Things to do in Chonburi Province
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Casa Pascal
Owned and operated by the former executive chef of Pattaya's Dusit Resort, Casa Pascal is an elegant dining experience set under a colonnade of large wooden pillars. Loosen your belt for the never-ending Sunday brunch buffet, complete with a fanfare of napkin sculptures, cooking stations and delicious samplers, such as rock lobster and beef Tatar. The regularly changing menu features gourmet French, Italian and Thai dishes.
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Pattaya Dive Centre
A two-dive excursion includes the boat, equipment, underwater guide and lunch. Snorkellers may join these day trips. Also available is PADI Open Water certification, which takes three to four days, and includes all instruction and equipment.
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Adventure Divers
A two-dive excursion includes the boat, equipment, underwater guide and lunch. Snorkellers may join these day trips. Also available is PADI Open Water certification, which takes three to four days, and includes all instruction and equipment.
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Bruno's
The walk-in wine cellar makes Bruno's the go-to place for those seeking vino with their victuals. Lunchtime is a bargain - the team of gourmet chefs prepares scrumptious steaks and seafood courses for a good price.
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Mini Siam
Mini Siam is - you guessed it - a scaled-down set of replicas of Thailand's ancient and famous sights. It's about 1.5km east of town.
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Diving
Though not home to Thailand's best dive sites, Pattaya's proximity to Bangkok makes it a popular spot to get some underwater action. However overfishing and heavy boat traffic mean the sites closest to Pattaya can be barren with poor visibility. Nearby Ko Larn, Ko Sak and Ko Krok are good for beginners, while accomplished divers may prefer the outer islands of Ko Man Wichai and Ko Rin, which have better visibility and marine life.
In most places expect 3m to 9m of visibility under good conditions, or in more remote sites 5m to 12m. Further southeast, the shipwrecks Petchburi Bremen, off Sattahip and Hardeep, off Samae, have created artificial reefs. The scuttled Thai navy…
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Tham Yai Phrik Vipassana Monastery
The Buddhist Tham Yai Phrik Vipassana Monastery is built around several meditation caves running into the island’s central limestone ridge, and offers fine views from its hilltop chedi (stupa). Monks and mâa chee (nuns) from across Thailand come to take advantage of the caves’ peaceful environment, and foreigners wishing to sample monastic life are also welcomed. Studying at the monastery is free of charge (phone ahead to make sure there’s room and bring your passport), but you’ll be expected to follow the monastery’s strict code of conduct. Whether you visit for an hour, or stay a month, leave an appropriate donation (roughly equivalent to basic food and lodging if st…
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Hat Tha Wang Palace
At the western end of the island (2km from the pier), you can visit Hat Tha Wang Palace. The carefully managed lawns are a prime picnic spot for visitors from Bangkok, who share the gardens with foraging white squirrels. The palace was once used by Rama V (King Chulalongkorn) over the summer months, but was abandoned when the French briefly occupied the island in 1893. The main throne hall – a magnificent golden teak structure known as Vimanmek Teak Mansion – was moved to Bangkok in 1910. The Fine Arts Department has since restored the remaining palace buildings.
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Samesan
Samesan is a small fishing village with some of the best diving in the region. The shipwrecked Petchburi Bremen and Hardeep have created artificial reefs and are interesting dive sites. One of the best dive sites around is an old US Navy ammunition dump called Samesan Hole. This advanced dive goes down to 87m and has a gentle slope covered thickly with coral where you can see barracuda and large rays. The visibility here is pretty good, up to 20m on a good day.
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Pattaya Orphanage
At the Pattaya Orphanage volunteers are needed to care for more than 50 children under the age of three, to teach English to older children and to work in a drop-in centre for street kids. The well-run orphanage is an uplifting balance to the Sin City streets of Pattaya. Volunteers are expected to commit to at least six months, but shorter stays are considered on a case-by-case basis. Food and accommodation are provided.
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Volunteering, Pattaya Orphanage
At the Pattaya Orphanage volunteers are needed to care for more than 50 children under the age of three; teach English to older children; and work in a drop-in centre for street kids. The well-run orphanage is an uplifting balance to the Sin City streets of Pattaya. Volunteers are expected to commit to at least six months, but shorter stays are considered on a case-by-case basis. Food and accommodation is provided.
