Pattaya travel guide

Where to stay, what to do, and how to plan each day.

Illustration: a family at a hilltop lookout above a seaside bay at dusk: the father carries their small daughter on his shoulders, holding her hands, beside the mother, who points out a lit cruise boat on the bay, and all three look at it; a lamp post at the railing, the beach road curving in lights along the bay past a town of low buildings and a few towers among palms, and a headland under the afterglow

Illustration: a family arriving at a hotel in the evening, just inside the open glass door with their suitcases, the daughter holding her mother's and her father's hands; the receptionist looks up from the desk with a smile and an open hand, orchids beside her; outside, palms against the evening sky and a spirit house with a marigold garland in the garden

Where to stay

Ten areas and six kinds of hotel, compared.

Illustration: street food at a Thai night market at dusk: at a charcoal grill an older woman, lit by its glow, hands a paper tray of grilled pork skewers to a young woman who pays her, while her friend looks into a tray of her own; a family walks down the lane hand in hand between stalls of clothes, fruit and bags under strings of lights, palms beyond the stalls

Things to do

Temples, markets, water parks, shows, beaches and day trips.

Illustration: a small round table by a hotel window at dusk, set for planning a trip, with two chairs pulled up side by side: a paper map with a route along the coast road round the bay and dashed across the water to an island marked with a small hand-drawn star, an open notebook with a ticked list and a pen, a small teapot and two cups of tea, and a table lamp lighting the table; beyond the glass, the town along the curve of the bay behind its beach promenade, a wooded headland and the island offshore

Plan your trip

When to go, getting here and around, money and safety.

Who’s travelling?

With kids As a couple On a budget First time Seniors Solo women LGBTQ+Honeymoon Accessible travel Halal-friendly From India

How long are you staying?

All itineraries

24 hours in Pattaya Cultural Pattaya in 2 days Pattaya for couples 3 days in Pattaya Luxury weekend Pattaya on a budget 4 days in Pattaya 5 days in Pattaya Bangkok and Pattaya One week in Pattaya Family week in Pattaya Two weeks in Pattaya

When to go

Best time to visit

December to February is the driest stretch. September and October bring the most rain. November usually brings Loy Krathong, and the year ends with Pattaya's New Year countdown on the beach.

The driest monthsAverage rain per month

Average rain per month, Pattaya station, 1981–2010 normals: a long-term average, not a forecast. Thai Meteorological Department, checked 26 Jul 2026.

Start with an area

All ten

Naklua

Markets, local streets and the Sanctuary of Truth.

Wong Amat

Resorts on a calmer beach, north of the centre.

North Pattaya

Terminal 21 and easy transport, a notch calmer.

Central Pattaya

The city beach, the malls and short walks.

Soi Buakhao

Guesthouses, a market and local shops, inland.

South Pattaya

The compact southern end of the bay.

Pratumnak

A quiet, green hill with coves and viewpoints.

Jomtien

The long beach south of Pratumnak Hill.

Na Jomtien

Resorts, space and sunsets further south.

Bang Saray

The fishing town beyond Na Jomtien.

Things to do

All of them

Plan your trip

All guides