12 Best Things to Do in Pattaya

Walking Street in Pattaya City offers sights and sounds quite unlike anywhere else in Thailand. While "walking street" in most other towns and cities try around Thailand usually means a regular street market, that's certainly not the case here. Indeed, there's almost nothing in the country that matches the 500 metres of fun found at the end of Pattaya’s Beach Road.

Taking its name from the fact that it is closed to vehicle traffic after 6 pm, almost every building on both sides of the road – as well as many in the side streets around it – is a nightclub, bar or restaurant, to the extent that the road is almost completely deserted during daylight hours as virtually everything is shut. At night, however, the road comes alive with neon lights, thumping music from different genres, food vendors, street performances and partygoers from around the world.

The Sanctuary of Truth is a one-of-a-kind teak structure in Pattaya and a truly awe-inspiring monument to philosophical truth. It tells of the importance religion, philosophy and art have played in human development and the folly of neglecting morality and spiritual contentment in the pursuit of materialism.

In all, the complex is a beautiful and humbling demonstration of human endeavour and skill, particularly when you realise that none of the wood being used has been treated or chemically protected. This means that, as one section is completed, another has often succumbed to the tropical conditions and must be replaced.

Tiffany's Show Pattaya is a cabaret show that takes place in a grand theatre in North Pattaya. The theatre has a huge faux-marble lobby that manages to be almost as spectacular as the dazzling costumes. Performers make their entrances dressed in everything from long sweeping ball-gowns and plumes of feathers to elaborate headdresses and polka-dot swimwear.

A breathless hour-long riot of sound, colour and light ensues – a show that spans the entire hemisphere through song, dance or skit. Scenes include a Bollywood musical take on the Indian Raj, a traditional Korean fan dance, a homage to China's Imperial past and progress, Siam's history told through graceful Thai dance, Broadway show tunes, and slapstick burlesque.

Nong Nooch Tropical Garden in Pattaya features over 200 hectares of landscaped spaces bursting with tropical colours. It has some of the most remarkable flowers, displays and landscaped gardens in Thailand, if not the world.

The team behind the gardens have repeatedly won international awards for their designs, which include 17th-century French-style gardens, a recreation of Stonehenge, creative topiary displays and gardens created exclusively with cacti, bonsais and tropical palms. It is also the home of over 670 native and hybrid species of orchids. You can see regular displays of classic Thai dancing, boxing and drumming during your visit to the gardens.

Pattaya Floating Market, also known by its true name, Four Regions Floating Market, is one of the best things to do in Pattaya. The sub-sections of this 10-hectare development represent the 4 major areas of Thailand: the north, northeast, central, and south. This representation comes in the form of shops and stalls selling souvenirs, fruits, food, art, handicrafts, postcards and clothing as well as regular cultural shows and demonstrations.

Some of the 114 vendors do indeed float, selling their wares from traditional boats and canoes. The rest are built into a sturdy stilted village, with covered walkways and stout bridges connecting them.

The so-called Big Buddha Temple of Pattaya certainly deserves its name, being the biggest in the region at 18 metres in height. Positioned nearly 100 metres above sea level, the statue watches over Pattaya and Jomtien Beaches from its position on the hill dividing both.

Known locally as Wat Phra Khao Yai, the temple complex around the highly detailed golden seated Buddha creates a reflective mood in its many visitors, thanks to its many bells, burning incense, numerous smaller statues and impressive views over the area. Not just a tourist attraction, the site is an active temple, with locals frequently visiting to pray.

Pattaya water parks are among the best things to do in Pattaya for families. Pattaya is home to a choice of outstanding water parks, including the largest in all of Thailand, with dozens of slides and rides between them. 

The biggest and best, including Ramayana Water Park and Columbia Pictures Aquaverse (formerly Cartoon Network Amazone Waterpark), are located just about 20 minutes away from Pattaya City. Each park has onsite restaurants and a range of helpful facilities for families.

Pattaya View Point, also known as Khao Pattaya View Point on Pratumnak Hill, is the best viewpoint in the region. It’s the place to visit day or night to get that classic shot of Pattaya’s sweeping, crescent-shaped bay. Be warned though, this is anything but an insider’s tip, so expect to share your view with an almost ceaseless flow of package tours and the local traders who follow them touting cheap souvenirs and expensive refreshments.

This might sound off-putting, but the reality is tours will usually stop for 10 to 15 minutes and, once they have been called back to the bus, the viewpoint becomes quiet and peaceful – perfect for enjoying the stunning scenery.

Coral Island of Pattaya offers a blue sea and a long stretch of pristine beach void of high-rise buildings and away from the claws of civilisation. Known as Koh Laan or Larn Island, it's the hub of a series of similarly idyllic little islands known as the Near Islands (being 'near' to Pattaya). It's the only one with any significant development like roads, restaurants and shops. This little piece of paradise beyond the hustle and bustle of the city is situated 7.5 km west of Pattaya Beach. It has long been an alternative retreat for those who have become jaded with Pattaya’s overdeveloped and overcrowded beaches.

Since the island is not so far away, visitors can easily go there in the morning, stay for a couple of hours and then come back to Pattaya Beach in the late afternoon. You can take the ferry to Koh Laan or a speedboat to any of the islands around it from Pattaya's Bali Hai Pier.

Art in Paradise is an interactive 3D art museum in Pattaya that takes the traditional assumptions of what an art gallery should be and completely ignores them. Instead, the art is brought to life and the visitors can become part of it through the use of optical illusions and playing with perspective.

Stand in the right position and take a picture from the right angle – all of which are clearly marked out for you – and it looks like you are flying a magic carpet over the desert, crossing a rickety bridge in the jungle, swimming with dolphins in the ocean or putting the finishing touches to famous masterpieces.

Khao Chi Chan or Buddha Mountain in Jomtien is the largest engraving of Buddha in the world. The gold-embossed image was carved out of the side of a limestone mountain with a laser. It's 130 metres in height and 70 metres across at its widest. The solitary limestone hill was once used to supply the local construction industry with materials. In 1996, to commemorate His Majesty the King of Thailand’s golden jubilee, the massive image was carved into the rock and then marked out in gold on the recommendation of the then Supreme Patriarch.

The area in which it resides – commonly known as “Silverlake” – is one of remarkable natural beauty, with a couple of other nearby attractions. The grounds in front of Buddha Mountain include a temple, with saffron-robed monks a common sight, so appropriate clothing is recommended.

Ripley's Believe It or Not! Pattaya contains over 300 exhibits that will boggle the mind. Telling only true stories and facts, the surprising and shocking displays prove that the truth really is stranger than fiction.

Alongside this museum of the marvellous are several fun rides, a waxworks museum, a 12D Moving Theatre and the extremely popular Sky Rider – the yellow and white balloon that can be seen rising above Pattaya Beach, offering unique views of the city and the surrounding area.