Pattaya - Thailand

Pattaya is a popular resort on the North Gulf Coast of Eastern Thailand, 150 km south-east of Bangkok. Most famous for its go-go and beer bars, it's also one of Thailand's best locations for all manner of sports and activities. Some of the beaches are lacklustre (by Thailand's high standards) and rampant over-development has long since destroyed any natural charms it once had, but its plethora of hotels and guest houses and convenient location with quick and easy access from the capital make it a popular weekend getaway. Catering for over 5 million tourists yearly, Pattaya is also able to offer an excellent range of eating choices and a wide variety of things to do and see.
Districts

Pattaya's coastal side is divided longitudinally into five contiguous sub-districts (or six, if also including Jomtien). Each one is named after the section of beach or headland at its seaboard. In the middle are the three Pattaya Bay sub-districts, which share the main Baht Bus route (so most places are within 5 minutes / 10 baht of most other places, at any hour) and have much else in common, and hence in combination make up the main quasi-downtown zone:
North Pattaya (Pattaya Nua) - not the northern-most part of Pattaya (as Naklua lies further north), but the section of Pattaya adjacent to the northern end of Pattaya Beach and extending inland to both the north and south of North Pattaya Road. Does not include Naklua.
South Pattaya (Pattaya Tai) - not the southern-most part of Pattaya (as the Buddha Hill headland, and then Jomtien, lie further south), but the section of Pattaya adjacent to the southern end of Pattaya Beach and extending inland to both the north and south of South Pattaya Road. Includes Pattayaland and Walking Street. Does not include Buddha Hill or Jomtien.
Central Pattaya (Pattaya Klang) - not the dead center of Pattaya, but the section of Pattaya adjacent to the middle of Pattaya Beach and extending inland to both the north and south of Central Pattaya Road. Some maps/guides disregard the Central Pattaya convention, and instead extend North Pattaya and South Pattaya to meet each other along Central Pattaya Road; sometimes, Beach Road is described with a similar division, and the respective halves given "North Beach Road" and "South Beach Road" monikers. Flanking the Pattaya Beach sub-districts are:
Naklua - immediately north of North Pattaya, and with quick, frequent, and inexpensive transport to and from the rest of Pattaya; Naklua is popular with visitors whose native language is German. In terms of tourism-related locations, it's the smallest and least significant sub-district, the main attractions being the beaches (which are quieter than Pattaya Beach) and the Sanctuary of Truth.
Buddha Hill - named after the Buddha Hill landmark and sandwiched between South Pattaya (to the north) and Jomtien (to the south); to the east, South Pattaya and Jomtien meet directly. In practice, exactly where each sub-district ends and the next begins is a very grey area as none of the boundaries lie along major roads (and none of the many readily available tourist maps attempts to define boundaries at this level); nevertheless they do provide a handy rough guide to approximate latitude. Further inland, the sub-district names are used less, and locality/road names take precedence - for example, an address might state "Sukhumvit, Naklua" which is useful in that it makes it clear the location is to the north of the Sukhumvit / North Pattaya Road intersection, however the exact same place would not normally be described simply as being "in Naklua" as that would give the misleading impression of it being in the main beachside/tourism area further west.

Major roads

Pattaya's downtown area is easy to get around. Running north-south, a few hundred metres apart, are Beach Road (Thanon Hat Pattaya, sometimes also referred to as First Road) which borders the main beach (Hat Pattaya), Pattaya Second Road and Pattaya Third Road (with the smaller but busy Soi Buakhao in between), and the main Sukhumvit Road coastal highway. Beach Road is one-way (southbound), likewise Second Road (northbound). These are connected by the three major east-west aligned roads: North Pattaya Road (Thanon Pattaya Nua), Central Pattaya Road (Thanon Pattaya Klang) and South Pattaya Road (Thanon Pattaya Tai). North Pattaya Road is a dual carriageway and carries the highest volume of traffic to and from Sukhumvit Road. Also connecting Beach Road and Second Road are a large number of smaller streets or "sois". The main sois are numbered from 1 to 16, from north to south. Sois 1-6 are between North Pattaya Road and Central Pattaya Road; sois 7-13 are between Central Pattaya Road and South Pattaya Road (including the "Pattayaland" sois, immediately north of South Pattaya Road); sois 14-16 are south of South Pattaya Road. Most of these east-west sois are (in theory at least) one-way. Beach Road, Second Road, and North Pattaya Road (plus Naklua Road to the north) all meet at the Dolphin Roundabout landmark. Heavy traffic and frequent accidents here have resulted in a semi-permanent diversion being set up which, at peak times, prevents vehicles (except motorcycles) from continuing around this roundabout any further than the North Pattaya Road exit, pending the installation of traffic lights some time in 2006. Second Road south of South Pattaya Road becomes Pratamnak Road, which shares a junction with both the southern end of Third Road and the northern end of the main road to Jomtien, Tappraya Road. Beach Road south of South Pattaya Road is closed to vehicles in the evenings (currently 18:00-02:00) and is called Walking Street; it's the main tourist area, both for nightlife and shopping. Other major tourism areas include the section of Second Road between sois 1-4, and the sois immediately north of South Pattaya Road. At the southern end of Walking Street is the New Pier, usually called Bali Hai Pier (sometimes "Pattaya Pier" or "South Pier"). The Old Pier, close to the junction of Beach Road and South Pattaya Road, is still shown on most maps but was dismantled and removed at the beginning of 2006.
From Bangkok

First class bus 1st class buses from Bangkok to the North Pattaya Road bus station are air-con, almost always have an on-board toilet, are essentially direct (ie no stops), and provide a no fuss, no frills, hassle-free service. Departures from the Eastern (Ekamai) Terminal and Northern (Moh Chit) Terminal are frequent (every 20-40 minutes, depending on the time of day; more frequent still at public holiday weekends) and usually take 2-2.5 hours; those from the Southern (Sai Tai Mai) Bus Terminal are less frequent and take a little longer. Departure times & fares (as at June 2006):
- Ekamai (East) to Pattaya - first 05:20, last 23:00 - 117 baht
- Pattaya to Ekamai (East) - first 05:20, last 21:00 - 113 baht
- Moh Chit (North) to Pattaya - first 05:00, last 20:00 - 117 baht (tollway route: 121 baht)
- Pattaya to Moh Chit (North) - first 05:20, last 20:00 - 113 baht (tollway route: 121 baht)
- Sai Tai Mai (South) to Pattaya - 05:30, 08:30, 10:00, 12:00, 14:00, 16:00, 18:30 - 117 baht
- Pattaya to Sai Tai Mai (South) - 06:00, 08:00, 10:00, 12:00, 15:00, 18:00 - 113 baht
- Suvarnabhumi Airport to Pattaya - 09:00, 13:00, 17:00 - 106 baht
- Pattaya to Suvarnabhumi Airport - times to be confirmed - approx. 120 baht Fares may vary slightly depending on the route taken - for example, at busy times when the Moh Chit service uses the elevated express tollway, a marginally higher fare applies - however exact prices are always clearly posted at the official ticket counters. All 1st class direct services to/from Bangkok use the recently redeveloped bus station on North Pattaya Road. These buses are usually full when they depart, and must be boarded at the terminus. Tickets are sold at the bus station; it's not possible to pre-book these services more than an hour or so in advance. Usually, if the bus that's due to leave next is already full, there will be seats available on the next one. The longest queues are for the very early morning departures from Pattaya - to get a seat on the first bus of the day you need to be in the ticket queue at least 30-40 minutes early; however the bonus is that these pre-rush hour services can take as little as 90 minutes to get to Bangkok. From the North Pattaya Road bus station songthaews (a cross between a pickup truck, a share-taxi, a local bus and two pews) depart when full (every few minutes). The fare to anywhere on Beach Road ("the beach") is 20 baht; press the buzzer button on the underside of the roof when you want to get off. Pattaya to the Eastern (Ekamai) Terminal: if requested, this bus will stop at the On Nut Skytrain Station on Sukhumvit Road. Depending on your final destination and the traffic conditions, you may want to transfer to the Skytrain there; if so, wait until the bus departs Pattaya and then confirm with the crew that you want to be dropped off at "On Nut". NB: this bus does not stop to pick up passengers at On Nut (or anywhere else) on the outbound leg. Pattaya from/to the Southern (Sai Tai Mai) Terminal: if the direct bus is fully booked, take the Eastern (Ekamai) Terminal bus instead, and use the #511 (air-con, every 30 minutes 24/7, 20 baht) bus to connect between Ekamai and Sai Tai Mai. Pattaya from/to Suvarnabhumi Airport - this service runs from Suvarnabhumi Airport Transport Centre, which is connected to the main arrivals/departures terminals by a free shuttle bus service. Second class bus 2nd class services (air-con, usually no on-board toilet) don't use the expressways, and make frequent (and sometimes lengthy) stops, hence they take considerably longer than their 1st class counterparts (which at worst will only halt momentarily once or twice to let passengers jump off on the final approaches to their destination). As at June 2006 the 2nd class fare is 100 baht, so the difference in price doesn't amount to much. Many 2nd class buses from Bangkok continue on to Jomtien, so may be worth considering if that's your final destination and you're not in a hurry. For travel from Jomtien to Bangkok they have the advantage that they can be flagged down and boarded as they crawl along Jomtien's seafront road (Jomtien Beach Road - Thanon Hat Jomtien), avoiding the need for a preliminary trip to the bus station. The terminus for 2nd class services to/from Bangkok and other short-haul destinations is on South Pattaya Road, but in practice these buses pick up and drop off the majority of their passengers en route. Tickets are sold both at the bus station (although advance booking may not be possible) and on the bus itself. By taxi To Bangkok - widely advertised in Pattaya at 800 baht (the lower price is because it'll be a Bangkok cab returning home), and easily arranged through most travel agencies and hotels/guesthouses. Minibuses can also be chartered taxi-style from around 1800 baht. From Bangkok - prices range from 1500 baht (the official meter-taxi rate) to 1000 baht; arranged car services will tend toward the higher end, but licenced meter-taxis should be negotiable to the lower end of the range. Allow about 90-120 minutes, depending on where in Bangkok you're coming from; more around rush hour. From Suvarnabhumi Airport - the official meter-taxi price to Pattaya is 1050 baht (1100 baht to Jomtien) plus the 60 baht highway ("motorway" or "expressway") toll. Allow around 80-90 minutes in favourable conditions. Scams to watch out for when headed for Bangkok by taxi include being told that the pre-paid price is fully inclusive, but then, on arrival at the first toll booth, being told that the expressway fees are extra. Many of the more upmarket hotels can arrange (for an additional fee) to have you met at the airport gate by a personal driver with a limousine, thus avoiding the need to negotiate with taxi drivers.

