PATTAYA

PATTAYA TOWN

  Pattaya Beach is parallel to city centre, and runs from Pattaya Nuea south to Walking Street. Along Beach Road are restaurants, shopping areas, and night attractions. Jomtien Beach in the southern part of the bay area is divided from Pattaya beach by the promontory of Pratamnak Hill. It consists of high-rise condominiums, beachside hotels, bungalow complexes, shops, bars, and restaurants. On weekends, it becomes increasingly crowded, with many Thai visitors coming from Bangkok. It offers of watersport activities such as jet skis  parasailing and small sail boat hire. The Pratumnak Hill area is gaining in popularity for its beach as it is a quieter area and it has a lot of new hotel and condominium resorts in development around the area reflecting on growing demand.

JOMTIEN BEACH

PATAYA BEACH

Pattaya has derived part of its reputation as a tourist destination due to the sex industry and the resulting nightlife, and in many ways the city has become what it is now because of this. Prostitution in Thailand is technically illegal but reality shows that it is tolerated as is the case for Pattaya with its vast numbers of host bars, gogo bars, massage parlours,saunas, and hourly hotels, serving foreign tourists as well as locals. This is prevalent in theWalking Street as well as other areas around the city. Efforts have of late been made to clean up the city's image.

PATTAYA BAR

Pattaya also has Asia's largest gay scene based around Boyztown and Sunee Plaza. The city is also famous for its flamboyant kathoey cabaret shows where transsexuals andtransgenders perform to packed houses.

PATTAYA PUB

HOW TO PATTAYA

By Bus

Pattaya is served by frequent bus service from Bangkok’s Northern Bus Terminal (Morchit) and the Eastern Bus Terminal (Ekamai), connecting to Pattaya's main bus terminal on Pattaya Nuea near Sukhumvit Road, where there is also service to Suvarnabhumi Airport. Buses from a terminal on Sukhumvit Road near Pattaya Klang connect Pattaya with many destination in the Northeast (Isan).
City and suburban services are mainly provided by Songthaew (public passenger pick-up vehicles), popularly nicknamed "baht buses" or "blue taxis". A bus service which connects Pattaya with Suvarnabhumi Airport is located on Tappraya Road near the intersection of Thepprasit Road. It uses modern air-conditioned buses, and takes around 1½ hours to reach the airport.

By Taxis

Some metered taxis and air-conditioned vans operate for private hire from hotel car-parks. Popularly nicknamed ‘baht-buses’ in Pattaya, songthaews are the most common mode of public transportation. The cost is 10 baht for any distance on a regular route, but much higher if asked to go to a designated destination. Motorbike taxis generally operate in the town and suburbs. Although taxis must carry meters by law they are, in reality, rarely used.

By Air

Pattaya is about 1½ hours, or 120 km by road from Suvarnabhumi Airport, the Bangkok international hub. By road, it is accessed from Sukhumvit Road and Motorway 7 from Bangkok. Pattaya is also served (very limited) through U-Tapao International Airport which is 45 minutes drive from the city.

PATTAYA MAP