The Ultimate Food and Travel Information Guide to Pattaya, Thailand

Pattaya is the dreamland or candy land for bachelors and men who want to have fun. Located in Thailand, Pattaya is a famous destination for bachelors, families and kids, just different areas. Pattaya offers much more than Massages and Strip clubs, even though people travel for only those. I can say without hesitation that Pattaya is one of my favourite cities for various reasons. Pattaya offers beautiful sightseeing destinations to look for, activities to experience, and beer bars to relax. So if you are ready to travel to Pattaya, then the below information might be the best guide for you.

Weather, Seasons & Best Time to Visit

Pattaya is very hot due to its geographical location. Located close to the ocean, Pattaya humid feels like you are in a desert. Even though Pattaya’s temperature is not consistent throughout the year, it feels hot. The highest temperature goes up to 36°C, and the lowest will be 22°C. The climate also determines the low and high seasons. The High season starts from December summer to mid-April, precisely during the peak summer season. The best time to visit Pattaya to avoid paying more for everything is to travel between June to the first week of November. The weather condition is moderate, and if you dont mind getting wet a little (I am talking about rain), then it’s perfect for you.

Cost of Living

Pattaya is one of the cheapest destinations in Thailand and even the world. There might be fluctuation in the Thai currency, but Pattaya seems more economical in all aspects. The hotel rent is much cheaper than in any European country and even in Asia. Even the five-star properties are much lower than in other places. Even though the prices don’t vary much from location to location, you could choose it wisely. However, hotel scams are not that rare, so do research before pre-booking the hotel room.

Best Area to Stay

You can stay anywhere in Pattaya, but the purpose of your visit might change the location. If you are travelling for adult fun, the best area to stay is near Walking Street or in and around Soi Buakhao. These areas help you navigate your way to the best adult entertainment destinations in Pattaya. However, if you are travelling with your family, wife, and kids, I recommend areas around Jomtien beach. Jomtien beach is much calmer and is the most scenic destination ever. You can even stay on the northern side of Pattaya, which is also good and much closer to sightseeing destinations.

Choosing the Best Hotel

Choosing the best hotel in Pattaya might be difficult because not everything you see online is true. There are instances where travellers face massive difficulty due to a lack of proper research. There are plenty of different properties in Pattaya you can rent, hotel rooms, condos and even hostels, but thorough research is a must. The best advice is to check the hotel’s website, read some reviews and get clarity on your stay locations. I love to stay at serviced apartments than hotels or guest houses because serviced apartments seem to be cheaper than hotels and have much better rooms.

Those who love to take girls to their room have one more thing to take care of. Many hotels charge extra for bringing in guests from outside. Even though many properties in Pattaya do not charge anything, some might. If you are travelling for those temptations, check with the property beforehand. The term used is ‘Joiners fee’ for an extra charge, and if it says ‘Guest Friendly’, then it’s free of cost. Please note that you can take only one guest with you for free.

Best Stay according to me.

Pattaya has many types of properties, and in that my recommendations are

1. Hotel Palazzo (5 Star)
2. Grass Service Suites (Condo)
3. Nature View (Basic Condo)
4. Hilton (5 Star)
5. LK The Empress (4 Star)

Important Sightseeing Destinations

Pattaya does have a list of Sightseeing Destinations depending on your choice. Below is the list of a few Sightseeing Destinations divided into sections based on the travellers’ preferences.

• Adventure Traveller – The travellers, looking for activities varying from Water Sports to Sky are the Limit. Pattaya also has ATV, Park Tower Dive, Go-Karting, Xbungy etc.
  
• Family Traveller – There are a lot of places to visit in Pattaya as a family. The sightseeing destinations like Mini Siam, Tuxedo Illusion Hall, Art-In-Paradise, Nong Nooch Dinosaur, Mimosa, Dolphin Show, Upside Down etc. are best for a family visit.
  
• Solo Traveller – As a Solo Traveller, my advice is for you to explore places like Walking Street, Soi 6, Soi Buakhao and Soi LK Metro with some sightseeing destinations.
  
• Must-Visit – Some sightseeing destinations in Pattaya should be visited by all travellers regardless of any category. The sightseeing destinations like Big Buddha, Sanctuary of Truth, Soi Khao Chi Chan, Floating Market, Tiger Park etc are just visitable places.

My advice for the travellers is to make a list of things which are interesting, then head to those places. I made the mistake of going to Mini Siam as a Solo Traveller, and I was bored to death, so make your decision wisely.

What & Where to Eat?

Pattaya is a great place to eat, and it is very cheap. Pattaya is best for having fresh seafood and Thai street food. If you are going to Pattaya, try Shrimp noodles, Tom Yum, Steamed Fish, Fried Chicken, and Coconut Pan Cake. Do not forget to try my favorate dessert, sticky rice coconut milk with mango. If you want to go the extra mile, you can relish Crocodile Satay, Deep-fried Scorpion, Silk Worm, Raw Oyster, Jelly Fish etc. The best place to experience Thai cuisine is the Floating Market. The other areas are to go to any night market or behind Walking Street on South Pattaya Road. I would recommend local restaurants, as well as, Jungle Restaurants for some really exotic food.