See

Animals & zoos
Underwater World Pattaya, 22/22 Moo 11 Sukhumvit Road (15 minutes from town centre); tel. +66-38756879. Aquarium full of tropical creatures. Open 09:00-18:00, last admission 17:30, feeding times 10:00, 10:30, 11:00, 14:00, 14:30, 15:00. Different prices for Thais (180 baht/adult, 120 baht/child) and foreigners (360 baht/adult, 180 baht/child).
Institute of Marine Science Aquarium & Museum, Burapha University, 169 Long-Hard Bangsaen Road, Bangsaen; tel. +66-38391671 /3 [14] is open 08:30-16:00 (feeding time 14:30), except public holidays (open 08:30-17:00, feeding times 10:30 + 14:30) and Mondays (closed); admission 20 baht/adult, 10 baht/child.
Oasis Seaworld, Paknam, Laemsing, Chanthaburi - full day guided trips including 45 minutes swimming with dolphins - approx. 2000 baht/adult 1500 baht/child - available via travel agencies. There are two submarines (yellow ones, of course!) with tour operators in Pattaya:
Hynix of the Sea [15] - main ticket office at the Second Road end of Tipp Plaza (near Soi 10); tel. +66-38711059 /60
Vimantaitalay [16] contact any Pattaya travel agency; or tel. +66-38415234 Elephant shows & trekking offered by several operators, most located on Sukhumvit Road. These include Ban Chang Thai tel. +66-3870628 /91, Utthayan Chang tel. +66-38716379, Thin Chang Thai tel. +66-38756516 / +66-38756577, Suan Chang tel. +66-38756517, Farm Chang Thai tel. +66-38237825.
Elephant Village, 54/1 Moo 2, Tambol Nong Prue; tel+fax. +66-38249818, +66-38249853 [17] offers shows, elephant trekking and jungle tours (including a four-day/three-night tour in Phrae Province).
Monkey Training Centre, Soi Chaiyaphruk (off Highway #3) tel. +66-38756367 / +66-38756570. Features monkeys trained to harvest coconuts and undertake other tasks. Also stages cockfighting (a traditional Thai bloodsport) and a snake show. Open daily, shows 09:00, 11:00, 12:00, 14:00, 17:00 - admission 250 baht.
International Snake Show, Sukhumvit Road (39/4 Moo 5 - near the junction with North Pattaya Road) tel. +66-38731586 / snake_show@hotmail.com
Khao Kheow Open Zoo (35 km north of Pattaya) tel. +66-38298270 [18]. A huge zoo with about 8000 animals of 300 species. Open daily - 08:00-18:00, 50 baht/adult, 10-15 baht/child; Night Safari 19:00-20:00, 100 baht/adult, 50 baht/child.
Sriracha Tiger Zoo, 341 Moo 3, Nongkham, Si Racha (30 minutes from town centre); tel. +66-38296556 [19]. A zoo with various shows. Gardens
Nong Nooch Tropical Garden, 163 Sukhumvit Road (15 minutes east of town centre); tel. +66-38429321 [20]. Beautiful gardens with waterfalls, elephant shows, "Cultural Extravaganza" performances 4 times a day, restaurants etc. - enough to fill an entire day. In Feb 2007 they had major construction ongoing. We did the whole place in 90 minutes. Disappointing. Yet another place in Pattaya that thinks it is acceptable to charge foreigners more than Thais .200 baht for locals, 400 baht for foreigners. This practice is illegal in Thailand but strangely nobody in authority is prepared to do something about it.
Saithip Butterfly Garden, 79/5 Moo 11 Bangpra-Khaokheow Road, Bangpra Sriracha; tel. +66-99365339. Open 08:00-17:00. Admission for foreigners: 100 baht/adult, 60 baht/child. Museums
Bottle Art Museum, 79/15 Moo 9, Sukhumvit Road, Nongpler; tel. +66-38422957, +66-38415783 [21]. More than 300 miniatures in bottles, open 08:00-20:00.
Open Eyes, 2nd floor of Pattaya Bazaar, 266/52-53 North Pattaya Road; tel. +66-38362077. "The Great Experience Behind The Magical", a lot of technological magic and illusion shows. Open 15:00-23:00; show time 15:00-23:00; Spy Zone show time 15:00-22:00.
Ripley's Believe It Or Not museum (tel. +66-38710294 /8) is located on the third floor of Royal Garden Plaza. Access from both Second Road (you can't miss this side - there's a large aeroplane protruding from the upper floors) and from Beach Road. Different prices for Thais (280 baht/adult, 230 baht/child) and foreigners (380 baht/adult, 280 baht/child); at the same location there's also a "Haunted Experience" show, a 4D movie theatre and "Infinity Maze" game. Various combination tickets available, all dual-priced - for Thais (480 baht/adult, 380 baht/child) and foreigners (580 baht/adult, 480 baht/child) to enter all four. Open daily 11:00-23:00. Sacred places
Buddha Hill (between Thappraya Road and Phratamnak Road; 5-10 minutes by songthaew) is one of the highest points in Pattaya. At the summit is the biggest Buddha statue in Pattaya, and nearby is a beautiful Chinese-style sacred area dedicated to Confucius and Lao-zi. The next hill, just across the Phratamnak Road, has the best Pattaya Bay coastline viewpoint and is also worth a visit, especially for sunset.
Sanctuary of Truth, 206/2 Moo 5, Soi 12, Naklua Road, Naklua; tel. +66-38225407 / +66-38367229 [22]. An unfinished project, but worth a visit even now. The main attraction is a huge ancient-style wooden temple; nearby is a small dolphinarium with dolphin shows at 11:30 and 15:30. Theme parks
Gems Gallery, 555 Moo 6, North Pattaya Road; tel. +66-38371222. One of several "World's Biggest" jewelry stores, this one also has a theme park.
Million Years Stone Park & Pattaya Crocodile Farm (15 minute drive from central Pattaya) [23]. Features an exotic zoo, and crocodile, fire-swallowing and magic shows, as well as the garden and stone park. Open 08:00-18:30.
Mini Siam [24] is located on Sukhumvit Road, surrounded by Soi 33, and features miniature replicas of iconic structures from Thailand and all over the world.
Three Kingdoms Theme Park, 100 Moo 9, Tambon Pong; tel. +66-38421428 [25]. Adjacent to Horseshoe Point (20 minutes from Pattaya), this is a Chinese-style garden filled with pagodas, murals and figures from the Chinese epic San Guo Zhi, and more an expression of filial piety than a theme park. Perhaps worth a quick look on a slow day, but unlikely to offer much to visitors not familiar with the story. 60 baht/adult, 30 baht/child.

