Pattaya is a beach resort city on the eastern Gulf of Thailand coast, about 150 km southeast of Bangkok in Chonburi province. It grew from a fishing village into a rest-and-recreation stop for American servicemen in the 1960s and is now one of the country's most visited destinations, drawing tourists, expatriates, retirees, and weekenders from Bangkok.
The city runs along two bays. Pattaya Bay holds the main hotel and entertainment strip behind Beach Road, with the Walking Street nightlife district at its southern end; over the Pratumnak headland, Jomtien Beach is a longer, calmer stretch favoured by families and long-stay visitors. Being roughly two hours from the capital makes it the easiest Thai beach to reach from Bangkok.
Getting there
Pattaya is one of the few Thai beach destinations normally reached by road rather than by air. Buses run all day from Bangkok, and the drive takes about two hours.
From Bangkok
Bus
2–2.5hBuses leave Bangkok's Ekkamai (Eastern) terminal roughly every 30–40 minutes through the day, with additional departures from Mo Chit. Direct buses also run from Suvarnabhumi Airport straight to Pattaya and Jomtien, so arriving international passengers can skip the city entirely.
Check schedules on 12Go →Minivan or transfer
1.5–2hMinivans serve Pattaya from Bangkok's terminals, and private transfers take around 90 minutes outside rush hour on the motorway.
Check schedules on 12Go →Train
~3h 45mA single daily third-class train runs from Bangkok's Hua Lamphong station to Pattaya on the eastern line. It is slow and fan-cooled, of interest mainly as a cheap novelty rather than practical transport.
Pattaya's own airport is U-Tapao (UTP), about 45 minutes south of the city, with a limited set of domestic routes and some regional international flights. Most visitors use Bangkok's two airports instead.
Airport transfer · Buses arrive at the North Pattaya bus station on Sukhumvit Road; shared songthaews and app cars cover the last stretch to the beach areas.
Weather by season
Pattaya sits on the eastern Gulf coast and is one of Thailand's drier seaside destinations, on broadly the same calendar as Bangkok: a cool dry season from November to February, a hot season from March to May, and a wet season from May to October. Rain mostly falls as short late-afternoon storms, heaviest in September and October.
Year-round climate
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Conditions by month
Seasonal averages for Pattaya. Tap through to the monthly weather guide for detail.
Dry season
Nov–FebThe most reliable weather: dry days, calm seas, and slightly cooler nights. Peak season, busiest around Christmas and New Year.
Hot season
Mar–MayThe hottest months, with highs in the mid 30s and haze on still days. Pattaya celebrates Songkran later than the rest of the country, with Wan Lai festivities around 18–19 April.
Wet season
May–OctStorms build in the afternoon and pass quickly; September and October are the wettest months. Many days stay dry until evening, and beach flags mark swimming conditions.
Where to stay
Where to stay
Where to stay in Pattaya
The city runs along two bays separated by the Pratumnak headland. Tap an area to see where it is and a few hotels at each price level.
Naklua & Wongamat
North end of Pattaya BayBest for: Quieter beach stays away from the strip
The northern end of the city, where Wongamat Beach fronts a calmer, more residential district with a Thai-Chinese fishing-town past. It holds several of Pattaya's more comfortable resorts and the Sanctuary of Truth, with the central strip a short songthaew ride away.
On the map
- Sanctuary of Truth
- Terminal 21 Pattaya
Hotels to shortlist
Cape Dara Resort Splurge
Tower resort on its own headland beach.
Centara Grand Modus Mid-range
Beachfront on Wongamat.
Budget options are thinner here than in the centre; most cheap rooms sit a few streets back from the beach.
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Getting around
Songthaews, locally called baht buses, are the main transport. They run a fixed loop along Beach Road and Second Road for a flat fare of roughly 10–20 baht: hail one, hop on the back, and press the buzzer to get off. Chartering one privately costs more and is agreed in advance.
Grab and Bolt both operate and are the simplest way to reach Jomtien, Naklua, or the hill. Motorbike taxis cover short hops, and scooter rental is widespread, though traffic on Sukhumvit Road is heavy and accident rates are high.
Things to do
- Sanctuary of Truth. An enormous all-wood temple-palace on the Naklua waterfront, carved inside and out and still under construction after four decades.
- Koh Larn (Coral Island). The offshore island 45 minutes by ferry from Bali Hai Pier, with clearer water than the mainland beaches. Ferries and speedboats run all day.
- Nong Nooch Tropical Garden. A large landscaped botanical park south of the city, with themed gardens and daily cultural shows.
- Big Buddha & the viewpoint. Wat Phra Yai's 18-metre seated Buddha and the Pattaya City sign viewpoint share Pratumnak Hill between the two bays.
- Walking Street. The neon entertainment district at the south end of Pattaya Bay, pedestrianised after dark. It is the source of much of the city's reputation and is easy to avoid if it is not the point of your trip.
Local character & practical notes
Pattaya is unusual for Thailand: a working Thai city layered under an international resort, with large Chinese, Indian, and Russian tourist markets and a substantial Western expatriate and retiree population. The mix produces beer bars, golf courses, condominium towers, temples, and some of the region's best international food side by side.
The nightlife industry is concentrated around Walking Street and a handful of sois and is a visible part of the city. Naklua, Pratumnak, and Jomtien feel very different from the central strip, and families generally base themselves there.
Beach flags apply as everywhere in Thailand. Jet-ski rental disputes are a long-running known problem here: photograph any machine thoroughly before renting.