Jomtien Beach
Pattaya is a very popular beach location only a couple of hours from Bangkok. It's easy to get to from Bangkok airport either by bus ( $6aud, bargain! ), by taxi or by hotel shuttle bus.
We visited Pattaya to apply for our retirement visas to allow us to live in Thailand for the next 15 months. It was our first time spending a few days exploring this big beach haven.
Pattaya's attraction? Girly bars, massage parlours, Indian restaurants and market stalls. 100s of them. The beach is lined with chairs, umbrellas and giant blue ice boxes full of cold beers. The water is chock-a-block packed with fishing boats, motor boats, parasailing boats, banana boats and party-all-day boats with pumping music, coloured lights, slides and skimpily clad bodies.
Thank goodness we didn't decide to sail up to Pattaya, which would have been an epic journey in itself. We would have had to sail down the west coast of Malaysia, around the tip of Singapore, up the east coast of Malaysia, then up through the gulf of Thailand. And a very big gulf it is. But when it comes to Pattaya, well, I would hate to be anchored amongst the very many different boats filling the bay.
For the most part, I feel that this is a destination aimed at men. I'll mention again, girly bars. So many girly bars. Beer specials to be had at every bar. Lots of female staff. No cocktail specials for us ladies. And no good looking young men in shorty shorts either. Lol.
We did find the best little British restaurant called Nicky's Bar. Full English breakfast just 99baht. Or you can go the mega breakfast which includes black pudding and bubble and squeak. Hubby was in heaven. I've no idea where he put all the food, but he cleaned his plate up with no problems. Also every Sunday they do a delicious roast dinner with all the trimmings. Even Yorkshire pudding. Just like mum used to make.
delicious roast pork
the Mega breakfast
One other thing is very distinctive about Pattaya. The smell. 🫢 The stench of sewerage seems to hang heavy in the air. Hard to get that particular odour out of your nose. Oh, and let's not forget about the roadworks. The side street our hotel is on was completely dug up to replace the storm water drainage system. Cars, bikes and people can still use the street, and do, while the digger drive waits patiently to do his job. On one of the busy main streets during the evening a digger lumbered along amongst the traffic carrying a massive drill bit hanging off the bucket. Australian OH&T personnel would have a pink fit.
night time works
our hotel street
After a couple of nights here we moved to Jomtien Beach which is technically still Pattaya.
Talk about extremes between Pattaya Beach and Jomtien Beach. They may both be in Pattaya city but they are poles apart at this time of year.
The stench of Pattaya is still evident in Jomtien but it's a very different beach during the low season. There's a huge expanse of empty golden sand leading down to the sea. There are only a handful of beach bars with most of the deck chairs and umbrellas packed away and wrapped in tarps. There are many longtail boats pulled up on the beach, whether for maintenance or just lack of work, I'm not sure. I love the modified scooter that is their tractor to pull the boats up the beach. There's certainly alot less bars of any description to be found along the esplanade or up the little laneways.
Jomtien Beach
modified scooter tractor
It appears that this area is more family oriented. There are huge resorts behind the beachfront road, mainly 5 star hotels. We stayed in one built right back from the beach. Salubrious surrounds, with pools snaking between the buildings and under little bridges. But it was a 1.2km walk just to get to the beach. That might not sound far until you factor in 30+ degrees with extreme humidity and no shade all the way to the beach. Then another kilometre along the beach to find a restaurant. These resorts are designed to keep you spending your money inhouse. And that hot sun beating down would put alot of tourist off making the trek to the beach.
the flashy Espana Resort
You may have noticed very few photos of Pattaya and none of the beach itself. I guess it didn't inspire me to get my camera out 😝
Pattaya a beach haven? Mmmm, not my cup of tea.
Watusi Woman - all visad-up and happily back in Phuket - out.