Thailand is perhaps the most popular destination for a beach holiday during the winter. And this is not surprising, because from November to April, the “dry season” continues in most Thai resorts — sunny weather and warm sea.
Most tourists tend to get to Phuket when choosing a tour. Pattaya is feared, referring to the dirty sea, noise, active nightlife, which often interferes with recreation with children. Hence the idea of my trip. I decided to check if Pattaya is as scary as tourists imagine it to be.
Travel dates: from 02/25.24 to 03/9.24
Flight
I had planned a rather complicated and busy route, so it was convenient for me to buy air tickets separately and book hotels in different locations. The price was comparable to the price of a tour based on direct flights. Therefore, when planning your trip, we always recommend that you decide on travel plans, and based on this, choose the most convenient flight option.
If you prefer organized excursions or do not want to waste time moving between locations at all, it is more profitable to take a ready-made tour and not complicate the route. This is an option for a more static vacation.
If you love adventure and movement, let’s combine!
A month before the trip, I bought tickets for Turkmen Airlines. Flight on the route Moscow – Bangkok – Moscow with a 4-hour connection in Ashgabat (Turkmenistan) at a price of≈ 60,000//person with luggage 25 kg/person. I have never flown with this airline and I think few people have flown) Therefore, I will tell you in more detail — the flight was easy and comfortable, despite the duration (taking into account the docking of ≈ 14.5 hours).
They are fed during each segment, while during the flight Ashgabat – Bangkok was fed 2 times. I really liked Turkmen Airlines — all the flight attendants and staff know Russian, very nice kind people, no thorough inspections during the docking, Ashgabat airport is super-modern and beautiful. But Turkmenistan is a closed country, and you need to be prepared for the fact that every 100 meters there are military personnel at the airport, and sentimental videos about the country in the spirit of the USSR are shown on the screens. Among the bonuses, you can pay in rubles at the cafe in the departure area. Duty-free is small and is mainly represented by Turkmen sweets and alcohol. The prices for the usual goods that tourists prefer to buy in the duty-free zone are high. For example, almost all perfumes are 2 times more expensive than in Turkish duty-free shops.
There is a feature at the Ashgabat airport, I have never seen this anywhere – there are chairs in the departure area that look more like deck chairs, it is very convenient to lie on them during docking and wait for your flight.
Transfer
While still in Russia, a couple of days before departure, I e-mailed a private transfer from Bangkok Airport to a Pattaya hotel to make it faster and more comfortable. The driver was waiting for us at the designated place. The transfer cost 1000 baht (the price includes travel on a toll expressway), at the exchange rate at the time of the trip ≈ 2700₽, payment only in cash (by the way, at the airport I did not change dollars for baht, at my request the driver stopped at the exchanger in Pattaya).
Pattaya Hotel
There are several districts in Pattaya. And when choosing an area of residence here, we recommend that you focus on what you expect from a vacation: hanging out, taking a ferry to Koh Lan Island, visiting night markets, walking along the embankment a lot, or you are waiting for a relaxing holiday with a minimum of movement.
I knew that I definitely wanted to live in the area of Vongamat Beach. Why Vongamat? To be honest, it often happens to me — my intuition told me. At the same time, there were logical reasons for choosing:
- there should be a clean beach nearby;
- the place is quiet, calm, away from bars;
- I would like to see a shopping center (shopping+food court), grocery stores, a tuk-tuk stop, massage parlors in the nearest access;
The Vongamat area and the Sunshine Garden Resort hotel ideally suited the above criteria, they booked it for 4 nights, from 25 to 29.02.
They write about the hotel on the Internet that it is a “green oasis among the stone jungle.” I confirm that it is. The area is very green, there is a swimming pool, excellent breakfasts, large rooms. A nimble Wi-Fi works throughout the territory, excellent staff ready to help with everything, an unusually decorated entrance staircase (it seems to be 5 stars, not 3).
The territory of Sunshine Garden Resort passes into the territory of The green park hotel, they have 1 owner. Hotels of the same price category, having examined both, I recommend The green park — it has more modern buildings, more territory, a gorgeous huge swimming pool. Take note!
