Pattaya Travel Guide

 

Pattaya, located off the Gulf of Thailand, is approximately 145  km south of the city of Bangkok, surrounded by Bang Lamung District.

The city of Pattaya is a special municipal area which covers the whole tambon Nong Prue and Na Kluea and parts of Huai Yai and Nong Pla Lai. Bang Lamung township which forms the northern border of Pattaya covers parts of the tambon Bang Lamung, Nong Pla Lai and Takhian Tia. Bang Sali is on the southern border of Pattaya.

Once a sleepy fishing town, Pattaya first boomed as an R&R spot during the Vietnam War and got itself a bit of a bad image, but things have certainly improved since then and the city has been turning its location into a family-orientated destination. So besides only bars and pubs, there is plenty more to do and see these days.

 

Pattaya Video's

 

Attractions

 

Activities include golfing at the area's many golf courses, and there are 21 golf courses within 1 hour of Pattaya, go-cart racing, visiting the construction site of an elaborate private wooden temple known as Sanctuary of Truth, and different theme parks and zoos such as Mini Siam, and Elephant Village.

The national symbol of Thailand, these amazing animals have been part of Thai culture for centuries. Demonstrations of training methods and ancient ceremonial re-enactments plus entertaining performances and wild elephant round-ups daily between 2:30 and 4:00.

 

The private Sri Racha Tiger Zoo: features several hundred tigers and thousands of alligators as well as some other animals. It has often been criticized for the animals' living conditions, and a worker was killed by tigers in 2004. There was a major bird flu outbreak at the zoo later that year.

 

The Vimantaitalay tourist submarine: takes customers underwater to see corals and marine life just a few kilometers offshore. There are many boat trips from an hour to all day trips available, mostly leaving from Bali Hai Pier, near Walking Street.

 

Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden: is located some 15 kilometers east of Pattaya. The 500-acre (2.0  km) site has well maintained botanical gardens and an orchid nursery. Moreover the facility has lively cultural shows in a Thai village setting. In addition trained chimpanzees and elephants are seen at the garden.

Other attractions in Pattaya: The Million Years Stone Park and Pattaya Crocodile Farm, Elephant Village, Pattaya Park Beach Resort Water Park and Funny Land Amusement Park, Siriporn Orchid Farm, Underwater World Pattaya (world class aquarium), Thai Alangkarn Theater Pattaya(cultural show), Bottle Art Museum, Mini Siam, Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum, and Walking Street.

 

Nightlife

 

Walking Street is a famous and vibrant part of the city located in south of Pattaya Thailand. It is a location that is well-known to many tourists visiting Thailand, and especially to the male visitors. It is also known as International Meeting Street. Walking Street runs from the Beach Road to the Bali-Hi Pier, and there are entrance arches at either end. The street is traffic-free at night (from 6:00pm), and car parking is at the Bali-Hi end.

There are go-go (dancing girls) bars, beer bars, discotheques, strip pubs, and night clubs. In 2004 the local press reported that there were 30 of the air-conditioned go-go bars on the street (as of February 2008 there are over 50 in the street itself and adjoining soi's). The street is also known for the amount of glowing colored neon signage used on and above the street at night. In the earlier part of the evening one can also find live bands and fine dining. Closing time is usually about 2:00am to 2:45am. Walking street is most vibrant on Saturday nights.

Although this part of the city is safe, pick pocketing is a common problem, and the bulk of one's money should be concealed. Travelers should follow the same basic safety rules here as they would in any other unfamiliar city. Offering the exact change, for anything from a taxi to buying drinks, is always a good idea in order to avoid any misunderstandings. It is also recommended that visitors only visit well-lit venues and venues with a proper and permanent sign showing the venue's name; information can then be given to the tourist police if required. Although some western visitors drink heavily in the bars, this does not usually cause problems.

 

Beaches

 

Pattaya Beach: is situated alongside the city centre. The section of beach from Central Road (Pattaya Klang) south to the harbor is adjacent to the core of Pattaya's abundant nightlife area. Most sections of the beach are covered by rented deck chairs run by local beverage vendors during daylight hours.

Jomtien Beachis divided from the main part of Pattaya by Pratumnak Hill, just south of the city. Jomtien is essentially a residential area with beach side hotels, bungalow complexes, condominiums and restaurants. A wide array of watersport activities can be found, including jet skis, parasailing and small sail boat (Hobie Cat) rental. Dongtan Beach, just past the Avalon Beach Resort in Jomtien, is known as the gay beach, and is busy every day of the year.
Jomtien's most visible landmark is the 56-story Pattaya Park tower, part of the Pattaya Park entertainment complex which also features a water park, roller coaster, monorail. This may soon be overshadowed by the proposed 91-floor Ocean One Tower ("O1") Tower. With an overall height of 367 meters, it would be the tallest building in Thailand and one of the tallest residential buildings in the world. The Jomtien district is already home to one of the largest resorts in Asia, the 4000+ room Ambassador City Jomtien.

