|
 |
 |
 |
| Travel Guide |
|
|
| Travel Tips |
|
|
| Travel Directory |
|
|
| Top 5 Destinations |
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
Grand Palace (The)
Grand Palace (The), Bangkok, Thailand : Find latest reviews and deals, maps, photo at Yahoo Travel | Erawan Shrine
Erawan Shrine, Bangkok, Thailand : Find latest reviews and deals, maps, photo at Yahoo Travel | Wat Pho
Wat Pho, Bangkok, Thailand : Find latest reviews and deals, maps, photo at Yahoo Travel | Ancient City
Ancient City, Bangkok, Thailand : Find latest reviews and deals, maps, photo at Yahoo Travel | Jim Thompson's House and Museum
Jim Thompson's House and Museum, Bangkok, Thailand : Find latest reviews and deals, maps, photo at Yahoo Travel |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pattaya Thailand Travel Guide
 The closest beach resort to Bangkok, Pattaya is many different things to many different people. It is one of the most established international resorts in the country having first attracted visitors in the early sixties when it was just a small fishing village. It is anything but that now. A bustling town full of high rise hotels, restaurants and shopping malls line a sweeping bay dotted with countless speed boats, jet skis and yachts. Above all, Perhaps, Pattaya is most famous for its nightlife which brings it millions of visitors a year and also a certain notoriety.
|
|
|
The beach in Pattaya is by no means the best in Thailand or even the immediate area. The main road runs right along it and the water is not the cleanest close to the shore. The beach 5km south of Pattaya at Jomtien is a far better option for sunbathing and daytime relaxation. On both beaches you can rent deckchairs under umbrellas. There are small stalls selling food and drink and an endless supply of hawkers trying to sell you artefacts from all over the country most of which you are unlikely to want. The beaches in North Pattaya are the quietest and you are not so near the traffic.
|
|
|
A twenty baht boat ride will take you 8km across the bay to Koh Larn (Coral Island) where the beaches are very good. White sand and crystal clear water make it an ideal place to relax and the coral makes it great for snorkelling enthusiasts.
|
|
|
Where Pattaya really comes into itself is in the range of international cuisine available. In this it rivals even Bangkok. Moules Mariniere from Brittany, an English roast dinner, South Indian thalis, Scandinavian rollmops or Russian sausage, it's all available somewhere in Pattaya. Jomtien is very well stocked with Italian and Scandinavian restaurants since there are many visitors from those parts of the world. There is also a lot of very good sea food, but it is over priced compared to many other areas such as Hua Hin.
|
|
|
The choice of accommodation is fantastic ranging from luxury, international hotels, through to long term condos (at very competitive rates) to cheaper guest houses which tend to be further back from the beach.
|
|
|
Getting around is fairly simple. Songthaews (a kind of taxi van) patrol the one way system in great numbers and on set routes. You simply hail one, get in and pull a chord to alert the driver when you want to get off.
|
|
The famous nightlife of Pattaya is largely, although not exclusively, concentrated in South Pattaya, the epicentre being the pedestrianized area of Walking Street and along Beach Road.  The place is frenetic with competing sound systems belting out deafening, thumping music from hundreds of beer bars, go-go bars and discos all thronged with tourists haemorrhaging money on hedonism and an array of scantily clad bar-girls, transvestites and opportunists. It is an explosive, turbo-charged atmosphere fuelled by the twenty-four hour consumption of alcohol and the desire to make and spend cash.
|
|
|
It is not for everyone. Both North Pattaya and Jomtien offer a more sedate nightlife where the music is quieter, the crowds thinner and the pace less frantic. Families with children will find it easier to relax than in the neon lit atmosphere of South Pattaya.
|
|
|
Where Pattaya really excels is in the range of outdoor activities and sports on offer. Whether it's diving, windsurfing, sailing or jet skiing, there are many outlets providing tours, facilities and training and it is all on your doorstep. You can also go parasailing, bungee jumping, elephant riding, deep-sea fishing, motor racing, polo playing, shooting or kick boxing. If all that wears you out the city is full of places to relax, go swimming, take spa treatments or even do a meditation course.
|
|
|
Pattaya is also one of the premier destinations in Asia for golf with well over twenty first class courses in the immediate vicinity. Not only are the courses and facilities first class they are also very reasonably priced.
|
|
|
An international mixture of convenience, gluttony, clean air and wild excess, Pattaya can be whatever you want it to be, but only as long as you know what it is that you want. |
|
About The Author
Alex Smith maintains and manages the Cheap Thailand Travel website at http://www.cheapthaitravel.com - All of the materials on this site are the sole property and responsibility of Cheapthaitravel.com. This material may not be reproduced in any form without express written permission.
|
|
|
|
|
