Pattaya Thailand
4
Cruises availables
At departure or passage at this port
Frequently Asked Questions
It anchors in the bay and tenders land passengers at Bali Hai pier, at the southern end of the promenade. This is a real and very busy pier where ferries, speedboats and fishing craft come and go all day. A few minutes' walk puts you in town.
Yes. From Bali Hai the seafront runs several kilometres north, past palms, cut-fruit vendors and rows of loungers. It is one of the few Thai calls where you need no vehicle at all to fill your day.
You can, but the city beach is mostly a stage: you watch the parasails and jet skis more than you swim. For a proper swim, head to Jomtien on the far side of the southern headland, where the mood is calmer and more family-oriented.
The simplest combination: Pratumnak hill and its big Buddha, then the seafront and a seafood lunch. Those who want one memorable thing instead choose the Sanctuary of Truth to the north and give it half the day.
A wooden monument roughly 105 metres tall, hand-carved in every corner and assembled without metal nails, in the Naklua district. Begun in 1981 and still under construction, it blends Buddhist and Hindu figures. Visitors tour it wearing hard hats, among the carvers at work.
On Pratumnak hill between the two bays, at Wat Phra Yai. The eighteen-metre gilded statue has faced the sea since the 1940s. The naga-lined staircase is an easy climb and the terrace gives the finest view over the bay, Bali Hai pier and the ships at anchor.
Yes, public ferries leave from the same pier and take about forty-five minutes. The beaches are better than in town and the water clearer. But the round trip eats most of a call: aim to be back well before the tender deadline, as ferry times are not guaranteed.
The Thai baht. Restaurants and shops along the seafront widely accept cards, but motorbike taxis, shared pickups, beach masseuses and fruit vendors are cash only. ATMs are plentiful along the promenade.
Thai, with some of the strongest English in the country: Pattaya has lived on international tourism for decades. French is even heard occasionally in certain restaurants. Making yourself understood is not a concern here.
Yes, provided you pick your area. Jomtien and Koh Larn suit families, as does the Sanctuary of Truth, which impresses children. Some of Pattaya's nightlife districts, however, are openly adult-oriented: worth knowing in advance, and a good reason to stay on the seafront and at the sights.
