Pattaya Beach, in Chonburi Province on the east coast of the Gulf of Thailand, is the most famous beach destination in Thailand. The partying gets intense after the sun goes down, and the range of diversions appeals to every taste, interest and preference. You can find whatever you want in this cosmopolitan city dedicated to extravagant indulgence and the pursuit of pleasure.

A little over two hours from Bangkok by comfortable, air-conditioned bus, Pattaya is within easy reach of a dozen excellent, affordable golf courses which have great views and all the amenities. It is also home to numerous fully equipped businesses which offer scuba adventures at one of the nearby islands. The beach on Pattaya Bay itself may not be ideal for water sports, but nearby Na Jomtien and Naklua beaches provide cleaner, less crowded venues for swimming, windsurfing, boating, and other kinds of sun-drenched fun in the warm, turquoise waters of the Gulf.

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Natural Attractions

Pattaya Beach is a 3-kilometer-long curved beach in Pattaya city. There is a tree-shaded road hugging the coast. The northern part of the beach is relatively peaceful and suitable for water activities or sightseeing. The middle and southern parts are more crowded with many businesses such as restaurants, shopping malls, souvenir shops and entertainment shows. Na Jomtien Beach is located to the south, about 4 kilometers from Pattaya city. It is more peaceful and less crowded than Pattaya beach. A six-kilometer-long stretch of beach facing southeast into the Gulf of Thailand makes Na Jomtien Beach popular with windsurfers and water sports enthusiasts who appreciate its uncrowded waves and refreshing breezes. Na Jomtien Beach attracts tourists who want quiet and privacy. Lan Island is the only island near Pattaya with accommodations for tourists. Small glass bottom boats are an easy way to view the plentiful coral formations, and equipment is available on the island for those who prefer snorkeling, para-sailing, water skiing or scampering about on jet skis. Deep sea fishing expeditions can also be arranged. Bangsaen Beach, a nice clean beach, is about one hour’s drive from Pattaya city. The beach is 2.5 kilometers long. The recommended activity on Bangsaen Beach is morning biking to get cool sea breezes and other water sports in the late afternoon. Si Chang Island makes a nice weekend outing for local tourists. While the beaches are not as enjoyable as those on islands further east and south, tourists can explore the remains of a former royal palace which was built as a summer retreat for King Chulalongkorn. Nong Nooch Tropical Garden features two manmade lakes and more than 500 acres of exquisitely manicured gardens, including gardens dedicated to bonsai, cactus, palms and bromeliads, and a hothouse for orchids and ferns. Visitors agree Nong Nooch Tropical Garden is one of the most attractive tourist resorts in the province. Saithip Butterfly Garden is a six-hectare butterfly garden located on Bang Phra-Khao Kheow Road in Sriracha District. Besides allowing you to get close to real live butterflies the garden has interesting exhibits with information about different kinds of butterflies and their life cycle. There is also a butterfly museum with beautiful decorations. It is considered the largest butterfly garden in Asia. Saithip Butterfly Garden Tel: 0 3826 3016-8. Khao Kheow Safari, located in Bang Phra, Sriracha District is an open zoo covering 480 hectares, managed by the Bangkok-based Dusit Zoo Organization. It has many kinds of animals such as deer, bulls, monkeys, gibbons, hippopotamus, bears, kangaroo, giraffes, elephants, peacocks, and latest interesting activity, “Khao Kheaw Night Safari” inviting people to see animal’s habits in nighttime. Khao Kheiw Safari Tel: 0 3829 8188, 0 3829 8270 Sriracha Tiger Zoo, in Nong Kham, Sriracha District, shows and raises more than 200 Bengal tigers and more than 100,000 crocodiles with plenty of other animals. The attractions include an impressive circus show with trained chimpanzees, bears, Bengal tigers and elephants. Sriracha Tiger Zoo Tel: 0 3829 6556-8.

Art & Cultural Attractions

Mini Siam, located on Sukhumvit Road, between NaKlua Market and North Pattaya Road, is an outdoor attraction with 1:25 scale models of important monuments from Thailand and abroad. For example, there is a mini reproduction of the Marble Temple, Rama IX Bridge, and Victory Monument in Bangkok along with models of the Eiffel Tower, the Statue of Liberty, Big Ben, London Bridge and many others. A traditional Thai dancing show is also provided for tourists who choose to have a meal there. Mini Siam Tel: 0 3842 1628. The Sanctuary of Truth, the world’s largest carved wood castle, is located on Lam Ratchavet Naklua, Bang la Mung District. The creator expressed ideas about Asian philosophy art and culture through the elaborate woodcarvings with the aim of helping people realize the 7 origins and 4 moral principles that can build an ideal world. The Bottle Museum is the fruit of the work of a Dutch man named Pieter Bij De Leij who worked up to 14 hours a day for 15 years, using pliers to build miniature objects in small glass bottles. Bij De Leij created more than 300 bottle displays with miniature contents ranging from Buddha images to windmills, ships, churches, lighthouses, and the Eiffel Tower. This is the only museum of its kind in the world. The Bottle Museum Tel: 0 3842 2957. The Statue of the Father of the Royal Thai Navy is located in South Pattaya in the cliff beach zone. The area is taken care by the Royal Thai Navy. The court in front of the statue gives the best view of Pattaya Beach. You may walk from the monument only 20 meters to reach Wat Khao Phra Baht (Buddha Footprint Hill Temple). Khao Sam Muk (Sam Muk Hill) is located on Bang Saen Beach, next to Ang Sila. There are plenty of activities to do on Khao Sam Muk. Those are paying respect to the Goddess of Sam Muk, having a beautiful bird’s eye view of the surrounding area from on top of the hill, having a seafood dinner with the scenery of Bang Saen Beach in the evening light or feeding the local monkeys.

