Pattaya Thailand - Pattaya City and some of its districts
A brief overview of Pattaya City
Pattaya Thailand is a bustling coastal city in the province of Chonburi, located
around 147 km (91 miles) south-east of Bangkok on the east coast of the Gulf of Thailand, and boasts a vast shoreline of sandy beaches.
Pattaya City first became popular during the Vietnam War for R&R (rest & recreation), and is now a fantastic travel destination that attracts many types of traveler, including couples, families, backpackers and business travelers. It is also a popular expat location with many 'Farangs' (foreigners) settling here in the Land of Smiles.
Pattaya
has plenty on offer, caters for numerous
tastes, and is a wonderful place to visit - many people do not want to leave! From partying to relaxing on the
beach, an array of water-sports, golf and shopping; and from seeing
the sights to experiencing the culture, you are sure to find many
activities to enjoy your time here.
The
City has a
wide variety of shopping opportunities including numerous markets,
large malls/shopping centers, night markets and even a floating market. There
are many popular attractions in the area, including the Sancutary
of Truth, Nong Nooch Tropical Garden, Big Buddha and an array of cabaret
shows. It's also a great base to explore further afield from, being
close to Bangkok and not too far from Cambodia, Laos, Mynamar and Vietnam.
Pattaya nightlife is well known for being vibrant, providing an abundance of restaurants, bars and clubs, and cabaret shows, along with the famous 'Walking Street', Thai Bar Girls and interesting shows.
There are plans to build a super casino imminently, the first
casino in Thailand!
The city also offers
quieter areas such as Jomtien, which is very family friendly, and also
offers numerous restaurants,
entertainment venues, bars and markets, along with a stunning 6km long golden sandy beach.
Districts of Pattaya
Pattaya was once a
collection of small fishing villages, but is now a bustling city formed of several districts. Each area has retained its
own identity and name.
The areas of Pattaya are:
- Pattaya City (Central Pattaya / Pattaya Klang, in the middle)
- Nakula & Wong Amat (to the north)
- East Pattaya (the "dark side")
- Pratumnak Hill
- Jomtien and Na Jomtien in the south.
A short way out of the city you will find wonderful, peaceful villages such as Baan Amphur and Bang Saray, which are also along the coast and boast fantastic beaches.
Scenic Islands
Pattaya is close to the scenic islands of Koh Larn, Koh
Khrok and Koh Sak (the 'near' islands), around 7km offshore. The
islands of Koh Phai, Koh Man Wichai and
Koh Rin (the 'far' islands), are also nearby, being located further to the west of the
'near' islands.
All of the islands are accessible from either Bali Hai Pier (by Walking Street in Central Pattaya) or Ocean Marina (in Na Jomtien).
