Burapha University Area Information Request

[TotallyOz]

I have a good friend from Utah who has been offered a job working with Burapha University. She has been to Thailand and loves the people and the country. She wants to know what this area is like.

 

The neighborhood where she would be is called Sean Suk where the famous bangsean beach is located.

 

Are apartments in the area nice? How long to get to Pattaya?

 

I have been to the university once many years back but I don't remember too much about it, the area or the beaches. Any information is greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks.

[2lz2p]

I have been to Bang Saen a few times and from what I have seen, would not mind living there - beach area is much nicer than Pattaya - wide road along the beach - room to walk (no motorcy/car rental vehicles clogging up the road - shops and restaurants back from the road (and front is not cluttered with stalls selling tourist stuff).  During the week, it is relatively quiet but can be busy on weekends as many Thai from Bangkok and elsewhere like to visit Bang Saen beach.  There is a large restaurant out over the water at the north end that I always stop at - great seafood at reasonable price.

Burapha University also hosts a nice aquarium and museum.

 

Sriracha is about 40 minutes up Highway 3 from Pattaya - Bang Saen is maybe 10 or 15 minutes further north.  Sriracha has a Central Dept Store and other shopping plus many restaurants and a nice island to visit its beach. Also, there are 2 or 3 hospitals in Sriracha, with Phayathai getting good reviews for quality of care and having lower prices than Bangkok Hospital Pattaya (doctors speak English, but not all nursing staff/orderlies do - but, their International Marketing Executive is a Scotsman who can assist with making appointments and recommending doctors).

 

For places to rent, it appears doing a Google search that there is some places available in Bang Saen and much more in Sriracha.  The following links can give some idea:

http://wikitravel.org/en/Bang_Saen

http://123-thai.com/vacation-rental/rent-property-in-bang-saen/

http://www.bangsaenrealestate.com/rent.html

 

My partner's niece went to Burapha University - we gave her a ride back to the campus once - it was a large campus with many buildings - very nice looking. I visited the aquarium a couple of times over the past 10 years - not as elaborate as water world in Pattaya, but much less expensive (farang price as I recall is 100 Baht and Thai price is 30 Baht -- if you have Thai driving license, you may be able to get the Thai price - last time I was there, we were in a large group from Pattaya City Expats Club with both farang and Thais in the group - we all were admitted at the Thai price.

 

 

[ChristianPFC]

I have been to Bang Saen twice. The stop on Sukhumvit road is called Nong Mon Market. Regular buses and vans to and from Pattaya and Bangkok. Tourists attractions are Wang Saen Suk Buddhist hell garden, Kha Sam Muk Hill (with religious place and wild monkeys) and Chinese Temple in Ang Sila (about 5 km north of Bang Saen) and aquarium at the university. The beach has about 20,000 (!) chairs (from count of rows and columns and concessions, rounded), it is wide and nice, better than Pattaya or Jomtien (by my standards). Accommodations is widely available and cheap (I paid about 300 or 400 Baht for one night). It takes about one hour to Pattaya (on Sukhumvit road on public transport).

[TotallyOz]

Thanks guys. You are giving me great info. It is VERY much appreciated. Please keep the comments coming!

[Gaybutton]

The drive between Bang Saen and Pattaya usually takes me about 45 minutes.  I've been to the seafood restaurant 2lz2p mentioned several times.  It's very good, very picturesque right over the water, and prices are quite reasonable.  If you've ever been to the seafood restaurant in Bang Sare, it's very similar - so similar that it might be owned by the same people.  Of course, there are many other restaurants to choose from, but if I'm going to eat while in Bang Saen, that's the one I head for.  Look for the blue rooftops.  You can't miss it.

 

The beach and waters are clean and there is usually plenty of parking.  There are also plenty of concessionaires, just like Dongtan Beach in Jomtien.  People are much more conservative about their beach attire than they are in Pattaya.  If there is a gay area, I've never found it.

 

Also, there is a small mountain (can't think of the name, but it's the only one) at the north end. At the top there is a colony of wild monkeys.  Before you're even out of your car the vendors are there to sell you baskets of fruit and vegetables to feed to the monkeys.  I used to buy those, but I found something the monkeys appreciate even more - bottled water.  Now, whenever I go there I always take a few six-packs of bottled water.  Open the bottles for the monkeys.  They haven't figured out how to open the bottles, but they get very thirsty up there and they obviously are grateful for the water.  The vendors don't sell water, so you'll have to bring it yourself.  Most of the monkeys just lay the bottles on the ground and lap up the water as it pours out, but every once in awhile there's a monkey that figured out how to pick up the bottle and drink from it. If the monkeys drop the empty bottle instead of making off with it, I pick it up, put it in the car, and throw it out later rather than leaving plastic bottles all over the place.

 

Also, if you arrive by car, leave everything of value in the car, including the car keys (make sure you don't lock the door with your keys inside the car).  Don't keep anything in your pockets that you don't want to lose.  You think Pattaya has a pickpocket problem?  Wait 'til you meet the monkeys.  Some of them put the Pattaya pickpockets to shame.

[vinapu]

Gaybutton's monkey story reminds me massive theft I was witness at Ulu Watu temple in Bali last May , several friendly moneys descended on Japanese tour and in less then 1 minute 4 tourists  had their glasses snatched.

 

Very wise warning

[Guest joseph44]

I used to live in Bang Saen along Bang Saen's 2nd road near the university.

Plenty of condo's on offer for reasonable prices.

Going out during the weekends is possible, but it is mainly a Thai thing.

More and more clubs, lounges and bars are opening their doors to serve all visitors from BKK (as said).

 

Shopping can be done at Laem Thong shopping mall, but the nearest Big C is approx. 10 kms away; be prepared. 

 

Overall, a nice place to stay especially in the area between BUU and the Beach. 

[TotallyOz]

Thanks again. Much appreciated.

[Guest travelerjim]

My Thai bf attended for two years... and graduated with his MBA

at Burapha School of Commerce in Bang Saen.

 

Great community...beach area reminded me of San Diego area beaches of 50 years ago.

 

I would like to live in the area if I had found out about it earlier.

 

tj