Chao Mae Sahm Muk Shrine

Chao Mae Sahm Muk Shrine is a revered Chinese shrine atop Khao Sam Muk hill between Ang Sila and Bang Saen Beach in Saen Suk, Mueang Chonburi, Chonburi Province. Dedicated to Chao Mae Sahm Muk, a female deity from local legend, it is an important spiritual site for fishermen and the Thai-Chinese community. The shrine features traditional Chinese architecture, incense offerings, and panoramic views of the Gulf of Thailand.

Visitors can expect a hillside Chinese shrine complex on Khao Sam Muk with ornate gates, dragon decorations, incense burners, and statues of Chao Mae Sahm Muk. The shrine sits above the coastal road with open terraces offering panoramic sea views toward Bang Saen and Ang Sila. The area includes prayer halls, offering stalls, and surrounding viewpoints. Troops of macaques live on the hill and are commonly seen around the shrine and parking areas.

The shrine honors the legend of Sao Muk (or Sam Muk), a young woman who, according to local folklore, took her life by jumping from the Khao Sam Muk cliff after being prevented from marrying her lover. Fishermen and villagers later enshrined her spirit as Chao Mae Sahm Muk, and a shrine was established on the hill to commemorate her and seek protection.

Highly revered by local fishermen, seafarers and the Thai-Chinese community in Chonburi, who believe Chao Mae Sahm Muk protects those at sea and grants blessings for safety, prosperity and love. The shrine is a center for Chinese-Thai religious practices, offerings of incense, fruits and traditional rituals, especially during Chinese festivals.