Pattaya is a famous seascape resort in Thailand, known as the Hawaii of the East. Many people choose to take a two or three days’ vacation from Bangkok to see Pattaya’s sunny beaches, eat delicious seafood, go out to sea to admire the beautiful islands, and try the exciting water sports such as snorkeling, parasailing, and undersea walking. Best of all, you shouldn't miss the colorful nightlife and the amazing ladyboy shows in this city that never sleeps.
► 3 Days Pattaya Tour from Bangkok Bangkok → Pattaya → Floating Market → Pattaya Beach → Teddy Bear Museum → Art In Paradise → Tiffany’s Show → Coral Island → Ripley's Believe It or Not! → Elephant Jungle Sanctuary → Bangkok
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Day 1: Travel from Bangkok to Pattaya
This morning, you need to travel to Pattaya first. Upon arrival, visit the city’s main attractions, spend a cozy afternoon at the beach, and soak up Pattaya’s rich nightlife.7:00 – 10:00 Transport to PattayaCheck out of your Bangkok hotel after breakfast, take the BTS Sukhumvit Line with your luggage and get off at the Ekkamai Station. Get out of the station from the Exit 2 and you’ll find the Ekkamai Bus Terminal in the east of Bangkok. There are mini vans and buses to Pattaya.► Hours: 4:30-15:30► Frequency: every 30 minutes► Distance: 150 km (93 mi)► Duration: 2.5 hours► Fare: THB 140 for mini van; THB 128 for busNotes:1. The mini van drivers usually wait until all the 14 seats are filled. When arriving in Pattaya, the mini van stop along the Sukhumvit Road, a major transportation thoroughfare. You can get off at one of the three main intersections, North Pattaya Road, Central Pattaya Road, or South Pattaya Road, depending on the location of your hotel.2. The bus has 40 seats, and you need to follow the seat number on the ticket. Upon arrival in Pattaya, passengers are dropped off at the North Pattaya Bus Terminal.► Travel by Taxi: It takes 1.5 hours and costs about THB 1,500 by taxi from Bangkok to Pattaya. It is also a good choice if you have fellow travelers to share the cost.Check in to the Hotel It is suggested that you stay at a hotel along the Beach Road in Pattaya, which will be more convenient. A room with a sea view is expensive, while a room in the second row without a sea view will be more economical. After you get off the mini van or bus, you can take a songthaew or motorcycle to your hotel, which takes 10 to 15 minutes and costs THB 80 to 100. Once you’ve checked in, put away your luggage, rest for a while, and get ready for your Pattaya trip!
10:00 – 12:00 First Stop: Pattaya Floating Market
If you haven’t visited a local floating market in Bangkok, it is highly recommended that you don’t miss out on experiencing Thailand’s authentic floating trade and life here. Taking a boat through the crisscrossing waterways, you can enjoy the traditional Thai music and dance performances, and buy traditional Thai crafts, produce and snacks from the boats and waterfront shops.
► How to Get There: It takes about 20 minutes from a downtown hotel to the Pattaya Floating Market by chartering a songthaew. The driver will ask THB 200 and you can try to negotiate before boarding.
► Opening Hours: 9:00 – 18:00
► Telephone Number: +66 88 444 7777
► Recommended Time for a Visit: 2 hours
► Ticket Price: THB 200 for entrance ticket; THB 800 for entrance and boat ride.
12:00 – 13:30 Lunch Break
Take a songthaew to get back to the downtown Pattaya Beach neighborhood in 20 minutes. There are many restaurants for lunch along the Beach Road. You can try the local seafood, Tom Yum Goong, Pineapple Fried Rice, Pad Thai, and Som Tum.
13:30 – 15:30 Relaxing Time on Pattaya Beach
Walk to the Pattaya Beach after lunch. The water near the shore is not very clean for swimming. You can take a stoll, or rent a recliner and enjoy a leisurely afternoon in the sun and sea breeze. The beach is open all day, with no admission fee. A recliner generally costs THB 100 for unlimited time.
► After a rest, you can visit two small but interesting museums. In the evening, it is highly recommended that you watch the ladyboy show at 19:30. The two museums are very close to each other and also close to the performance venue. If you don’t have enough time, just choose one according to your interests.
