Attraction

The Beach & Island

The coast east of Bangkok is the Eastern Seaboard, the center of Thailand's economic  development strategy with fast transport links and modern communications. A few bays north of Pattaya is the Laem Chabang deep sea port and industrial estate - modern and clean. A couple of bays south Sattahip is home to the Royal Thai Navy, and after the coast line turns east is Mab Ta Phut, the new high tech petrochemical center. Pattaya and its adjacent bays and beaches is the playground for this most modern and dynamic area of Thailand.

Pattaya Beach is a narrow strip of sand about 4 km long. The beach road runs parallel and in South Pattaya is the focus of the shops, restaurants, discotheques, bars and night clubs which provide the nightlife. Moving north up the beach the buildings are less crowded together, more outdoor space for the hotels and more space on the beach. In the high season the beach would be overcrowded were it not for the large beaches easily accessible to the north and south.

 

Mini Siam & Mini Europe: located near central Pattaya on the main road from Bangkok, is a toy town version of much of Siam and Europe. The park brings together scale models of important buildings and historic sites of different cultures and periods, with more than 100 models on a scale of 1:25 plus a daily cultural show.

Fun for all ----- and with careful camera angles you could claim to have toured almost the whole of the real Thailand, as long as you make sure the Eiffel Tower or Big Ben don't feature on the sky line!

Suan Nong Nooch: about 15 kilometers from Pattaya, is a Thai-village-style recreation park. The area of over 200 ha is has beautifully landscaped gardens, an orchid nursery, mini-zoo and twice daily shows with cultural and traditional performances and an elephant show.

Siracha Farm: to the north of Pattaya, is a mini-zoo with crocodiles, tigers, camels and many birds. Visitors can feed a camel or have a photograph taken with a tiger.

Pattaya Water Park: between Pattaya and Jomtien, is an enormous beach front water amusement park with water slides, whirlpools, swimming pools, and restaurants. You are assured of safe, clean water free of the hazards of jet skis, speed boats and speeding aquatic bananas! A perfect place for family fun.

The Bira International Circuit:on Route 35 to Rayong, is named after Thailand's most famous racing driver. Prince Bira, and offers some international motor and motorcycle racing on its 2.4 kilometers circuit. You can also hire Formula 3 racing cars and go karts at the racing school on the circuit.
Pattaya Elephant Village: 5 km from Pattaya, demonstrate elephants' skills in hauling logs, re-enactment of war elephants in historic battles and parades, and the elephant roundups a hundred years and more ago. More light heartedly, the afternoon shows also include an elephant football match.

Million Years Stone Park & Crocodile Farm: some 9 km from Pattaya, comprises breeding pens with more than 1,000 crocodiles, a zoo and a bonsai garden decorated with rock formations
Wat Yansangwararam: Pattaya's most important temple is Wat Yansangwararam, some 12 km south of town and under the His Majesty the King's patronage. The modern temple covers an area of about 57 ha and incorporates buildings of different architectural styles: Japanese, Chinese, Indian and Western architecture as well as modern Thai architecture. The temple is a center for meditation for short and long stay visitors.

Wat Sothon Wararam Worawihan:To the north, in Chachoengsao province, is Wat Sothon Wararam Worawihan, which houses the highly revered Phra Phutthasothon, a 2 m high bronze Buddha image.

Legend says that three bronze images floated downstream from Prachin Buri and the villagers tied them with ropes and tried to pull them out of the water, but failed and the images continued floating until one appeared and was enshrined in Samut Songkhram province and another in Samut Prakan province. The third appeared in front of Wat Sothon and the people tried to pull it from the river, but failed. Then they built a small shrine to pay homage to Phra Phuttha Sothon and invited him to be enshrined at Wat Sothon, and successfully raised the image from the river to the temple.