Naklua Bay: Is immediately north of Pattaya Bay, with Rachvate Cape separating the two. Naklua Beach, to the far north, is the main strip, with the smaller Crescent Moon Beach and then Palm Beach further south. Beyond them is Wong Amat Beach which occupies the northern end of Pattaya Bay, but is accessed from Naklua. All are generally cleaner and more suitable for quiet relaxation than Pattaya Beach.

 

Getting to Pattaya

 

By car

 

Pattaya is located 147km from Bangkok and can be reached in a comfortable 2-hour drive. There are two convenient ways to get there.

 

By the Bangkok-Chon Buri-Pattaya Motorway (Highway No.7) The motorway is linked with Bangkok’s Outer Ring Road., (Highway No. 9) and there is also another entrance at Si Nakharin and Rama IX Junction.

 

By Bang Na-Trat Highway (Highway No. 34) From Bang Na, Bang Phli, cross the Bang Pakong River to Chon Buri and take Chon Buri’s bypass to meet Sukhumvit Road., (Highway No. 3, passing Bang Saen Beach, Bang Phra to Pattaya.

 

Most visitors arrive by road from or via Bangkok, many having flown in to Suvarnabhumi (the "new" BKK). Much smaller numbers arrive direct by road from the north and east, by rail from Bangkok, and by air via U-Tapao from Ko Samui or Phuket in Southern Thailand or Siem Reap in Cambodia.

A surprising number of visitors inquire about ferries across the Gulf of Thailand - however no such services exist. Those determined to go by sea may find that local dive shops can help, if cost is not a consideration.

 

From Suvarnabhumi Airport

 

Suvarnabhumi Airport is Bangkok's shiny new successor to Don Muang. Only 110km from Pattaya (40km closer than Don Muang), transfers by road are inexpensive and quick (currently around 80-90 minutes in dry weather, 120 minutes in wet weather) and getting quicker as the upgrades to the connecting highway are completed. Taxis are a fairly inexpensive way to travel, especially at night. Fares are around 1200 baht, one way, plus toll booth fee for the two tolls enroute cost that 30 baht each. Be aware that non-licenced taxis may try to solicit business from you, and it is important to note that these drivers do not have proper accreditation. Time to Pattaya takes approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes during non-peak hours, and can take double this in the day.

 

From Don Muang Airport

 

Don Muang Airport was superseded by Suvarnabhumi on September 28th 2006, subsequently re-opened on March 24 2007, and currently handles Nok Air, One-Two-GO, PB Air and most Thai Airways domestic flights. The easiest way to transfer is by taxi; the most economical alternatives are to go by bus via Moh Chit (Bangkok's Northern Bus Terminal), or to go by train via Hualamphong (only practicable in the Pattaya to Don Muang direction).

 

By bus

 

First class bus

1st class buses from Bangkok to the North Pattaya Road bus station are air-con, almost always have an on-board toilet, are essentially direct (ie no stops), and provide a no fuss, no frills, hassle-free service. Departures from the Eastern (Ekamai) Terminal and Northern (Moh Chit) Terminal are frequent (every 20-40 minutes, depending on the time of day; more frequent still at public holiday weekends) and usually take 2-2.5 hours; those from the Southern Bus Terminal are less frequent and take a little longer.

Departure times & fares:

- Ekamai (East) to Pattaya - first 05:20, last 23:00 - 130 baht (approximately)

- Pattaya to Ekamai (East) - first 05:20, last 21:00 - 130 baht (approximately)

- Moh Chit (North) to Pattaya - first 05:00, last 20:00 - 130baht (approximately)

- Pattaya to Moh Chit (North) - first 05:20, last 20:00 - 120 baht (approximately)

- Sai Tai Mai (South) to Pattaya - 05:30, 08:30, 10:00, 12:00, 14:00, 16:00, 18:30 - 120 baht (approximately)

- Pattaya to Sai Tai Mai (South) - 06:00, 08:00, 10:00, 12:00, 15:00, 18:00 - 120 baht (approximately)

Fares may vary slightly depending on the route taken - for example, at busy times when the Moh Chit service uses the elevated express tollway, a marginally higher fare applies - however exact prices are always clearly posted at the official ticket counters.

All 1st class direct services to/from Bangkok use the recently redeveloped bus station on North Pattaya Road. These buses are usually full when they depart, and must be boarded at the terminus. Tickets are sold at the bus station; it's not possible to pre-book these services more than an hour or so in advance. Usually, if the bus that's due to leave next is already full, there will be seats available on the next one. The longest queues are for the very early morning departures from Pattaya - to get a seat on the first bus of the day you need to be in the ticket queue at least 30-40 minutes early; however the bonus is that these pre-rush hour services can take as little as 90 minutes to get to Bangkok.

