Pattaya Facts
- Location: East Coast of Thailand
- Dialing Code: (+66) 038
- Zip Code: 20150
- Main Attractions in Pattaya: Pattaya Beach, The Sanctuary of Truth, Nong Nooch Tropical Garden, Pattaya Floating Market, The Coral Islands, Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum
Pattaya is a famous seascape resort with a pleasant climate. It is on the east coast of the Gulf of Thailand, about 154 kilometers southeast of Bangkok, 2 hours driving along the Sukhumvit Highway, within, but not part of, Bang Lamung District in the province of Chonburi. Pattaya is famous for its sun, beaches, and seafood. It is known as "Oriental Hawaii", and the scenery is beautiful. The average annual temperature is about 20℃.
Pattaya Beach
History of Pattaya
Pattaya, the name came from "Thap Phraya", which means the "army of the Phraya", evolved from the march of Phraya Tak (later King Taksin) and his army from Ayutthaya to Chanthaburi, which took place before the fall of the former capital to Burmese invaders in 1767. It became Pattaya later, the name of the wind blowing from the south-west to the north-east at the beginning of the rainy season.
Until the 1970s, it was still a sparsely populated fishing village where the locals lived on planting sweet potatoes. During the Vietnam War, Pattaya was an important base for the US Marine Corps, and this US Navy base still exists today. Huge porn consumption has stimulated Pattaya's porn market and continues to this day. Thus, Pattaya, a Hindu religious shrine with a religious belief in Buddhism, became a special case in Thailand.
In 1961, the Thai government found that the crescent-shaped seaside here has unique tourism conditions, so it allocated special funds and encouraged domestic and foreign investment and development. Pattaya was thus classified as a special economic zone in Thailand, which allowed it to grow rapidly and become famous.
Today, Pattaya is a sleepless city with around 800,000 people. At night, the neon lights of big shops, hotels, dance halls, and nightclubs twinkled; pavilion-style pubs lined the streets; pop music filled the streets. Pedestrians on the road stood shoulder-to-shoulder, the traffic was crowded, and the lights were bright all day long.
Night Life
Climate & Weather
Pattaya has a tropical monsoon climate. Because it is located on the seashore, the climate is pleasant, and the scenery is beautiful. The temperature difference throughout the year is not significant. Seasons are almost "constant temperature". The average temperature is about 20℃. The most comfortable month of the year is December, with a temperature of about 16℃. The most unbearable time is April and May, with an average temperature of about 30℃.
Due to the influence of the tropical monsoon, Pattaya can be divided into three seasons throughout the year. The highest temperature in April and May is about 30℃, which is called the "hot season" and the air is dry.
The rainfall in June increases until late October, the temperature dropped slightly, this is the "rainy season", the air is humid, 85% of the annual rainfall concentrated for these months, the average monthly temperature maintained at about 22℃.
After the rainy season, Pattaya ushered the most comfortable "cold season", which is from November to February of the following year. It is dry and rainy, and the average temperature is only about 15 to 18 degrees Celsius. Although called the "cold season", the temperature is not low, and various flowers are still gorgeous. At this time, "Oriental Hawaii" has unique scenery and multiplies its charm.
The Sanctuary of Truth
Dressing Guide
The climate here is hot, and it is suitable to wear shorts in any season. It should be noted that when you go to the beach, remember to apply sunscreen with a multiple of SPF30 or more to avoid sunburn.
Transportation
►How to Get to Pattaya from Bangkok
By Flight
U-Tapao Airport (UTP) is the only airport in Pattaya. Most tourists choose to fly to Bangkok and then change other transportation to Pattaya.
Taxi
Pattaya is 147km from Bangkok and takes about 90 minutes.
Taxi Fee: 1300-1500B (approximately), plus a 65 baht high-speed fee.
Airport Bus
BELL TRAVEL SERVICE offers direct transportation from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Pattaya and vice versa. The airport's BELL service counter is located on the 7th Gate on the First Floor. Of course, they also provide transportation from Don Mueang Airport to Pattaya, and vice versa, the meeting point is set on the 8th Gate at the First Floor.
