Pattaya Travel Forum

My girlfriend & i are spending xmas&newyear in Pattaya, never been before. Could anyone please tell me what the Royal Orchid hotel is like (good or Bad).We are in mid 40's & looking forward to seeing what Pattaya is all about. Can someone please tell iv not dropped a bollok bringing her here.Doin the usual 3nights in Bangkok first so need transport on 24th dec to Pattaya is taxi best?
Cheers see u all in 2 weeks

Well you did,nt say where you are from so if you have every been to New Orleans they have whats called the walking street which is just like Burbon St in New Orleans USA but asia style. Alot of girls bars and clubs and shows, its a lot of fun I think and I love Theiland.So if you like to party and like the beach you will love the place if you don't I would'nt go.I took my wife and we had a great time. We got a car from the airport so I don't know about a taxi from Bangkok but you can get a car from your hotel to get to Pattaya. All the little hotels along the beach seemed nice did'nt see any that looked bad.ken

Cheers Kenstan, im sure we will enjoy everything Pattaya has to chuck at us, From Manchester uk.

Some silly guys might wish they were single again......

Here are a few thoughts on Pattaya for those who can’t make up their mind, or are worried about the sex industry and what it’s like for single women, couples, children etc,

Pattaya is a cheap and in general cheerful town On the Eastern seaboard of Thailand, the climate is great....just about the driest place on the Thai coast and the cost of living is cheap.....

The image most people have of a modern day Sodom and Gomorrah is really a result of careless and sensationalist reporting by various media around the world. It is true that there are many middle-aged men who have found they can afford to retire here often with a wife or girlfriend half their age...who are we to judge? - ...but it is also a fun holiday resort and great value for money.

There is also a lot to do if you are a family on holiday.

Visually, the beaches in Pattaya are not up to much compared to elsewhere in Thailand; it’s a very urban environment...rows of umbrellas and deck-chairs. Although people do swim, the sea is rather polluted…how much is unclear….they claim to have cleaned up the water a lot in the last few years and have marked of areas for swimmers. Neighbouring Jomtien beach about a 15 min “bus” ride away looks to be more swimmer-friendly but there is the occasional bout of untreated sewerage there from time to time. (This IS Thailand!). Cosy beach and Sugar beach between Pattaya and Jomtien offer less crowded or urban alternatives. Bear in mind that what is done to monitor pollution on any of the beaches throughout Thailand is not clear. Inevitably, ALL the main holiday beaches in Thailand are subject to pollution from time to time depending on season wind and tides.

All the same many people enjoy the beaches in and around Pattaya....At both Pattaya and Jomtien beaches you can hire all sorts of water sports stuff, and it’s all pretty cheap. All beaches have plenty of people selling drinks and snacks etc....have a fresh coconut and drink the liquid inside through a straw....very refreshing!

Off shore there are one or two islands with much nicer beaches, they are easily accessible for a day trip. If you go to Koh Laan, the main beach is really just a row of restaurants etc., but, it’s well worth hiring a moped and driving over to the other side of the island.....views from the top are great and there are some very quiet beaches there. Or simply walk along the coast for a bit to get away from the crowds.

Further down the coast towards Sattahip there are some quite reasonable beaches, Ban Sare or Ban Amphoe for example.

On the mainland, Pattaya offers a range of amusement parks, gardens, and theme parks and various sports.

There are numerous good quality golf courses, horse riding and motor sports, both karting and a car racing circuit. There are some small airfields nearby for fans of light aircraft too.

Nong Nooch Tropical Gardens although recently scandalised by the Beeb for their treatment of Elephants is worth a visit, just don’t support the Elephant rides. Elephant village is similarly not to be supported. Pattaya Park is a Water World amusement park that offers all the usual water rides plus a revolving restaurant and some hair-rising ways of getting up there and back down. Mini Siam is a miniature tour of Thailand - full of bus-loads of tourists with a MacDonald’s’ at the entrance. Million year old stone park has beautiful gardens - feed the 5ft long catfish! And cringe at the abysmal treatment of tigers and crocodiles. Further a field is Sri Racha tiger Zoo...to be avoided at all costs, and Kao Keow Open Zoo, a refreshing change from the usual callous way animals are treated in Thailand. There is also the “Water World” Aquarium on Sukumvit Rd. Any hotel or travel shop will arrange to take you there. For kids and the easily pleased, there’s also Ripley’s Believe It Or Not and Toys R us!