From the North Pattaya Road bus station songthaews (a cross between a pickup truck, a share-taxi, a local bus and two pews) depart when full (every few minutes). The fare to anywhere on Beach Road ("the beach") is 20 baht; press the buzzer button on the underside of the roof when you want to get off.

 

Pattaya to the Eastern (Ekamai) Terminal: if requested, this bus will stop at the On Nut Skytrain Station on Sukhumvit Road. Depending on your final destination and the traffic conditions, you may want to transfer to the Skytrain there; if so, wait until the bus departs Pattaya and then confirm with the crew that you want to be dropped off at "On Nut". NB: this bus does not stop to pick up passengers at On Nut (or anywhere else) on the outbound leg.

 

Pattaya from/to the Southern (Sai Tai Mai) Terminal: if the direct bus is fully booked, take the Eastern (Ekamai) Terminal bus instead, and use the #511 (air-con, every 30 minutes 24/7, 20 baht) bus to connect between Ekamai and Sai Tai Mai.

 

Pattaya from/to Suvarnabhumi Airport: Bell travel Tel 038-370-0556, 02-747-4673 to Airport: 06:00, 09:00, 11:00, 13:00, 15:00, 17:00, 19:00 and to Pattaya: 08:00, 10:00, 12:00, 14:00, 16:00, 18:00. Their bus travels directly from the terminal building to the northern bus station. This service includes delivery/pick up to/from your hotel in the 200Bt price(Feb 2009), although they will not go to hotels located at Sukhumwit rd or at Chayapreuk rd or further.

 

Pattaya from/to Suvarnabhumi Airport: Governmental bus 124 bath (as of August 2009) to Pattaya: 07:00, 09:00, 11:00, 13:00, 15:00, 17:00 and 21:00. The bus departs directly from the airport at level 2 and makes stops along Sukhumwit rd at Pattaya Nua (north), Pattaya Klang (middle), Pattaya Tay (south), its bus station at the lower end of Theprasit rd and the bus station at Chaiyapreuk rd. Departing from the bus station at the lower end of Theprasit rd to the airport at 08:00, 10:00, 12:00, 14:00, 16:00, 18:00 and 20:00. It is also possible to board the bus 20 minutes prior to its departing time at the bus station at Chaiyapreuk rd. No other stops are made.

 

Second class bus

 

2nd class services (air-con, usually no on-board toilet) don't use the expressways, and make frequent (and sometimes lengthy) stops, hence they take considerably longer than their 1st class counterparts (which at worst will only halt momentarily once or twice to let passengers jump off on the final approaches to their destination). As at June 2006 the 2nd class fare is 100 baht, so the difference in price doesn't amount to much.

Many 2nd class buses from Bangkok continue on to Jomtien, so may be worth considering if that's your final destination and you're not in a hurry. For travel from Jomtien to Bangkok they have the advantage that they can be flagged down and boarded as they crawl along Jomtien's seafront road (Jomtien Beach Road - Thanon Hat Jomtien), avoiding the need for a preliminary trip to the bus station.

The terminus for 2nd class services to/from Bangkok and other short-haul destinations is on South Pattaya Road, but in practice these buses pick up and drop off the majority of their passengers en route. Tickets are sold both at the bus station (although advance booking may not be possible) and on the bus itself.

The New airport bus service, not very well advertised, from SUWANNAPUMI airport,is brand new,as are the buses,DIRECT from the airport,and terminates at Jomtien beach road & Soi Chiaproek,it costs 112 bt (approx 4 us$). Currently 5 return trips either way per day.You won't get too much info on this service,as it is not a private company, it is run by government employees,and you will be directed to the taxis and mini-buses,by the touts at the airport.Upon arrival at Jomtien, (1 hour or so ) there are many guest houses,and hotels,prices vary from 550bt, ( Maggie Mays ) to 3,500bt( Nusa Playa ) cheap and cheerful,to luxurious.

 

Minibus / Passenger Van

Bangkok - minibuses run between Pattaya and Bangkok's hotels and Khao San Road, offering the convenience of a door-to-door service for around 400 baht/person. Departure times vary, but 9AM / Noon / 5:30PM are the most widely advertised. Driving time is about 2 hours, however it can take quite a bit longer overall (especially if you're the first to be collected and the last to be dropped off). One such service runs direct between Pattaya Dynasty Inn (Soi 13) and Bangkok Dynasty Inn (Soi Nana), and can be arranged through the Dynasty Inn reception desks.

