Pattaya (พัทยา) 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 overdevelopment has long since destroyed any natural charms it once had, but its plethora of hotels and guesthouses and convenient location with quick and easy access from the capital make it a popular weekend getaway. Catering for over five 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.

View of Pattaya Bay (Ao Pattaya) from Soi 12

Understand

see also the Pattaya events & holiday dates table at the foot of this article

Pattaya's name was originally Thap Phraya, meaning Army of the Phraya - commemorating the surrender of Nai Klom's army to that of Phraya Tak (later King Taksin the Great), without a fight. Thap Phraya became Phatthaya (the name of the north-easterly wind at the beginning of the rainy season), and then Phatthaya (the true phonetic spelling).

Since 1978, Pattaya has been administered under a special autonomous system with a status comparable to that of a municipality by the mayor of Pattaya City, who has overall responsibility for policies, public services, and supervision of all City Hall employees.

Tourism

Once a sleepy fishing town, Pattaya first boomed as an R&R spot during the Vietnam War and has been a sex tourism destination trying to improve its image ever since. Currently, Pattaya is booming again: TAT claims 5,338,000 visitors for 2005 (up 6.5% from 2004), of which two-thirds were foreigners, and the takeover by the new Suvarnabhumi Airport (located to the east of Bangkok, alongside the expressway to Pattaya) from the more distant Don Muang Airport at the end of September 2006 will undoubtedly make further increases in tourism revenues inevitable.

Pattaya is popular not only as a beach resort and for its entertainment, nightlife and shopping, but also for the broad selection of pastimes it caters for, from golf and horseback riding to bungee jumping, karting and shooting - not to mention a wide variety of watersports such as scuba diving, jet-skiing, sailing, water skiing, windsurfing and kitesurfing, and a whole lot more. Pattaya is also very popular as a conference, convention and seminar venue, and the grapevine hosts rumours of future developments of varying degrees of plausibility, such as a horse racing track, casinos, and a tram system.

The Tourist Authority of Thailand (TAT) Information Office is just outside the centre, exactly 1 km south of the junction of Second Road and South Pattaya Road - proceed along Pratamnak Road, continue straight up the hill, and where the road bears sharp right part way up, turn sharp left into the small side-soi. Worth a visit if you're in Pattaya for an extended period and want to browse for fresh ideas for new things to do/see. Open daily 08:30-16:30, tel. +66-38428750 / 8990 / 7667 or use the TAT freephone number: dial 1672 or e-mail: tatchon@tat.or.th

Local news

Foreign language newspapers:

• Pattaya Blatt - in German - 25 baht, weekly
• Pattaya Mail - in English - 25 baht, weekly
• Pattaya People (Pattaya Aktuell) - mainly in English, some German, a little Thai - 25 baht, weekly
• Pattaya Today - in English - 20 baht, fortnightly

Orientation

Districts

"Greater Pattaya" occupies most of the coastline of Banglamung (one of the eleven districts that comprise Chonburi Province). It is divided into a larger northern section which spans the areas to the east of Naklua Beach (the most northern beach) and Pattaya Beach (the main beach) plus the Buddha Hill headland (immediately south of Pattaya Beach), and a smaller southern section covering the area to the east of Jomtien Beach (which lies directly south of Buddha Hill) including Dongtan Beach. Jomtien's beaches are much broader and generally in better shape, and the atmosphere locally is more sedate and family-oriented, than at Pattaya Beach.

For information about Jomtien, see the Jomtien guide.

Sub-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 centre 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

Map of major roads in Pattaya (not to scale)

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.

Get in

Most visitors arrive by road from or via Bangkok, many having flown in to Suvarnabhumi (the "new" BKK). Much smaller numbers arrive direct by road from the north and east, by rail from Bangkok, and by air via U-Tapao from Ko Samui or Phuket in Southern Thailand or Siem Reap in Cambodia.

By road

for bus services from/to destinations other than Bangkok, see the Get in | By road | By region section

First class bus

1st class buses from Bangkok's Eastern, Northern, and Southern Bus Terminals and Suvarnabhumi Airport 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):

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 (station map) on Sukhumvit Road. Depending on your final destination and the traffic conditions, you may want to transfer to the Skytrain (system map) 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.

Minibus

• Bangkok - minibuses run between Pattaya and Bangkok's hotels and Khao San Road, offering the convenience of a door-to-door service for around 400 baht/person. Departure times vary, but 09:00 / 12:00 / 17:30 are the most widely advertised. Driving time is about 2 hours, however it can take quite a bit longer overall (especially if you're the first to be collected and the last to be dropped off). One such service runs direct between Pattaya Dynasty Inn (Soi 13) and Bangkok Dynasty Inn (Soi Nana), and can be arranged through the Dynasty Inn reception desks.

• U-Tapao Airport (near Sattahip) - about 30 minutes, 200-250 baht; departure times to suit flight schedules (pre-booking especially important when flying to U-Tapao)

• Ban Phe (gateway to Ko Samet) - about 90 minutes, 150-200 baht; departures typically 07:30, 11:30, 15:00

• Laem Ngop (gateway to Ko Chang) - about 3 hours, 400-500 baht; depart 09:00

It's also possible to travel by minibus to Hat Lek (for the southern-most border crossing between Thailand and Cambodia) but not every day of the week; this service may or may not go via Laem Ngop, depending on overall demand. As at January 2006: depart 07:30, arrive around 14:00, 700 baht, Tuesday and Friday only - but liable to change, so enquire locally for the latest schedule details.

