Pattaya is a
popular beach resort on the
Gulf of
Thailand just
150 km southeast of
Bangkok: a mere two hour drive. While Pattaya
once had a well deserved reputation for its seedy nightlife, local authorities
have, in recent years, improved the quality of the beaches and reinvented the
resort, to some degree, as a more family friendly destination. Today, hundreds
of thousands of visitors are drawn each year to Pattaya to windsurf, water ski,
swim, sunbathe, snorkel, sail, or take trips to nearby islands. Other
activities include Bungee jumping, cycling, skydiving, go-Karting, Muay Thai
(Thai boxing), and Paintball (to name only a few!) Golfers, both novice and
expert are well catered to as well, with a wide selection of golf courses
around Pattaya including the Phoenix, Pattaya Country Club, and the Navy course
near Sattahip, which offers 18 holes of golf for around 1,000 baht (around 30
US dollars)! Another major draw for visitors to Pattaya is the wide selection
of restaurants serving some of
Thailand's
freshest seafood. Due to the high number of expatriate foreigners in Pattaya
there is also an excellent selection of authentic foreign eateries serving
French, Italian, Swiss, German, Hungarian, Scandinavian, English, Indian,
Moslem, Japanese, and Chinese cuisine. Drawing such a large number of diverse
visitors from across the world, it’s no surprise that Pattaya also boasts an
incredible choice of accommodation. Those on a tight budget and those with
money to burn are equally able to find rooms to suit their needs. Even those
who are turned off by the widespread development along Pattaya’s main beach can
find some peaceful beach time at nearby Jomtien beach, just
3 kilometers south,
which is a far quieter alternative. Just over one hour from
Bangkok’s
Suvarnabhumi Airport, Pattaya is a lively beach town
that draws visitors from around the world. With activities that include a wide
array of water sports, golf, shopping, cabaret shows, an elephant village, and
a Ripley’s Believe it or Not museum (to name only a very few) it’s impossible
not to have an action-packed Pattaya holiday. Unless of course its relaxation
you crave, in which case there are thousands of beach chairs and umbrellas
lining the Pattaya shore, where wandering vendors will cater to your every
need: from barbequed shrimp to a foot massage. Pattaya is certainly a Thai
beach resort that meets the needs of any visitor on any budget.
Attractions
Khao Phra Tam Nak or Khao
Phra Bat
This is a
small hill to the south of Pattaya
Beach. It is accessible
by an asphalt road, which leads up to the hilltop. Khao Pattaya is now the site
of the Naval Radio Station where the monument
of Krom Luang Chumphon Khet Udomsak,
the Father of Royal Thai Navy, is situated. A sacred Buddha image is also
enshrined on the hilltop. The viewpoint on the hilltop offers a panoramic view
of Pattaya City
and Pattaya Bay.
Hat Chom Thian
The former
paddy fields have turned into a thriving beach. Only 3 km. down Pattaya Beach,
Chomthian is highly recommended to those who seek a quieter resort. The
6-kilometer long, largely straight beach is popular with windsurfers and
watersports enthusiasts. It is also quieter and more relaxing than Pattaya Beach. Hotels and other accommodation
facilities are available along the road that runs parallel to the shore.
Underwater World Pattaya
A
new tourist attraction in town is the largest and most modern ocean aquarium in
Asia, boasting a 100-meter-long,
6.4-centimeter-thick acrylic pedestrian tunnel through an underwater
environment filled with dozens of marine species.
Located just 200 meters south of
Tesco Lotus in South Pattaya, the new theme park covers a total area of 12-rai
and is housed in a structure similar to a large circus tent.
The aquarium itself houses more
than 4,000 marine animals, comprising more than 200 different species from the
region as well as some rare creatures from overseas. Top in the Visitors
must-see list is the rare shovelnose ray, a hybrid between a shark and a
stingray.
Admission fee for adults is 450
baht and children is 250 baht. Thai adults is 250 baht and children is 150
baht. Open from 9.00 a.m.
6.00 p.m. For more information and booking, call 0 3875 6879 Fax:: 0 3875 6875
Ban Sukhawadee
A
European style mansion by the sea houses a statue of Kuan Yin and other
sculptures that express the philosophy of living. Buildings in the compound
include The Buddha Dome, a restuarant and sourvenir shop. For more information
please call 0 2944 2144 Fax. 0 2944 2145
Website: www.sukhawadee.net
E-mail: info@sukhawadee.net
Pattaya Elephant
Village
Located
on Phonpraphanimit Road,
which is off of Highway No.3 at Km. 145, the Pattaya Elephant
Village showcases daily
life of elephants and their masters. It also offers stage shows, which
demonstrate how to catch wild elephants, elephants-at-work in the jungle,
elephants playing football, a grand war, and elephants' parades. Elephant rides
around the village are recommended. The one-hour-long elephant shows are held
at 14.30 hrs. Contact the counter in the Tropicana Hotel, Tel: 0 3824 9145-7, 0
3824 9818.
Elephant shows are also operated
in other places. Most of them are located on Sukhumvit Road. These include Ban Chang
Thai Tel: 0 3870 628-91, Utthayan Chang Tel: 0 38 71 6379, Thin Chang Thai Tel:
0 3875 6516, 0 3875 6577, Suan Chang Tel: 0 3875 6517 and Farm Chang Thai Tel:
0 3823 7825.
Sanctuary of Truth
The compound,
which covers an area of more than two rais, is situated by the sea at Laem
Ratchawet on Na Klua Road, North
Pattaya. Within the compound is a gigantic temple-like structure entirely made
of wood that is 105
meters high at the highest point which was constructed
to withstand wind and sunshine on the seashore. With exquisite architectural
features, the sanctuary was conceived out of the vision that human civilization
has been achieved and nurtured by religious and philosophical truths.
Open daily
from 9 a.m.
to 6 p.m., admission fee is 500 baht with Dolphin Training Shows at 11.30 a.m. and 3.30 p.m.
Tel: 0 3822 5407, or visit www.sanctuaryoftruth.com for more information.
Sources : Tourism Authority of Thailand