The advantages of Sunshine Garden Resort is that it suited me personally on all points:
- The nearest beach is a 5-minute walk away, and Wongamat Beach is 15-17 minutes away. We like to walk, so this distance to the sea did not cause discomfort;
- the hotel is at a busy intersection, while it is so located that it is quiet. There are no bars nearby, no noise. It seems that you are not in Pattaya at all)
- across the street from the hotel is the largest shopping center Terminal 21. A street food market is organized in front of the shopping center every evening. The shopping center is large, there are many shops, but we were interested in it because it houses the famous Pier 21 food court. At the entrance, you are given a card and you can put any amount of money on it, and buy food in any institution.
The prices will definitely amaze you. Very (!!!) cheaply. And the most important thing is high quality. All dishes are prepared in your presence. We had dinner (and sometimes lunch) only there. The portions are large, sometimes they took 1 serving for two.
A few more words about food. Every 7/11 store has departments with ready—made food, it will be heated in the microwave for you – an excellent solution when it is important to have a quick snack. We bought food there a couple of times, and it turned out to be delicious and of decent quality. Prices start at 39 baht (≈105₽) for a full-fledged dish (for example, chicken with rice).
About the beach in Pattaya
Vongamat is considered the cleanest beach in Pattaya. That was one of the reasons I chose him. The beach is long (more than 1.5 km), there are areas with tree shade where you can lie for free. We like to relax on a chaise longue:
— chaise longues 100 baht (≈270₽)
— fabric deck chairs – 50 baht (≈140₽)
Wongamat Beach, Pattaya, photo Onlinetours, 2024
And now the most interesting thing is the water in the sea. Do you know what I was thinking when I saw the beach and the color of the water? — How many people refused to consider Pattaya because they were afraid of dirty water! And it’s not that bad!
My impressions are that the water is visually beautiful in color, there is no debris on the surface, and there are no jellyfish either. The water is cloudy, this often happens due to the characteristics of the sand. That is, at a depth you are unlikely to see your feet, while the sea does not look like a brown unpleasant mass that you do not want to enter. I swam and dived a lot, jumped from a pontoon and there were no problems or unpleasant sensations.
Last year, our colleagues told us in detail about the best places for swimming in Pattaya (Koh Lan Island and the military), we did not go to them, because after 4 days in Pattaya, a vacation was already planned on Samet Island with beautiful beaches. And Vongamat suited me quite well.
Excursions
Pattaya is a paradise for active tourists. It is easy to choose excursions for every taste and endurance — natural, historical, entertaining, marine.
I decided that it was impossible to embrace the immensity and for the first time I limited myself to 2 objects.
The Temple of Truth
We reached it by tuk-tuk for 10 baht (≈27₽) in 5 minutes, then walked for another 15 minutes.
The entrance ticket costs 500 baht (≈1400₽). There are Russian groups at certain times: 09:20, 11:30, 14:30, 16:30 ( the schedule is valid for April 2024). But you can join an English-speaking group and just look around on your own or practice your English.
I will note an important point, for someone it may be fundamental – the Temple is still under construction, so everyone is given construction helmets at the entrance.
Temple of Truth, Thailand, photo Onlinetours, 2024
Temple of Truth is a work of art, built of wood and consists entirely of carved figures. The figures are folded into canvases. All the details are unique. You can look at the decoration for a very, very long time.
Excursion to Ayutthaya. Do you know what kind of place this is?
I booked the tour online for 2400 baht/person (≈6500₽).
Ayutthaya is the ancient capital of Thailand. This is a variant of mini Cambodia. You need to go to Cambodia for at least 2 days, Ayutthaya is a one—day tour (picked up from the hotel at 07:00, at 16:30 we were already at the hotel). The temple complexes are really similar to Angkor Wat.
A total of 4 temples are visited during the tour. Complexes amaze with their greatness! It is convenient that the crossings between the temples are short — no more than 10 minutes, which is absolutely not tiring.