Travel agencies (ubiquitous throughout Pattaya) plus many hotels/guesthouses sell minibus tickets, and tourist-oriented services such as these invariably include collection from your hotel/guesthouse/wherever (allow extra time for this - times quoted above are approximate transit times and make no allowance for the vagaries of the collection process).

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.

By plane

airline offices - see the Cope | Airline offices section

airstrips - see the Do | Sports | "flying, paragliding & skydiving" section

U-Tapao

Formerly a US airbase and largely responsible for Pattaya's initial transformation, U-Tapao (UTP - tel. +66-38245295) is the closest airport fielding commercial passenger flights - but only to three destinations. Often decribed as "Pattaya Airport", it's actually at Sattahip, just off the main Sattahip - Chanthaburi highway, 30 km south of Pattaya.

Schedules (all daily, as at January 1st 2006):

Bangkok Airways (PG) flies to/from Ko Samui (USM) and Phuket (HKT) - UTP-USM & USM-UTP flights are usually slightly less expensive than BKK-USM & USM-BKK flights

PMTair (U4) flies to/from Siem Reap (REP) (Angkor, Cambodia)

The easiest way to transfer between U-Tapao and Pattaya is by direct door-to-door minibus - driving time is normally about 30 minutes (200-250 baht per person for pre-booked services).

If speed and convenience don't matter, the ad-hoc option is to hop on virtually any bus on Sukhumvit Road. Going south, if it's a bus that terminates at Sattahip you'll have to swap buses or finish the journey by songthaew; if it's going further east (eg Rayong, Chanthaburi or Trat) it'll drop you off at the airport entrance as it goes by. Going north, wait for a bus that's going further than Sattahip and then you won't need to transfer. Alternatively, the white songthaews that ply Sukhumvit Road between Pattaya and Sattahip charge just 20 baht.

Or to buck the trend big time, go by rail (3rd class, weekdays only) between Pattaya and Sattahip, get off just before or after the line crosses Highway 3, and connect with the airport by songthaew or bus. The fare for the 40-50 minute train ride is 6 (yes, six!) baht - depart Pattaya 10:18, arrive Sattahip 11:00; depart Sattahip 13:30, arrive Pattaya 14:21 - but don't forget, no trains on Saturdays or Sundays.

Suvarnabhumi

Bangkok's shiny new Suvarnabhumi Airport took over from Don Muang on September 28th 2006, and is 110 km from Pattaya (40 km closer than Don Muang), around 80-90 minutes away by road, on Bangkok's eastern outskirts.

There are no commercial passenger flights connecting Suvarnabhumi directly with U-Tapao.

Pattaya-Suvarnabhumi transfers - see the Get in | By road section

By train

Provided it's a weekday, the most economical way to travel between Pattaya and Bangkok by public transport is by rail - the one-way fare is just 31 baht, and if you've never experienced a 3rd class Thai train, this is a good one to try.

From Monday to Friday, a single daily 3rd class (non-aircon) train departs Bangkok's Hualamphong Train Station at 06:50 and arrives at the main Pattaya station at 10:18, before continuing on to Sattahip; it then returns via Pattaya at 14:21 and terminates back in Bangkok at 17:40 (on Saturdays and Sundays it turns back to Bangkok at Chachoengsao, so is of no practical use for getting to or from Pattaya at weekends). Regardless of direction, simply turn up and buy a ticket at the station - this train can't be pre-booked.

Pattaya has two train stations, both just east of Sukhumvit Road:

Pattaya Train Station (tel. +66-38429285) is the main stop, just north of the junction with Central Pattaya Road (from Sukhumvit Road, turn into Soi Pornprapanimit and then turn left immediately before the road crosses the railway line). A Baht Bus waits here for the train to arrive and charges a reasonable 30 baht/person to anywhere in the Pattaya Beach area; in the opposite direction, budget around 40-50 baht for a motorbike taxi from Beach Road. Facilities comprise a small snacks / chilled drinks counter, toilets, a solitary payphone, and the ticket office - which also sells maps of Pattaya.

Pattaya Tai Train Station is a small unmanned halt about 3 km further south, and hence closer to Jomtien, near the Sukhumvit / Thepprasit Road intersection.

At the main Pattaya Train Station, tickets must be bought before boarding and are only sold in the final 30 minutes prior to departure. The fare from/to Bangkok is 31 baht, from/to Sattahip 6 baht.

As the Pattaya Tai halt has no ticket office, passengers are permitted to board here without tickets and then pay on the train (32 baht to Bangkok).

The surcharge for transporting a bicycle (up to 20 kg) between any two points on this line (ie Bangkok-Sattahip) is 80 baht.

Tickets for other journeys can be purchased (up to a maximum of 60 days in advance) at the Pattaya Train Station ticket office between 08:00 and 16:00; the same tickets can also be arranged through Pattaya agencies, who will add on a 200-300 baht markup to cover their assistance and the cost of sending a moto-taxi to collect the tickets from the station.