Do

Beaches Pattaya's main beaches are popular and busy places. For the thrill-seekers, activities include banana-boat rides, jet-skiing, water-skiing, parasailing, windsurfing, and the like; and anyone who just wants to enjoy a simple swim or a good splash around with a frisbee or rented inner tube will always find themselves with plenty of company. However, while in and beyond the surf, a wary eye does need to be kept on the more frenetic elements of the passing traffic. For those more interested in inactivities there are acres of sand jam-packed with recliners and umbrellas (usually with an "in-house" supply of drinks), serviced by an army of laid-back but tenacious hawkers offering anything and everything from food (especially seafood, fruit, ice cream) to massage, manicure/pedicure, tattoos, lottery tickets, newspapers, herbs, flowers, gems, perfumes, sunglasses, CDs, watches, lighters, clothes, toys, souvenirs, handycrafts (it's a bit like TV shopping - as soon as you've declined one offer, it's time to consider another) and so on. Eventually you buy a very dark pair of sunglasses, and after that you just pretend to be asleep. Pattaya Bay Pattaya Beach (Hat Pattaya) is 2.9 km long and bordered by Beach Road. Due to its central location and extreme proximity to several hundred hotels, and because it's a relatively narrow strip of sand, it's crowded at the best of times (and even more so at high tide). Hefty fines for littering help keep the sand neat and tidy, however the sea is not so clean around here. The northern end of Pattaya Bay (Ao Pattaya) is occupied by Wong Amat Beach, which is accessed from Naklua; and beyond the southern end, around the Buddha Hill headland that separates Pattaya Bay from Jomtien, are several more smaller beaches. Jomtien Jomtien ("Chom Thian", etc) Beach is a 10-15 minute (10 baht) songthaew ride south from the centre of Pattaya. Some 6 km long, it is especially popular with Thai families enjoying day outings. Places to eat and sleep line the opposite side of Jomtien Beach Road and the many sois that lead from it. Dongtan Beach, at the northern end of Jomtien Bay, has a traffic-free promenade, and the area in front of the Avalon Beach Resort is popular with gay visitors. Naklua Naklua Bay is immediately north of Pattaya Bay, with Rachvate Cape separating the two. Naklua Beach, to the far north, is the main strip, with the smaller Crescent Moon Beach and then Palm Beach further south. Beyond them is Wong Amat Beach which occupies the northern end of Pattaya Bay, but is accessed from Naklua. All are generally cleaner and more suitable for quiet relaxation than Pattaya Beach. Islands
Ko Laan (or Lan or Larn, or Coral Island) is 7.5 km west of Pattaya. It covers an area of 5.6 sq.km and has six popular beaches with a decidedly "touristic day-trip" flavour, offering banana boat rides, jet-skiing, parasailing, and the like. Also available from and around Ko Laan are various underwater activities such as scuba diving, snorkeling, seabed walking and submarine rides; there are also numerous restaurants, some accommodation, and a shooting range. Regular ferries from Bali Hai Pier costs 20 baht and take 30-45 minutes - departure times: from Pattaya 07:00, 10:00, 12:00, 14:00, 15:30, 17:00, 18:30; from Ko Laan 06:30, 07:30, 09:30, 12:00, 14:00, 17:00, 18:00. Alternatively speedboats can be chartered just about anywhere along the main beaches, typically for 1500-2500 baht; or you can book a day trip via an agency - expect to pay 500-600 baht for minibus collection from your hotel around 09:00, ferry from Bali Hai Pier direct to one of the main beaches (taking about half an hour), lunch, soft drinks, return ferry around 16:00, and minibus back to your hotel.
Ko Saak (or Sak), less than 1 km north of Ko Laan, is a small horseshoe-shaped island with two interconnected beaches. The northern beach is popular for swimming and snorkeling, and the southern beach is a good place to see coral.
Ko Khrok (or Krok), 2 km east of Ko Laan, is an isolated rocky islet with a single 100 metre stretch of sandy beach to the east, where visitors can see coral reefs.
Ko Phai (Bamboo Island) and other islands in the Ko Phai group - Ko Klung Badan (or Krung Badan), Ko Luam (or Leom), Ko Man Wichai and Ko Rin (or Lin) - are preferred destinations for scuba divers, and are also popular for general relaxation, fishing, swimming and snorkeling day trips. This area is controlled by the Royal Thai Navy, and overnight stays are not permitted. For a return speedboat charter from one of the mainland beaches or Bali Hai Pier (approx. 23 km / 2 hours), expect to pay 2500-4000 baht; possibly less from Ko Laan. Entertainment Cinemas in Thailand tend to be severely air conditioned - bring a long sleeve shirt, or jacket, or both! Otherwise, the two large mall cinemas in Pattaya are mostly up to Western standards. Some (but by no means all) Thai-language films are subtitled in English (check the billing at the theatre) and some films will have both subtitled and non-subtitled showings. Cinema patrons must stand during the King's anthem; singing along is generally frowned upon.
SF Multiplex - Central Festival (Big-C) - tel. +66-38361500. Has six theatres with ticket prices around 90 baht, slightly more at weekends.
SF Multiplex - Royal Garden Plaza - tel. +66-38428057. Has two theatres, with prices 10-20 baht lower than the Central Festival location. Video games are a popular pastime in Thailand, hence PlayStation and computer game shops are everywhere in Pattaya. The usual rate is 20 baht/hour, making for pretty cheap entertainment, but expect things to get very crowded and loud in the hours after school lets out. There's a big shop on Soi Chaiyaphum (right off Soi Buakhao across from Soi Diana Inn) that's open 24/7 and has more comfortable chairs. Arcades can be found lurking behind the cinema at Central Festival (Big-C) and in the Tesco-Lotus complex on North Pattaya Road (but neither is worth getting excited about) and touch-screen amusement machines are scattered throughout the shopping malls. Festivals & events Songkran Songkran is the Thai New Year, celebrated primarily by everyone throwing prodigious quantities of water at anything that moves. Pattaya officially celebrates Songkran on later dates (April 18-19) than most of the rest of the country (April 13-15) - but in reality the fun just starts early and keeps on going that much longer. During this period many hotels and guesthouses have high occupancy levels, and public transport services (especially buses to/from Bangkok) are very busy, with more frequent than normal departures but also with appreciable delays due to the general mayhem on the roads. For more on Songkran in general, including the more traditional religious and