The rapid development of Pattaya owes its rapid development to the American pilots, the base of which was located twenty kilometers south of the city limits.
By the way, it is still there, but it belongs to the Thai Air Force. Thanks to the interest of bored soldiers to the local beauties and the continued favor of the beautiful natives, in the sixties of last century there started literally a tourist boom. Enterprising Thais quickly oriented and, in addition to hotels, put up a lot of everything that can attract visitors and make them put out of their pockets. Now a lot of picturesque parks, Buddhist temples were built in the place of empty dunes and literally bare Pratamnak Hill. In general, there are a lot of places around Pattaya and in Pattaya itself where you can spend your time in an interesting and useful way. In this one we will tell you about the most best and most popular attractions in Pattaya, which should be visited first.
In this one we will tell you about the most
Nong Nuch Garden
This Pattaya attraction can be visited on its own. One of the most adapted for a leisurely vacation in the city. Nong Nooch is a huge botanical garden, the largest in the region and has the largest collection of exotic plants. The park is private, and its owner has tried to attract visitors not only with magnificent orchids, palms and ferns, but also with various refinements from landscape designers.
Here you can see a copy of Stonehenge and Versailles Park, reduced replicas of almost all Buddhist stupas of the country. In addition, there is a small contact zoo, a delight for children, as well as a good collection of retro cars. In the evening the park is illuminated and done with great skill. If you are wondering “what to see in Pattaya,” then we advise you to visit this park at least because of the regular performances with elephants, which are considered the best in the country. You can learn about Thai traditions and culture along the way.
Sea-island walk
One of the best attractions in Pattaya is the surrounding nature, sea, islands and beaches. However, to fully enjoy them you will have to go a little farther from the city. For example, on Ko Lan Island, where all the vacationers seek for a clean azure water. It takes about fifteen minutes to get there by speedboat. And if you want solitude and serenity, almost in any travel agency offer excursions to small deserted islands. The most famous are Samet, Ko Chang, and then there are Phai, Manchivai, Kram…
There are so many islands that it makes no sense to list them all. But that’s where you’ll see the natural beauty unspoiled by tourists, almost the same as on the Bounty candy bar ads. For a sea voyage, you can choose a medium-sized cruise ship, yacht, catamaran or speedboat. Its program includes snorkeling, fishing, and other exotic entertainment. We guarantee you a lot of positive emotions and an unforgettable experience.
Waterpark Cartoon Network Amazone
This is a Pattaya attraction that has only recently emerged. Cartoon Network Amazone Waterpark is located outside the city, it takes about twenty minutes to get there. As you have already understood from the name, the park is themed, dedicated to the cartoon characters of this famous film studio. So – this is the best idea, where to go in Pattaya with children. The park consists of nine entertainment areas, varying in the size of the waves in the pools, the speed of descending through the chutes and other tricks inherent in water parks. To distract children from the permanent dive, you can take them to the show with the characters of their favorite cartoons.
P.S. Pattaya has another great outdoor water park with an unconventional name – Ramayana. It is located a few kilometers from Pattaya. The remarkable thing about this water park is that the water is not supplied from the Gulf of Siam, but from artesian wells.
Khao Kheow Zoo
You can visit Khao Kheow Zoo in Pattaya on your own. It is attractive because it is organized in a contact format, so it is another place to go in Pattaya with children. More precisely, we recommend that you do it. Most of the zoo inhabitants live in open enclosures behind low fences. They can be fed, stroked, and photographed with them. The total area of the park is 800 hectares, and there are pastures, jungles, and ponds. Visitors are taken between the themed areas by electric cars. It takes about forty minutes to get there from the city center. So plan to stay there the whole day. There are all conditions for that. Both you and the children will enjoy your time there.
