Don Hoi Lot is a sandbank at the mouth of the Mae Klong River, formed by the deposition of sandy soil. It is about three kilometers wide and five kilometers long, extending eight kilometers out to sea. In Mueang Samut Songkhram District, it stretches across the three subdistricts of Bang Ja Kreng, Laem Yai and Bang Kaeo. The river mouth, sediment deposits and open sandbank make the location, formation and shape visible as interconnected aspects of the same landscape.
Don Hoi Lot: Sandbank, Boats and Places to Eat
Visitors can rent a boat at Don Hoi Lot to see the sandbank. They can also experience collecting razor clams for themselves. There are restaurants along the roadside, and shops also sell dried foods as souvenirs. There is also a shrine to Prince Chumphon Khet Udomsak in the Don Hoi Lot area. Alongside the landscape, visitors can enjoy an activity, local dining and a religious site.
Temples and Religious Images
Wat Ban Laem was later elevated to royal temple status and given the name Wat Phet Samut Worawihan. This ancient temple was formerly called Wat Si Champa and is at least 500 years old. The standing Buddha image Luangpho Ban Laem was installed at Wat Ban Laem and is about 167 centimeters tall. The temple’s history and the Buddha image offer two specific points of interest for visitors interested in religious heritage.
Wat Puang Malai adds an architectural highlight: the temple has a chedi in the Hongsawadi-period style, as well as a worship hall for Luang Pho Kaeo. Wat Bang Ja Kreng probably dates from the late Ayutthaya period and houses the ancient Buddha image Luang Pho Sila, considered one of the three oldest Buddha images of this kind in Thailand.
Wat Chong Lom houses a seven-meter-tall image of Luang Pho Ban Laem and a large image of Luang Pu Thuat Bodhisatto; both are revered by worshippers. At Wat Nang Takhian, several large, old concrete sugarcane presses are among the temple’s distinctive features. A giant statue stands in front of its ordination hall and vihara.
Memorials and Mangroves
The Siamese Twin In-Chan Memorial in Tambon Lat Yai has a landscaped courtyard with trees and flowers, as well as a large pond. In and Chan were born in Samut Songkhram and became known worldwide as the “Siamese Twin.” A visit connects the memorial’s grounds with the lives it commemorates.
Mangroves and community life offer another focus. The Mangrove Forest Nature School is located in Village 10, Bang Kaeo Subdistrict. The Khlong Khon Mangrove Conservation Center provides information about mangrove forests and local community life, and organizes ecotourism activities. Longtail boats, mudboards, mangrove seedlings and planting materials are provided to help restore the mangrove forests in Khlong Khon. The range of activities thus extends from learning about mangroves and the community to forest restoration.
Discover more destinations: Mae Klong
View the broader travel guide: Samut Songkhram.