By boat

A surprising number of visitors enquire about ferries across the Gulf of Thailand - however no such services exist. Those determined to go by sea may find that local dive shops can help, if cost is not a consideration.

By region

South

The options for Southern Thailand are to fly U-Tapao (near Sattahip) direct to/from Ko Samui or Phuket, or else to go via Bangkok. Note that a direct bus service between Pattaya and the Southern Bus Terminal in Bangkok was introduced in 2005; also that it may be worth considering using the one daily (weekdays only) train to/from Pattaya and connecting with a southern line overnight train at Hualamphong (pre-booking is advised for berths on overnight trains; this can be arranged at or via Pattaya Train Station).

North

By road: it's possible to travel direct to/from numerous locations in Northern Thailand, however it's often quicker overall to go via the Northern (Moh Chit) Terminal in Bangkok. Much depends on final destination, time of travel, and available services; but if in doubt, the safest bet will usually be to stick with the 1st class buses and go via Moh Chit.

Nakhonchai Air Co. (tel. +66-38427841 / +66-38424871) provides "VIP", 1st class, and non-aircon passenger services (plus parcel services) to Chiang Mai and Mae Sai from premises on the southbound side of Sukhumvit Road (30/7 Moo 9), one block south of the junction with Central Pattaya Road.

To Chiang Mai (approx. 13.5 hours):

• VIP (32 seats, 670 baht) departures 14:30, 17:25, 18:30, 19:00
• 1st class (620 baht) departures 14:45, 18:15
• non-aircon (3rd class, 345 baht) departs 06:15

To Mae Sai (approx. 15 hours):

• VIP (32 seats, 770 baht) departures 15:00, 17:00
• 1st class (720 baht) departs 15:15
• non-aircon (3rd class, 390 baht) departs 12:15

It's always worth considering pre-booking long-haul bus tickets, however more often than not seats will still be available an hour or so prior to departure.

By rail: it may be possible to use the one daily (weekdays only) train to/from Pattaya to connect with a northern line overnight train at Hualamphong (pre-booking is advised for berths on overnight trains; this can be arranged at or via Pattaya Train Station).

North-East

By road: for most (if not all) destinations in Isaan, it's not necessary to go via Bangkok. If a direct service isn't available, it's usually possible to connect via Nakhon Ratchasima (Khorat).

Nakhonchai Air Co. (see previous section for details) also provides "VIP", 1st class, and non-aircon passenger services (plus parcel services) to Ubon Ratchathani (~11 hours) as follows:

• VIP (32 seats, 540 baht) departures 17:15, 18:35, 20:15, 20:30, 20:45
• 1st class (465 baht) departures 07:45, 17:45
• non-aircon (3rd class, 255 baht) departures 16:45, 18:00, 19:45

Roong Reuang Coach operates five Isaan services from the bus station on North Pattaya Road (the 1st class Bangkok bus terminal), all of which are air-con and go via Aranyaprathet (1st class 209 baht / 2nd class 162 baht / ~5 hours) and Buriram, then either Roi Et or Yasothon, and then terminate at Mukdahan (~13 hours) as follows:

• 2nd class via Yasothon (428 baht) departs 07:00
• 1st class via Roi Et (553 baht) departures 08:30, 19:00
• 1st class via Yasothon (551 baht) departures 17:30, 19:30

By rail: it's possible to take the train from Pattaya to Chachoengsao (weekdays only) and switch there to a train to Aranyaprathet, or vice-versa, but either way the connection can only be made by spending the night in Chachoengsao. For trains to Nakhon Ratchasima (Khorat), Buriram, Surin, Si Saket, Ubon, etc, connect via Hualamphong.

Cambodia

see the Get out | Cambodia section

Get around

By songthaew

Apart from a handful of privately operated examples, Pattaya has no tuk-tuks and most ad hoc local transport is undertaken by a flotilla of over 700 dark blue coloured songthaews - pickup trucks converted to buses, also called Baht Buses. The official "bus" fare is 5 baht for trips within Pattaya, however foreigners are universally expected to pay 10 baht. Having the correct change is by no means essential, but does keep the potential hassle factor to a minimum. Flat fares only apply when operating as a bus; beware the driver of an otherwise empty songthaew, especially one that's parked up at the roadside, who might presume (or decide on your behalf) that you want to charter - in which case expect a much higher fare of 100 baht or more, depending on your negotiating skills.

The busiest route is the beach circuit: from the junction of Second Road and South Pattaya Road, north along Second Road to the Dolphin Circle roundabout; then south along the full length of Beach Road; then briefly east along South Pattaya Road to complete the loop. Frequency is virtually non-stop, and even at the most unlikely hours, average waiting time is literally no more than a few seconds.

The routes sometimes vary - for example with a left turn (from Beach Road or Second Road) into Central Pattaya Road; or no left turn at the Dolphin Circle roundabout (where Second Road, Beach Road and North Pattaya Road meet) and going straight on to Naklua (or even a right turn towards the bus station and Sukhumvit). The only way to know the route for sure is to ask (but don't let the driver mistake your asking as a charter request). Sometimes the driver will just decide to turn down a random soi for no apparent reason, or because he's just been hired as a taxi, but you'll still be expected to pay your 10 baht if you've ridden for more than a soi or two - however surprises such as these are few and far between.