The guide talks a lot, but I usually forget everything after 5 minutes. If you listen to the guide and then inspect the temples, then you will have very little time to inspect. I realized this during the first stop and then, upon arrival at the next temple, I examined everything at my own pace. And I advise you)
In general, the tour is interesting, you feel the atmosphere of ancient Siam. I recommend visiting this location without children (children are likely to be bored). It will be especially appreciated by those who have not gone to Cambodia (and have not yet been there), and history buffs.
Samet Island
After 4 nights in Pattaya, a transfer to Samet Island was waiting for us. Minivan + ferry and the same return trip for one person, everything cost us 950 baht (≈2600₽). It takes 1.5 hours from Pattaya to Ban Phke Pier, then 45 minutes by ferry.
I would like to note that many people from Pattaya go to Samet on an excursion. There is a one-day tour, as well as 2 and 3 day tours. The cost of a one-day trip starts from 1100 baht (≈3000₽), a two-day trip is 1900 baht (≈5150₽). I would recommend taking at least 1 night on the island. And that’s why:
- you will definitely like the beaches of Samet (white sand + the purest turquoise water);
- the island is small. At the same time, there are 12 beaches on it, choose which one you like best;
- it’s nice to plunge into the measured island life after the noisy Pattaya, the contrast is palpable!
Hotel on Samet. I decided to enjoy island life longer and booked the Sky cottage hotel for 5 nights. I chose a separate bungalow because I wanted privacy and silence. The hotel is modern, in French style, the territory is well maintained, the breakfasts are hearty (everything is prepared in front of you). It is a 3-minute walk to the sea, Wi-Fi is available throughout the territory (but the signal is so-so). The hotel is perfectly clean. There is a mini market with adequate prices in the next building.
As for choosing a hotel, I chose the beach more, and then I looked at what hotels there are on it.Sky cottage is located on Tubtim Beach (aka Pudsa). Tourists are not brought to this beach for one day, boats do not go, so there is a measured pace of life here. There are several cafes on the embankment and in the area, they do massages, there is a mini-market. And most importantly, you can visit 6 more beaches within a 15—minute walk. And in 20 minutes you can walk to the main Sai Keo beach with a calm step (there are a number of cafes on the beach + there is a 7/11 shop).
That is, Tubtim is such a very successful combination of a small civilization, an ideal beach and an opportunity to explore the island.
Meals on Samet Island. Pudsa beach turned out to be successful in terms of cafes — there are several of them, you can walk to the neighboring Ao Pai beach in 7 minutes, there is even a club there. And if you want to eat in a new place every evening, then you can walk along the sea to Sai Keo.
It should be borne in mind that Samet is an island, the prices for everything here are higher than on the mainland:
— water from 30 baht (≈82₽), we also bought a package of 6 1.5l bottles for 100 baht (≈270₽);
— beer from 80 baht (≈220₽);
— pad thai from 100 baht (≈270₽), but usually 130-150 baht (≈350-400₽);
— volume of yam from 190 baht (≈513₽) per serving size S. Don’t believe it! It’s not S — it’s L) a small portion will definitely be enough for two. There are even larger portions for 300 baht (≈810₽) — this is exactly for three;
— grilled salmon 290 baht (≈785₽);
— door blue 290 baht(≈785₽);
— shrimp in various sauces from 220 baht (≈600₽);
— fried rice in pineapple 180 baht (≈490₽);
— roti on the beach 50 baht (very tasty made on Pudding, ≈135₽);
— chicken in a makashnitsa on the beach 80 baht (≈220₽);
— papaya salad in a makashnitsa on the beach 80 baht (≈220₽);
I want to give you some advice — you should not eat in the cafe at the Tubtim resort hotel (the main establishment on Pudsa) — it is completely tasteless, poor service, the prices are normal.
We really liked the cafe on the next Ao Pai beach, I don’t remember the name, but this is the first place along the way.
Samet Island, Thailand, photo Onlinetours, 2024
Beaches of Samet
Having visited 7 of the 12 beaches of the island, I can say that the beach Tubtim on Samet is the best. All beaches are connected by hiking trails and a road.