The Sanctuary of Truth is a rather unexpected attraction given the nature and reputation of Pattaya as a holiday destination. Built by a wealthy business family to celebrate the religions of the world in is an enormous hand-carved wooden building built on a small promontory at Naklua the Northern end of Pattaya.
You’ll need a Sawngthaew or Motorcycle taxi to get there and it is rather dear to get in....current price unknown.
Work on the building seems to be continually in progress, and provides employment for many artisans and craftsmen from all over the country.
A walk around the site you’ll see carvers at work, inside the building are signs explaining each section of the building, and just marvel at the wonderful carving.
The building itself is amazing but there are also some peripheral attractions that don’t seem so wonderful. One can rent a horse to ride around the site. At the time your correspondent was there one of the animals had got out of control and was being chased around the site by clearly untrained staff.
Another “attraction is the dolphin show. Here a small species of Dolphins -are put through there paces in a muddy pond, balancing balls and splashing the audience....it’s all rather embarrassing really.
However, all in all despite the rather second rate other attractions the site is well worth a visit.


Pattaya offers some of the best shopping outside Bangkok, and it is actually more accessible being sited in a much smaller area. Along the beach stalls shops and arcades offer all the usual souvenir stuff and some things that might cause a few raised eyebrows.... (A Samurai Sword or replica gun?!?!). Lots of ersatz stuff and big brand copies, CDs and DVDs for 150 baht, computer programs.....
The malls (Check out “MIKE’S” & “ROYAL GARDEN PLAZA” - accessible from Beach Rd or Second Rd) offer more quality goods still at great prices. Royal garden has a good eatery on the top floor and Mikes has a public swimming pool on the roof!
Other Malls around town include “Big C” on 2nd road, Tesco’s on Pattaya North (Nua), and Carrefour on Pattaya Central (Klang). All these have a range of other shops and restaurants all under one air-conditioned roof. Tesco and Big C also have stores on Sukumvit Rd - the main road from Bangkok.

Eating out in Pattaya & Jomtien is a treat! There’s everything form every country and it’s all cheap! Even the up=market stuff is half what you’d pay in Europe. You can eat US, French, Russian, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Full English Breakfast, Italian, Belgian, Dutch, German.......what am I doing? The list is endless.
BUT
There’s one I’ve missed out....THAI food! Thai food is wonderful.....everything from mild Chinese based noodles to hot and spicy Issan food....seafood, barbeque, Tom Yam soups...try it...you’ll love it.....if you want to spend a bit of Money try Ruen Thai on 2nd road or Sugar Hut on Thap Phraya Rd, the hill between Jomtien and Pattaya. Ruen Thai has great food from the all regions of Thailand and puts on an ethnic floor show music, dance or even demonstration Thai boxing! Sugar Hut is in fact a very beautiful resort, the restaurant is in a traditional Thai style wooden house. The atmosphere is amazing.... you remove your shoes on entering the dining area and the seating is either traditional low or for those of us who are less flexible there are “normal” height chairs and tables. Everything is teak and silk....just a pity the menu is so badly written and the food is a little on the bland side, but for a one off evening out it’s a must.
At the other end of the price range there are the small Thai restaurants and street stalls dotted all over town....many won’t have a menu in English so just walk in, sit down and look hungry.....let them bring you something and try and guess what it is you’re eating....for (a lot) less than $5 for 2 you can’t go wrong. A bowl of street noodles can be as little as 15 baht.
Just one phrase you might find useful....”Mai Pet” (one for the Geordies!) - this means “not hot”...it won’t mean no chillies but it might bring it down to a level where you can just about eat it! - “Mai Prik” is NO chillies at all.
And for the mindless, bootless and unhorsed, the culturally stagnant and the grossly obese, there is the usual plethora of fast food outlets....McD’s, KFC, and Burger King....how can people eat that stuff!?!?!? And WHY when you are in a land of gastronomic delights, would you? (My comfort food of choice is a big plate of liver and onions - mmmmmmm!)

The night life in Pattaya is legendary....although now the bars officially close at 1.00pm; this does not stop some places from turning music down and carrying on till the early hours of daylight.
There are discos, clubs bars of sorts including the girlie places....

The sex trade ripples through the town like veins through a stilton, and in a similar way gives the place its distinctive character. Unlike the red-light areas of Europe and America, they aren’t really sleazy; mainly it consists of small open bars where (middle-aged) men sit drinking beer and talking to the “bar-girls”. If a tryst is arranged it will take place I one of the hundreds of hotels. There is very little open display of lewdness as this is not approved of in Thailand. The “Go-go Bars” are behind closed doors and have naked or semi naked girls pole dancing or rather holding a pole and swaying to music. You and your family would not be admitted to a Go-go bar. If you went to an open beer bar you would be treated as a perfectly ordinary customer and the girls would dote on your children. (They are mostly mothers themselves). ..............and as for the “seediness” how many men do you know go to Hamburg or Amsterdam and find a wife?


