Samut Sakhon

Samut Sakhon: The Seafood Capital Next Door

Hungry? We hope so, because welcome to Samut Sakhon, the province that feeds the capital! Located right where the Tha Chin River meets the Gulf of Thailand, this busy coastal province is famous for two things: some of the freshest seafood in the country and some of the most beautiful porcelain art in the world.

Often called "Mahachai" by the locals, this is a gritty, authentic, and bustling port town that offers a sensory overload of sights, smells, and tastes. If you want to see a real working Thai port and eat shrimp the size of your hand, you’ve come to the right place.

Why Samut Sakhon?

Scenic twilight view of a floating market canal in Samut Sakhon, Thailand, featuring illuminated wooden stilt houses lining the water and motion-blurred boats navigating the river.

The Samut Sakhon Bucket List: Shrimp, Shrines & Ceramics

Get ready to eat, shop, and explore.

Feast at Mahachai Market

This is the beating heart of the province. Located right next to the pier and the train station, Mahachai Market is one of the largest fresh seafood markets in Thailand. It’s loud, it’s wet, and it’s amazing. You’ll see endless buckets of crabs, squids, and fish fresh off the boats.

Pro-Tip: Don't just look! Buy some fresh seafood and have one of the local restaurants cook it up for you right there. It doesn't get fresher than this. 🦀

Discover the Art of Don Kai Di Benjarong Village

For a change of pace, head to the soothing Don Kai Di Village. This community is famous for producing Benjarong, a traditional Thai porcelain known for its intricate, multi-colored patterns and gold accents. You can walk through the village, watch the master artisans hand-paint the incredibly detailed designs, and even buy museum-quality pieces to take home. It’s a riot of colour and craftsmanship.

Pay Respects at Phanthai Norasing Shrine

This shrine tells one of Thailand's most famous stories of loyalty. Phanthai Norasing was a royal steersman who accidentally steered the King’s barge into a tree, breaking the bow. Although the King forgave him, Phanthai Norasing insisted on being executed to uphold the royal law. Today, his shrine is a major pilgrimage site, surrounded by a mangrove forest you can explore.

Spot the Celebrities at Wat Tha Mai

Ever notice those white stickers on the back of cars in Bangkok? They come from here! Wat Tha Mai is a temple famous for its spiritual amulets and stickers, which are believed to bring good luck and safety. It’s incredibly popular with Thai celebrities and actors, so keep your eyes peeled—you might spot a superstar making merit!

How to Get There

Samut Sakhon is incredibly close to Bangkok.

The Provinces of Central & Western Thailand...

Wat Muang is located in Hua Taphan sub-district, Wiset Chai Chan district. It is presumed that the temple was constructed in the late Ayutthaya Era

Ang Thong

View of the Chao Phraya River looking south from Bang Rak

Bangkok

A golden Buddha statue nestled on a hillside.

Chai Nat

An ancient temple.

Kamphaeng Phet

A serene, hazy view of the long, wooden Mon Bridge in Kanchanaburi, spanning a calm lake where a small boat is cruising. Layers of forest-covered mountains are visible in the background under a soft, warm light.

Kanchanaburi

Macaque monkeys play on the green entrance sign for the ancient stone temple of Phra Prang Sam Yod in Lopburi, Thailand.

Lopburi

A high-angle, scenic view looking along the crest of the massive Khun Dan Prakan Chon Dam in Nakhon Nayok, Thailand, with its reservoir on one side and a lush green valley and forested hills on the other, under a partly cloudy sky.

Nakhon Nayok

The magnificent golden stupa of Phra Pathom Chedi in Nakhon Pathom, Thailand, glows against a deep blue twilight sky, with a Buddhist monk in orange robes standing in the foreground courtyard.

Nakhon Pathom

A panoramic view from a high vantage point in Nakhon Sawan, Thailand, looking out over a dramatic, forest-covered limestone peak and a vast plain of green and yellow patchwork agricultural fields stretching to the horizon under a blue, cloudy sky.

