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Pattaya is a city in Thailand, located on the east coast of the Gulf of Thailand, about 165 km southeast of Bangkok in the province of Chon Buri. It is one of the largest centers of tourism in Thailand, with some 5 million visitors arriving ... more »
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Hotels Pattaya is a city in Thailand, located on the east coast of the Gulf of Thailand, about 165 km southeast of Bangkok in the province of Chon Buri. It is one of the largest centers of tourism in Thailand, with some 5 million visitors arriving in 2004.
Things to do
Pattaya Beach Pattaya's main attraction are its beaches. Pattaya Beach is situated along the central city in close proximity to shopping, hotels and bars. The over-abundance of jet-skis and speedboats has contributed towards the pollution of the water along Pattaya Beach. The section of beach from Central Road (Pattaya Klang) south to the harbor is directly adjacent to the core of Pattaya's abundant nightlife area. Therefore, it is less family-oriented than North Pattaya, Na Klua and Jomtien Beach.
Jomtien Beach Jomtien Beach is divided from the main part of Pattaya by Buddha Hill, just south of the city. In contrast to Pattaya Beach, Jomtien is a popular spot for family vacationers and watersports enthusiasts. Jomtien is essentially a residential area with beachside hotels, bungalow complexes, condominiums and restaurants. A wide array of watersport activities can be found, including jet-skis, para-sailing and scuba diving.
Jomtien's most visible landmark is the 56-story Pattaya Park tower, part of the Pattaya Park entertainment complex which also features a water park, roller coaster, monorail and children's activities. This may soon be overshadowed by the proposed residential 91-floor Ocean 1 ("O1") Tower. The Jomtien district is already home to one of the largest resorts in Asia, the 4000+ room Ambassador City Jomtien.
Ko Lan Ko Lan is a small island situated 7.5 km west Pattaya. Ko Lan is accessible by speedboat and ferry. The ferry departs hourly, and is a 45-minute ride costing just 20 Baht each way. Speedboats are more expensive, but can reach the island in less than 15 minutes. Ko Lan has several beaches, which are known for their cleanliness, relaxing atmosphere, soft white sand and crystal-clear water.
In recent years, new shopping malls, outlet stores and jewelry stores have opened up, which has helped in increasing the length of stay of visitors to the city. Among the shopping malls are:
* Central Festival, Pattaya Second Road – Indoor mall anchored by a BigC; also has a SF Cinema City branch. * Carrefour, Pattaya Central Road * Mike Shopping Mall, Beach Road * Royal Garden Plaza, Beach Road – Three-story indoor mall has a Ripley's Believe It or Not! Museum and an SF Multiplex cinema. * Tesco Lotus, Pattaya North Road Pattaya is renowned for its nightlife, some of which revolves around the sex oriented industry. Hundreds of beer bars, go go bars, restaurants and clubs line the busy streets, and are bustling with activity 365 days a year. Boyztown area is famous for its gay go-go clubs and bars which draw gay men from all over the world. Muay Thai (Thai Boxing) matches aimed at the tourists can be seen from many of the open-air beer bars along Beach Road and the highly popular Walking Street, which is beside Boyztown. Pattaya also has a large number of massage parlors. Pattaya is known for its cabaret revues featuring kathoeys (male-to-female transsexuals), with Alcazar and Tiffany's being the largest and most elaborate.
Pattaya was simply a small fishing village until the rich of Bangkok discovered it as a beach resort in the 1960s. Soon thereafter, American servicemen from the U. S. Air Force base at Utapao in Rayong province began using the area for "rest and recreation" (R&R). The city grew quickly, mostly due to bars and other nightlife aimed at the GIs. When the Americans left following the end of the Vietnam War, the city fell into a crisis. However, the rise of mass tourism from Europe brought new life to Pattaya.
In 2005, more than 35,000 hotel rooms were available in Pattaya. Despite its reputation as being largely a destination for sex tourism, Pattaya has seen a large increase in family tourism in recent years, thanks to efforts to present a more wholesome image. Pattaya is an especially popular vacation destination for families from Russia, Eastern Europe and Scandinavia. Pattaya also has a large international expatriate population, due to the low cost of living as well as the significant modern infrastructure, which includes hospitals, shopping malls, supermarkets, and fast food outlets.
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* Pattaya enjoys a tropical wet and dry climate, which is divided into the following seasons: Warm and Dry (November to February), Hot and Humid (March to May), and Hot and Rainy (June to October). The most comfortable time of year coinsides with the peak tourist season, which is on and around Christmas and New Year.
Temperature - Yearly Average
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Distances are calculated as the crow flies, and are provided as an aid in planning only.
* This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
It uses material from the Source wikipedia.