 

U-Tapao Airport (near Sattahip) - about 30 minutes, 200-250 baht; departure times to suit flight schedules (pre-booking especially important when flying to U-Tapao)

 

 

Ban Phe (gateway to Ko Samet) - about 90 minutes, 150-200 baht; departures typica

 

lly 7:30AM, 11:30AM, 3PM.

 

Laem Ngop (gateway to Ko Chang) - about 3 hours, 400-500 baht; depart 09:00

It's also possible to travel by minibus to Hat Lek (for the southern-most border crossing between Thailand and Cambodia) but not every day of the week; this service may or may not go via Laem Ngop, depending on overall demand. As at January 2006: depart 7:30AM, arrive around 2PM, 700 baht, Tuesday and Friday only - but liable to change, so enquire locally for the latest schedule details.

Travel agencies (ubiquitous throughout Pattaya) plus many hotels/guesthouses sell minibus tickets, and tourist-oriented services such as these invariably include collection from your hotel/guesthouse/wherever (allow extra time for this - times quoted above are approximate transit times and make no allowance for the vagaries of the collection process).

 

By taxi

 

Public taxis serving the airport must have a meter, be air-conditioned, and be less than five years old. The driver should have an Airports of Thailand certificate.

 

To Bangkok - widely advertised in Pattaya at 800 baht (the lower price is because it'll be a Bangkok cab returning home), and easily arranged through most travel agencies and hotels/guesthouses. Minibuses can also be chartered taxi-style from around 1800 baht.

 

From Bangkok - prices range from 1500 baht (the official meter-taxi rate) to 1000 baht; arranged car services will tend toward the higher end, but licenced meter-taxis should be negotiable to the lower end of the range. Allow about 90-120 minutes, depending on where in Bangkok you're coming from; more around rush hour.

 

From Suvarnabhumi Airport - the official meter-taxi price to Pattaya is 1050 baht (1100 baht to Jomtien) plus the 60 baht highway ("motorway" or "expressway") toll. Allow around 80-90 minutes in favourable conditions.

 

Scams to watch out for when headed for Bangkok by taxi include being told that the pre-paid price is fully inclusive, but then, on arrival at the first toll booth, being told that the expressway fees are extra.

Many of the more upmarket hotels can arrange (for an additional fee) to have you met at the airport gate by a personal driver with a limousine, thus avoiding the need to negotiate with taxi drivers, or you can book a limousine in advance online

 

By train

 

Provided it's a weekday, the most economical way to travel between Pattaya and Bangkok by public transport is by rail - the one-way fare is just 31 baht, and if you've never experienced a 3rd class Thai train, this can be an interesting experience.

From Monday to Friday, a single daily 3rd class (non-aircon) train departs Bangkok's Hualamphong Train Station at 6:50AM and arrives at the main Pattaya station at 10:18AM, before continuing on to Sattahip; it then returns via Pattaya at 2:21PM and terminates back in Bangkok at 5:40PM (on Saturdays and Sundays it turns back to Bangkok at Chachoengsao, so is of no practical use for getting to or from Pattaya at weekends). Regardless of direction, simply turn up and buy a ticket at the station - this train can't be pre-booked.

Pattaya has two train stations, both just east of Sukhumvit Road:

 

• Pattaya Train Station (tel. +66-38429285) is the main stop, just north of the junction with Central Pattaya Road (from Sukhumvit Road, turn into Soi Pornprapanimit and then turn left immediately before the road crosses the railway line). A Baht Bus waits here for the train to arrive and charges a reasonable 30 baht/person to anywhere in the Pattaya Beach area; in the opposite direction, budget around 40-50 baht for a motorbike taxi from Beach Road. Facilities comprise a small snacks / chilled drinks counter, toilets, a solitary payphone, and the ticket office - which also sells maps of Pattaya.

• Pattaya Tai Train Station is a small unmanned halt about 3 km further south, and hence closer to Jomtien, near the Sukhumvit / Thepprasit Road intersection.

At the main Pattaya Train Station, tickets must be bought before boarding and are only sold in the final 30 minutes prior to departure. The fare from/to Bangkok is 31 baht, from/to Sattahip 6 baht.

As the Pattaya Tai halt has no ticket office, passengers are permitted to board here without tickets and then pay on the train (32 baht to Bangkok).

The surcharge for transporting a bicycle (up to 20 kg) between any two points on this line (ie Bangkok-Sattahip) is 80 baht.

Tickets for other journeys can be purchased (up to a maximum of 60 days in advance) at the Pattaya Train Station ticket office between 8AM and 4PM; the same tickets can also be arranged through Pattaya agencies, who will add on a 200-300 baht markup to cover their assistance and the cost of sending a moto-taxi to collect the tickets from the station.