Tubtim (Pudsa). White sand, gentle entrance to the sea, rather pronounced tides, boats do not float. There are a lot of people in the beach area, but there is no sense of a crowd. During the day, they do massage, there is a mini-market, there are makashniki and fruit sellers, they do roti in the afternoon.
Nuan. The next one after Pudsa. It is only a couple of minutes walk between the beaches. Nuan is a very intimate beach with one hotel located on the slopes of a hill. An ideal place for introverts and those who want to completely merge with nature. The beach is small, there are no boats, there are usually no more than 10 people. There are places for photo shoots — swings, hammocks, rocks. There are always small waves, which makes the water cloudy. There are rocks at the entrance to the sea.
Cho. I liked this beach too. It is quite long, there is an old pier. There are a decent number of cafes on the beach. There are swings, benches for photo shoots. There are already more people here. The sand is also white, the entrance to the sea is excellent, there are no stones, so it will be comfortable to swim.
Wong Duen. The sand is more yellow than on Cho. The beach is long, more than 1 km, there are very few people. Speedboats come here. The entrance to the sea is very gentle. But I didn’t really like the beach — only household garbage was noticed here + there are stones in the water.
Sai Keo. The main beach of the island. There are people, because it is here that tourists are brought on day trips. At the same time, there is no crowding, since the beach is long. The sand, it seemed to me, is the whitest on the whole island, the water is a beautiful turquoise color. There are many cafes along the beach line.
Phai. A small beach. It didn’t seem the most comfortable to me. Tourists are also brought here by speedboats. There are several cafes.
Prao. The beach is on the opposite side of the island. The nature is a little different here. The beach is surrounded by mountains, it’s beautiful. There are several expensive hotels on Prao. Prices in restaurants are higher than in any other institution on the island. There is a pier where boats sail (the place is fenced).
They write about this beach in reviews that it looks like the Maldives. I liked this beach less than the others. Firstly, it is very shallow — you can walk to the buoy (I’m not exaggerating). Secondly, the water on the beach is hot because of the shallow water. Swimming is uncomfortable. It feels like taking a bath. That’s why many people don’t swim, but just walk in the water.Thirdly, there is almost no natural shade from the trees on the beach (all the others have it), so there is simply nowhere to hide in the shade. The deck chairs belong to the hotels, they cannot be rented.Fourth, the color of the water is brownish. But maybe I was unlucky, and that was the day it happened.
There are also advantages — a beautiful view of the mountains when walking in the water. It will be comfortable with children in shallow water. And only here on Samet you can meet the sunset. Therefore, you need to choose based on your preferences. And what did not suit one tourist may be exactly what another needs.
There are no jellyfish on any of the beaches. Although this year, according to the reviews of tourists in Thailand, they appeared earlier than usual.
Important comment
Samet Island, Thailand, photo Onlinetours, 2024
My impressions of Samet are a great place for a beach holiday. Delicious food, an abundance of beaches for every taste. One of the island’s features is that cool fire shows take place every evening along the coast. Conveniently, the island is not very far from Pattaya, and you can come here for an excursion or stay for a few days to enjoy a beach holiday.
After the flight, we returned for one night to the same hotel in Pattaya where we stayed at the beginning of the trip. The hotel staff welcomed us like family. We spent the night, lay on the beach for a day, and in the evening we took a taxi to Bangkok for 2 nights. By the way, there are many points near Sunshine garden resort where you can order a taxi. I ordered from the woman sitting next to the hotel. The price is 1300 baht (≈3550₽), the price includes travel on a toll expressway. Everything was clear and on time.
Do not repeat my mistake — it is better to leave Pattaya before 14:00 so as not to get into evening traffic jams. We left at 17:00 and collected all the traffic jams in Bangkok, so the journey took almost 3 hours.
Tip
Bangkok
For 2 nights/3 days we booked a stay at the New Siam Palace Ville Hotel.
