Silver Lake Chaos

[Bcgardener]

What is the attraction with Silver lake for the Chinese tourists? There is not much there but a cliff with a Buddha image and the pretending to be a winery place that sells grape juice they make up from concentrate. Just drove there about 3.45 pm today. I dodged an accident where a tourist bus had T boned a tourist van at the turn off to the Chinese temple and was then confronted with at least 50 large tourist buses, some parked and some doing everything from normal driving to 3 point turns in places that shouldn't happen. It was absolute chaos with the Chinese tourists ignoring the through traffic and just walking across the road in front of cars and buses. Is it just another "free" thing fill out the day for the tourists or does the site hold some special significance to the Chinese?

[lostoday]

Chinese temple

[KittenKong]

There aren't really that many places worth visiting in or near Pattaya, so why not go to Silver Lake?

[andre47]

In this aerea are a few places for sightseeing and some are free of charge.

[tolsti]

It's were the tour guides get the most kickback that controls where they go, where they eat, piss, crap, and are told to buy things.

[toenail]

I like to have the loud Chinese tourists standing in front of the Teddy Bear Museum along Beach Road. Their volume scares the pigeons away and drowns out the noise of the busses.

[Roger Lee]

There's a famous temple of some sort close by that has significance for Buddhists, that and the big Buddha on the big hill probably makes for an afternoon for a lot of tourist operators. I've been tempted to visit it and take photos but as mentioned earlier with the tourist busses it makes it a no go for me. I have driven by and witnessed the chaos caused by these busses though.

Edited May 18, 2015 by Roger Lee

[toenail]

On a serious note, it would be a shame for the tourists from China (or anyone familiar with Chinese culture and history) did not visit Anek Kuson Chinese museum - south of Jomtien, east of Sukumvit Hwy. (close to Buddha "Mountain", Khoa Cheejan) The structure was? called Viharn Sien, a Chinese temple that was changed into a museum. It is packed with all kinds of valuable Chinese artifacts and antiques, supposedly one of the few museums with such a collection of Taoism and Shoalin arts outside of China. Believe it or not, it is the only museum outside of China that has a real terrocatta warrior. It also has other artifacts from the Qin Shi Huang burrieal site and a dusty miniature display of the burrial ground uncovered in China.

It is a real shame that the museum doesn't hire a professional curator to make this display an attractive exhibit... so much potential. The grounds is next to a lake- beautiful, quite area (when I was there) but if the Chinese are visiting it, you'd want to call to see what hours they are not visiting the museum since the interior already echoes everyones voice.

The entance fee is ...50 baht.

[billaaa777]

The structure was? called Viharn Sien, a Chinese temple that was changed into a museum. It is packed with all kinds of valuable Chinese artifacts and antiques, supposedly one of the few museums with such a collection of Taoism and Shoalin arts outside of China. Believe it or not, it is the only museum outside of China that has a real terrocatta warrior. It also has other artifacts from the Qin Shi Huang burrieal site and a dusty miniature display of the burrial ground uncovered in China.

You are 100% correct, the museum is awsome. Its only 3 minutes away from Buda Mountain and well worth the drive and price of addmission just to see the Chinese Terrocatta Warriors.

[Bcgardener]

Forgot how good the museum is. I guess they do the museum / temple as part of the tour. Been there a few times and it is very interesting. With that many tour buses though, I would day it's off my list of places to take visitors. I wonder how many of the tourists are injured crossing the road at Buddha mountain. They just appear out of the bushes from nowhere and run across the road to get back to their bus.

[CHdiver]

Come on, if you had some wine you probably would also be all over the place driving home, now do the same with a Bus and there you have the problems.

About the many Chinese Tourists, they may be in the same stage the Americans have been in the time of Denver Clan. I remember the way they ordered wine in the TV Serie was either red or white wine, did not matter what kind it was. Maybe its the same for the Chinese now, they discover wine and will need some time to find out about wine culture.

[NormanW]

It's a fact that Chinese people are unable to look left and right when crossing the road there. I pass there twice a day and they literally just walk across the road. Usually while looking at their phones.

Using your horn is a must there.

It is simply ridiculous how many buses are there. Slow down and breathe in the fumes! !!

[lostoday]

Come on, if you had some wine you probably would also be all over the place driving home, now do the same with a Bus and there you have the problems.

About the many Chinese Tourists, they may be in the same stage the Americans have been in the time of Denver Clan. I remember the way they ordered wine in the TV Serie was either red or white wine, did not matter what kind it was. Maybe its the same for the Chinese now, they discover wine and will need some time to find out about wine culture.

According to the International Organisation of Vine and Wine, China now has the second-largest vineyard area worldwide after Spain, pushing France into third position. China produces twice as much wine as unsophisticated countries such as Germany and almost 10 times as much as New Zealand.

[chickenslegs]

Come on, if you had some wine you probably would also be all over the place driving home, now do the same with a Bus and there you have the problems.

