Rating: 3.8/5 (4 votes)

Open Days: Daily

Opening Hours: 06:00 – 18:00

 

Tung Prong Thong, Rayong is a celebrated eco-site in Pak Nam Prasae, Klaeng District. Here, a boardwalk meanders through thriving mangroves where stands of “prong” trees glow chartreuse in the shade and turn a soft gold when sunlight skims their leaves. The walkway carries you over tidal creeks and mudflats, past thickets of Rhizophora and Avicennia, with the sea breeze from the Prasae estuary in your ears and quiet company from mudskippers, fiddler crabs, and waterbirds.

 

This golden mangrove field is the product of years of community-led restoration. The forest now buffers the shoreline from waves, traps sediment, anchors soil with buttress and pneumatophore roots, nurtures juvenile marine life, and acts as a natural carbon sink. Beautiful, yes—but also hard-working coastal infrastructure shaped by people and nature together.

 

The brackish landscape ties forest, river, and sea into one system. Dominant species—especially prong (Ceriops tagal) and Rhizophora—build habitat for plankton, benthic creatures, shrimp, crabs, fish, and the birds that feed on them. It’s an open-air classroom: field-ready for students, eco-travellers, and researchers who want to read ecology by sight—root forms, leaf textures, and the daily rhythm of the tide.

 

Popular things to do include a slow walk along the wooden boardwalk to the wide viewpoint over the golden field, learning the basics of mangrove botany and root forms, seasonal boat trips along the creeks, and occasional community tree-planting sessions. Bring water, a hat, and grippy shoes—especially after rain when the boards can be slick.

 

Getting There From Sukhumvit Road (Highway 3) toward Chanthaburi, turn right at Prasae Intersection onto Highway 3162 for about 3.60 km. Connect to Chalerm Burapha Chonlathit Road for roughly 2.20 km, pass the ceremonial city gate, and enter Pak Nam Prasae Municipality. Continue around 2.85 km to the local streets (Tesaban 4 → Tesaban 5 → Tesaban 9). Follow signs for the mangrove boardwalk — the entrance is on the left just before the bridge.

 

The coolest light falls in early morning and late afternoon; these hours are also gentler for walking. If you’re chasing the “golden” look, late morning to midday can light the prong leaves from above for a bright, honey-warm sheen. Check tide times if you want mirrored water under the leaves; low tide reveals root architecture and the busy mudflat life.

 

On days when the full boardwalk loop is open, you can walk onward to the HTMS Prasae Memorial at the river mouth (roughly 2–3 km round trip depending on current maintenance). Pair the nature walk with time in the riverside community—seafood lunches, small markets, and an easy estuary pace—if you’re planning a full day.

 

 

A: It sits in Pak Nam Prasae, Klaeng District, Rayong, at the Prasae River estuary.

 

A: Open daily 06:00 – 18:00. Entry is free. Boat trips and volunteer planting run per local schedule.

 

A: The wooden boardwalk is flat and beginner-friendly. Allow about an hour for a relaxed loop; walking on to the HTMS Prasae Memorial makes it roughly 2–3 km depending on maintenance openings.

 

A: Early morning and late afternoon offer cooler air and angled light; late morning can produce the brightest “golden” sheen on the leaves.

 

A: Yes—short creek cruises (about 30–45 minutes) operate seasonally with the tides; check locally on the day.

 

A: Pak Nam Prasae Municipality, Tel. 038-661-720 (ext. 0).