Pattaya Tourist Attractions

Oodles of sunshine, lazy evenings by the beachside, swanky shopping avenues and a thrilling nightlife – the quaint little city of Pattaya offers all these and a lot more to revelers. There is little wonder then why this resort located about 165 kms southeast of Bangkok in Thailand is such a hot favorite with locals and tourist alike. Infact, it’s regarded as amongst the most popular beaches around the world that witnessed a whooping 5.4 million footfalls in 2005. Maximum of these are generally repeat visitors.

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Important Snippet Information about Pattaya

Pronounced as ‘Patti-yah’, Pattaya was actually an insignificant fishing village way back in the 60s until it was discovered by the Bangkok residents.

The climate of Pattaya is tropical wet and dry. But this too can be divided into the different seasons with slight variations - warm and dry ensuing from November to February, hot and humid from March to May and hot and rainy (June to October). It’s, however, the time just prior and post Christmas that sees maximum rush of tourists.

In 2007, Pattaya had 101,378 registered inhabitants. But being a major tourist resort, a lot many people keep coming and going for business purposes throughout the year. Moreover, this figure excludes the Thais working in Pattaya and many other long-term expatriate visitors.

Places of Tourist Interest in Pattaya

Pattaya Beach

The Pattaya Beach is a must visit by anybody who steps into this exotic resort city. This beach is located along the central city quite close to the various shopping malls, hotels and bars in this region. You will find people strolling on the endless sand-covered beach laughing and making merry. However, the Pattaya beach not a family beach and frequently mainly by couples.

Jomtien Beach

This particular beach is flocked by family vacationers all the time. It’s basically a residential area having beachside motels, bungalows, condominiums and eateries. One can indulge in a wide array of water-sport activities here like jet skis, parasailing and small sail boat rental. Jomtien's most prominent landmark is the 56-story Pattaya Park tower in the Pattaya Park entertainment Complex, which also includes a water park, roller coaster, monorail and children's activities.

Ko Lan

Ko Lan / Coral Island is a cute little island about 7.5 km west of Pattaya. This place is approachable via speedboat and ferry. The latter leaves for Ko Lan every other hour and is just a 45-minute ride. The ferry ride will cost you 20 baht each way. Speedboats, in comparison, are more expensive, but reach the island in less than 15 minutes. Ko Lan has many serene, clean beaches with relaxing ambience and pellucid waters.

Island groups

Just off the coast of Pattaya, there are a couple of tiny exquisite island groups – Ko Sak and Ko Krok. Also referred to as the ‘Near Islands’, these are situated nearby the northern shores of Pattaya, adjoining Ko Lan, and the ‘Far Islands’ that comprises Ko Rin, Ko Man Wichai, Ko Hua Chang, and Ko Badan. The Far Islands are located offshore Pattaya in the west and are ideal scuba diving destinations in and around the Pattaya region.

Other Attractions at Pattaya Resort

Pattaya offers a multitude of options to tourist apart from the ones mentioned above. For instance if you are an avid golfer, then Pattaya’s the place for you. The resort city has many lovely golf courses. Tourists also like to visit the construction site of a magnificent temple called the Sanctuary of Truth here as well as unique theme parks and zoos like Mini Siam and Elephant Village.

‘Vimantaitalay’, a submarine for tourists takes people under sea to see and enjoy corals and marine life. Then there’s the Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden in Pattaya located about 15 kilometers in the east. This 500-acre botanical garden is very well maintained and also comprises a beautiful orchid nursery. At the same time, many cultural shows are organized in the Thai village interiors from time to time.

Accommodation at Pattaya

Depending on the time of year, Pattaya offers a wide variety of accommodation facilities costing USD $10 to a couple hundred dollars per day. There are good numbers of elite hotels as well as guesthouses and budget accommodations here. It is, however, advised that tourist and visitors take the advice of a good travel agency for this purpose.

How to Reach Pattaya?

By Air - One can to reach the Suvarnabhumi Airport which is located at about an hour and half’s distance away from Pattaya. The famous resort city is also served by the U-Tapao International Airport, which is 45 minutes away from here.

By Road – Via road, Pattaya is linked by the Sukhumvit Road and Motorway 7 from Bangkok in Thailand.

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