It's also easy to catch songthaews along South Pattaya Road, Central Pattaya Road, and North Pattaya Road; in the case of the latter, there's often a songthaew waiting at the Dolphin Circle roundabout (they depart from here at regular intervals, or when full, and the fare to the bus station is 10 baht) and there's also a free songthaew service to the Tesco-Lotus supermarket on North Pattaya Road.

For Jomtien, songthaews wait at the beginning of Pratamnak Road (the continuation of Second Road, from the South Pattaya Road crossroads), and charge 10 baht.

For Naklua, take a songthaew up Second Road to the Dolphin Roundabout. If the songthaew turns left or right at the roundabout (ie it's not one of the few that continue straight on to Naklua), disembark immediately and cross to the north side of the roundabout, and either walk or take a north-bound songthaew (10 baht) from there.

White coloured songthaews ply Sukhumvit Road, going as far as Si Racha and Sattahip (20 baht); full-size buses to destinations as far away as Trat and even Chiang Mai also stop and pick up passengers on Sukhumvit Road (at the South Pattaya Road, Central Pattaya Road, and North Pattaya Road junctions).

If you're overcharged by a songthaew driver, note the three digit vehicle number (top left corner of the windscreen, also stencilled on both sides and in the back) and report the problem to:

• Pattaya City Manager: dial 038429216
• Banglamung District Baht Bus Cooperative: dial 038221271 / 038423554

By local bus

After long delays, a government-subsidised public bus system charging 30 baht/trip, 90 baht/day, 180 baht/3-day and 900 baht/month was test-launched in August 2005. The long-term plan is for six routes (three clockwise, three anticlockwise - map), with three air-con 34-seat buses per route making scheduled stops from 06:00 to 02:00 at 20 minute intervals. The introduction of facilities for wheelchairs, and additional open-top sightseeing buses, have also been proposed.

As at mid-2006 the green line has been suspended, the frequency on the remaining routes has been extended to 30 minutes, and the one-trip fare reduced to 20 baht. How temporary or permanent these changes are is unclear, but in the meantime, be aware that Pattaya now has a lot of shiny new bus-stop signs which make no attempt to tell prospective passengers that they are not in use. Brochures with details of the routes/stops (but not times) are available from the bus drivers; for updates, try dialing 038757340 /1 or e-mail pbb_bus@yahoo.com.

By motorbike taxi

The quickest way to get around is by motorcycle (motosai). A moto-taxi will be less expensive than a songthaew charter, but arguably less safe. Roadside moto-taxi stands are scattered throughout town, and waiting drivers usually clap their hands or sometimes call out to attract the attention of potential passengers; alternatively just flag down the next available one that cruises by, as the drivers are easily identified by their coloured vests. Some will carry two (or more!) passengers - although this is illegal. Foreigners can expect to pay around 30-40 baht for trips around the inner parts of town.

By taxi

Meter-taxis are a common sight in and around Pattaya. All are from Bangkok; their drivers bring passengers from the capital, and then operate locally until a return fare becomes available. There are also some car services and non-metered taxis that operate on an on-call basis; minibuses can also be chartered. These services are suited primarily to longer trips outside the core of the town or to another city, and can be arranged through most travel agencies and many hotels/guesthouses. Expect to pay considerably more than the cost of a songthaew charter, probably in the order of a few hundred baht.

Rentals

• safety - see also the Stay safe | Accidents section

If considering renting a vehicle, bear in mind that traffic in Thailand can seem very erratic by Western standards, and that driving on the left can be confusing not only for those who have previously only ever driven on the right, but also for those unfamiliar with the common Thai practice (even the police do this) of motorcycling alongside the kerb on the "oncoming" side of the road, or the wrong way up one-way streets. The latter problem is especially prevalent in the Pattaya Bay area, where the majority of the roads in the main tourism zones are one-way; and the northern section of Second Road requires great care as some treat the right-hand "bus" lane as oncoming, while others do not.

Motorcycle rentals are a very popular way to get around, but not the safest, especially in the case of visitors with limited previous experience of motorcycling and Eastern traffic habits, and even more so in Pattaya given the large number of motorcycle-mounted holidaymakers who seem hell-bent on a Darwin Award. Also note that a motorcyclist carrying a shoulder bag, and anything placed in the front basket of a motorcycle, makes an especially easy target for bag-snatchers.

NB: don't forget to deposit your vehicle keys with your hotel reception desk before heading off to the beer bars!

• legal requirements

Pattaya Police advise that drivers of all types of motor vehicles must carry a valid driving licence; foreigners who do not have a Thai driving licence must also carry a valid International Driving Permit (1949 Convention IDP - these are valid for 12 months from date of issue). Legal IDPs can usually only be applied for in the country which issued the driving licence (although in many countries postal IDP applications are possible). In Pattaya, a foreign licence (provided you can produce it on the spot) without an IDP might get you through a quick document check; it will not suffice in the event of an accident, and lack of either may invalidate your insurance cover. Minimum age for motorcyclists is 15, for car drivers 18.