I admit, not knowing the city, it was difficult to understand which area is better to live in and which hotel to choose in Bangkok. That’s why I opened the app maps.me , I put down the labels of what I want to visit. Then I swept away the areas from which it takes 30-40 minutes by metro to get to the historical center. Another important point is that it’s +33C in Bangkok in March, and having an outdoor pool in the hotel seemed like an advantage to me.
New Siam Palace Ville suited us in all respects — affordable price, good-sized swimming pool, 15-20 min walk to the main attractions, many cafes, shops, bus stop nearby. Another advantage of the hotel is that it is located just a 5—minute walk from the Pra Artit Pier. And moving around Bangkok by boat is already an interesting activity. You move quickly, without traffic jams, admire the views.
The rooms at the hotel are simple, but everything is decent. The breakfasts are dense and varied. There is free Wi-Fi in the room.
What to see in Bangkok for free or almost for free?
We arrived in Bangkok in the evening. We checked into the hotel around 20:00 and decided to take a walk around the area. The famous Khao San Street is located next to the hotel. The street is pedestrian. I thought you could go for a walk there, sit in a cafe. Guys, no) Once outside, I wanted to run away right away. The street is a series of open—type bars, where music is blaring from every institution, it is very noisy, and in some places even indecent). If you want to hang out, then maybe you’ll like it. Otherwise, it’s not even worth wasting time and going to Khao San.
On the second day in Bangkok, we planned the route in advance.The route of the day is as follows: Wat Mahathat Temple (7 min from the hotel, free of charge), Ta Tian pier at Wat Pho Temple and ferry to Wat Arun Temple (5 baht).
Wat Arun Temple is magnificent (it seemed to us the most beautiful one seen in Bangkok), we spent about 2.5 hours on its territory. The entrance ticket costs 200 baht.
Then on footWe headed to Wat Kalayanamit Varamahavihara Temple (free of charge). It is under reconstruction, and in general, there are very few tourists. There was the following Wat prayurawongsawat temple within a 15-minute walk, you will definitely remember it, as it is a large white stupa. You can climb the stupa. The entrance to it is not obvious) You need to enter through the museum. The visit is free of charge. There are places on the territory of the stupa where you can make a wish. I was surprised that there are very few tourists in such a beautiful place. Next to the stupa there is a well-kept turtle garden on Turtle Mountain. It is very cozy and quiet here, you can relax and feed the turtles with bananas. As soon as you approach the pond, the turtles themselves will begin to swim up to you by the dozens. There are very large ones.
After the turtle temple, the way was to Wat Phitchaya Yatikaram. The road to it passes through the streets, where you can see how Thais live along the klongs (klong is a small canal in Bangkok). Not only is Klong’s life interesting, but also the Klongs themselves — a crocodile and a 1.5-meter monitor lizard were found in one of them.
To Wat Phitchaya Yatikaram Temple (free of charge) We arrived at sunset and were the only tourists. And you know, I felt so calm and good in this place. The territory of the temple is extensive, well-groomed, you can go upstairs, from where you can enjoy beautiful views of the temple grounds and skyscrapers.
Then we returned to the Chao Phraya River, crossed the bridge and left the Memorial Bridge pier for the hotel on a municipal boat for 16 baht/person (45₽).
On the third day, we woke up early to be in time for the opening of the Royal Palace. However, by 9:00 a.m., buses with Chinese began to arrive en masse. Advice — do not rush to the palace early in the morning, after 14:00 there are much fewer people in it.
Admission costs 500 baht (1350₽). The territory is large, feel free to allocate 3-3.5 hours to the palace. The place is worthwhile and must-visit.
After visiting the palace, the adventures began) Suddenly it turned out that the baht was over, I left the Union Pay card at the hotel, and there are few exchangers in Bangkok. Due to lack of money, the visit to Wat Pho Temple had to be postponed. We went by boat for 30 baht (81₽) to the Icon Siam shopping center (7 floors, brands for every taste). There will definitely be an exchanger in the shopping center. It turned out to be difficult to find him — he is located on the 4th floor, there is a queue of about 30 people waiting to exchange money, for each of them for 5 minutes + I still need the original passport (I also had it at the hotel, I only had a scan with me).