Bus Fee: 200B
Tips
- You can book a seat on the website without paying. You will receive an e-mail after the reservation is made, please print it out and pay at the counter. There is usually a seat if you buy the ticket at the scene.
- You need to fill the destination for reservation. Just fill it in if you did not have that information. The staff will help you update the information when you pay at the counter.
Coach
Take the airport shuttle bus to Suvarnabhumi Airport Public Transport Center, where you will bus # 389 to Pattaya.
Coach Fee: 106 baht.
By Train
The train from Bangkok to Pattaya runs from Monday to Friday. The journey takes about 3.5hrs. Departure from Bangkok at 6:55 am and return from Pattaya at 2:20 pm.
- Bangkok-Pattaya: NO. 283, 6: 55-10: 35
- Pattaya-Bangkok: NO. 284, 14: 21-18: 25
Because of the uncertain departure time, it is best to check with Bangkok Hua Lamphong Railway Station before you leave.
Train Fare: 32B for third-class seat
By Public Bus
The long-distance bus is much more convenient and faster than the train, because there is only one train from Bangkok to Pattaya per day. There are many buses to Pattaya from Bangkok's East Bus Station and North Bus Station. The journey by public bus from Bangkok to Pattaya takes about 2 hours.
Operation Time: 4: 00-23: 00 every day, every 40 minutes.
Consulting Tel: + 66-23-912504
In addition, another bus terminal in Bangkok (Kamphaeng Phet II) also has a regular bus to Pattaya.
Operation Time: 4: 30-20: 00 every day, every 30 minutes.
Consulting Tel: + 66-29-362852-66
Cost: 200B
►Domestic Transportation
There is no public city bus in Pattaya. Actually, there are only two main roads in the city (North Beach Boulevard and Pattaya Second Boulevard). Tourists can take Tuk-tuk or rent a motorcycle to travel around Pattaya. Please note that most of Pattaya's streets are one-way. The driving direction of Beach Boulevard is from south to north, while Pattaya Second Boulevard is the opposite. Be sure to know the location and direction when you are driving.
Tourism
The slogan of the Pattaya is: "Pattaya will never sleep. For you, she is the best tourist destination." People call this city "Sexuality Disneyland." It is understood that there are more than 3 million tourists each year gather in Pattaya to enjoy their novel nightlife and sexual freedom. There are over 25,000 rooms in 275 hotels scattered throughout the city (over a night here costs from $10 to $80 ).
Pattaya, the most popular beach resort in Southeast Asia, enjoys the reputation of Oriental Hawaii and has become synonymous with beach vacation paradise. The 40-kilometer-long Pattaya Beach is a natural swimming pool. Water skiing, surfing, and other water entertainment activities are novel and exciting.
In addition to enjoying the sunny beach, Pattaya also has other rich tourism resources. Dongba Paradise where you can watch elephant performances, Pattaya Elephant Village where you can ride on elephants, The Sanctuary of Truth which was caved with beautiful teak wood, Ripley's Believe It or Not which is a Museums showing strange things around the world, Mini Siam which is a miniature model village, Pattaya Floating Market where the movie is filmed, Buddha Mountain Khao Chi Chan with gold Buddha statue is definitely worth your visit.
The Sanctuary of Truth
Best Places to Visit in Pattaya
►Pattaya Beach
Pattaya Beach is about 3km long, part of the 15km coastline of Pattaya, which owns the finest sandy and clearest water. The northern part of the beach is relatively quiet. There are many beautiful beach hotels and resorts, suitable for tourists who want to enjoy their vacation in peace. In the south, there are countless small hotels, as well as restaurants, bars, nightclubs, and other commercial and entertainment venues, suitable for young people who like lively and exciting. In addition to swimming and sunbathing, there are also a variety of water sports on the beach, and it is a lively scene all day long.
►The Sanctuary of Truth
The Sanctuary of Truth is constructed of pure mahogany and teak, and the design is mainly based on the traditional Asian art and the gorgeous style of the Bangkok dynasty in Thailand.