spiritual aspects, Songkran in Pattaya follows the same overall pattern as seen elsewhere in Thailand, but is especially vigorous in areas such as Soi 7 and Soi 8. Expect to get very wet indeed and you're unlikely to be disappointed - regardless of where you go or what else you actually plan to do. Although things calm down considerably after dusk, it's still worth keeping anything that could easily be damaged (especially cameras, mobile telephones, passports etc) in plastic bags. As is the case throughout Thailand, Songkran is a particularly dangerous time on the roads, and especially for motorcyclists and moto-taxi passengers. It's also a bad time to get caught without protection for your luggage while travelling in a songthaew, so if arriving or departing during this period, either plan ahead (bin-liners are invaluable) or else take a taxi instead. Note that the banks in Pattaya close for three days on the "national" Songkran dates (April 13-15) and are open as normal on the Pattaya-specific dates. Pattaya Immigration Office also closes on the "national" dates, and for the rest of the period hands back all passports pre-wrapped in plastic bags, without being asked. Massage Pattaya has an abundance of massage shops; some are strictly non-sexual, others are not. The most common types of massage include Thai massage, foot massage, oil massage and reflexology massage. Three large "soapy massage" parlors clustered on Second Road, near Big C, offer a combination of bathing with a girl, body-to-body soap massage and sex.
Spa View One of the largest massage and spa complexes in Pattaya, offering aromatherapy oil massage, herbal steam sauna, skin whitening treatment, body treatment with aroe vera herbal, mineral water treatment, body treatment with milk & honey, milk bath treatment, physical massage, foot massage etc. Facial treatments: hair wash & care, nail care & treatment, hand & foot therapy by soaking with herbal water and wash and foot massage, facial massage/scrub/ozone/fruit skin treatment/lotion etc. Sports Pattaya can provide for an entire holiday of sports and activities. Pattaya Sports Club [26] (tel. +66-38361167) is primarily an organisation for local sportsmen/women and has good online resources for those seeking to play golf or other sports while in the area. Aerobics
A free open-air aerobics class is held alongside the beach next to the junction of Beach Road and Soi Yodsak (Soi 6) daily at 18:00.
Aqua-aerobics exercise classes are held at the Dusit Resort Sports & Fitness Club (next to the Dolphin Roundabout) tel. +66-38425611 ext.226 Badminton
Ambassador City Sports Center, 21/10 Moo 2, Sukhumvit Road - tel. +66-38231501 /4. good for badminton.
Pattaya Badminton Club, 390/10 Moo 10, Soi 17 (near Third Road, South Pattaya) tel. +66-38425397 / +66-38429532 Billiards / pool / snooker
Hot Tuna Pool Club, Walking Street (opposite Tony's Entertainment Complex) has 4 pool tables in an open-fronted non-aircon bar setting and charges 20 baht/table/game; open daily 18:00-04:00.
Match Room, P.S. Plaza (junction of Central Pattaya Road and Second Road) has 9 pool tables (80 baht/table/hour), 1 full-size snooker table (100 baht/table/hour), and air-con; open daily, 12:00-01:00.
Megabreak Pool Lounge [27] on Soi 13 (Soi Diana Inn), between Second Road and Soi Buakhao, advertises itself as the most expensive place to play pool in Pattaya. 11 9-ft pro-tournament tables, air-con & lounge area, open daily 12:00-01:00, 9-ball handicap competition on Sundays from 15:00; prices start at 120 baht/per person/hour, evening/weekend rates are even higher.
Tim Bar Beer [28] on Second Road (opposite Soi 12) has twelve tables and air-con and is open 12:00-01:00 or later - 75 baht/table/half-hour, 140 baht/table/hour.
There are three full-size tables at the very back of the cluster of outdoor beer bars on Soi Made In Thailand (next to the Made In Thailand Night Plazar, on Second Road) - 20 baht/table/game or 60 baht/table/hour. Bowling
Bowling Plus (previously "Pattaya Bowl") is on Second Road, at the junction with Soi Regent Marina (North Pattaya); tel. +66-38429908 / +66-38429466 - 20 lanes, Mon-Fri 10:00-17:00 70 baht & 17:00-02:00 80 baht, Sat-Sun-holidays 10:00-02:00 90 baht (all prices per person per game); shoe rental 30 baht (largest size US14/48). Also has 6 pool tables plus 2 full-size snooker tables; air-con, open daily 10:00-02:00, 120 baht/table/hour.
O.D. Bowl is on Pratamnak Road (South Pattaya) - open daily 08:00-01:00.
P.S. Bowling [29], P.S. Plaza (junction of Central Pattaya Road and Second Road, above TOPS supermarket); tel. +66-38420965 /6 - 32 lanes, Mon-Fri 11:00-18:00 70 baht & 18:00-02:00 80 baht, Sat-Sun-holidays 11:00-02:00 90 baht (all prices per person per game); shoe rental 30 baht (largest size US14/48). Bridge
Pattaya Bridge Club, tel. +66-38423108 /9 [30] meets at the Mercure Hotel, Soi 15, on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 13:00. Bungee jumping
Bungee Jump, 248/10 Moo 12, Thepprasit Road; tel. +66-38300608 - open 08:00-18:00.
Jungle Bungy Jump (15 minutes from town centre) tel. +66-78336655 [31]. Located in a beautiful tropical setting, 165 feet (50 metres) over a jungle lagoon. Will provide collect/return transport anywhere in Pattaya; open 09:00-18:00. Cycling
Budget bicycles (from around 2000 baht for something basic but usable) plus a very limited selection of accessories.
LA Bicycle, 300/31-32 Moo 12, Thepprasit Road; tel. +66-38300606 / 953 - open 09:00-20:00 (mid-range selection)
Chaw Numchai [32] 474 Moo 4, Sukhumvit Road (opposite Siam Commercial Bank) tel. +66-38222018 - open daily 09:00-19:00 (NB: closed all day on the last Sunday of every month). Well-stocked bicycle retail/parts/repair shop.
S.V. Bike Shop, 62/1-3 Soi 8, Thepprasit Road; tel. +66-38300378 - open Mon-Sat 08:00-19:00 (2006 model Trek 4300 = 13500 baht; this costs around 10000 baht in Bangkok). Well-stocked bicycle retail/parts/repair shop. Fishing
Deep Sea Fishing excursions by Nature Service Tour (tel. +66-38427660) leave Bali Hai Pier on Saturdays, Tuesdays and Thursdays at 09:00, and return at 17:30. The 1220 baht/person price includes breakfast, lunch, a visit to a nearby island beach and swimming opportunities.
North Pattaya Fishing Park (pictures) also known as "Soi 3 Fishing Park" charges 100 baht/house rod, bait 20 baht/packet - and serves food and drink and has live music after dark. Flying, paragliding & skydiving
Chonburi Flying Club [33] (CMT) airstrip is 5 km east of Bang Phra, on the Chonburi-Pattaya bypass road (Highway #7).
Eastern Flying Club [34] airstrip is 5 km east of Pattaya, off Sukhumvit Road Soi 87.
Pattaya Airpark [35] airstrip is 20 km south of Pattaya, adjacent to the Phoenix Golf Club.
