Often referred to as the "Gold Coast" of Thailand because of its golden sand, Pattaya, Only 147 Kilomaters from Bangkok, is one of Asia's premier beach resort.

Climate
The climate is tropical and warm all year round. Monsoon winds are sometimes accompanied by rain. However, it can be very hot from March to June. From July to September, the temperature ranges from 32 to 38 degrees. It is cool from November to Febuary.

Transport and Services
Pattaya is a mere two-hour drive on Sukhumvit Highway via Bangna, Bangprakongm Chonburi and Sri Racha. Travel around Pattaya is most convenient by mini-bus. Motorcycle and car rentals are easy to find. Boat trip to islands nearby are available everyday.

Accommodation
Pattaya' accommodation facilities suit every budget. Facilities range from the air-conditioned, beachside opulence of some os Asia's finest hotels to the basic simplicity of friendly guesthouses. They range from budget rooms to five-star hotels and resort. Room rate start at Bt200 for simple guesthouse to Bt20,000 up for five-star hotels.

People
Pattaya has many expatriate residents, and is essentially an international tourist resort and expanding city, so the Thai population itself is very internationalized. Most notices are in English as well Thai ans some signboards are in German and even Russian. Most vendors are used to non-Thai speakers and are ready with at least a smattering of English or German and a smile.

Pattaya Travel Guide & Hotel

Pattaya (พัทยา) is a popular resort on the North Gulf Coast of Eastern Thailand, 150 km south-east of Bangkok. Most famous for its go-go and beer bars, it's also one of Thailand's best locations for all manner of sports and activities. Some of the beaches are lacklustre (by Thailand's high standards) and rampant over-development has long since destroyed any natural charms it once had, but its plethora of hotels and guest houses and convenient location with quick and easy access from the capital make it a popular weekend getaway. Catering for over 5 million tourists yearly, Pattaya is also able to offer an excellent range of eating choices and a wide variety of things to do and see.

Tourism

Once a sleepy fishing town, Pattaya first boomed as an R&R spot during the Vietnam War and has been a sex tourism destination trying to improve its image ever since. Currently, Pattaya is booming again: TAT claims 5,338,000 visitors for 2005 (up 6.5% from 2004), of which two-thirds were foreigners, and the opening of the new Suvarnabhumi Airport (located to the east of Bangkok, alongside the expressway to Pattaya) has made visiting easier than ever.

Pattaya is popular not only as a beach resort and for its entertainment, nightlife and shopping, but also for the broad selection of pastimes it caters for, from golf and horseback riding to bungee jumping, karting and shooting - not to mention a wide variety of watersports such as scuba diving, jet-skiing, sailing, water skiing, windsurfing and kitesurfing, and a whole lot more. Pattaya is also very popular as a conference, convention and seminar venue, and the grapevine hosts rumours of future developments of varying degrees of plausibility, such as a horse racing track, casinos, and a tram system.

The Tourist Authority of Thailand (TAT) Information Office is just outside the centre, exactly 1 km south of the junction of Second Road and South Pattaya Road - proceed along Pratamnak Road, continue straight up the hill, and where the road bears sharp right part way up, turn sharp left into the small side-soi. Worth a visit if you're in Pattaya for an extended period and want to browse for fresh ideas for new things to do/see. Open daily 08:30-16:30, tel. +66-38428750 / 8990 / 7667 or use the TAT freephone number: dial 1672 or e-mail: tatchon@tat.or.th