Pattaya

Pattaya was once an ordinary fishing village, like many others on the coast. But in the 1960s, it became a resting place for American soldiers who fought in Vietnam. And the village transformed almost overnight.

Then it grew into one of the most popular tourist destinations in Asia with over one million tourists visiting each year!

It is now famous for its wide and long beaches and for its non-stop nightlife.

Pattaya is located approximately 150 km southeast of Bangkok, in the northern Gulf of Thailand.

Where to Stay in Pattaya

Pattaya is one of the most equipped resorts: there are rooms for every taste and any level of income. Almost every room has air conditioning, but you can find those where it is not. However, we strongly recommend not to save on housing. Here you have to sleep, and healthy sleep is one of the important elements of a great vacation.

Pattaya is famous for its five-star resorts but has a range of accommodations to suit every type of traveler.

South and Central Pattaya hotels are the closest to the action, whilst Jomtien, Wongamat, North Pattaya, or Naklua are more suited for those wanting a quieter place to stay.

There is all-round entertainment for all the family including scuba diving, golf courses, horseback riding, karting, mini-golf, Thai boxing, bungee jumping, shooting, sailing, windsurfing, kiteboarding, snorkel tours, water skiing, parasailing, game fishing, ten pin bowling, waxworks and massage spas.

There are also day visits to the floating market, waterpark, tiger zoo, stone and crocodile farm, underwater world, island tours, tropical botanical gardens, and the famous flight of the gibbon treetop adventure.

Nightlife

Pattaya is world-famous for its amazing nightlife, especially Walking Street which can be quite shocking for some and very entertaining for others! This main area around South Pattaya is known by locals as either ‘the village’ or ‘the strip’.

There are other quieter areas with beachfront restaurants and live entertainment that may suit the more mature generation or those looking for a more family or romantic setting.

Pattaya has something for everyone! Live music and nightclubs for the younger generation, entertainment and glamour shows, Irish bars and beachfront seafood restaurants plus high quality international and Thai restaurants.

Beaches

Pattaya is rich for wide beaches with fun and exciting commercial water sports such as speedboat bananas and parasailing.

There is also an abundance of coral and tropical marine life for snorkelers and scuba divers plus a couple of wreck dives for those wishing for more adventure!

There are over a dozen small islands off Pattaya’s shore including Ko Laan which make for popular snorkeling and dive excursions.

Pattaya Beach

This beach is a wide sandy bay with the views of tropical islands in the distance.

Jomtien Beach

Located 3 km south of Pattaya. Jomtien is a very popular beach which is 6 km long and is perfect for those looking for a quieter beach experience even though water sports are active in the area.

Naklua Beach

This smaller beach on the north side of Pattaya is popular for families wanting a more relaxing time away from the hustle and bustle of central Pattaya.

Climate

It’s always between 28 and 38 degrees! November to May is the high season, and the weather is normally excellent. June to October is warm, sunshine, sometimes wind, and occasional showers.

Transport

Baht Bus

The Pattaya Baht Bus (songthaew) consists of few lines: Green, Red, and Yellow linking the main streets of Pattaya, Naklua and Jomtien. Buses and bus stops are color-coded and numbered making them easy to identify. Check out the Baht bus routes on Google maps.

Motorcycle, Taxi

Our advice is – do not rent vehicles unless you have an international driving license. Always take the insurance, since Pattaya driving standards can be hazardous and the traffic in the city is often congested.

Also be careful handing over your passport. The provider may try to extract as much money as they can from you. You may be held to ransom! We cannot emphasize this enough! If you want to see the Pattaya, then either use taxi’s or pay a cash deposit rather than handing over your passport.

For a taxi, you can use the Grab taxi App. It lets you book a taxi from your location to anywhere else in Pattaya.

It’s also very easy to get to Pattaya from Bangkok by van, taxi, bus, or even train.

Important Contacts in Pattaya

There is a Tourist Police Station in Pattaya. There are a number of large international hospitals in Pattaya. The main Post Office is in South Pattaya on Soi 13/2 (ask for Soi Post Office) but there are many sub-branches around the town. There is a Tourist Association of Thailand (TAT) official office in Pattaya.

Police emergency: 191

Tourist Police: +66 38 410 044

Tourist Police – Emergency: 1155

Fire Department: 199

Bangkok Pattaya Hospital: +66 38 259 999

Pattaya Post Office: +66 38 429 341

TAT Pattaya Office: +66 38 428 750

If it’s a family or entertainment destination with a non-stop nightlife you are looking for then Pattaya is the place to be!

If you visit Pattaya in the Northern Gulf, why not head next to the Southern Gulf islands of Koh Tao for some scuba diving? Then you can go to Koh Phangan for one of the Moon Parties, and to Koh Samui for relaxation on the beach!