Putting aside the money problem for a while, we went up to the 7th floor of the shopping center-there is a free observation deck. The views are fascinating. Skyscrapers, boats in the national style scurrying along the river, soft evening light — I hung on the observation deck for a long time and admired the views.
Bangkok has 2 famous observation decks at the top of skyscrapers — in the Bayok Tower and Mahanakhon. I do not regret at all that I did not climb them, I was tripled by the spiritual view from the height of the shopping center.
Well, nothing, there are still 180 baht in the wallet, which means we move on to Chinatown (by boat for 30 baht). There will be no problems with the exchanger in Chinatown, we thought. But there was only 1 official exchanger, which was temporarily closed. As a result, they changed the money right in the store.
What can I say about Chinatown? There are many reviews on the Internet that this place is a must-visit for tourists. As it seemed to me, it is definitely not necessary to visit it) Until 16:00, the streets of the quarter are a market with everything that can be sold. And after 17:00, the streets turn into cafes with tables on the street. There are a lot of people. People come here to taste seafood. And in general, there are a lot of establishments. At the same time, it is extremely difficult to find a free table. We managed to sit by the brazier and have dinner with quite ordinary food for average money for Bangkok. We ate no worse near the hotel, but at the same time we sat in a decent cafe with a good view.
If you walk to the end of the street, you can visit the temple of the Golden Buddha Wat Traimit (for a fee).We took the 53rd bus from Chinatown to the hotel in 10 minutes. And after 2 hours they rushed to the airport. A taxi can be ordered at the hotel for 625 baht (1700₽).
In conclusion, I want to say that Bangkok is a big city with an abundance of attractions and decent distances between them. If you are vacationing in Pattaya, you can take an excursion to the city from 3000 baht (8,100₽). The tour programs are different, you can choose something to your taste. During the tour, you will walk a little and not think about the logistics of movement (at +33C it’s hard to walk, and in general everything is hard), while you will be able to see the city as much as possible, make up your own idea about it.
The trip turned out to be eventful, interesting, balanced — there was enough of a beach holiday and sightseeing.
I want to return to Bangkok, but one full day was not enough to explore all the planned places.
Pattaya is not as scary as many people think about it) You can find decent beaches, there is inexpensive food and fruits, a rich excursion program is available — the opportunity to relax for every taste and prosperity. And I really want you to fly to Pattaya after reading my notes and make up your mind about it, not relying on the impressions of acquaintances/bloggers/prejudices.
SOME TIPS AND OBSERVATIONS
- Thais are a friendly people and are always ready to tell you if you are in a difficult situation;
- Union Pay cards are working. I applied for free service at the Rosselkhoznadzor and paid for it everywhere without any problems. She also withdrew cash from ATMs. Keep in mind that there is a commission for withdrawals starting from 200 baht (540₽). Therefore, it is better to remove more immediately;
- It is hot at the height of the season (+33+35C), I advise you to buy a hat in Bangkok that covers your face and shoulders as much as possible;
- It is advisable to visit temples in clothes that cover your knees and shoulders. You don’t have to bring a long skirt or trousers with you, light trousers are sold on every corner for 100 baht (270₽). They are still comfortable to walk in during the day and the legs do not burn. Men are not looked at so strictly, most of them calmly go to temples in shorts, while we recommend that you respect the traditions of the country where you came;
- Mosquitoes are almost everywhere. Use repellents;
- Alcohol cannot be bought in the store from 14 to 17:00. Most points of sale comply with the law;
- In Pattaya, everyone finds what they are looking for — whether it’s crazy hangouts, shopping or beach holidays;
- Bangkok pleasantly surprised me. Before the trip, he seemed noisy and fussy to me. In fact, the historical part is a pleasant place where you want to return.
My name is Ekaterina Marinina, and I know a lot of interesting ideas for your travels! I will be happy to book a tour or accommodation for you, help you make a route and give you useful recommendations. Just write to Telegram, VK, WhatsApp or call 8 (800) 775-33-79 extension 1207