For something a little more “wholesome” - on 2nd road spend an hour or so at the Malibu Bar....it’s a girl and lady-man show....a low budget affair, they make their own elaborate costumes and mime to well-known western songs. Every night they tread the boards from 8 till about 12.00 midnight...sometimes poor and amateurish but always entertaining...DO NOT miss Tina Turner! This guy is actually quite professional and very good indeed. He does a couple of performances every night and the place fills just to what his act. Unfortunately sometimes he has to take time off (twice a night, 7 days a week, year in year out - who wouldn’t?!?) and the act is performed by a less talented stand-in. All -in- all a great friendly atmosphere, lots of couples and even kids - and no smut!!!!....no admission charge, and they do food.

If you are finding the heat a bit too much there are plenty of enclosed air-conditioned bars with a western theme, be they Irish, English, Belgian or whatever. Here you can eat “comfort food” and watch replays of your favourite old TV shows and live football.

If you’re tired out by all this...get a massage. Make sure it’s actually a massage establishment and not a “gentleman’s relaxation” facility! There are plenty of small boutiques you can go in and get a 1or 2 hour leg rub for about 200 to 400 baht and some beautiful Spas that will pamper you for the best part of a day for a few grand.

Pattaya remains one of the few seaside towns where anyone can do what they’ve always dreamed of.... But at half the price!

I visit in october the Royal orchid resort, nice hotel with large room, near a nice and quiet beach in Wong Amat,the location of the hotel is outside the redlight district. infos on royal orchid with my fotos on my infos site www.pattayaone.com/ros.html

Is a taxi best? Depends on how much money you want to spend. You can take a VIP bus to Pattaya from the Ekamai bus station on Sukhumvit for around 120 baht each. So, that is 240 baht (probably a little less) for the both of you to take the bus. Figure on 2 to 2.5 hours for the ride, bus has a toilet onboard. For buses, trains, planes and taxi rides make sure you keep your valuables (especially passport and cash) with you at your seat or within view.)

From the Pattaya bus station you will probably have to pay around 50 or 70 baht to get to your hotel by baht bus (for the both of you!) Good to have a proper name for the hotel and you could Google up a map of Pattaya and find your hotel for reference. Many of the tourist attractions are closer to the other end of Beach Road, near the Royal Garden Mall on up to Walking Street!

Except for the ride from the Pattaya bus station to your hotel, when you use a baht bus in Pattaya you pay 10 baht only per pax! If you look Thai you can probably get by with only paying 5 baht! You wave a baht bus down going in the direction you want - hop on and sit down - push button/buzzer to stop the baht bus - pay 10 baht for the ride! If you talk to the driver and tell him where to go then that is a custom ride and you pay what ever you agree to! Usually you can get to most places for 10 baht or 20 baht with a switch to baht buses going in the next direction. Transportation is cheap in Pattaya!

If you did the smart thing and picked a hotel in Bangkok near the Skytrain you can use that overhead rail service to take you around Bangkok, including a connection for the subway and the Ekamai bus station located on Sukhumvit Road. In Bangkok only pay the meter price for a taxi ride. Meter taxi cabs are cheaper than tuk-tuks.

Lots and lots of posts on Pattaya, taxi rides from the airport and where to stay in Bangkok.

Good luck.

If there's 2 of you (still)or really even one, a taxi is best...you don't have to make connections and lug your luggage about and it's door to door at your convenience - the cost should be about 1300 baht including tolls (actually that's from the airport - 1.5 hours - airport is out towards Pattaya)....


..I just love the thought of all he Americans reading this post and scratching their heads thinking "What's he mean by "Dropped a bollock"?"

Cheers pimilan glad someone been & said hotel not too bad, Cheers

Cheers Khunwilko, probably will get taxi, dont think i will be in any fit state to get bus on Christmas eve, Stayin in Landmark Hotel for 3 days before so goin to sample a few of the local beers on offer . Yep you got that right im from Manchester England, not usa, Cheers.

hello
If you are staying in bkk for a few days check around for cars (limosines)to take you to pattaya should be around 1500 baht dont use the hotel car they will charge you about 3000baht you have not dropped a bollock takeing the mrs my mrs loves it don,t get hasseled that much with her in doors with you. have a great time we are back there i feb.

Cheers for that trecle, you put my mind at rest