Wat Sattahip (Wat Luang Pho Ei)

Wat Sattahip - also called Wat Luang Pho Ei after its revered founding abbot - is the naval town’s principal temple, established in 1902 during King Rama V’s reign. It’s free to visit, open daily 08:00-16:00, and still an active working monastery rather than a museum piece.

The temple was built by Kham and Aiang Thongkham, parents of the monk who would become its first abbot, Phra Khru Worawetmuni - known to everyone as Luang Pho Ei. He built a reputation across the eastern seaboard for vipassana meditation and for consecrating amulets: yantra cloth, navy cap linings, and Palad Khik fertility charms among them, many still credited by local business owners with bringing good fortune. After his death his body was not cremated; it remains on view inside the temple, drawing a steady stream of devotees who come to pay respects and collect amulets blessed in his name.

Insider Tip: Morning is the quietest time to visit, before the day’s heat sets in and before any tour groups working the Pattaya-Sattahip circuit arrive. There’s no fixed schedule for chanting sessions here, so don’t plan a visit purely around catching one.

Local lore ties the temple directly to the town’s wartime history. Sattahip is home to the Royal Thai Navy’s main eastern base, and residents say that when Allied bombers targeted it during the Second World War, Luang Pho Ei stood in the temple grounds chanting and waving a length of yellow cloth, and the bombs fell harmlessly into the sea instead of on the base or the town. It’s told as fact by some locals and as folklore by others - either way, it’s the story you’ll hear if you ask why this particular temple matters so much to Sattahip.

Watch out: This is a working temple in a naval town, not a tourist set piece - there’s minimal English signage and no gift shop. Bring a few coins or small notes if you want to make a donation; there isn’t a formal admission process to hand cash to.

The ordination hall and surrounding buildings show the mixed architectural influences typical of eastern Thai temples from this period, though the main draw for most visitors is Luang Pho Ei himself rather than the building. If you’re staying in Pattaya, pair the visit with other Sattahip-area sights - the temple is close enough to combine with a half-day exploring the naval town.

Nearby, the Royal Thai Navy Sea Turtle Conservation Center reflects Sattahip’s naval identity, while Khao Chi Chan (Buddha Mountain) and the beach at Bang Sare round out a day trip through this quieter stretch of the Chonburi coast.