About the many Chinese Tourists, they may be in the same stage the Americans have been in the time of Denver Clan. I remember the way they ordered wine in the TV Serie was either red or white wine, did not matter what kind it was. Maybe its the same for the Chinese now, they discover wine and will need some time to find out about wine culture.

According to the International Organisation of Vine and Wine, China now has the second-largest vineyard area worldwide after Spain, pushing France into third position. China produces twice as much wine as unsophisticated countries such as Germany and almost 10 times as much as New Zealand.

Is any of it drinkable?

[chakatee]

They are tourists and in that area, within a perimeter of maybe 500m - 1km there is:

- Buddha Mountain, I don't know about others but in my country / continent there's no such thing to be seen. Nothing to spend a whole hour of course but one should have seen it. No entry fee

- Silver Lake, some may not like it, everyone his own, but it is a nice area to wander around, take some pictures and maybe even, they are still tourists, buy a cookie or some wine as souvenir. I must agree this is also not my personal favorite but then again I am not Asian and the fun of making selfies and other v-sign pictures escapes me. A nickle and a dime to get in?

- A few nice restaurants. For each budget something I'd guess.

- Possibility to have a short elephant ride. Kids did it some years ago, wasn't much for a regular visitor of Thailand but for a regular tourist sure OK. Don't remember the price but sure not outrageous.

- Wonder Farm. No entry fee

- Wat Yan and a nice lake where the kids, or adults, can feed the fish. No entry fee. Feed the fish 10THB per bag?

- The earlier mentioned Chinese temple / museum which is very nice value for money. 50THB?

- The views, just look around when cruising around there. No entry fee.

So to answer the Op's question "What is the attraction with Silver lake for the Chinese tourists?": there's quite a lot there and a tour company would be silly to miss out on the opportunity to offer a whole day of various stuff for hardly any cost.

[champers]

Had a very good and pretty quiet time there last New Year.With an extra 12700 Chinese tourists in town this week, I imagine it would be too busy.

[LennyW]

Just wait till the Ramanya water park next to Silverlake opens - even more traffic!

[Thailand J]

wouldn't it be nice if you are the only foreinger in Thailand...

[stoli]

Obvious that you arrived at the property of Silver Lake Winery, and also that you do not like the Chinese. Silver Lake Winery is a real, operating winery. If you had looked around, you would have found they offer a very nice tour of the grounds, the flower beds, and a tour & wine tasting at their winery. They also have a wine tasting area up near where you found the grape juice, but I guess you did not go into the shop next door. The Shiraz and their Chenin Blanc are excellent wines.

[mikebell]

Obvious that you arrived at the property of Silver Lake Winery, and also that you do not like the Chinese. Silver Lake Winery is a real, operating winery. If you had looked around, you would have found they offer a very nice tour of the grounds, the flower beds, and a tour & wine tasting at their winery. They also have a wine tasting area up near where you found the grape juice, but I guess you did not go into the shop next door. The Shiraz and their Chenin Blanc are excellent wines.

I agree. Almost opposite is an excellent Italian restaurant which is pricey enough to keep out the Chinese. I also recommend the Chinese museum & feeding the fish by the lake.

[Pattaya28]

The tour operators take the Flocks-O-Chinese where they can make extra money.

Do not think it's of any relevance whether or not the Chinese actually benefit from where they go.

And the Chinese walk into the road with that "pretty-vacant" look because they can.

[lostoday]

The tour operators take the Flocks-O-Chinese where they can make extra money.

Do not think it's of any relevance whether or not the Chinese actually benefit from where they go.

And the Chinese walk into the road with that "pretty-vacant" look because they can.

The Chinese temple pays the Chinese drivers? You gotta be kidding me. Admission is like 50 baht. It would cost thousands to clean up the toilets afterwards. I would imagine the temple would pay the drivers to go somewhere else.

[Spaniel]

Also, not far from Silver Lake is the Banglamung Wildlife Breeding Center. Mainly bears but you can see an assortment of other animals too. If you're in the Silver Lake area worth a stop. When we first went it was free but I think now they charge an entrance fee.

[toenail]

Please don't tell the Chinese about the caged bears, many bears are killed by poachers in various national parks around the world and sold to the Chinese so they can use the ground up gall bladder and/or bile for traditional Chinese medicine. Maybe a gall bladder is sold for $150 in the States, ends up in China and sold for $1500. The bear paws are in demand also since it is made into a soup that is considered good for ones health. The expensive soup from the bear's paw is considered a gourmet delicacy. Maybe we should get pamplets written in Chinese and explain to them how many of the worlds' animals are becoming extinct or endangered because of their old fashion believe that animal parts cure diseases. (It is ok for them to buy animal parts on the black market but the Pandas in their country are not touched!)

[Taxi]

Silverlake winery is importing grapes from South Australia, and their wines are being made with a wine maker from South Australia. I understand the Rose is about ready to go and other reds and whites will follow soon (next 1-9 months depending on wine type). The expectation from the wine maker whom I've spoken with is it should be top quality, and of a high international standard. I know nothing about wines or wine making ............ but very happy to drink it !!