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Volunteering, Elephant Mahout Project
You can spend from one to four weeks working with elephants and mahouts, in rehabilitation after being forced to work in the city, at the Elephant Mahout Project run by Eco Explorer. An average day might include an early start to bath and feed the elephants, followed by training to develop your own skills as a mahout. A four-week stay will allow you to form closer bonds with the elephants and the mahouts.
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Pree-Cha Seafood
Make the pilgrimage to Pree-Cha for some of the cheapest (and tastiest) seafood around, in an area sans tourists. Take a taxi or hire a sŏrng·tăa·ou and head south of Jomtien for about 20 minutes, turn right at the first intersection after the Ambassador Hotel, keep left and you'll happen upon an ungodly number of cars in front of the restaurant on the right-hand side of the road.
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San Jao Phaw Khao Yai Chinese Temple
The most imposing sight on the island is the ornate San Jao Phaw Khao Yai Chinese Temple. During Chinese New Year in February, the island is overrun with Chinese visitors from the mainland. This is one of Thailand’s most interesting Chinese temples, with shrine caves, multiple levels and a good view of the ocean. It’s east of the town, high on a hill overlooking the sea.
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Nong Nooch Tropical Garden
A popular attraction located south of Pattaya. The perfectly manicured grounds feature four daily elephant and Thai dancing shows (between 09:00 and 15:45). The dancing shows demonstrate different movement styles from around the kingdom, and the elephant spectacles display the gentle giants' hidden talents, such as picture painting, bike riding and basketball.
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Hopf Brew House
Moodily authentic in dark wood, the Hopf Brew House is a haven for middle-aged beer aficionados. Beers and pizza are brewed and wood-fired on-site.
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Cabbages & Condoms
This saucily named restaurant hides along the secluded beach at the Birds & Bees Resort. Charming lamps, crafted from fish traps and coconuts, cast a romantic hue over sated diners. If that gets you in the mood, you'll be happy to know that the standard bin of farewell breath mints has been appropriately replaced with a bucket of prophylactics.
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Wat Atsadang Nimit
Overlooking Hat Tha Wang is a large white stupa that holds Wat Atsadang Nimit, a small, consecrated chamber where Rama V used to meditate. The unique Buddha image inside was fashioned more than 50 years ago by a local monk. Nearby is a stone outcrop wrapped in holy cloth, called Bell Rock because it rings like a bell when struck.
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Pattaya Kart Speedway
Budding Michael Schumachers (and petrolhead dads) should head to Pattaya Kart Speedway, where you can race go-karts around an impressive 800m loop. Prices start at 300B for 10 minutes in a 10HP kart. There’s a down’n’dirty off-road circuit and the littlest ones will enjoy the ‘baby karts’ on a 400m beginners’ track.
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Mantra
Industrial cool, Mantra is fun even if you can only afford a classy cocktail. The bar is swathed in raw silk and the expansive dining room is cloaked in dark wood. The menu combines Japanese, Thai and Indian flavours, and everyone comes here for Sunday brunch.
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Pattaya Elephant Village
The Pattaya Elephant Village is a non-profit sanctuary for former working elephants. There’s a 2.30pm elephant show (adult/child 500/400B), which demonstrates training techniques, and one-hour (adult/child 900/700B) and 3½-hour (adult/child 1900/1300B) elephant treks. The elephant village is 7km off Th Sukhumvit.
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Offshore Islands
The islands of Ko Larn, Ko Krok and Ko Sak are around 7km offshore and have some popular beaches - especially Hat Ta Waen on Ko Larn. Boats leave Pattaya's South Pier every two hours between 08:00 and 16:30 (20B). The last boat back from Ko Larn is at 17:00. A daytrip including viewing from a glass bottom boat costs ฿150.
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Pattaya Sports Club
Pattaya offers many sports including bowling, lawn bowls, snooker, archery, target shooting, softball, horse riding and tennis. Most are available at the Pattaya Sports Club.
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Meng Kee Noodle Shop
Leave the neon lights behind and venture north into Naklua for some authentic Chinese noodles and roasted duck. This open-air mom-and-pop stop also dishes out unusual finds such as salty-sweet bamboo soup. It'll be one of your cheapest meals in Pattaya, even with the ฿10 sŏrng·tăa·ou ride.
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Moom Aroy
Moom Aroy delivers on its name, meaning 'delicious corner'. This is the place to enjoy a Si Racha seafood meal with views of the pier and squid rigs. It is north of town; turn left at Samitivet Sriracha Hospital and look for the tank with the 2m fish out front.
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