Pattaya

[Nicole Joan]

We have from 8.00 till 4.00 the next morning. Any suggestions on what to do. We have not been here before. Thanks in anticipation Nicole:confused:

[deck 9 001]

Hi Nicole,

 

This is Mike, from the SuperStar Virgo thread. It's amazing how we keep meeting up:) .

 

I have been in Pattaya for the past 2 weeks and just got back to Taipei late yesterday.

I own an apartment there and spend a lot of "down time" in Pattaya wheneverI can. Actually my flat/apartment is located in Jomtien Beach which is a short Tuk Tuk ride from Pattaya (beach) central area. I do go to central Pattaya often for supermarket (food) shopping and restaurants.

 

In my opinion Nicole, there is really not alot of "touristy" things to do in Pattaya and environs. Yes, there is a zoo of sorts, a monkey jungle etc, but see one and you've seen them all.

I would recommend you visit Buddah Hill which again is a short Tuk Tuk ride from central Pattaya. It is an interesting area with a lovely golden Buddah and has wonderful views.

 

You could also take an excursion boat to a nearby island which is also a nice way to enjoy a beach without the frantic and crowded atmosphere such as Pattaya has.

In general, Pattaya Beach is a beach resort and you will find hundreds of bars and countless shops selling tourist souvenirs. It can be very crowded, depending upon the time of the year you visit.

This is the main reason I chose to buy an apartment in Jomtien Beach, which is much less hectic, but is still quite lively.

If you would like to enjoy a local beach, I do strongly suggest you come to Jomtien, as the beach in central Pattaya is crowded, not exactly pristine, and less enjoyable as opposed to Jomtien Beach. Now this is my opinion and others may disagree.

 

Between Central Pattaya and Jomtien, there is Pattaya Park, which is a nice water park with many rides and much food available. There is also Pattaya Tower located in the Park which has cable car access and is real nice. There are luxurious and more modest hotels located here as well.

This is the web site for Pattaya Park: http://www.pattayapark.com/

Check it out and perhaps it will be to your liking.

I go often, just for a little fun.

 

Also, there is the Royal Cliff Gardens Hotel which as the name suggests, is up on a cliff. Very nice hotel and surroundings. There is one venue in the hotel located outdoors with a splendid seaview and offers BBQ buffet meals. It is not cheap, but not over priced either. Food is excellent and the views make up for any deficiencies, if there are any;)

 

I can also suggest other restaurants and shops for souvenirs, but I don't know if it is allowed to mention specific places as these on the board. But you can email me msw0403@yahoo.com and I will be most happy to fill you in.

 

I know I can mention Mike's Shopping Mall and Mike's Department Store (no connection to me whatsoever:D unfortunately) which are located in Central Pattaya right off Beach Road. You can shop till you drop, and the prices are fixed and fair. In other shops you must bargain with the sellers for a good price.

 

I must run now, as there is tons of work for me to catch up on. There is probably more info I can give you, and will do so a little later when I have more time. I just happened to see your post Nicole and I had to help out an old friend. Just couldn't let your post go unanswered.

 

Stay well and enjoy life.

 

Best,

 

Mike

[Nicole Joan]

Hi Mike Great to hear from you. You lucky thing having an appartment in Pattaya. Is it possible to rent a spedboat and driver anywhere and go snorkelling? and also of course how safe is it? Thankyou for all the other info it is really helpful to have a knowledgeable friend in this area.

Talk soon. Stay well and happy Nicole:o

[deck 9 001]

Hi Nicole,

 

Glad that my info helped. The off shore islands of Pattaya are a divers' and snorkelers paradise. There are numerous snorkeling tours available from most hotel concierge desks. I believe they are all safe and trustworthy, as they would not be touted by the hotels. Here is one link that can give you some info: http://www.siam-divers.com/

 

Car and driver can also be arranged at most hotels. They provide a decent auto and driver who is pretty good in English. I do urge you to book at a major hotel though. Or perhaps your local travel agent has a list of recommended car/drivers that they can help you with. If not, a Google search for car/drivers in Pattaya should help you.

 

If there is anything else that I can help you with Nicole, please let me know.

 

Stay well.

 

Regards,

 

Mike

[deck 9 001]

Hi Nicole and everyone,

 

I have just learned that there is a new cruise service that departs from Pattaya and goes to Ko Samui and Pha-ghan.

 

The ship is renamed SIRITARA OCEAN QUEEN and is the ex-Ocean Princess which previously sailed from Bangkok during the summer and from Phuket during the fall/winter season.

 

I cannot say for sure if the cruises have begun as yet.

This is their web site www.siritara.com but it is all in Thai. There is no English at the moment. I did get a flyer from a travel agent in Pattaya.

This is what the flyer says:

 

If I hear any further news, I will post.

