8 Reasons to Love Pattaya

For some people who don’t like bar girls, visiting Pattaya might seem like a strange decision to make. But honestly it’s something I’d love to do again in the next occasion.

I first went to Pattaya with my friends 2 years ago. And some of the best and most funniest and exciting times I’ve ever experienced were in this big sin city.

Yes, Pattaya is famous for its sex industry and it’s still going strong day by day. But that’s not Pattaya is all about. There are lots of family-friendly attractions and activities you can do here.

And you might also wanna know that Pattaya is a seaside resort in Thailand, so no wonder why the weather is hot and humid. As a seaside resort, people will definitely think that Pattaya has a great beach to offer. But the fact is, I like almost everything in Pattaya except the Pattaya Beach. Okay, maybe 30 years ago it was the main attraction but now it’s dirty and restricted by locals displaying umbrellas and lounge chairs. This is not a place to relax. 

So, asides from the sex & the dirty beach, here’s the things I love about Pattaya. (Oh thank God I wrote all things I experienced on my diary so I still remember it clearly)

1. Sacred Places : Buddha Hill (Khao Phra Tam Nak)

Thailand is famous for its religious activity, so one thing you shouldn’t miss is the sacred places. I went to Buddha Hill, one of the highest points in Pattaya. On top of the hill, the stood the Big Buddha painted in gold. Considering it is free, it is worth the visit. And although this place is dedicated to the Confucius, you can go there to escape the chaos of Pattaya city. You can go to the top of the hill by taxi or tuk-tuk, the local public transportation. 

2. Museums & Gallery : Ripley’s 

There are 5 main attractions here when I came : (1) Ripley’s Believe it or Not,  (2) Ripley’s Haunted Adventure, (3) Ripley’s Moving Theater 4D, (5) Ripley’s Infinity Maze and (5) Louis Tussaud’s Waxworks. 

All of them are located in the 3rd floor of Royal Garden Plaza.

My favorite is : Ripley’s Infinity Maze. Before going in, we have to wear white socks and white gloves. And inside, you will find your self lost in a maze with a spectacular illusion, lightning and sound effect. And you’ve got to find a way out. It’s pretty easy anyway. But i just love the fantastic illusion.

My second fav is : Ripley’s Haunted Adventure. This place made me shout a lot! Okay not just me, but my whole group. We walked slowly in line with our two hands on other’s shoulder as we enter the building and still I was SCARED TO DEATH in every corner. The most epic moment is when we got chased by a man bringing an electric chainsaw. Such a thrill!

Ripley’s Believe it or Not is a museum with lots of amazing facts and figures inside. Unlike the haunted house, I’m sure this place is good for kids. 

And believe it or not, this huge boat was made from over 1.000.000 matches!

And this is a penis sheath from New Guinea. It’s used by men is New Guinea as a protection against insects bites. Gosh, I can’t believe i highlight this thing among all the magnificent works there. But this one is unique, isn’t it? I wonder if there’s a kid somewhere in this world asking his mom : “Mom, can I get a penis sheath for Christmas?”

And here goes the wax house : Louis Tussaud’s Waxworks. Inside, you can see a lot of famous figures made with wax. Don’t forget to bring you camera along!

The worst one is : Ripley’s Moving Theater 4D. It has a poor quality of movies and not even exciting at all. Maybe this one’s for kids.

Anyway, it costs you 1100 Baht for 5 attractions (in 2011). This is a place you should never miss when you go to Pattaya!

3. Elephant Trekking
So apparently, I’ve wrote an article about this elephant trekking experience here. This is the first time and the last time (so far) I’ve ever ridden on an elephant. It feels different with riding on a horse because… it moves really slowly and it poo a lot. Anyway, make sure you sit on the elephant neck!

4. Cabaret Show
No one goes to Pattaya without watching the Cabaret Show. Because you know what? It’s not just a cabaret show. It’s a Ladyboy Cabaret show so none of the pretty ‘girls’ there is a real one.

The two best known cabaret shows in Pattaya are : Alcazar Cabaret and Tiffany’s Cabaret. People said Tiffany’s Cabaret is the best one, but since it’s already fully booked , we decided to went for Alcazar Cabaret. Well, I can say, the sets are well decorated, and the light & music effects are magnificent, the dancers are competent, and the ladyboys are…. prettier than what you can imagine.

They only have 3 shows in one day : 18:30, 20:00, and 21:30. I guess that’s because the ladyboy is still working at their office in the morning. And it costs you 600 Baht (IDR 180.000) for one show (again, in 2011). If you wanna get kissed by one of the ladyboy there, make sure you buy the VIP seat.

5. Pattaya Floating Market

It’s shopping time! If you’re bored with the malls in your country, you must visit this place. It’s such an interesting place for foreigner and it has been a major attraction in Pattaya that visitors would like to visit. Well, although the stuffs they sell might be overpriced, at least you don’t spend any money because there are no entrance fee,  unless you choose to buy something. The market itself is built on a small lake and there are locals selling their stuff from their boats.

6. Food
Well, Thailand is famous for its local food. Don’t miss the Tom Yum and Pad Thai. And the street snacks!

If you want to have a nice lunch on the seaside, Breezeo Restaurant is one of the famous resto there.

Fried insects for an afternoon snacks? Ew… But Thai fried insects are famous, right? So don’t miss it although you only eat a bite of ’em. Many people in Thailand enjoy eating insects as a snack food, and often complimented with cold beer.

7. Central Festival Mall 

Central Festival Mall is one of the largest mall in Asia. Well, mall will always become a mall. But… I personally love the food court. They offer so many inviting food with a reasonable price. And they also got a huge cinema (SFX Cinema) with 10 theatres. We decided to watched the Transformer : Dark of the Moon and it costs 220 Baht for the 3D movies.

You might also wanna know that the view from the top of the mall is simply… beautiful. It faces directly to the beach.

8. Pattaya Walking Street

Pattaya Walking Street is also well known here, especially for the night life. There are a loooooots of beer bar and go-go bars here, not to mention the restaurants. But be warned. This is a ‘red-light’ district in Pattaya. This is by no means a destination for families with young children. But make sure you don’t miss this place once you visit Pattaya.

So, are you going or not? 🙂 

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