Thai Flying Club [36] is based at Bang Phra Airport, just north of Si Racha, about 30 minutes drive from Pattaya. Their website is a good resource for further information on recreational aviation in Thailand. Golfing Golf is a speciality of the region, with more than 20 courses within an hour's drive (most within 30 minutes) of Pattaya, many designed by some of golf's most famous names, including Nick Faldo (Great Lakes), Jack Nicklaus (Laem Chabang), Gary Player (Sri Racha) and Robert Trent Jones (Eastern Star Resort and Country Club). All offer good facilities and value for money in the 500 baht (green & caddy fee) to 2500 baht range. The International Pattaya Golf Club is non-profit organisation (membership 500 baht for 2 years, 1000 baht for 5 years) comprising five local golf societies, some of which rent clubs and footwear. One of these, The Pattaya Golf Society (PGS), has a website with useful general information and course guide pages. Membership is open to both long term residents and holidaymakers, and all are welcome, regardless of gender, age or handicap (bring proof of your current handicap with you).
The Mini Golf Pub (Thappraya Road, Buddha Hill - on the left just past the flyover when headed to Jomtien) - 18 holes, refreshments available; 100 baht/person, open 10:00-23:00. Their cat sometimes acts as a self-propelled obstacle (no extra charge).
Pattaya City Golf [37] (at the Nova Lodge Hotel on Beach Road, next to the junction with Pattaya Central Road) - 18 holes, plus chipping, driving and putting areas for the more serious golfer; refreshments served at the waterfront bar; 140 baht/person, open 09:00-01:00. Caddy service available! Driving ranges:
Diana Driving Range, Diana Garden Resort, 209/112 Moo 6, North Pattaya Road (open daily 06:30-23:00) tel. +66-38415212 /23
Harold's Golf Driving Range & Pro Golf Shop, Pratumnak Soi 4 [38] tel. +66-38250658
Green Way Driving Range, Sukhumvit Road - tel. +66-38232083
Pattaya Driving Range, Third Road - tel. +66-38370462 /3
Pride Driving Range, Sukhumvit Road (previously "Dono" - directly opposite Pattaya Central Road) tel. +66-38488349
Tommy Driving Range, Thepprasit Road - tel. +66-38251564 Fitness centres
Central Pattaya Gym, Pratamnak Road (next to Central Pattaya Hotel) tel. +66-38364573 /80. A small non-aircon weights-orientated gym, open daily 08:00-23:00; 60 baht/day, 250 baht/week, 700 baht/month (includes limited free use of swimming pool), 7000 baht/year (includes unlimited free use of swimming pool).
Sitpholek World Class Fitness Centre, 217/10 Sukhumvit Road (North Pattaya); tel. +66-99345001 (English) / +66-95055840 (Thai) / sitpholek_frank@hotmail.com - attached to a Muay Thai (Thai boxing) centre, friendly and helpful staff, air-con. Open daily 09:00-00:00; 120 baht/day, 400 baht/week, 600 baht/fortnight, 1000 baht/month, 1750 baht/2m, 2000 baht/3m, 4500 baht/6m, 8000 baht/year - or any 10 days for 750 baht (no expiry date).
Tony's Gym & Muay Thai Academy, Third Road (340/6 - two blocks north of the junction with Pattaya South Road); tel. +66-38414058 /9. Modern air-con gym oriented more towards the body-building brigade, also offers spa/sauna/steam room & "Japanese style" massage as well as Muay Thai training facilities. Open 24/7; prices 150 baht/visit, 790 baht/week, 1290 baht/2w, 1490 baht/3w, 1590 baht/month, 3990 baht/3m, 5990 baht/year, 18000 baht/life - or 1200 baht for 10 visits within one 30 day period. see also the "Muay Thai" section (below)
Tony's Tennis Club & Fitness Center, Third Road (313/5 Moo 10 - just south of the junction with Pattaya South Road); tel. +66-38488548 /9. Modern air-con gym and general keep-fit facility, also offers aerobics, yoga, tennis, swimming pool, spa/sauna/steam room & "Japanese style" massage, as well as tennis facilities. Personal trainers also available, from 500 baht/hour. Open 24/7, except for the swimming pool which is closed 23:00-06:00. Prices - gym: 180 baht/visit, 2000 baht/2w, 2200 baht/3w, 2400 baht/month, 6000 baht/3m, 7500 baht/6m, 12000 baht/year, 29900 baht/life - or 1600 baht for 10 visits within one 30 day period; aerobics: 950 baht/month; swimming: 180 baht/adult, 99 baht/child, swimming lessons 2200 baht/10hrs, 4000 baht/20hrs. see also the "Tennis" section (below)
Castra Praetoria Gym & Fitness. 61/17 M.10, Soi Khao Talo, East Pattaya, near Siam Royal View. Web: www.thecastra.com. Email: info@thecastra.com . Heavy weight gym, Cardio, Aerobics, Yoga, Circuit Training, Power Pace, Personal Training, Sauna, discount supplements. THB 4,999 per year. See website for special offers. Horseback riding
Horseshoe Point, 100 Moo 9, Tambon Pong; tel. +66-38735050 [39]. One of South-East Asia's largest and most respected riding schools, catering to all experience levels and offering private lessons for 1600 baht/hour (discounts available for groups of 5+ and multi-lesson packages).
Horse back riding, Highway #36 (near Bira International Circuit - about 18 km from Pattaya) [40] willinetzer@yahoo.com tel. +66-13020814
Pattaya Riding Club, 111/1 Moo 12, Thepprasit Road; tel. +66-38255888 Hot air ballooning
Funk's Ballonfahrten [41] offers a 4-5 hour hot air balloon experience including collection at around 05:00, refreshments, one hour baloon flight, champagne breakfast, certificate, and transport back to your hotel around 11:00 for 8500 baht. Daily from November through March. Jet-skiing
jet-skiing rentals are available along all the popular beaches, with rates starting around 600 baht for 30 minutes. A common scam involves some operators attempting to collect surcharges for supposed damage - call the Tourist Police (1155) if necessary. World Club Jetski Competition is held at Jomtien. Motorsports
Bira International Circuit (tel. +66-22803547 / +66-25221731 /8) is about 15 km from Pattaya on the Pattaya-Rayong Road (Highway #36) and hosts 2 and 4 wheel race events at weekends. Highside Tours offers one day (16000) and three day (60000 baht) motorcycle track-day packages at Bira - see their website for details.
A.N. ATVs & Motocross, Thepprasit Road (near Pattaya Kart Speedway); tel. +66-46778452 / +66-52227882. Small off-road circuit, open daily 09:00-18:00 (not floodlit).
K.R. Go-Kart, 62/125 Moo 12, Thepprasit Road; tel. +66-38300347 /9. Large tarmac circuit, refreshments available; open Mon-Fri 10:00-19:30, Sat/Sun & public holidays 09:00-20:00 (floodlit).
Pattaya Kart Speedway, 248/2 Moo 12, Thepprasit Road; tel. +66-38422044 [42]. "Beginner", "Professional", and "off-road" tracks; open daily 09:30-18:30 (not floodlit).
Siam Karting Circuit, 387 Moo 6, Sukhumvit Road (near Mini Siam) tel. +66-38727410 open daily 09:00-21:00. Muay Thai (Thai boxing) Thai boxing matches can be seen at numerous locations, including several of the beer bar complexes off Beach Road and one complex on Walking Street.