There are two dolphin shows in the temple every day, as well as horse riding, carriage rides, speedboat trips to nearby bays, and other activities. The woodcarving art there is a must, and there are relics of past masters for admiration.
►Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum
Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum, the 25th quaint museum of this kind in the world, displays strange things from around the world. Here are the strange things from an adventurer who has traveled around the world for many years. The museum has reduced heads from Ecuador, Tibetan skulls, and two-headed cats. There are a variety of themes to choose from in the exhibition hall, and you can feel a different atmosphere.
►Nong Nooch Tropical Garden
Also known as Nonn Garden, covering an area of more than 1,600 acres, it is a Thai rural style leisure and holiday park. The park mainly includes three parts: Thai folk performance, elephant show, and botanical garden. It has a village to display national culture. In fact, it is a private forest garden. The founder is one of the ten richest people in Thailand. Because of the appreciation of the Thai queen, it expanded to the current scale.
The most worth mentioning is that the elephants here can paint, and it is said that the elephant is equivalent to the intelligence of a five-year-old child.
►Buddha Mountain
Buddha Mountain is to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the emperor's ascension to the throne, and he used a laser to sculpt a statue of Sakyamuni Buddha. This is the largest statue of the Sakyamuni Buddha in Pattaya. It is made of 18 tons of 24K gold.
It is said that this is the dragon vein that a monk found for the emperor of the 9th Century. He opened a mountain and carved a big Buddha with 4 tons of gold. The seated Buddha statue is kind and can be seen from a few miles away. Due to the rational arrangement and the geographical environment, the gold body of the Buddha sitting on the lotus can be seen clearly on the left and right sides.
►Pattaya Floating Market
Take a boat through the crisscross waterways, and you can watch the traditional Thai folk dances and gentle songs. In the water market, you can not only eat the flavor of local snacks, but also buy special products and crafts.
Because of the similar structure of the shops and bridges, in order to prevent tourists from getting lost, there are arrows on the boardwalk and small bridges indicating the direction. Red goes in, and green leads to the exit.
►The Coral Islands
Ko Lan, also known as Kolan, Coral Island, and Sands Island, is a famous diving mecca. Here you can enjoy the wonders of the sea and sunbathe on the beach. There are many water entertainment items, such as banana boats and motorboats. The main beaches are Dayuan Beach, Tonglang Beach, Sangwan Beach, Sky Beach, Samet Beach, and Ivory Bay. Among them, Ivory Bay is the best choice for many couples and lovers to have a holiday because of its inaccessibility.
Currency
The official currency of Thailand is the Thai Baht (THB), which is pronounced as "ba", usually abbreviated as "B". The maximum denomination of the Thai baht is 1,000 baht. 500, 100, 50 baht are commonly used, and 20, 10, 5, 1 baht are common coins, so it is necessary to prepare more coins in Thailand.
Consumption
For a meal, a small restaurant costs 100-200 baht per person; a better restaurant costs 200-500 baht; more than 500 baht can squander. 500-1000 baht/night for family hotels, 1000-3000 baht/night for medium accommodations, more than 3,000 baht you can experience fest in luxury hotel.
Shopping
There are no special products in Pattaya, but all kinds of products in Thailand can be found here, and the prices are good. Brand-name clothing, especially casual jackets, jeans, etc. And the price is pretty lower. The colorful cotton T-shirts are indispensable for tropical travel, and tourists can buy all kinds of T-shirts at a low price. Thai silk has a fine texture and elegant patterns, so it is a great gift that clothing, turbans, ties, and sofa cushion covers made of these local fabrics. Tourists can also pick some fabrics to make custom clothes.
Mike Shopping Mall
Pattaya's first choice for leisure shopping is the characteristic night market and the Sihe Floating Market. You can enjoy the daily life of Thai people by walking between the wells and the rivers. If you want to buy brand-name clothing, cosmetics, etc., you have to go to large shopping malls, such as Royal Garden Bazaar Shopping Center, Suntech, King Power Duty-Free Shopping Center, Outlets. To buy some souvenirs, be sure to visit the local supermarket. Big C and Lotus Supermarket have a lot of local snacks, fruits, seasonings, etc.