Motorcyclists (including passengers) are required to wear crash helmets and to keep their headlights switched on at all times.

Enforcement varies widely, however in Pattaya, spot checks - especially for helmets and/or licences - are commonplace. While the fines are light (typically 200 baht) the inconvenience can be considerable as offenders vehicles are impounded until the fine is paid, and the queue at the police station can be lengthy.

• insurance

In Pattaya (and in Thailand in general) it's not possible to rent motorcycles with insurance - usually the best strategy is to ensure in advance that the insurance you leave home with is going to cover you; alternatively, arrange cover with an insurance broker locally in Thailand. Cars can be rented with or without insurance; paying more than the absolute minimum in order to use one of the international franchises (eg Avis, Budget, Hertz - all of which are well represented in Pattaya - see contact information below) is generally the best way to ensure that the insurance you get is actually worth having.

Your insurance (regardless of source) may not be valid if the police declare that you were driving illegally (eg you were not carrying your licence/IDP with you) at the time of an accident.

If you rent a vehicle without insurance and it's damaged or stolen, the bottom line is that you will be required to pay in full the cost of repairing or replacing it.

• scams - see also the Stay Safe | Scams section

Most people who hire vehicles in Pattaya have a trouble-free experience, however there is undoubtedly considerable scope for unscrupulous rental operators to scam unwary travellers. The best way to avoid scams is of course to use a reputable operator - for small motorcycles, the safest bet may be your hotel/guesthouse; for cars, one of the major rental chains.

A common rental scam involves the owner taking a deposit, and then later refusing to refund it in full on the basis that the customer is responsible for previous damage; the Tourist Police (dial 1155) may be able to help.

Another common scam involves the owner having someone follow the rented vehicle and later "steal" it, using a set of spare keys. Always report thefts - a "scam" theft vehicle may mysteriously "turn up" as soon as the police (especially the Tourist Police) become involved. Always secure motorcycles with both the steering lock and also with your own lock (for which only you will have a key).

When renting cars, care needs to be taken to avoid paying for poor or bogus insurance - see the "insurance" section, above

• fuel

Fuel at large petrol stations is 24-27 baht/litre (as at January 2006). Small kerbside vendors who pump by hand from drums and/or pour from bottles charge a few baht more.

Motorcycles and Scooters

Motorbikes can be rented without difficulty at countless locations in Pattaya, including many hotels and guesthouses, usually without having to produce a licence; however it's common for foreigners to be asked to deposit their passports as security (to avoid this, simply shop around until you find one of the many places that will accept a photocopy instead); cash deposits are also often required (1000 baht is not uncommon). Rates start at around 150 baht/day for recent 100-125cc semi-automatic (foot operated gearchange, automatic clutch) step-through models, 200 baht/day for fully automatic scooters; larger capacity models can also easily be found, although the rates reflect the risks - up to around 2500 baht/day for the very latest model high capacity sport bikes, such as the Honda CBR1000RR. In all cases, lower prices will apply if paying upfront for more than a week or so; in some cases, long-distance travel may be prohibited. Motorcycle rentals do not include insurance, and both motorcycling accidents and motorbike thefts are common.

• "Take It Easy", Pattaya New Plaza, Second Road; tel. +66-90077804 - British management, open 09:00-19:00; sample prices:

- fully automatic 115cc scooter: 750 baht/4 days, 900 baht/week, 2900 baht/month

- Kawasaki KSR 115cc: 1100 baht/4 days, 1400 baht/week, 4400 baht/month

- Honda XR 250 trail/enduro: 2000 baht/4 days, 2900 baht/week, 10000 baht/month

• Cheap Charlies - tel. +66-38720452 (assorted rentals from 100 baht/day, plus used motorcycle sales)

• East Coast Choppers - tel. +66-38303113 (Harley Davidson rentals)

• Maipang Motorcycle Rentals - tel. +66-38361090 / +66-38303406

• "Jans" - tel. +66-38373594 (advertises rates from 2000 baht/month for long-term rentals)

Helmets are mandatory for motorcyclists (including passengers) and the police in Pattaya frequently operate spot schecks for this. A helmet (or two, on request) is invariably included in the rental, however they are usually ultra-basic models with very flimsy chin-strap fasteners - if you're intending to travel by motorcycle and have a good quality helmet at home, then bring it with you. If supplied a helmet with a chin-cup (many cheap rental helmets are), slide the cup up the strap out of the way and securely fasten the bare strap directly under the jaw (this is much safer; chin-cups are illegal in many countries). It's also mandatory for motorcyclists to keep their headlights on at all times (the latest Thai-spec models have the headlight permanently on, with no switch to turn it off).

Cars and Jeeps

Cars can easily be rented, however this isn't such a practicable way to get around the busiest areas as traffic is often congested and parking space limited. Prices without insurance start from around 800 baht/day for small cars, and from as little as 600 baht/day for open-top jeeps; cars with insurance start at just under 1000 baht/day, and come down to around 5600 baht/week or 18000 baht/month.

