The Thai Seaside Resort of Pattaya

The Thai seaside resort of Pattaya is perhaps best-known for its nightlife. Since the days that Vietnam War GIs came to play, Pattaya has been known as a raucous 'good-times' resort.

The downtown action hogs the limelight at the expense of several engaging and family-friendly attractions.  Find out what there is to see beyond the gazillion girlie bars...

Koh Laan 

Pattaya's downtown beaches get crowded like the clubs. To enjoy some serenity, you might want to head to Koh Laan instead. Forty minutes away on a ferry, the island offers the usual knockabout sports – banana boat rides, jet skiing and parasailing. But Koh Laan's greatest strength is its pristine beaches and crystal-clear water, rich with coral. Through your mask, with a little luck you can see everything from turtles to clown fish and sea horses. Just watch out for sea urchins – and slap on the sunscreen because the glare bouncing off that pure white beach is fierce.

Nong Nooch tropical garden

In 1954, entrepreneurs Pisit and Nongnooch Tansacha bought a 600-acre plot of land, planning to build a fruit plantation, but changed their mind and decided to take a creative tack. Just as well. The names of Nong Nooch tropical garden’s features evoke how picturesque it is. The roll call includes Stonehenge Garden, Ant Tower, Butterfly Hill and Flower Valley.

Buddha Hill

One of the highest points in Pattaya, Buddha Hill hosts a hand-built gold-painted giant Buddha with a blissful smile on his face. Radiating out from him, there is a picturesque Chinese-style sacred area devoted to two famous Chinese sages, Confucius and Lao-Tzu. The hill is a good place to go when you need some elevation. The hill is set between Thappraya Road and Phratamnak Road – a 10-minute songthaew bus away from the town centre.

Admirals

As applies to much of Thailand, the cheap spicy food served at the bucket seat restaurants dotted around town is fine. For upmarket variation, try Admirals: a 15-minute songthaew bus ride up the road in neighboring Jomtien. Admirals sells Scandinavian specialties dished up with finesse. The signature dish is Danish open-faced sandwiches (Smörrebröd), which taste great and cost between about 100 and 200 Baht a pop.

Admirals, Jomtien Soi 8, 380/2 Moo 12 Jomtien Beach Road. Tel: +66 38 231 996.

Jomtien beach

While you are near Admirals, take a stroll along Jomtien beach past the police box. The farther you walk that way, the more eerily beautiful the seascape becomes. Toward the end of the promenade you enter the sphere of the sea gypsies with their colorfully tasseled long-tailed boats. Just a little further is Sunset Beach, home to a few very quiet bungalow-style resorts that vary in star-rating but, true to the name – have front row seats to breathtaking sunsets.

Getting there: the easiest way to get to Pattaya is by coach from Bangkok. The journey takes between two and three hours, depending on traffic. A bus from Ekkamai Bus terminal costs around 150 THB.

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