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Pattaya: 20 routes

A loud beach city with a surprisingly gentle side: wooden temples, quiet islands, fishing villages and mountains carved with gold.

Pattaya has a reputation, and most of it comes from a few streets in the centre of town. Step a little away from them and you find a different place: families eating grilled squid on the sand at sunset, monks walking through the morning market, ferries full of schoolchildren heading to the islands, and a hinterland of orchards, lakes and temples where hardly any foreigners go.

These twenty routes are the Pattaya I like: the islands, the viewpoints, the markets, the gardens and the easy day trips along the eastern coast. Almost all of them work with children, and none of them need a nightclub.

The Sanctuary of Truth: a temple carved entirely from wood

In townhalf a dayEasy

A wooden palace-temple over a hundred metres tall on the edge of the sea, still being carved after more than forty years.

Koh Larn: the coral island in front of the city

Islands1 day (or a night)Easy

Forty-five minutes by slow ferry from the city and you are on an island with clear water, hilly roads and six different beaches.

Pratumnak Hill: the viewpoint and the Big Buddha

In town2–3 hoursEasy

The classic view of Pattaya Bay, a shrine to the father of the Thai navy, and a golden Buddha watching over the city.

Naklua fish market and Lan Pho park

In town2 hoursEasy

Choose your fish, crab or squid from the stalls, have it grilled on the spot, and eat it in a seaside park full of local families.

A slow day on Jomtien Beach

Jomtien & south1 dayEasy

Six kilometres of beach with a gentler rhythm, a night market and the best place in the area for kite and windsurfing.

Wat Yansangwararam and the lakeside pavilions

Countrysidehalf a dayEasy

A royal temple in a green park by a lake, with pavilions in different national styles and a peaceful hilltop shrine.

Nong Nooch Tropical Garden

Jomtien & south1 dayEasy

A huge landscaped garden with cycads, orchids, themed gardens and a valley of dinosaurs made of plants.

Khao Chi Chan: the golden Buddha on the cliff

Countryside1–2 hoursEasy

A giant image of the Buddha drawn in gold on the face of a limestone mountain.

Silverlake vineyard and sunset among the vines

Countrysidehalf a dayEasy

A tropical vineyard with a lake, wine tasting and grape juice for the children.

Pattaya Floating Market

In townhalf a dayEasy

A modern market built on water, showing food and crafts from four regions of Thailand.

Bang Saen beach and the monkeys of Khao Sam Muk

Day trips1 dayEasy

The beach where Bangkok families go at weekends, a hill full of monkeys and a fishing village famous for fish cakes.

Si Racha and the island of Koh Si Chang

Day trips1 dayEasy

A fishing town that gave its name to a famous chilli sauce, and an island with a king's summer palace.

Samae San and the navy islands

Islands1 dayEasy

Clear water, white sand and protected islands near Thailand's main navy base.

Khao Kheow Open Zoo

Day trips1 dayEasy

A large open-range zoo in the hills, with a night safari and space for animals to roam.

Koh Samet: the island of the poet

Day trips1–2 daysEasy

White sand, small coves and a statue of a mermaid from a famous Thai poem.

Chanthaburi: gems, a cathedral and a riverside old town

Day trips1–2 daysEasy

Thailand's biggest cathedral, a weekend gem market and a wooden old town along the river.

Ban Chang and Phala beach

Jomtien & south1 dayEasy

A quiet local beach with seafood restaurants and fishing boats.

Sattahip's navy beaches

Jomtien & south1 dayEasy

Clean, well-kept beaches inside navy areas.

Cycling around Mabprachan lake

Countrysidehalf a dayModerate

Quiet roads, a reservoir and countryside views.

Koh Sak and the outer islands by boat

Islands1 dayEasy

Snorkelling and quiet beaches near Koh Larn.

Prices, opening hours and rules change. Treat these notes as a starting point and check current information before you go.