughly 2.20 km, pass under the Chaloem Phra Kiat city gate into Pak Nam Prasae Municipality. Continue for about 2.85 km to Thesaban 4 Road (fresh market), turn right for 0.04 km, then left onto Thesaban 5 Road (Lang Wikh–Ton Sai) for about 0.14 km. Turn right for 0.24 km, left for 0.11 km to Thesaban 9 Road (HTMS Prasae). Turn left and follow the road for about 1 km; the mangrove planting plot and boardwalk area will be on the left, just before the bridge.

 

Facilities include parking, shaded pavilions, a visitor point, interpretive signage along the route, and restrooms at certain spots. Boardwalk upkeep and interpretive content are maintained by the municipality together with community partners so that tourism remains careful and sustainable.

 

The most pleasant hours are early morning or late afternoon when the light is soft and temperatures are cooler. If you plan to see the prong-thong field glowing golden, late morning to noon can be beautiful when the leaves catch the light. Photographers should allow time for the walk and check tide conditions in advance. Please avoid disturbing wildlife, carry out all litter, and keep noise low to minimize ecological impact.

 

If you have a full day, you can link the route to nearby spots such as the HTMS Prasae Memorial (connected by boardwalk segments when fully open; total walking distance about 2–3 km depending on the section in service), or wander the riverfront community of Pak Nam Prasae for local seafood and coastal village life.

 

 

A: It is in Pak Nam Prasae Subdistrict, Klaeng District, Rayong, at the Prasae River mouth.

 

A: Open daily 06:00–18:00. Entry is free (boat rides/volunteer planting may carry small fees depending on community announcements).

 

A: Boardwalk nature walks, photographing the golden prong-thong field, seasonal boat trips, mangrove botany learning, and occasional sapling-planting events with the community.

 

A: The boardwalk is generally flat with selectable distances. Take care on potentially slippery surfaces and avoid peak heat.

 

A: When the boardwalk segments are fully open, you can connect to the memorial with a total walking distance of about 2–3 km (subject to maintenance schedules).

 

A: Pak Nam Prasae Municipality at 038-661-720 ext. 0.