Pattaya About

Just over one hour from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport, Pattaya is a lively beach town that draws visitors from around the world. With activities that include a wide array of water sports, golf, shopping, cabaret shows, an elephant village, and a Ripley’s Believe it or Not museum (to name only a very few) it’s impossible not to have an action-packed Pattaya holiday. Unless of course its relaxation you crave, in which case there are thousands of beach chairs and umbrellas lining the Pattaya shore, where wandering vendors will cater to your every need: from barbequed shrimp to a foot massage. Pattaya is certainly a Thai beach resort that meets the needs of any visitor on any budget.

Pattaya is a popular beach resort on the Gulf of Thailand just 150 km southeast of Bangkok: a mere two hour drive. While Pattaya once had a well deserved reputation for its seedy nightlife, local authorities have, in recent years, improved the quality of the beaches and reinvented the resort, to some degree, as a more family friendly destination. Today, hundreds of thousands of visitors are drawn each year to Pattaya to windsurf, water ski, swim, sunbathe, snorkel, sail, or take trips to nearby islands. Other activities include Bungee jumping, cycling, skydiving, go-Karting, Muay Thai (Thai boxing), and Paintball (to name only a few!)

Golfers, both novice and expert are well catered to as well, with a wide selection of golf courses around Pattaya including the Phoenix, Pattaya Country Club, and the Navy course near Sattahip, which offers 18 holes of golf for around 1,000 baht (around 30 US dollars)!

Another major draw for visitors to Pattaya is the wide selection of restaurants serving some of Thailand’s freshest seafood. Due to the high number of expatriate foreigners in Pattaya there is also an excellent selection of authentic foreign eateries serving French, Italian, Swiss, German, Hungarian, Scandinavian, English, Indian, Moslem, Japanese, and Chinese cuisine.

Drawing such a large number of diverse visitors from across the world, it’s no surprise that Pattaya also boasts an incredible choice of accommodation. Those on a tight budget and those with money to burn are equally able to find rooms to suit their needs. Even those who are turned off by the widespread development along Pattaya’s main beach can find some peaceful beach time at nearby Jomtien beach, just 3 kilometers south, which is a far quieter alternative.

Tip:

#Only fish during the appropriate fishing season.

#Dress politely and take off your shoes before entering Buddhist temples.

#Examine rental motorbikes and cars thoroughly before renting.

#Drive motorbikes and rental cars with extreme caution.

#Beware of con-artists who prey on new tourists to Thailand. While most Thai people are just being friendly, be careful of those offering to do you too many favors or promising you incredible bargains.

#Beware of pick pockets, especially on Walking Street when it’s crowded.

#Beware of entertainment venues that have poor signage or are poorly lit inside; some venues offer free admission and then refuse to allow visitors to leave until they have paid exorbitant bar bills.

#Do not purchase or consume illegal drugs or participate in illegal gambling.

#Show respect to the local Thai people and the Thai police. Guilty or not, your display of anger will only make things worse.

#Haggle in a good natured way with small shop vendors. A polite “no thank you” will be more effective than a loud display of emotion.

#Ask for the price first when ordering food and before getting a massage or manicure on the beach. Do likewise before renting a jet ski or getting in a tuk tuk or taxi.

#The sun in Pattaya is very strong; apply sunscreen liberally and frequently.

#Tap water in Thailand is not safe to drink; however, bottled water is cheap and readily available.

#While illegal, the sex industry is a reality in Pattaya. It is strongly advised to protect yourself accordingly, both from sexually transmitted diseases and from theft.

Attractions:

Pattaya Underwater World

Day: daily

Time: 9.00 – 18.00

A new tourist attraction in town is the largest and most modern ocean aquarium in Asia, boasting a 100-meter-long, 6.4-centimeter-thick acrylic pedestrian tunnel through an underwater environment filled with dozens of marine species.

Located just 200 meters south of Tesco Lotus in South Pattaya, the new theme park covers a total area of 12-rai and is housed in a structure similar to a large circus tent.

The aquarium itself houses more than 4,000 marine animals, comprising more than 200 different species from the region as well as some rare creatures from overseas. Top in the Visitors must-see list is the rare shovelnose ray, a hybrid between a shark and a stingray.

Admission fee for adults is 450 baht and children is 250 baht. Thai adults is 250 baht and children is 150 baht. Open from 9.00 a.m. 6.00 p.m. For more information and booking, call 0 3875 6879  Fax:: 0 3875 6875

4 Regions Floating Market Pattaya

Come and experience with surprise and delight the atmosphere created by the merging of local thai culture of four regions. Our floating market is the first and the only one in Pattaya.

Mini Siam Pattaya

Operating: Daily

Time: 9.00 -22.00

Located at Km. 143 on Highway No. 3 is a wonderland of miniature replicas of such outstanding architectural works as the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, Democracy Monument, the Bridge over the River Kwai, Prasat Hin Phimai, etc. Replicas of places of world significance are also displayed in the miniworld area. These include the Tower Bridge, Eiffel Tower, the Statue of Liberty and Trevi Fountain. It is open daily from 9 a.m. until 10 p.m. Admission fee is 200 bahts. Call 0 3842 1628, 0 3842 4232 or 0 2271 1896, 0 2616 1533 for more information.

Thai Sky Adventures

Operating: Daily

Time: 8.30 – 17.00

Charge: As low as $230

The only full time skydiving drop-zone in S.E. Asia We have 25+ years skydiving experience. Open since November 2009 we’re a UK, US, Thai run operation with a full staff of western instructors and pilots.

With beautiful weather year round and sea views from 13,000ft/4,000m there’s nowhere better to skydive, no previous experience needed.

Our main attraction, the Tandem Skydive is a wonderful way for complete novices to experience the thrill of freefall in a wonderful environment with the most stringent safety standards.

We also offer courses for those wishing to learn and adhere to full US Parachute Association safety standards and procedures.

Based in the eclectic city of Pattaya, just one hour from Bangkok. Pickups from Bangkok available.

Khao Phra Bat or Khao Phra Tam Nak

Operating: Daily

Time: 24 Hour

This is a small hill to the south of Pattaya Beach. It is accessible by an asphalt road, which leads up to the hilltop. Khao Pattaya is now the site of the Naval Radio Station where the monument of Krom Luang Chumphon Khet Udomsak, the Father of Royal Thai Navy, is situated. A sacred Buddha image is also enshrined on the hilltop. The viewpoint on the hilltop offers a panoramic view of Pattaya City and Pattaya Bay.