Fairtex Muay Thai Sportclub & Resort, 179/201 Moo 5, North Pattaya Road (just east of the Dolphin Roundabout); tel. +66-38488196 / +66-38488657 /8 [43] [44]
Pattaya Kombat Village (Muay Thai Training School), Khaotalo Soi 8, Sukhumvit Road (opposite Thepprasit Road); tel. +66-95433450 [45]
Sitpholek Boxing Centre, 217/10 Sukhumvit Road (North Pattaya); tel. +66-99345001 (English) / +66-95055840 (Thai) / sitpholek_frank@hotmail.com Mon-Sat 14:00-20:00 (the attached gym is open 09:00-00:00 seven days a week). 270 baht/day, 1100 baht/week, 2000 baht/fortnight, 3500 baht/month - or 2250 baht for any 10 days (no expiry date).
Tony's Gym & Muay Thai Academy, Third Road (see "gyms" section, above, for details) is open 14:30-20:30. Two prices for everything - the lower price if you're already paying to use the attached gym, otherwise the higher price: 180/280 baht/day, 950/1400 baht /week, 1500/2400 baht/fortnight, 2000/1490 baht/3w, 2800/3900 baht/month - or 1500/2300 baht for 10 visits (no expiry date). Paintballing
Paintball Park, 248/10 Moo 12, Thepprasit Road; tel. +66-38300608 - open 08:00-18:00 Parasailing / parascending
Speedboat-towed parachute rides are available along the main beaches, and in Pattaya Bay from several large floating platforms with speedboats ferrying customers out from the shore - typically about 500 baht per flight. Rugby
Pattaya Panthers Rugby club - c/o Jameson's The Irish Pub, 80/146 Moo 9 Soi Sukrudee (Soi A.R.) - tel. +66-38415304 /8 Running
Pattaya Marathon (every year in June or July) websites: www.pattaya-marathon.com & www.thailandmarathon.org Sailing
Blue Wave Watersports Asia (based at Ocean Marina Yacht Club) tel. +66-816229372 [46] Day sailing trips and boat charters.
Gulf Charters Thailand tel. +66-38237752 fax. +66-38237751 [47] manages a fleet of ten 32 foot to 70 foot catamaran and keelboat sailing yachts based at Ocean Marina (near Pattaya) and at Ko Chang. Bookings accepted direct and via travel agencies.
Ocean Marina Yacht Club, 274/1-9 Moo 4, Sukhumvit Road (Sattahip); tel. +66-237310 /23 fax. +66-38237325 [48]
Royal Varuna Yacht Club, 286 Moo 12, Pratamnak Road; tel. +66-38250116 / +66-38306290 fax. +66-38250115 [49]
YachtPro Sailing School tel. +66-816229372 (http://www.sailing-pattaya.com) ASA (American Sailing Association) Sailing Courses, based at Ocean Marina Yacht Club. Scuba diving Scuba dive training and trips for a wide range of ability levels and interests, certified by a number of different organisations, including both NAUI and PADI, are available through numerous dive shops. Dive sites
Adventure Divers and Watersports (Adventure Scuba) [50] tel. +66-38710899 (Soi Yamato (Soi 13/1)) / +66-38364453 (Tappraya Road)
Aquanauts [51] tel. +66-38361724 (Soi Yodsak (Soi 6)) / tel. +66-38710727 (Soi Pattayaland 1 (Soi 13/3))
Aqua Relax - tel. +66-38710900 (Soi Post Office (Soi 13/2))
Asian Sport asport@loxinfo.co.th tel. +66-38373700 /1 (Sukhumvit Road)
Dave's Divers Den - tel. +66-38420411 (Central Pattaya Road)
Dive South East Asia [52] tel. +66-38362300 (Nova Lodge Hotel, Central Road)
Mermaids Scuba Diving Centre [53] tel. +66-38232219 / 220 (Jomtien Beach Road)
Neptune Dive Centre [54] tel. +66-038-371141 (North Pattaya Road)
Paradise Scuba Divers [55] tel+fax. +66-38710567 (Soi 10) / tel+fax. +66-38303333 (Jomtien)
P J Scuba [56] tel. +66-18644490 (Jomtien Beach Road)
Scuba Tek Dive Center rickr@loxinfo.co.th tel. +66-38361616 (Second Road)
Seaduction Dive Center andycrosby@hotmail.com tel. +66-60765668 (Bali Hai Pier)
Seafari Dive Center [57] tel. +66-38429060 (Soi 5)
Siam Divers [58] tel. +66-38710329 (Beach Road) Shooting
Pattaya Shooting Club and Fishing Park, 1/6 Moo 4, Soi Wat Huay-Yai, Sukhumvit Road (10 minutes from town centre) tel. +66-38255488.
Tiffany's Shooting Range, 464 Moo 9, Second Road (Tiffany's Show building, ground floor) tel. +66-38421700 /5 fax. +66-38421711 tiffany@tiffany-show.co.th. The only indoor shooting range in Pattaya - 19 lanes, minimum age 18, open daily 09:00-21:00.
Ko Laan has an outdoor shooting range located just north of Naban Pier that's open daily 07:30-17:00, with prices from 400 baht for six rounds with a handgun.
Bamrung Sport Club (Huai Sak Nok reservoir, off Sukhumvit Road - tel. +66-38249841) provides facilities for canoeing and kayaking, horse riding, paragliding, sailing (including catamarans), and windsurfing. Swimming
Honey Inn (Soi Honey Inn, off Second Road) has a fairly quiet pool which is open 24/7. There's also a bar, a pool table, and an assortment of sun loungers. Non-guests: 50 baht/day.
Mike Shopping Mall has a large rooftop pool - take the elevator or stairs up to the 10th floor (the escalators don't go that far). There's a very small snacks counter and a good view of most of Pattaya Bay. Get there early to grab one of the sun loungers, and don't forget your swimming costume (shorts are not permitted). Open 11:00-19:00, 80 baht/adult, 60 baht/child, or 1600 baht for a one month pass.
Thai Garden Resort, 179/168 Moo 5, North Pattaya Road, has a 25 metre Olympic-size indoor swimming pool. Tennis
Pattaya Tennis Association [59]
Tony's Tennis Club & Fitness Center, Third Road (see "gyms" section, above, for details) is open 24/7 and charges 120/220 baht/daytime, 210/310 baht/nighttime (the lower price if you're already paying to use the attached gym/pool/etc, otherwise the higher price); 50 baht for racket hire, 100 baht for locker/towel rental. Waterskiing & wakeboarding
Air-Time Watersports Camp, Dok Krai Lakeside Resort, Dok Krai Reservoir (Rayong); tel. +66-18616736 [60]
Club Taco Water Cable Ski (kilometre 14, Bang Na Road) is open 12:00 until dark Mon-Fri, 10:00 until dark Sat-Sun; 200 baht/hour, 300 baht/2h, 400 baht/3h, 500 baht/day.
Lakeland Water Cable Ski (Highway #3 - tel. +66-38232690 /2) about 5 km from Pattaya has cable ski facilities on a large freshwater lake. Open daily 10:00-21:00. Windsurfing & kiteboarding
Club Loong Chat Watersport Club [61] (on the beach by the Pinnacle Hotel)
Cuttlebone Kiteboarding School [62] Volunteering
Care For Kids Charity Drive, [63]. A well established and respected group raising funds for worthwhile causes and having as much fun as possible while they're at it. Their events are always worth a visit - make contact through their website.
Fr. Ray Foundation, ? +66 3871 6628 (fax: +66 3871 6629), [64]. Manages several social projects in Pattaya and volunteers (both short and long term) are essential to their work. Donations and sponsorships are also welcome and appreciated
Pattaya Orphanage Trust, ? +66 3843 8717, [65]. Welcomes volunteers of all ages (but must speak fluent English and be prepared to stay 6 months or longer). Visits can be arranged.