Nakhon Sawan

A modern cable-stayed bridge with a distinctive pylon topped by a golden, traditional Thai spire, spanning a wide river in Nonthaburi, Thailand. The foreground is filled with green water hyacinths under a clear blue sky.

Nonthaburi

A traditional Thai temple with an orange-tiled roof sits in the middle of a tranquil pond in Pathum Thani, Thailand. A large, ornate Naga serpent statue encircles the structure, its body forming a walkway leading to the entrance. The building and a blue sky are reflected in the water, and the scene is framed by dark green leaves in the foreground.

Pathum Thani

A scenic view of the Wat Pha Sorn Kaew temple complex in the mountains of Phetchabun, Thailand. A massive, white seated Buddha statue and an ornate, golden pagoda are nestled in the lush green hills, with layers of distant mountains visible in the background.

Phetchabun

A white pickup truck with a boat trailer parked on the dirt shore of a large, calm lake in Phetchaburi, Thailand. In the distance, mountains line the horizon under an overcast sky, with dramatic sunbeams breaking through the clouds and shining onto the water.

Phetchaburi

The ancient brick ruins of a temple in Phichit, Thailand, are illuminated by the warm, golden light of sunset, with surrounding trees and a clear sky.

Phichit

A scenic, high-angle view of the patchwork rice paddies in Phitsanulok province, Thailand. The fields, some flooded with water and others a vibrant green, stretch towards a line of dense trees with rolling hills in the background under a cloudy sky.

Phitsanulok

The red brick ruins of the ancient temples at Ayutthaya Historical Park in Thailand, with crumbling walls in the foreground and several towering prangs against a blue sky with clouds.

Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya

An elevated, panoramic view of Prachuap Khiri Khan province in Thailand at sunset. A red-roofed temple is nestled in the foreground, overlooking a vast landscape of winding rivers, aquaculture farms, and a small town, with dramatic limestone mountains rising in the hazy, golden-lit background.

Prachuap Khiri Khan

A long-exposure photograph of a river with milky, flowing water cascading over smooth, dark boulders, surrounded by the lush green trees of a forest in Ratchaburi, Thailand.

Ratchaburi

A riverside view of Phra Samut Chedi in Samut Prakan, Thailand, at sunset. The chedi is brightly illuminated in pink and white, reflecting on the calm water next to a traditional temple and docked boats under a colourful sky.

Samut Prakan

A red and yellow train approaches on a track running directly through the center of a bustling market in Samut Songkhram, Thailand. Crowds of tourists stand inches from the track, holding up their phones to photograph the train as it passes the colourful market stalls.

Samut Songkhram

A wide stone staircase with ornate Naga serpent railings leads up to the magnificent golden Mondop of Wat Phra Phutthabat temple in Saraburi, Thailand, under a bright blue sky with white clouds.

Saraburi

A white Thai temple in Sing Buri with an ornate, multi-tiered red and gold roof. In the foreground, on a manicured green lawn, are several colourful and whimsical statues, including two large pink rabbits, a rooster, and a black elephant.

Sing Buri

An aerial view of the sprawling temple ruins at Sukhothai Historical Park in Thailand, showing numerous ancient brick stupas and pillars set amongst green lawns, trees, and ponds, with mountains visible in the distance under a warm, hazy sky.

Sukothai

A massive, golden dragon statue at the Dragon Descendants Museum in Suphan Buri, Thailand. The dragon is coiled over stylized clouds with its mouth wide open, spouting a cascade of water onto a structure below. Visitors walk on the paved plaza in front of the immense statue under a clear blue sky.

Suphan Buri

An aerial view of the Bhumibol Dam in Tak province, Thailand, a large, curved concrete structure surrounded by lush green mountains and a vast reservoir under a cloudy sky.

Tak

An ornate, multi-tiered golden temple in Uthai Thani, Thailand, featuring intricate gables and numerous pointed spires set against a bright blue sky with fluffy white clouds. In the foreground is a manicured garden with red flowers and green hedges.

Uthai Thani