 

Regards,

 

Mike

 

"An exciting travel concept will be launched beginning april 29th. Traveling to the Thai gulf by cruiser has never been so easy and luxurious. The Siritara Ocean Queen will journey from Pattaya to Samui and the

Pha-ghan islands. You now have the flexibility of traveling between these ports with comfort and efficiency. Our route saves precious time for those wanting to journey the Thai gulf. With travel time of

 

less than 14 hours you will surely arrive at your destination in good spirits. While aboard our cruiser you will have many things to occupy your time. You will enjoy our posh facilities and forget that you are aboard a ship. The facilities on the vessel will

 

make you feel like you are at a luxurious five star resort. We have a

 

charming restaurant, trendy club, tasty coffee shop and a relaxing day spa.

 

 

 

 

Siritara Ocean Queen weighs in at 6,260 tons, a length of 122 meters and a width of 16 meters. Our ship has eight luxurious floors and thereby makes it the largest of any cruiser in Thailand. The ship is outfitted with state of the art safety and

security equipment. Our ship exceeds all international regulations and your safety is our first concern. We have eight life boats that can hold up to 60 people each. There is also an automatic fire engine and radar to ensure weather is none threatening. We

 

even have a medical facility on the seventh floor should you need our services. Siritara Ocean Queen has 131 guest bedrooms for 375 passengers. We

 

have VIP passenger area as well as economy seating. You will be comfortable knowing that we have ljooked after in every detail for you. Our hostess on the ship will meet your every need and have the experience to make your trip

 

memorable.

 

 

 

 

Room Rate:

 

Ocean Suite- 15,000 pp

 

Ocean Deluxe- 10,000

pp

 

 

Ocean Superior- 8,000 pp

 

Ocean Family- 12,000 pp (4

pax)

 

Ocean Standard A- 8,000 pp

 

Ocean Standard B- 11,000 pp (4pax)

 

Ocean Standard two- 7,000 pp

 

Ocean Standard three- 9,000 pp (3 pax)

 

Ocean Standard four- 10,000 pp (4 pax)

 

 

Passenger seats VIP Seat 1,900 Economy Seat 1,750

 

For more info please contact our Sky Seamone Co., Ltd

Tel 0-4147-5751 at Balihai Pier

[Nicole Joan]

Hi Mike Just got back from a weekend at the Casino in Melbourne ( with no kids yay). Thankyou for all your information yet again. I think we will try to do some snorkelling whilst in Pattaya. The ship docks at Laem Chabang so if we take all our snorkel gear we can do this and then go to Mike's and do some shopping before heading back to the ship. It is so helpful to have information on places we haven't been so I really appreciate you help. Will talk again soon. Hope you are well and happy

Regards Nicole (from rainy cold Australia):cool:

[deck 9 001]

Hi Nicole, hope you had fun and did well at the casino!;)

 

Laem Chabang is only 20 km north of Pattaya and takes really no time to get there (with good traffic of course) so sure, take your snorkel gear with you.

 

I am certain that you will enjoy your time in Pattaya and environs.

 

Need more advice? just post, I'm always happy to help when I can.

 

Regards,

 

Mike

[Nicole Joan]

Hi Mike How do you think we would go hiring a private speedboat and driver from Pattaya for some snorkelling and which beach would you suggest we do this from? Thanks again Regards Nicole:rolleyes: PS What would I do without your information???????:o

[deck 9 001]

Hi Nicole,

 

As far as hiring a speedboat and driver, if you walk along Pattaya Beach Road (on the beach) there will be many people with boats for hire. They all have been doing this for many years and are trustworthy.

 

There is a shop on the beachfront however, called Barracuda Tours that also rent speedboats with drivers.

 

Regarding which island to go to, have a look at this link:

http://www.1stoppattaya.com/what_to_see/koh_larn/

 

See if there is anything that interests you. Koh Larn is the most popular.

I have been there and it is truly a tropical paradise. I think you would like it.

 

Hope this info help a little Nicole. Stay well and happy.

 

Regards,

 

Mike

[Nicole Joan]

Mike, you are a legend. Thank you so much for this valuable advise. Everyone in the family is now happy, and we didn't even need to vote on who wanted to do something different.

Stay well and happy Nicole:)

[deck 9 001]

Nicole, it makes me feel good to know that my little input helps.

I'll bet you're glad that everyone in the family are happy now.

 

I am attaching a photo of a beautiful sunset in Pattaya that I took recently. Hope your time in Pattaya will be just as beautiful.

 

Best,

 

Mike

 

P.S. More questions? We don't mind!;)

[Nicole Joan]

Mike this photo is beautiful. I am also into photography and received a magnificent canon Eos from my family for my 40th last year. Can't wait to get to Asia even more now.

Stay happy:) Nicole