Popular bar venues

So, you're passing through Pattaya and you've set aside a few hours to check out the bar scene - but where to go? The most popular (and generally the most densely concentrated) beer bar and go-go bar locations (listed south to north) are:
Walking Street

Should have been named "Walking, Shopping, Eating, Drinking, Dancing and Ogling Street" as there's plenty of almost everything here - including around 100 beer bars and at least 30 go-go bars, plus many more in the side-sois that lead east towards Pratamnak Road. Worth a look in the daytime, but best visited in the evening, and has loads of restaurants if you're bridging the gap between the two. Gets really packed in places when the discos empty, so watch your pockets. If you're going to visit just one go-go, you could try "Super Baby" in Soi Diamond, whose reputation for having the most attractive girls (not a stretch mark as far as the eye could see) in its heyday a year or two back made it a mandatory stop for countless busloads of Asian tourists. While that's no longer quite the case, it's still a good bet as a hassle-free "middle of the road" place to see.
Pattayaland Soi Pattayaland 2 (Soi 13/4) features on many a Pattaya postcard - when lit up at night, the go-go bar signs are a memorable and photogenic sight, although there are in fact only eight go-go bars here (two of which feature guys, not girls), plus a half-dozen bars and the Penthouse Hotel. Worth a look in the evening (it's almost a ghost town the rest of the time), but get there before 01:00 as that's when the lights go out. Soi Pattayaland 3 ("Boyz Town" - no direct access from Beach Road, runs from the middle of Soi 13/4 to Second Road) features only male dancers and bars that cater for the gay crowd; Soi Pattayaland 1 (Soi 13/3) has even more all-male go-gos (eight), but does have a couple of girlie-go-gos too. There is also a small lesbian scene in Pattaya, with local butch girls called "tom" girls and femme girls called "dee".
Soi 7 & Soi 8 There's always something going on here - in the evening and early hours, there are about 120 well-staffed beer bars to choose from, plus a handful of go-go bars; in the morning there are several places that serve breakfast; in the afternoon it's a popular place for those who like to get started early; and at Songkran (New Year) it's unmitigated mayhem. The "Night Out" complex (10 large outdoor bars, on a side-soi that connects Soi 7 and Pattaya Central Road) is about as family-orientated as these places ever get, and has live music from 20:00-01:00. There are several large hotels (light sleepers beware), and Soi 8 also has a few travel agencies, convenience stores, etc.
Soi Yodsak (Soi 6) Imagine a kerb-crawlers paradise - and then pedestrianise it. Arguably Pattaya's most colourful street (as well as most notorious), Soi 6 has about 50 bars (mostly "short time" bars, with names such as "Butterfly", "Love Club", "Route 69" and "The Eager Beaver") which all get going at 13:00 and close pretty much on the dot at 01:00. It's not really a pedestrian-only street (but it is one-way), however walking - preferably in broad daylight - is undoubtedly the best and most popular way to experience it. Go in the middle of the afternoon and just wander from one end to the other (if coming from the south, walk from the Second Road end down to the Beach Road end if you want to get there and back by songthaew). It's much, much more "sex-tourist" than "tourism" oriented, but anyone and everyone is welcome everywhere provided they're buying a drink or three. The curiously named "Hi Boss! 2002 Pub" is where the ladyboys hang out, there's one go-go - "Mandarin" (dancing from 17:00 till 01:00), plus a couple of "pub" food possibilities; and neighbouring Soi 6/1 has a handful of "ordinary" outdoor beer bars.
Second Road - around the Soi 2 & Soi 3 junctions On the west side of Second Road opposite the Central Festival Centre is a collection of about 35 very popular beer bars, which start to fill up from about 16:00, and several of which remain open long after the lights go out around 01:00-02:00. "Atlantic Bar", at the far end of the five-bar strip to the south of Soi 2, always draws a substantial crowd. The only go-go ("Classroom 2", 19:30-02:00) is a lively one, and while there's not much in the way of food in amongst the bars themselves, there are numerous eating options extremely close nearby (including outlets for most of the major fast-food chains directly opposite on the other side of Second Road). 10 assorted "same-same but different" bar styles
Casino Club at the Pratamnak Road end of Soi Diamond is an a-go-go with a difference - not only do the girls dance with their clothes on, but there are no chrome poles! - whatever will they think of next? Despite the name, it's not a casino; maybe it's a disc-o-go-go? The atmosphere is lively, the music is techno, the dancing is energetic, the hours are 21:00-04:00 (apparently able to close later than most due to the non-conformist format).
Boyz Town (the whole of Soi Pattayaland 3) is the place to head for to see the male go-go dancers, likewise Soi Pattayaland 1 (Soi 13/3). Same applies for girls who want to ogle (exactly the same) guys. Pattayaland 1 is relatively dead in the daytime, but Pattayaland 3 has a handful of places to eat and drink that keep it ticking over in the afternoon.
Jenny Star Bar in Walking Street (below Peppermint Palace) is wall-to-wall transvestites - seeing is believing, especially late in the evening and in the small hours. It's an open-air bar that spills out onto the pavement, and there's often quite a crowd gawking intently from a safe distance - so mind your pockets.
Jupiter Go-Go (previously "Planet Rock") at the Second Road end of Soi Pattayaland 2 (Soi 13/4) has a salsa/samba/merengue night every Friday - the girls are on stage from 18:00 until 01:00 (or later) and seem to enjoy the change.
Club Boesch? in Soi 16 (connects Walking Street to Pratamnak Road) is a brand new split-level lesbian go-go with a large Jacuzzi-style tub sunk into the floor in front of the bar, occupied in shifts by pairs of uninhibited young ladies non-stop from 20:00 until 01:00 (or later). "Normal" (for a go-go) priced drinks and no cover charge.
Tim Bar Beer on Second Road (opposite Soi 12) is an otherwise relatively run-off-the-mill go-go that plays nothing but DVDs, with a very strong bias towards live performances of rock'n'roll classics. Requests welcome - if in doubt, ask for Meatloaf's "Paradise By The Dashboard Light". Stage and screen come to life at 18:00 and keep going until at least 02:00 (closing hours not so strictly enforced here as it's not in amongst a bunch of other bars), but get there early as it's a popular place and their army of dancers thins out with prodigious speed.
Beach Inn Beer Garden on Walking Street (opposite the FLB Bar) can usually be found blindfold. Head through to the back and out into the bars that target visitors from the Middle-East, and feel the sound - some of the speaker systems here are bigger than a budget hotel room, and it's not difficult to position yourself so that you're being deafened by three or four of them (each one playing something different) all at the same time. (At the other extreme, there used to be a "Quiet Bar" on Second Road - but it closed not long after it opened, apparently due to lack of demand...)
Carousel Beer Bar is a pair of circular outdoor bars in the centre of Soi Diamond (directly off Walking Street) which spin from 17:00 until 03:00. A couple of drinks here and the world really will start to revolve around you.
Sealand Bar Complex (Beach Road, just before the Walking Street entrance archway) is a crush of about 25 ancient open-air beer bars (open 16:00-03:00) surrounding a boxing ring (exhibition matches at various intervals between 20:00 and 01:00). Get there early in the evening and it looks like there must be a prize on offer for whoever is able to squeeze the greatest number of bar girls into the smallest beer bar. If you sit down here, don't forget to shake the cockroaches out of your clothes as you leave.
Beach Club (towards the Walking Street end of Soi 15) is not the only "table dance" format a-go-go in Pattaya, but it's probably the most popular. Patrons are seated around industrial-strength tables which have mirror tops, upward facing spotlights, and of course the obligatory chrome pole; the girls dance on each table in turn, wearing short skirts and... - well if you can't guess the rest then you should probably steer well clear of any Pattaya establishment that mentions the words "table dancing" alongside its name. Cabaret Pattaya is well known for its katoey cabaret (aka ladyboy or transvestite) shows. Two of the best known (expect busloads of Asian tourists) are:
Alcazar, on Second Road (78/14 Moo 9 - across from Soi 5); tel. +66-38428746 / +66-38429212 fax. +66-38424939
Tiffany's Show [76] on Second Road near signless Soi Srinakhom (one soi north of Soi 1) has performances at 19:00, 20:30 and 22:00 (plus 17:30 high season) and in May hosts the annual Miss Tiffany's Universe Pageant [77] beauty queen competition, for contestants born as men. If you're got testosterone left over, visit the Shooting Range in the basement! Clubs Pattaya has various clubs, of which the "Pattaya City Expat Club" is the oldest ex-pat club in town. They meet 09:30-12:00 on Sunday mornings at the Henry J. Beans pub at the beginning of Beach Road. Their motto is "Expats helping Expats" and that is what they do. There are various breakfasts to chose from ranging from 65 baht for coffee and toast and up 185 baht for a combination Western/Thai breakfast. All are welcome. Disco There is actually two types of discotheques:
The ones near to walking street
The ones off walking street (meaning you gotta know them) In the first of both you will mainly see westerners with their chosed girl of the night. Many girls go here to look for so-called customers. The well-known disco's here are:
Insomnia Disco Reasonable pricing, house music, european DJ (apprently the owner is the DJ), as of mid 2007 "the place to go" (after 3 am)
Lucifer Free entry, expensive drinks. Only RnB Music with sometimes special guests DJs. It is the place to go at about 2-3 am.
Marine Disco on Walking Street has a large dance floor and plays house music. Free entry, but drinks are expensive. It is the house music counterpart of lucifer. There is Marine 2 as well which does the same music and is located a bit off Walking street. It was the place to be before Insomnia opened.
Tony's Entertainment Complex [78] on Walking Street has an attractive and stylish interior, great live music and service. Free entry, but drinks are incredibly expensive - and a 5000 baht fine if you're caught bringing your own in! There is now also a Tony 2 (which is not that well know but also very pricy).
MIXX at the end of WS. Again expensive drinks. They do have a RnB and a house room (two rooms in one disco). Just opened in late 2007.
Hammer on Walking Street. More an open air bar with lots of live music. You can't miss it, it is very loud. Again pretty expensive (same owner as lucifer, same style) The ones off Walking street are:
Chivas Palace (formerly Palladium, on Second Road), Hollywood Disco (South Road) and Xzyte Entertainment (Third Road) are typical Thai discotheques: no special area for dancing, but lots of shows and great atmosphere. Admission: around 300 baht, including one free drink.
Star Dice Entertainment on Naklua Road (not Star Dice Beach on Beach Road) is one of the few discos in Pattaya that doesn't dual-price foreigners.
Differ Live MusicLive music - especially popular rock oldies - can be heard at several open-air venues along Walking Street, and at various bars elsewhere.
Blues Factory on Soi Lucky Star (just off Walking Street) features the former Lam Morrison Band. Lam Morrison himself has a new band and location next on Marine Plaza.
Hard Rock Cafe [79] (in the grounds of the Hard Rock Hotel resort on Beach Road) has great live music and dancing in the evenings