Elephant Village
Perhaps the most exotic attraction in Pattaya. Visitors are attracted not only to see the show with the gray giants, but also to feed and ride on their backs. It is not only an entertainment but also a scientific facility where elephants are treated and trained. You will be told about the care of these animals, the peculiarities of their character. Journey through the jungle on elephants is held several times a day, the journey lasts from one to three hours. During the journey you will be offered to raft on a tropical river, show a waterfall, and also will be given a little steering elephant. Of course, you’ll be allowed to take pictures with them.
Pattaya Park Tower
If you’re an extreme lover, there’s a clear answer to the question “what to visit in Pattaya”: the hotel’s Pattaya Park tower (the hotel also has a small water park on site), located where Pratamnak Hill flows seamlessly into Jomtien Beach. It conventionally can be counted 56 floors, and from the top point there is a cable cable car, which brings vacationers to the beach. So, on this cable the most reckless can be let down on an open suspension system, consisting of a carabiner with a roller and straps. There is no particular risk, as the motion is well controlled and occurs without acceleration. That’s why there are ladies of balzac age and teenagers in line for the ride.
Tiffany’s Transvestite Show
What’s one thing to see in Pattaya that’s edgy, spicy and on the verge of foul? Head to Tiffany Show Cabaret. It’s world-famous for the performances given by transvestites. It has been running since 1974, and it was the first step of the Kingdom of Thailand toward a sexual revolution. The colorful act is at the same time something like a circus, a carnival and a variety show. The program usually consists of four acts. One will tell the story of the kingdom of Siam, the Chinese emperor, something resembling an American musical, and a special section of the 18 +, going to popular music, the motifs of which you can even hear our “Katyusha”. During the performance, video and photography are prohibited, but in the lobby you can take pictures with the performers for a fee.
The temple complexes-Mountain of the Golden Buddha and Wat Yang
Watch the Mountain of the Golden Buddha and Wat Yang Temple in Pattaya on your own. The same applies to answering the question “where to go in Pattaya for free”. Wat Yang is located 15 kilometers from the city, it is a whole temple complex, part of which is dedicated to the Thai-Chinese friendship. The Chinese Temple is built for this purpose there, as well as the Viharna Sien Museum.
The park surrounding the temple complex is organized in the traditional Thai style – it has a pond numerous small architectural forms, mainly gazebos for meditation. The sacred center of the temple is a stone with the imprint of the foot of the Buddha. It is kept in a stupa (type of Buddhist temple) on a high hill, where lead 300 steps, symbolizing the path of the supreme deity to enlightenment. The bonus for perseverance when climbing will be a breathtaking view of the surrounding area of Pattaya (read more about lookouts of Pattaya with beautiful views). The Golden Buddha Mountain is not far from this temple complex. The image of the deity on the slope was laid out for the fiftieth anniversary of the reign of King Phumpion Adulyadej as a gift from his children. A park has been laid out at the foot of the mountain and it is guarded by the military.
Even if you’re not too interested in religious monuments, you should still go there, as there are two true tourist attractions in the neighborhood that are a must-see in Pattaya. First is the village of Karen tribe, which is famous for the tradition of stretching the necks of women with several rows of bronze rings. Second is Silver Lake. Its shores are lined with private vineyards, so walk around and admire the views, and they really are wonderful, but also taste the local grapes and wine from them. The latter, of course, is not free. But for the farmers this item of income is significant, so they do not refuse those who wish to.
These are the places where you can go.
All these sights are within walking distance of each other, and you can make a nice itinerary for a day trip that will be remembered for a long time.
Tiger Zoo
The place to visit in Pattaya. After all, the tiger is one of the symbols of Thailand. The tiger zoo is located in the town of Siracha, it takes about half an hour to get there. In addition to tigers, you can see there other both curious and most ordinary animals. For example, elephants, crocodiles and trivial pigs. The zoo is interactive: there are various shows with trained animals. And visitors are also shown nature paradoxes: a tigress nursing piglets, and a pig with tiger cubs by her side. By the way, newborn tiger cubs can be fed from a bottle with a nipple and take pictures with them.
In addition, visitors can also see the tigress feeding the piglets.
