Hilton Hotel and Festival Shopping Mall, Beach road 2011, Pattaya, Chonburi Province, Thailand.
Pattaya is synonymous for bars and go - go bars in particular. The sex industry is still the main source of business and earning method here, but many families still visit here from all over Thailand. If you are offended by seeing a fat, wrinkled old man walking down the street with a very much younger lady who looks like she has stepped out of a model magazine, then don’t go, it’s perhaps the wrong place for you. I love Pattaya and the surrounding districts, there is so much to see here. The golf courses are plentiful and beautiful to play on. They are some of the best in the world, having been designed by the top golf course designers in the world. Forget the sleaze it’s there, you will not change that. I still drink in Walking street because I know many of the people who work there.
There are many good people who work in Pattaya. The beach areas are full of deck chairs that you can hire for the day. Nothing better than sat in a deck chair under an umbrella, the sun beating down, watching the Jet Skis, that anyone can hire. A cool beer on your table, served by the owners of the deck chairs ( they have many families that own the separate sections along the beach. They provide you with food and drink all day if you so wish, at very reasonable prices. During your stay on the beach you will find that most of the touts, scammers, food sellers, and people that sell just about anything for sale in Thailand will constantly bother you to buy. You can even get a massage on the beach, laid on the towel on the sand, it feels weird but it is a genuine massage! Pedicures, manicures along with lotions and medicines, all can be bought on the beach. I must admit after a few hours of this constant chit chat, barter, call it what you will, it gets boring and annoying. I know they are trying to make a living , but many wont take no for an answer!
Pattaya is built around 4 or 5 main roads. It’s easy to get around once you know the layout. The main Sukhumvit road passes Pattaya in the east. Branching off from that is Pattaya Na Kluea, starting very near to Bang Lamung Police station and follows the sea shore all the way along to the roundabout at North Pattaya road. This road itself runs up to the Sukhumvit road. At this roundabout ( known locally as the Dolphin roundabout ) Pattaya Na Kluea becomes Beach road. The main road that runs through to Walking street in the south. This road is also called Thanon Hat Pattaya and or first road. Central Pattaya road, runs again from the Sukhumvit road down to the beach and Beach road. Then South Pattaya road, runs from the Sukhumvit road, again down to the Beach road, near the the start of Walking street. Two other main roads run north - south same as Beach road, these are, Pattaya Saisong road or second road, next to the main Beach road, and finally Soi Buakhao.
Baht buses run constantly around the circle of Beach road and second road, you can stop these at any time along the route the usual fare being 10 Baht hence the name. You can also hire these by the hour or by any special journey, but make sure you fix a fee first, they do not have a meter. You can also get to Jomtien on one of the Baht busses. Taxis do try to get you on any trip without using the meter, much like in Bangkok and most other places around Thailand. Not all are like this there are some genuine ones. Motorbike taxis ( you ride pillion ) are plentiful in Patttaya, again always remember to fix any price first. Rental in Pattaya is big business, you can rent most things 4x4’s , cars, vans, people carriers or MPV’s, motorbikes, scooters. You will usually find the bigger the bike the more security they want, usually your passport. Risky I know but no passport you pay a hefty deposit instead. You will also need your Driving Licence, some of the people who rent out sometimes keep these until you return, others will do a photocopy of it.
Hilton Hotel and Festival Shopping Mall, Beach road 2011, Pattaya, Chonburi Province, Thailand.
Pattaya is synonymous for bars and go - go bars in particular. The sex industry is still the main source of business and earning method here, but many families still visit here from all over Thailand. If you are offended by seeing a fat, wrinkled old man walking down the street with a very much younger lady who looks like she has stepped out of a model magazine, then don’t go, it’s perhaps the wrong place for you. I love Pattaya and the surrounding districts, there is so much to see here. The golf courses are plentiful and beautiful to play on. They are some of the best in the world, having been designed by the top golf course designers in the world. Forget the sleaze it’s there, you will not change that. I still drink in Walking street because I know many of the people who work there.
There are many good people who work in Pattaya. The beach areas are full of deck chairs that you can hire for the day. Nothing better than sat in a deck chair under an umbrella, the sun beating down, watching the Jet Skis, that anyone can hire. A cool beer on your table, served by the owners of the deck chairs ( they have many families that own the separate sections along the beach. They provide you with food and drink all day if you so wish, at very reasonable prices. During your stay on the beach you will find that most of the touts, scammers, food sellers, and people that sell just about anything for sale in Thailand will constantly bother you to buy. You can even get a massage on the beach, laid on the towel on the sand, it feels weird but it is a genuine massage! Pedicures, manicures along with lotions and medicines, all can be bought on the beach. I must admit after a few hours of this constant chit chat, barter, call it what you will, it gets boring and annoying. I know they are trying to make a living , but many wont take no for an answer!
Pattaya is built around 4 or 5 main roads. It’s easy to get around once you know the layout. The main Sukhumvit road passes Pattaya in the east. Branching off from that is Pattaya Na Kluea, starting very near to Bang Lamung Police station and follows the sea shore all the way along to the roundabout at North Pattaya road. This road itself runs up to the Sukhumvit road. At this roundabout ( known locally as the Dolphin roundabout ) Pattaya Na Kluea becomes Beach road. The main road that runs through to Walking street in the south. This road is also called Thanon Hat Pattaya and or first road. Central Pattaya road, runs again from the Sukhumvit road down to the beach and Beach road. Then South Pattaya road, runs from the Sukhumvit road, again down to the Beach road, near the the start of Walking street. Two other main roads run north - south same as Beach road, these are, Pattaya Saisong road or second road, next to the main Beach road, and finally Soi Buakhao.
Baht buses run constantly around the circle of Beach road and second road, you can stop these at any time along the route the usual fare being 10 Baht hence the name. You can also hire these by the hour or by any special journey, but make sure you fix a fee first, they do not have a meter. You can also get to Jomtien on one of the Baht busses. Taxis do try to get you on any trip without using the meter, much like in Bangkok and most other places around Thailand. Not all are like this there are some genuine ones. Motorbike taxis ( you ride pillion ) are plentiful in Patttaya, again always remember to fix any price first. Rental in Pattaya is big business, you can rent most things 4x4’s , cars, vans, people carriers or MPV’s, motorbikes, scooters. You will usually find the bigger the bike the more security they want, usually your passport. Risky I know but no passport you pay a hefty deposit instead. You will also need your Driving Licence, some of the people who rent out sometimes keep these until you return, others will do a photocopy of it.