• Avis - tel. +66-38361627 (Dusit Resort) or +66-38428755 (Hard Rock Hotel)

• Budget - tel. +66-38710717 (Beach Road)

• Chalee Car Rent - tel. +66-38720413 (Third Road)

• Hertz - tel. +66-26542553 (Marriot Resort) / tel. +66-38716693 (Sukhumvit Road)

• Holiday Car Rentals - tel. +66-38723814 (Second Road) / tel. +66-38426303 (Third Road)

• National - tel. +66-38416125 /6 (Liabchayhard Road)

• Q Cars - tel. +66-38231694 (Jomtien)

ATVs

Imac ATV Centre at the Beach Road end of Tipp Plaza, near Mike Shopping Mall - tel. +66-79532173 / +66-98884340 fax. +66-38227064 - has a small fleet of assorted models. Prices start at 1500 baht/day for a 4-stroke 150cc quad with road tyres that can carry two people; rates for larger models (some with off-road tyres) go as high as 3000 baht/day.

Bicycles

Bicycles could, until recently, be rented at Jomtien - however due to lack of demand the current options are to either bring your own, or buy one locally - see the Do | Sports | "cycling" section

See

Animals & zoos

• aquariums & submarines:

• 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 [1] 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.

There are two submarines (yellow ones, of course!) with tour operators in Pattaya:

• Hynix of the Sea [2] - main ticket office at the Second Road end of Tipp Plaza (near Soi 10); tel. +66-38711059 /60

• Vimantaitalay [3] contact any Pattaya travel agency; or tel. +66-38415234

• crocodiles - see the See | Theme Parks | "Million Years Stone Park & Pattaya Crocodile Farm" section

• dolphins:

• 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.

• Sanctuary of Truth [4] - see the See | Sacred places section

• elephants:

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 [5] offers shows, elephant trekking and jungle tours (including a four-day/three-night tour in Phrae Province).

• monkeys:

• 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.

• snakes:

• International Snake Show, Sukhumvit Road (39/4 Moo 5 - near the junction with North Pattaya Road) tel. +66-38731586 / snake_show@hotmail.com

• zoos:

• Khao Kheow Open Zoo (35 km north of Pattaya) tel. +66-38298270 [6]. 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 [7]. A zoo with various shows.

Gardens

• Nong Nooch Tropical Garden, 163 Sukhumvit Road (15 minutes east of town centre); tel. +66-38429321 [8]. Beautiful gardens with waterfalls, elephant shows, "Cultural Extravaganza" performances 4 times a day, restaurants etc. - enough to fill an entire day.

• 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 [9]. 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 [10]. 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) [11]. 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 [12] 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 [13]. 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.

For more information about Jomtien, see the Jomtien guide.

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.

For more information about Naklua, see the Naklua guide.

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, snorkelling, 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 snorkelling 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.

• Ko Samet can easily be reached by minibus/ferry in about two hours, and agencies offer same day (Pattaya-Samet-Pattaya) round trips as well as longer packages. A typical one day "guided tour" includes 07:00 hotel collection, ferry fares (normally 100 baht return), national park entry fee (officially 200 baht for foreigners, but an increase to 400 baht is being debated), 6 hours actually on Ko Samet, lunch, soft drinks, and delivery back to Pattaya around 19:00 - currently for around 800 baht/person (or less if you're Thai, as the national park entry fee will only be 10% of that paid by foreigners). However as Ko Samet has lots of accommodation options, it's also a popular place for longer visits, if time permits - see the Get Out | Islands section for more information

Entertainment

see also the Drink (nightlife) section

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 (current movie showtimes) has six theatres with ticket prices around 90 baht, slightly more at weekends. The unripe mango for sale here are generally quite tasty.

• SF Multiplex - Royal Garden Plaza - tel. +66-38428057 (current movie showtimes) has two theatres, with prices 10-20 baht lower than the Central Festival location.

Live music - especially popular rock oldies - can be heard at several open-air venues along Walking Street, and at various bars elsewhere.

• The Blues Factory on Soi Lucky Star (just off Walking Street) features the Lam Morrison Band (except Mondays) and is considered by some to have the best live music in Pattaya.

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, see Thailand | Holidays

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, 436/61 Moo 9, Soi 1, Beach Road; tel. +66-38362099 /101. 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 [14] (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 Centre, 21/10 Moo 2, Sukhumvit Road - tel. +66-38231501 /4

• Pattaya Badminton Club, 390/10 Moo 10, Soi 17 (near Third Road, South Pattaya) tel. +66-38425397 / +66-38429532

• billiards / pool / snooker:

Every second or third bar in Pattaya has a pool table - that's a heck of a lot of tables - and there are numerous inter-bar/club pool leagues. Places to try if you're looking for a really good table include:

• Bowling Plus, Second Road (at the junction with Soi Regent Marina) has 6 pool tables plus 2 full-size snooker tables; air-con, open daily 10:00-02:00, 120 baht/table/hour.

• 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 [15] 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 [16] 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).

• O.D. Bowl is on Pratamnak Road (South Pattaya) - open daily 08:00-01:00.