Mini Siam Park
If you’re having trouble deciding where to go in Pattaya on your own, we recommend you visit Mini Siam Park. This is a common format of entertainment for tourists, which can be found in many countries around the world. The park contains models of mainly Thai architectural monuments, but there are also world celebrities. It is worth noting that the latter are made on a larger scale. Each model has a plate with a detailed description.
After reading them, you can get an idea of what Thais know about, for example, the monument of the Mother Motherland in Volgograd or St. Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow. And compare with your knowledge. The Siamese part of the park, built 20 years earlier, contains models of temples from all over the Indochina peninsula – from Burma, Laos, Cambodia. The Angkor Wat complex, for example. A visit to the park is interesting both during the day and in the evening, when the lighting is turned on, making the models almost real.
The park is a great place to visit.
The Temple of Truth
What else is free to see in Pattaya is the The Temple of Truth, erected by a Thai patron on the Naklua waterfront. Officially called The Sanctuary of Truth, the structure is made entirely of wood – precious white teak – and is over a hundred meters high. In style, it is close to the architecture of the temples of the ancient Khmers, the ancestors of today’s Thais. As throughout the country, the appearance of the temple emphasizes the unity of Buddhism and Hinduism. A kind of local example of tolerance. All the sculptures decorating it are hand carved. Construction, which began in 1981, is still going on. Apparently, the Thais have decided to compete with the creation of Gaudi in Barcelona, the Sagrada Familia cathedral.
There is a park around the temple, where various events are held. For example, performances of folklore groups, puppet theaters or Thai boxing fights. It is possible to ride not only horses, but also elephants. And there’s also a small contact zoo.
Indeed, there’s also a small contact zoo.
Alangkarn Theater
What to visit in Pattaya for those with a vivid interest in the history of other peoples? The Alangkarn Theater, of course. During the show you will be introduced to the history of the kingdom of Siam, its traditions and culture. It is located outside the city, so around the main building is a small park with benches, paths and greenery. The show itself takes place on a huge stage, richly decorated with decorations. The theater troupe includes trained elephants, without which the Thai epic is hard to imagine. Performed by actors acrobatic numbers, fireworks and laser shows make the show very entertaining and interesting not only for history lovers. An hour before the show, guests are invited to a buffet buffet, and afterwards they can take photos with the elephants and other performers.
Ripley Museum
The motto of this Ripley Museum is “Believe it or not”. When you enter the building, you are immediately shocked to see the fuselage of an ancient biplane sticking out of the wall. The exhibition consists of all sorts of curiosities and oddities. Some sort of Kunstkammer in a Thai way, in short. Model of Titanic out of matches, vest made of human hair and other unusual things. The effect of breaking the format will be enhanced if you do not refuse the local attractions: a mirror maze, room of horror, cinema 4D, in which the seats under the audience are moving, creating the effect of presence. The museum is named after Robert Ripley, an American collector and traveler. It is divided into ten themed exhibits and is located in the Royal Garden Plaza shopping center. It’s right in the heart of the city.
Three Kingdoms Park
Another place to go in Pattaya for free. Three Kingdoms Theme Garden. – is a park complex based on the novel “The Three Kingdoms”, which is considered a must-read classic in China. It was built with the money of a Thai philanthropist with roots in the Celestial Empire. The entire park is dedicated to the events of the II-III centuries, when China consisted of three kingdoms at war among themselves. The area is not particularly large, about six hectares. In its design, the requirements of the teachings of feng shui were taken into account. It is peaceful and pleasant to walk there.
Museum Art in Paradise
Museum dedicated to optical illusions, usually the definition of 3D is added to its name. Most of all there are paintings with three-dimensional effect, in which the visitor can “fit”. For example, in some famous biblical story. So don’t forget to take something to take pictures or film. The area of the museum is 5,800 square meters, the exposition is divided by themes: marine animals and fish, land animals, classic paintings. This place is a source of good mood, some visitors literally fall into childhood.
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