15:30 – 17:00 Teddy Bear Museum
This is the first and only Teddy Bear museum in Southeast Asia, especially suitable for children. It is not big, but here you can see more than a thousand Teddy Bears, and take countless selfies in the playful scenes.
► How to Get There: Walk 3 minutes east from the seaside to Pattayasaisong Road through any of the alleyways, and then take a 10-minute ride north on the songthaew to the Dolphin Circle. Remember, don’t ask the driver the price when you get on the songthaew. You can check the route and destination on the map app of your mobile phone. When you arrive, ring the bell and the driver will stop and let you off. You just pay the driver THB 10. From the Dolphin Circle, you can switch to another songthaew line heading south along the Beach Road and get to the Teddy Bear Museum with another THB 10 and 2 minutes, or you can walk straight to the museum within 10 minutes.
► Opening Hours: 9:00 – 22:00; ticketing stops at 20:30.
► Telephone Number: +66 3841 1285
► Recommended Time for a Visit: 1 to 2 hours
► Ticket Price: THB 500 for adults; THB 300 for kids.Pattaya Floating Market Pattaya Beach
17:00 – 18:30 Art In Paradise
If you still have time before seeing the Tiffany’s Show, this interactive art museum is recommended. Most of the works on display are 3-D, and you can take lots of interesting pictures.
► How to Get There: Walk 10 minutes east from the Teddy Bear museum to the Art In Paradise.
► Opening Hours: 9:30 – 20:00
► Telephone Number: +66 85 999 3374
► Recommended Time for a Visit: 1 to 2 hours
► Ticket Price: THB 400 on site, but it’s cheaper to book online in advance.
19:30 – 20:40 Tiffany’s Show
Tiffany's Show is the first real ladyboy show in Southeast Asia. It won the fourth place in the World's Top 10 Cabaret Shows in 2011, making it a must-see in Pattaya. It showcases the amazing talent of Thailand’s transgender community through a colorful display of stage, lights, music, dance, and costumes.
► How to Get There: Walk 3 minutes west from the Art In Paradise to the theater.
► Telephone Number: +66 38 421 700
► Show Time: 18:00, 19:30, 21:00
► Duration: 70 minutes
► Ticket Price: The tickets need to be booked with a travel agency in advance. There are three kinds of seats, including Mezzanine seats, VIP seats, and VIP Gold seats, at the cost of THB 700 to 1,200 (USD 20 to 28).
► Note: Photos and videos are not allowed once the performance has begun. If you want to make a souvenir of your trip, you can give a tip of THB 50 to 100 to take a photo with the ladyboy artists on the square outside the theater after the show.
After the show, you can walk or take a songthaew back to your hotel, depending on your hotel location. On the way back, you can have supper at the Beach Road, Pattaya Night Bazaar, or Tree Town Nightmarket, which are all very busy places with lots of restaurants and bars.
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Day 2: Day Trip to the Sea and Coral Island (Koh Larn)
As mentioned above, the offshore water quality is not very good, but as a well-known seaside destination in Thailand, Pattaya has islands with clean water and beautiful scenery. You can book a local day trip in advance to the most popular Coral Island (Koh Larn). Known for pristine beaches, clear waters and extensive coral, this island caters to the sea adventurers and travelers seeking relaxation. ► How to Get There: As long as you stay in a hotel in the central area, the travel agents will usually provide transfer service to and from the Bali Hai Pier. A 30-minute speedboat ride from the pier will take you to the Coral Island. ► Time: The tour usually starts around 9:00 in the morning, and lasts 6 to 7 hours, finishing around 15:00. ► What to Do: You can enjoy the beach, sunbathe, and try snorkeling. The travel agencies often provide simple equipment for snorkeling, and you can bring your own. At noon, have a lunch of freshly caught seafood at a beach restaurant. After a rest, you can swim or try kayaking. If you like, you can pay extra for the exciting water rides such as the banana boat, jet skiing, parasailing, or sea walking to explore the colorful undersea creatures of fish, sea urchins, and coral. At around 15:00, you will be transferred back by speedboat. Take the vehicle provided by the travel agency back to the hotel to shower and rest. Later, you can walk or take a songthaew to the Beach Road or Pattaya Walking Street for dinner. After dinner, go shopping in the nearby Central Festival Pattaya, which is open until 22:00. With many branded stores and restaurants, it is also a good place for dinner. If you still have energy for the evening, visit the Ripley's Believe It or Not! which is a wonderful entertainment venue with unusual collections and haunted houses. ► How to Get There: It is within 10 minutes’ walk from the Pattaya Beach or the Walking Street. ► Opening Hours: 11:00 – 21:00 ► Telephone Number: +66 38 710 294 ► Recommended Time for a Visit: 2 to 3 hours ► Ticket Price: There are 7 themed attractions, and you can buy a package ticket for THB 800 to experience 3 of them. The highly recommended ones are the Ripley’s Odditorium, Haunted Adventure, Infinity Maze, and Louise Tussaud’s Waxworks. Tiffany’s Show Enjoy the Thai Dish
