Pattaya is a popular resort on the North Gulf Coast of Eastern Thailand, one hundred and fifty kilometers south-east of Bangkok. In the Western conception Pattaya is most famous for its go-go and beer bars but besides the women on offer, the place has recently upgraded itself to be one of the best family locations in Thailand. Even though Pattaya hasn’t completely lost its ‘seedy’ side, it now attracts a huge amount of local Thai, North Asian and South Asian tourists who are just there with their families for a fun time. Pattaya has a plethora of hotels and guest houses and convenient location with quick and easy access from the capital make it a very popular weekend getaway. Catering for over five million tourists every year Pattaya is also able to offer an excellent range of eating choices and a wide variety of things to do and see.
Pattaya has two main beaches - Pattaya beach and Jomtien beach; plus a number of smaller ones. Activities include the usual paragliding, wind surfing, sailing, banana boat, water skiing, jet ski etc.
Set up in a beautiful natural atmosphere approximately thirty kilometres outside of Pattaya, the Siracha Tiger Zoo is one of the best day attractions in the Eastern Seaboard. It features a large number of Bengal tigers, bred successfully by the farm. The zoo also has several other animals such as crocodiles, ostriches, single hump camels, kangaroos and an aviary of exotic birds. Exciting shows are crocodile wrestling, Kenya aerobics, amazing Circus and the world famous pig racing.
Nong Nooch Tropical garden is a fascinating tourist destination renowned for its wide-ranging orchid species, plam-, cycad, cactus-, bromeliad and bonsai gardens and countless flowers and a huge variety of plants from all corners of the world. Authentic Thai houses, mini zoo and cultural performances with classical dancers, traditional ceremonies, Thai boxing (Muay Thai) etc. and a spectacular Elephant show are the highlights of the tropical garden.
At Pattaya Park you can enjoy not only dipping in the sea, but also challenge the thrill of entertainment on the giant Water slides, swim around the whirlpool or tan your skin on the private beach. The park also has an entertainment complex including a roller coaster, rocking Viking, family swinger, demolition derby, musical carousel, monorail, Samba tower, tower jump, speed shuttle and a cable car.
Underwater World is Pattaya's latest tourist attraction and is the largest and most modern ocean aquarium in Asia with a 100-meter-long, 6.4-centimeter-thick acrylic pedestrian tunnel through an underwater environment filled with dozens of marine species. The aquarium houses more than four thousand marine animals, comprising more than two hundred different species from the region as well as some rare creatures from overseas.