• P.S. Bowling [17], P.S. Plaza (junction of Central Pattaya Road and Second Road); 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 [18] 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 [19]. 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: see the Buy | Supermarkets section

• LA Bicycle, 300/31-32 Moo 12, Thepprasit Road; tel. +66-38300606 / 953 - open 09:00-20:00 (mid-range selection)

enthusiast-orientated retail/parts/repairs:

• Chaw Numchai [20] 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)

• 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)

• elephant riding - see the See | Animals & zoos | "elephants" section

• 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 [21] (CMT) airstrip is 5 km east of Bang Phra, on the Chonburi-Pattaya bypass road (Highway #7).

• Eastern Flying Club [22] airstrip is 5 km east of Pattaya, off Sukhumvit Road Soi 87.

• Pattaya Airpark [23] airstrip is 20 km south of Pattaya, adjacent to the Phoenix Golf Club.

• Thai Flying Club [24] 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.

• 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).

  For more information see the "Eastern region" section of the Golf in Thailand guide.

minigolf:

• 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 [25] (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 [26] 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

• gyms:

• 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)

• horse riding:

• Horseshoe Point, 100 Moo 9, Tambon Pong; tel. +66-38735050 [27]. 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) [28] willinetzer@yahoo.com tel. +66-13020814

• Pattaya Riding Club, 111/1 Moo 12, Thepprasit Road; tel. +66-38255888

• hot air balloon flights:

• Funk's Ballonfahrten [29] offers a 4-5 hour 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 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.

• jogging - see the "running" section, below

• kitesurfing - see the "windsurfing & kitesurfing" section, below

• 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 [30]. "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.

• mountain biking - see the "cycling" section, above

• Muay Thai:

• 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 [31] [32]

• Pattaya Kombat Village (Muay Thai Training School), Khaotalo Soi 8, Sukhumvit Road (opposite Thepprasit Road); tel. +66-95433450 [33]

• 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.

• pool - see the "billiards / pool / snooker" section, above

• 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:

• jogging (and even walking) around Pattaya can be a potentially hazardous affair: crazy drivers, traffic fumes, non-existent sidewalks or loose pavements, low-hanging electric wires and awnings, and schizophrenic dogs are just a few of the obstacles you'll encounter. Naklua is worth a try, maybe via the new walkway around the headland at the Dusit Resort: quieter beaches, wider streets, less traffic and even a few trees - but take care at night as it's poorly lit; or for a few football-pitch sized laps on grass, try the "Sky World Fun Park" behind the Inter Snooker Club on Naklua Road (right on the crest of the hill).

• Pattaya Hash House Harriers (tel. +66-38410265 / +66-38420071) meet every Monday at 15:00 at the Scandinavia Bar & Restaurant on Beach Road (between Soi 13 and Soi Yamoto (Soi 13/1)); weekly run sets off every Monday at 16:00 from The Hare House, Soi Post Office (Soi 13/2).

• Pattaya Marathon websites: www.pattaya-marathon.com & www.thailandmarathon.org

• sailing:

• Gulf Charters Thailand tel. +66-38237752 fax. +66-38237751 [34] 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 [35]

• Royal Varuna Yacht Club, 286 Moo 12, Pratamnak Road; tel. +66-38250116 / +66-38306290 fax. +66-38250115 [36]

• 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) [37] tel. +66-38710899 (Soi Yamato (Soi 13/1)) / +66-38364453 (Tappraya Road)

• Aquanauts [38] 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 [39] tel. +66-38362300 (Nova Lodge Hotel, Central Road)

• Mermaids Scuba Diving Centre [40] tel. +66-38232219 / 220 (Jomtien Beach Road)

• Neptune Dive Centre [41] tel. +66-38710131 (Pratamnak Road)

• Paradise Scuba Divers [42] tel+fax. +66-38710567 (Soi 10) / tel+fax. +66-38303333 (Jomtien)

• P J Scuba [43] 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 [44] tel. +66-38429060 (Soi 5)

• Siam Divers [45] 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 - see the Beaches | Islands section

• snooker - see the "billiards / pool / snooker" section, above

• squash:

• Ambassador City Sports Centre, 21/10 Moo 2, Sukhumvit Road - tel. +66-38231501 /4

• Dusit Resort Sports & Fitness Club (next to the Dolphin Roundabout) tel. +66-38425611

• sports clubs:

• 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 (see Malls) 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 [46]

• 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.

• water skiing & wakeboarding:

• Air-Time Watersports Camp, Dok Krai Lakeside Resort, Dok Krai Reservoir (Rayong); tel. +66-18616736 [47]

• 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 & kitesurfing:

• Club Loong Chat Watersport Club [48] (on the beach by the Pinnacle Hotel)

• Cuttlebone Kiteboarding School [49]

Volunteering

• Care For Kids Charity Drive is 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 (map) 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 - contact them through their website or tel. +66-38716628 fax. +66-38716629.

• Pattaya Orphanage Trust welcomes volunteers of all ages (but must speak fluent English and be prepared to stay 6 months or longer). Visits can be arranged - tel. +66-38438717.

Buy

You're in Thailand, so you know shopping is never far away. There are numerous large malls, small malls, supermarkets, bazaar-style markets, and thousands of other shops. Sadly, you'll be seeing a lot of the same stuff over and over again - there's no endless variety here.

Pattaya is not a good place to go shopping for hi-tech products such as cameras, computers, etc - as a very rough guide, expect to see prices around 50% higher than the best prices advertised in the west. For Pattaya's best selection of electronics under one roof, see the Tuk.Com (Com City, South Pattaya Road) listing below.