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Day 3: Special Experience in Elephant Jungle Sanctuary; Return to Bangkok
You can book in advance for a morning visit to the Elephant Jungle Sanctuary, which will be a particularly enjoyable experience. Here you will spend precious time and create lifelong memories with the elephants in their natural home. ► How to Get There: The travel agent or the sanctuary will arrange a driver to pick you up from your hotel at about 7:00 in the morning. After about half an hour’s drive east, you’ll reach the Elephant Jungle Sanctuary. ► What to Do: Upon arrival, the sanctuary’s guide will introduce you to their elephant care program, including the history and behavior of the herd, and then take you to meet the elephants. You can feed them bananas, sugarcane and watermelons prepared in the park, interact and play with the elephants, and take pictures with them. The staff will also teach you how to make paper from the elephant poop. The highlight is accompanying the elephants to a nearby mud spa. Put a layer of healthy mud on the elephants’ skin, and then wash them off in an outdoor shower. You will get muddy but refreshed during the process. After the mud spa, you can take a shower, dry off, and change into clean clothes. The sanctuary will serve a buffet lunch for you to enjoy typical Thai food and fresh fruit. After the meal, the driver will take you back to your hotel in downtown Pattaya. ► Opening Hours: 8:00 – 18:00 ► Telephone Number: +66 62 295 6566 ► Recommended Time for a Visit: 3 hours ► Ticket Price: THB 2,500 for adults; THB 1,900 for children aged 4 to 10; free for infants 0 to 3 years old. ► Note: You have to bring your own towel, bathing suit, and a change of clothes. In addition, bring a hat, sunscreen, and insect repellent according to your needs. Alternative: If you want something more exciting than the gentle activities of the Elephant Jungle Sanctuary, you can book a half-day tour to the Tree Top Adventure Park instead to try the thrilling zip-line jumps and ‘flying bicycle’.
Return from Pattaya to Bangkok
After getting back in downtown Pattaya, you can relax on the beach before heading back to Bangkok in the late afternoon.
1. Taxi: suitable if you have several fellow travelers.
You can share the one-way cost of about THB 1,500. This is the fastest way and only takes about 1.5 hours.
2. Bus: suitable for solo travelers.
Take a songthaew or motorbike to the North Pattaya Bus Terminal, where there are buses to the Ekkamai Bus Terminal (East) and Bangkok Bus Terminal (Chatuchak), also known as the Northern Bus Terminal (Mo Chit 2). It usually needs 2 hours on the way and can take 2.5 or even 3 hours in the evening rush hours.
► Bus Hours: 4:30-21:00
► Frequency: every 30 minutes
► Distance: 150 km (93 mi)
► Duration: 2.5 hours
► Fare: THB 119 to 128
Tips from Our Experts:
1. If you are travelling from Pattaya to downtown Bangkok, it is recommended that you take the bus to Ekkamai Bus Terminal, where you can transfer to the BTS Sukhumvit Line at Ekkamai Station to reach many parts of the city.
2. If you are going to the Don Mueang International Airport in Bangkok, consider taking a bus to the Bangkok Bus Terminal (Mo Chit 2) and transferring to the airport shuttle A1 from there.
3. If you are going to Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport, you can buy a ticket directly from the North Pattaya Bus Terminal. The bus runs every two hours from 6:00 to 19:00, with a ticket price of THB 300 per person. It takes 2 to 2.5 hours to reach the airport. Alternatively, you can take a songthaew from downtown Pattaya to the Thapphraya Airport Bus Office next to the Food Mart. Here from 7:30 to 20:00, there are buses running every hour to the Suvarnabhumi Airport. The fare is cheaper, THB 130 per person, but you need to arrive one hour in advance to buy the tickets.
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