Pattaya: Sodom and Gomorrah by the sea for some, a convenient holiday destination for others, and a retirement destination for others still. Since the 1970s, Pattaya has been the premiere beach resort in Thailand and one of the biggest beach resorts in South East Asia. Annual tourism numbers are estimated at approximately 7 million visitors per year and only seem to grow, both in terms of size and tourist diversity.
We have a long history with Pattaya (Peter in particular, first arrived in Pattaya in the early 1980s) and have seen it go through significant change from being a haven for pay-for-play tourists, to becoming a popular package tourism destination and the main weekend escape for local Thais and expatriates. We put together this guide because we wanted a one stop resource that conveniently showed all the necessary information and included correct, up to date details of where everything is. In addition, we have added a lot of other useful information that will forearm the Pattaya traveler with information that will save a considerable amount of money by avoiding scams and common pitfalls.
Why you should buy this guide:
We have gone to great lengths to provide a one stop resource for all the information you will need when visiting Pattaya, whether your visit is for a holiday, business, or an extended stay. Some of the highlights that we pack into this single book include:
- detailed maps of the entire Pattaya area from Naklua down to the end of Jomtien. You will never be lost or struggle to find a location again;
- an exhaustive section on how to get to Pattaya, including contact details for different services, and also suggestions for the budget conscious;
- a section on getting around Pattaya including our own songthaew map (yes, we studied and figured out the songthaew routes);
- extensive accommodation and restaurant guide including over 250 hotels/guesthouses and over 130 restaurants, all marked precisely on maps. We also discuss franchise and street food;
- comprehensive list of things to do, from paintball, to go karts, to cultural shows;
- separate chapter on golf, listing all golf courses in the area and also golf enthusiast groups;
- an entire chapter devoted to shopping, including location and description of all major shopping centres, locations of different markets and even the different supermarkets;
- a massive section devoted to the nightlife including details of how it all works, details of bar areas, pretty much every single gogo, prices, locations, what is available, a chapter on the different massage parlours, gentlemen’s clubs and dance clubs;
- listings and locations for gay and ladyboy bars and gogos; and
- details are current as at October 2014.
We note that our guide may seem a bit pricey compared to other Pattaya guides. However, the information in this guide took a long time to collect and verify. The price for this book works out to be equivalent to a couple of beers in a Pattaya bar, but unlike those two beers, this guide will pay for itself in terms of the convenience and savings that you will receive from it.