Foreign currency can easily be exchanged for Thai baht at the many exchange booths which can be found in all areas popular with tourists - there are even mobile exchanges/ATMs in specially adapted minivans that are set up as and when and where the need arises. Note that the majority of exchange booths will buy foreign currency but will not sell it - if you need to obtain USD (for example if you're going to Cambodia) use one of the larger branches of a major bank, such as the Bangkok Bank branch on Second Road (almost opposite Soi 6).

Malls

• Central Festival Centre is a large mall on Second Road across from Soi 2. It includes the Big-C department store, and an IT Corner with mobile phones and accessories but no computers.

• Mike Shopping Mall is on Beach Road between Soi 11 and Soi 12, with another entrance on Second Road, and opens 11:00-23:00. The ground floor has many small stalls selling clothing, tourist souvenirs and many other inexpensive items; above that there's a department store; on the 5th floor there's a food court; and up on the roof (10th floor) there's a public swimming pool (see Do | Sports | "swimming").

• Outlet Mall is at the corner of Thepprasit Road and Sukhumvit Road; the prices aren't any cheaper but it has great air conditioning! You'll also find some soft drink vending machines - a rarity in Thailand. The weekend Thepprasit Market is nearby.

• P.S. Plaza is at the junction of Second Road and Central Pattaya Road - Tops supermarket occupies most of the ground floor; billiards, books, massage, and a handful of other shops on the first floor; and P.S. Bowling on the second floor.

• Royal Garden Plaza is a large upscale mall adjacent to the Pattaya Marriott Hotel on Beach Road between Soi Post Office (Soi 13/2) and Soi Pattayaland 1 (Soi 13/3), with another entrance on Second Road (just look for Ripley's aeroplane).

• Tuk.Com (Com City) on South Pattaya Road is a new and predominantly IT mall. In the basement is a Tops supermarket, a food court, and various other (mostly clothes) shops as well as a spare parts department that sells a variety of electronic (e.g. transistors) and other parts (e.g. clothes washing machine lint filters), and the ground floor hosts an assortment of regular shops. However the upper floors are almost exclusively mobile phones (1st floor), computer software and MP3/video CDs (4th floor), and computers and handheld electronics (2nd/3rd/5th floors). Prices are significantly higher than in Bangkok.

Supermarkets

Pattaya has a veritable trolley-load of supermarkets, including:

• Carrefour (09:00-00:00) on Central Pattaya Road (between Third Road and Sukhumvit Road)

• Big-C (09:00-00:00) at Central Festival Centre (opposite Soi 2)

• Big-C (09:00-00:00) on South Pattaya Road (at the junction with Sukhumvit Road)

• Foodland (24/7) on Central Pattaya Road (near the junction with Sukhumvit Road)

• Friendship (07:00-02:00) on South Pattaya Road (just west of the junction with Third Road)

• Tesco-Lotus (09:00-23:00) on North Pattaya Road (just east of the Dolphin Roundabout)

• Tesco-Lotus (09:00-23:00) on Sukhumvit Road (408/2 Moo 12)

• Tops (24/7) at P.S. Plaza (at the junction of Second Road and Central Pattaya Road)

Friendship is the most westerner-oriented and has large selections of cheese, bread, wine etc.

Markets

There are many bazaar-style markets in Pattaya where you can haggle 'till you drop, including...

• Thepprasit Market on Thepprasit Road near the junction with Sukhumvit Road - Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings.

• Soi Buakhao Market on the corner of South Pattaya Road and Soi Buakhao, across from the Friendship supermarket - daytime, Tuesday and Friday; plus an evening market further along the same road.

• Made In Thailand Night Plazar (sic) on Second Road near Soi 10 - daily 08:00-23:00 (despite the name).

• The Market Pattaya on Second Road near Soi 5 is a little lonely but some evenings has students giving music or dance performances on a small stage.

...any many more, including one on Second Road near Soi 2, next to Tiffany's Show.

Shops

bicycle shops - see the Do | Sports | "cycling" section

pharmacies - see the Stay healthy | Pharmacies section

Books

• Bookazine : Central Festival Centre; Royal Garden Plaza; plus Dongtan Road, Jomtien

• Book Variety : Big C, South Pattaya Road; Carrefour, Central Pattaya Road; Tuk.Com (Com City)

• D.K. Book Mart, corner of Beach Road and Central Pattaya Road; tel. +66-38429359 - medium-size bookshop with lots of English titles, including a sizeable cookery book section, and a worthwhile selection of second-hand paperbacks at 99 baht - open 09:00-00:00.

• Jeremy's Bookshop, 383/111 Soi Chaiyaphum (which connects Soi Buakhao Road and Third Road); tel. +66-38411266 - an immaculate library-style English language paperback exchange, large selection, mostly priced ~100~250 baht. If you buy a book here and then return it in good condition, you'll get a credit of 50% of the original price towards your next purchase - open daily 09:00-22:00.

• Pattaya Beach Books has two locations: 1st floor, P.S. Plaza (junction of Second Road and Central Pattaya Road); tel+fax. +66-38362175 /