Sleep

Pattaya has an extensive selection of inexpensive mid-range accommodation, and a good variety of more upmarket options. Very cheap (under 400 baht) accommodation can also be found, and generally there's no need to book in advance. Standard rooms (double bed, air-con, cable TV, refrigerator, hot shower) start from 400 baht/day (6000 baht/month), and rates are invariably per room, not per person. For families or small groups, three bedroom bungalows from 30000 baht/month can be found at Jomtien. For better rates for longer stays, enquire at real estate offices. Unless otherwise noted, prices quoted here are low season. Like all resort areas in Thailand, hotel pricing is highly seasonal. High season dates vary from hotel to hotel, but typically prices go up considerably during the Christmas-New Years period (which co-incides neatly with the season of best weather), and are lower between February and October/November. In addition to higher rates during the holiday period, guests staying over Christmas and New Year's Eve will often be required to pay for "Compulsory Gala Dinners" which can substantially increase the cost of the room. In recent years some hotels have started to insist that March is also covered by 'high season' prices - presumably because professional western men are usually most free to visit during a long Easter holiday break from work, and are happy to do so despite the worsening weather. With the exception of large resorts or international chains such as the Hard Rock and Marriott, the lowest rates available from abroad are typically those available from the hotels directly. Except for the least expensive, many will handle reservations via email or a web form. Many will expect a deposit, usually by credit card or bank transfer. While some hotels do not allow prostitutes to accompany guests to their rooms, this is uncommon in budget and mid-range hotels in Pattaya. Some "upmarket" hotels may charge a "joiner fee" for unregistered visitors, and a few may discourage visitors altogether. In all hotels, hotel security will check the ID of visitors in order to prevent girls aged under 20 from entering the hotel. For visitors who simply want to sleep soundly, a box of high-grade foam earplugs is often a wise investement when staying at many Pattaya hotels. Budget
Apex Hotel, Second Road (adjacent to Soi 11) tel. +66-38428281 / +66-38429233 fax. +66-38421184 [80]. All rooms have air-con, cable TV, 'fridge/minibar, hot shower, security box and telephone. There's also a pool (guests only) and buffet breakfasts/dinners (guests & non-guests welcome) and competitively priced laundry (8 baht for a T-shirt) and motorcycle rental (150 baht/day for a 125cc) services. There are 9 "first come first served" rooms at 450 baht (which are clean and functional, but rather well worn) and 100 more recently renovated rooms at 500 baht.
Cheap Charlies, 383/64 Moo 9, Soi Chaiyaphum (which connects Soi Buakhao Road and Third Road); tel. +66-38720452 [81]. Fan rooms with or without balcony from 150 baht.
Day & Night Hotel, South Pattaya Road, Soi Day & Night, offers air-con rooms at 500 baht (low season) / 850 baht (high season). Day & Night II Hotel further down the same soi has slightly bigger rooms (same rates). Monthly rates from 3800 baht.
Ice Inn Hotel, M.10 Pattaya 2nd Road tel. +66-38720671 / +66-38720672 [82]. All rooms have air-con, cable TV, 'fridge/minibar, hot shower, and telephone. Very nice and clean rooms, and helpful staff. From 440 baht.
Metro Apartments, Soi LK Metro, off Soi Buakhao; tel. +66-38425874 info@metro-apartments-pattaya.com [83] has excellent air-con rooms with hot shower, TV/DVD, and in-room safe & WiFi. The 3 pool tables in the bar (open until 02:00) are free for guests, as is Internet access; also small book/DVD library, next day laundry service. Low season rates 550 baht/night, 450 baht/night for stays over a week, 12000 baht/month; high season rates 750 baht/night, 700 baht/night for stays over a week, 19500 baht/month.
One For You Guesthouse, Soi 3; tel. +66-38720584 (info@ebonth.com )[84]. Rooms newly renovated autumn 2006, all rooms have; air con, fan television, DVD Player, refrigerator, kettle, safe. Minutes from walking street with quite location and cafe/bar. Rooms 500-700 baht per night or 8500-12500 baht per month.
Queen Victoria Inn, Soi Yodsak (Soi 6); tel. +66-38425418 [85] has rooms ranging from 500 to 800 baht, and a single penthouse suite for 2100 baht.
Wonderful Bar tel. +66-38425640 on the corner of Second Road and Soi Yamoto (Soi 13/1) has very basic rooms with air-con, TV, hot shower. Clean and tidy but old and well worn, and not so quiet in the evenings - but nevertheless often fully booked. Small rooms 300-350 baht, larger rooms 350-400 baht - pay upfront for a few days in advance to get the lower rates. Mid-range
Dynasty Inn group [86] has two locations in Pattaya: Dynasty Inn, Soi 13, South Pattaya; tel. +66-38415941 and Dynasty Resort, Buddha Hill (map); tel. +66-38250721. Free minibus transfers between the Pattaya locations and Dynasty Inn Bangkok (Sukhumvit, Soi Nana) for guests. Dynasty Inn was built in 2003, and is located in the central shopping area, close to the main nightlife areas; Dynasty Resort is further south, a short songthaew ride from the main tourist areas. Both have a single class of room for 1200 baht (as at January 2005).
Flipper House Hotel, Soi 7 [87] and Flipper Lodge Hotel, Soi 8 [88]. Located in the heart of the best known cluster of beer bars in Pattaya, with rooms starting at 1000 baht.
Lek Hotel, 284/5 Soi 13, Pattaya Road; tel. +66-38425550 (lek_hotel@hotmail.com). Has a pool (guests only) and serves buffet breakfasts/dinners (guests & non-guests welcome). Standard rooms in the semi-hi-rise new building cost 1200 baht and rooms in the old building are 750 baht.
Pattaya Centre Hotel, Soi 11 [89]. This high-rise hotel is popular with Chinese tour groups, and conveniently located for the central shopping areas. While furnishings are on the older side, rooms are spacious, and those on the higher floors have very nice views.
Penthouse Hotel, Soi Pattayaland 2 (Soi 13/4); tel. +66-95441430 [90]. Marketed as an "adult fantasy" hotel featuring "theme rooms" and located right in very centre of the main go-go district (and directly attached to a go-go bar), it's an older property that's somewhat the worse for wear. Rooms from 700 baht, suites from 2300 baht.
The Residence Garden [91]. This is a popular out-of-the-way location, a short walk from the intersection of South Pattaya Road and Pattaya Second Road, and is a good choice for those looking for somewhere quieter. It has relatively new facilities, with 1 and 2 bedroom suites from 1600 baht directly; discounted lower rates are sometimes available through other sources.
Sabai Group operates a pair of hotels on opposite sides of Soi 2, the Sabai Lodge [92] and the Sabai Inn [93], both of which offer a wide range of room classes between 700 and 3000 baht.
Sandy Spring Hotel, Soi 13, [94]. This is a new moderate priced hotel, located in the central shopping area, close to the main nightlife areas. Splurge
Areca Lodge, Soi Diana Inn (opposite the Soi LK Metro junction) tel. +66-38410123 /5549 /38424801 fax. +66-38415550 [95] sports two large pools with Jacuzzi and poolside gym/sauna, plus eating, drinking, Internet and conference facilities. Rates 1100-3000 baht.
Club Aviva, 100 Moo 9, Tambon Pong (20 minutes inland from Pattaya, free pickup on request); tel. +66-38735050 [96]. Part of Horseshoe Point and intended primarily for riders; also has a tennis court, swimming pool and basic spa. The buildings and grounds are charmingly decorated in a faux-Spanish style with all expected facilities, including two decent restaurants. Doubles with breakfast from 2300 baht.
Hard Rock Hotel, 429 Moo 9, Pattaya Beach Resort; +66-38428755 [97]. Located between Central Pattaya Road and Beach Road, just south of Soi Yodsak (Soi 6), it has extensive private grounds, a 2000 square metre outdoor pool with an imitation beach, and an outdoor rock climbing wall. Direct rates from around 5000 baht/night, but discount rates may be available through travel agencies.
Pattaya Marriott Resort and Spa, 218/2-4 Moo 10, Beach Road; tel. +66-38412120 [98]. Directly adjacent to Royal Garden Plaza, in the heart of the central shopping district, and very convenient for the entertainment areas.