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Activities in Chonburi and Pattaya

Underwater World: an interesting place where aquariums simulate different parts of the world’s oceans, exhibiting live fish and other aquatic animals. The highlight of Underwater World is the transparent aquatic tunnel that you can walk through to see fishes swimming all around. Underwater World is located on Sukhumvit Road on the way to Sattahip. Underwater World, tel: 0 3875 6789, 0 3875 6876-9.

Ripley’s Believe It Or Not: a museum that houses a collection of interesting objects and models of things featured in the famous book. Robert Ripley traveled around the world and discovered all kinds of strange things such as odd objects, illusions, and bizarre humans and animals. The museum features unbelievable exhibits on ancient life, torture equipment, and natural disasters. For more fun, there are Ripley’s Infinity Maze, Ripley’s 4D Moving Theatre and Ripley’s Haunted Adventure. The museum is located in Royal Garden Plaza, tel: 0 3871 0294-8.

Pattaya Park Water Park: challenge yourself and catch the thrill of wild wet fun on giant water slides, try swimming against the current in the whirlpool, or rest and get a tan on the private beach, here at the only water park of Pattaya. You may enjoy the amusement park of Pattaya Park or having lunch or dinner in the Pattaya Park Tower revolving restaurant. Pattaya Park, tel: 0 3825 1201-8, 0 3836 4110-20.

Go-Kart: A first for Thailand, in Pattaya you can find small racing karts available for rent for a safe taste of racetrack speed. There are two speedways to choose from– Pattaya Kart Speedway, tel: 0 3842 2044 and Siamkarting Circuit, tel: 0 3872 7410.

Chonburi Souvenir Shopping There are plenty of famous souvenirs of Chonburi you might like to buy, such as fruits and seafood products. The price is negotiable, depending on how much you buy. Seafood is cheap and fresh from the fisherman village at Laem Chabang or Bang Sare. Cooked seafood includes fried shrimp, grilled squid, fried fish cake, and steamed curry custard with mussels. Chonburi’s most famous fruits and snacks are sticky rice in bamboo, sticky rice grilled in banana leaves, coconut custard, sweet egg yolk desserts, layered jelly, Thai caramel, and Thai fruit toffees. The Ancient Gold Shop at Panthong District has been famous for its gold jewelry for decades. Panthong gold has its own individual style and design. Panasnikom handicraft features old style local handicrafts made of bamboo, rattan, and coconut leaves.

Chakri Naruebet Offshore Patrol Helicopter Carrier: the Chakri Naruebet was constructed at Izar’s El Ferrol yard in Spain for the Royal Thai Navy, commissioned in March 1997. With a design similar to that of the Spanish carrier Principe de Asturias, the Chakri Naruebet is tasked with warfare/flagship command and control, air support for amphibious operations with the Thai surface fleet, EEZ surveillance and protection, search and rescue, and disaster relief. It is based in the Gulf of Thailand and civilians are welcome to visit and see inside.

Bangsaen Institute of Marine Science, Burapha University: over 180 species of marine animals marine animals are reared and shown in 44 tanks for the purpose of education, research and recreation. In the Marine Science Museum section specimens of preserved marine animals, replicas of marine animals, skeletons and marine plants are exhibited, along with some pottery and utensils retrieved from sunken ships. The Institute of Marine Science is located in Saensook District. It is open to the public from 8:30 to 16:30 every day except Mondays; tel: 0 3839 1671-3.

Nightlife Splendor

Pattaya Walking Street: not only is it a beautiful beach to enjoy sunbathing or water activities in the day time, but Pattaya’s main boulevard can also be colorful after sunset. At the end of South Pattaya there is one especially lively street with plenty of shops called “Pattaya Walking Street.” It’s famous for beer bars, tailor shops, arts galleries, seafood restaurants and souvenirs shop, so you can be sure you will not get bored at night.

The Alcazar Cabaret Show: an enchanting show of dancing transvestites with spectacular scenery, lighting effects and costumes. The show has been a famous attraction of Pattaya for more than 24 years. The theatre started with just 350 seats and now has expanded to more than 1,200 seats. There are 18 acts in one show, with 3 shows per night at 18:30, 20:00 and 21:30. Extra shows may be added on weekends or special holidays at 17:00 and 23:00 tel:

Dance clubs, discotheques and Karaoke bars: pricing is different in different places, so you may want to shop around before settling in. Here are some choices to check: Jenny Star Bar, Walking Street, tel: 0 3825 0251-3 ext. 8105; Batman, South Pattaya Road, tel: 0 3842 1428-9; Dice Café, Pattaya-Naklua Road, tel: 0 3842 6073; Disco Duck, Central Pattaya Road, tel: 0 384 28065; Hollywood, South Pattaya Road, tel: 0 3842 4975; Palladium, Pattaya 2nd Road, tel: 0 3842 4933; Planet Rock, Soi Pattayaland 2, tel: 0 3871 0835.