Where to Shop?

For all your shopping freaks, Pattaya is the place to explore. The cheap pricing and haggling for the purchase is the best experience. There are some large malls in Pattaya like Central Marina and Terminal 21, but, I would recommend shopping at Night Bazaar, Jomtien Night Market, Pratamnak Night Market, Thep Prasit Night Market etc. Buy some really fashionable clothes, artefacts, Paintings, memorabilia and so on.

Massage

Pattaya is a great place to get a massage, you name it, they got it. From a very professional Thai massage to happy-ending massages, everything is available in Pattaya. There are different types of Massages in Pattaya like

• Traditional Thai Massage – The Traditional Massage is an artistic yoga massage done with your clothes on and usually done by an old Thai woman.
  
• Oil Massage – The Thai Oil Massage is a form of Indian Ayurvedic Massage done using a couple of oils, aromas and traditional techniques.
  
• Foot Massage – Generally, Pattaya is famous for its foot massage and can be found easily everywhere.
  
• Happy Ending Massage – Also called, the full-service massage, is an oil massage with hand-job, blow-job or sexual services.
  
• Nuru or Soapy Massage – A Japanese invented delightful massage given by a nude girl on your nude body with the use of aroma-filled soap.
  
• LadyBoy Massage – Performed by Ladyboys. They offer all the services mentioned above.

Note: Don’t call it Thai massage coz they understand that it’s already Thailand.

Travel Tips to Pattaya

Pattaya is one of my favorate cities to relax and explore, but if you are not careful, you might end up on the wrong side. The following are some of the important tips for you to know before you land in Sin City.

1. Scams – Watch out travellers, Pattaya does have a lot of scammers. The scam varies from small taxi overpricing to a big scam like Jet Sky. Now I cannot list out all the scams for you, but I can definitely list out some common ones like

• Jet Ski / Motor Bike Scam – To be short, you rent out a Jet Ski, and at the end of the term, the lender discovers scratches and dentures and asks you to pay for the damages. If you don’t pay, you might get into trouble. So my advice is don’t rent a Jet Ski / Motor Bike in Pattaya.
  
• Ping Pong/ Sex Show Scam – You are walking on the street, and someone approaches you and invites you to a Ping Pong show absolutely free. Don’t go! I mean 99% of the Ping Pong/ Sex show involves a rip-off scam, therefore, do not go.
  
• Gemstone Scam – This is the most common and popular among all the other scams. A taxi driver convinces you to visit a gem shop with him, and he offers to drive for less or no charge. Do not encourage him at all because it is all fake.

2. Nightclubs – There are many nightclubs in Pattaya, getting to know each of them before entering is a must. There are seven types of nightclubs you can see in Pattaya

• Thai Local Nightclub – There are some good Thai nightclubs in Pattaya, which are preferred for great Thai music and party. You will not find any working girls aka prostitutes but all casual women and men. The clubs like Differ, Yes, and Spark are some of the local Thai nightclubs.
  
• Resto Bars – There are some regular Resto-bars in Pattaya and some really good micro-breweries. Make sure you check out Hooters on Beach Road for some yummy chicken wings.
  
• Beer Bars – Beer Bars or as I call them Fun Bars are nightclubs for cheap beers and fun working women. These bars have short-time rooms above and if you love the girl sitting next to you take her to the room for some extra buck. The girls here are cheap compared to other big bars. The best beer bars can be found on Soi 6, Soi Made in Thailand.
  
• Agogo Bars – Agogo Bars or as I call them Fancy Bars are nightclubs with hundreds of working women. Some Agogo bars also feature topless dancers and everyone looks like a model. These girls are expensive as well as the bar fines are expensive but it’s all worth it. The drinks are also priced on the higher side.
  
• Gentlemen’s Club – Gentlemen’s Club in Pattaya are a casual strip club with attached private rooms. Nothing much to talk about but it’s worth a try.
  
• Ladyboy Bars – Ladyboy Bars are one of the popular bars in Pattaya and are very unique. These bars feature sexy Ladyboy for your company and it is as usual as the other bars.
  
• Bars in Boyz Town – If you are into studly-looking men. If you know what I mean.

Do not ring the hanging bell in any club. If you ring it then you have to buy everyone’s drink at the rate of 200 baht per drink.

3. Language – Many Thai People do not speak English therefore learn little Thai to navigate around Pattaya. The first thing to learn is the greeting, that is, Sawadee Ka/Krap and Thank you, that is, Kapkun Ka/Krap (Women use Ka and Men use Krap). Make sure you learn how to say food i.e., Xāh̄ār (Ahaarn) or else you will definitely go hungry.

Pattaya is one of the best cities to relax and rejuvenate. Experience Pattaya first hand and I am sure you will fall in love with the city instantly. Cheers!