Pattaya may not have been the best of choices when it came to settling upon a Thai destination. The decision came about because it was the closest beach area near Bangkok. Neither Ian or I had ever been there so giving it a go seemed reasonable. The trip from Bangkok’s Eastern Bus Terminal located next to the Ekkamai BTS station on Sukhumvit Road at Soi 63. The trip took us about two hours in total which wasn’t so bad since the bus was air conditioned. Bring snacks. You’ll need them.
Once in Pattaya the main spots are easy enough to find. Beach road is the main drag along the shoreline. I wouldn’t even call it much of a beach since its a simple strip of sand barely wide enough for a beach chair. The road however has much more to offer. There you’ll find restaurants, shops, tour stalls, and vendors out selling everything form baubles, to shell necklaces, to sandals and shorts, to motorized toys for the kids and adults.
Beach road continues south and runs into Walking Street. Here the racy descends into scandalous. Girlie bars, cheap hotels, nightclubs, discotheques, and gogo bars dot this red light district. Tourists and locals both indulge in the debauchery so be prepared for catcalls luring you and your wallet into a wild night.
Once dawn appears and the run rises you can find folks sleeping away the previous night’s delights at Jomtien beach. Here scuba diving, jet skiing and para-sailing as well as other water sports are on hand. You can also buy food and drinks from the Thai people wandering up an down the beach or even get a massage.
Besides the beach there are other attractions to be explored in Pattaya. First up is the floating market. There you can shop and buy trinkets and souvenirs though you’ll probably pay more than you would if you got it elsewhere. Still nothing beats a floating market photo op. Next up, you can venture to the elephant village and tiger zoo. Both have wild animals tamed and ready to entertain. Just don’t get too close. Then there’s the Tiffany Show billed as a world famous drag extravaganza. You can also visit the orchid farm and tropical garden to have a more Zen experience.
So I may not ever return to Pattaya, but in the end I”m glad I got there at least once.
Been in Pattaya at least 40 times the last 9 years and it is a great place to relax. Just be aware of pocket thieves and the jet ski scam. Jomtien Beach is my favorite but there are others as well.