Thailand Holiday: Inside Pattaya

Overview

Pattaya, a seaside resort on the eastern gulf coast of Thailand is located about 150 kms from the Thai capital of Bangkok. The resort was till some time ago known only for its beaches and notorious nightlife. Even though the beaches and the go-go bars and beer bars continue to be a magnet, there is much in store for the families and holidaymakers.

Beaches

The three kilometres long Pattaya beach is located along the city centre and is the focal point of all action. It is dotted with hotels, villas, shopping malls and restaurants. As the night sets in, the Beach Road along the beach comes alive with music and dance, and people throng to the area to savour all its unique aspects. Thai boxing, held in some of the open areas of the beer bars also attracts its share of visitors.

Jomtien beach gives stiff competition to Pattaya beach in terms of popularity. However, the beach is much quieter and calm and is a haven for the water sports enthusiasts. The beach is family friendly and has an amusement park and tower to keep the children happy and entertained. Another beach worth a mention is the Wong Phrachan Beach, located to the north of the Pattaya Beach. It is much sought out by the swimmers.

The beaches are jam-packed with recliners and umbrellas and are serviced by a host of hawkers selling fast food, drinks and other knick knacks and giving them company are those offering massage, manicure/pedicure, and hair braiding services.

Holy places

Beyond the beaches, there are several sacred places in Pattaya that are worth a visit. In Ban Sukhawadee, the residence of Dr. Panya Chotithewan, you can pay your respect to the Bodhisattva Kwan Yin.

Buddha Hill, one of the highest points in Pattaya, is named after the biggest Buddha statue found in Pattaya. Nearby is the Chinese-style sacred area which is dedicated to Confucius and Lao-zi.

The Sanctuary of Truth is a huge ancient-style wooden temple set by the sea at Laem Ratchawet, North Pattaya. The temple boasts several exquisite an unique architectural features and it reflects several religious and philosophical truths.

Green areas

Chaloemphrakiat Park, located at the foot of Khao Pattaya is spread across 6 acres. The gardens overflow with plants and also offer a scenic view of Pattaya. The park also has several winding trails for walking or jogging.

Accommodation in Pattaya

Pattaya is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Asia. Every year, it attracts millions of visitors to its shores. Its proximity to the Bangkok, the Thai capital, is an added attraction. The beachfronts are dotted with a range of resorts, luxury Pattaya villas and budget hotels and so there is an accommodation type to suit all tastes and budgets.

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Pattaya Girls - Cultural Background

Pattaya, Thailand is a modern beachfront city located just about 90 miles south of Bangkok. From Bangkok's new Suvarnabhumi Airport it's just an easy hour and a half car or bus ride away. In recent years, Pattaya has become a tourist destination of International repute, mainly because of the reputation of the Pattaya girls as being the easiest in the world to get to know. The shear number of single women in Pattaya who are eager to meet Western men is staggering. It's been estimated to be as high as 30,000.

The number one reason that Western men travel to Pattaya is to meet and interact with Pattaya girls. Thailand is known the world over for its beautiful women and the girls of Pattaya are the best that Thailand offers.

Getting to know the Pattaya girls isn't hard to do, but if you're really considering a serious relationship with one of the ladies of Pattaya, then its helpful to understand the culture and background of these beautiful women.

So, who are these Thai girls who flock to Pattaya to work in the hundreds of bars, discos, and go-go clubs that can be found there?

The majority of the girls that work in Pattaya come from a large region of Northeast Thailand known as Issan. Issan is actually comprised of several individual provinces. The area takes up the whole eastern portion of Thailand and has Laos directly to the north and Cambodia directly to the south.

To understand the girls of Pattaya you have to understand the culture of Issan. Issan is culturally influenced by Laos. In fact many of the girls in Pattaya speak both Thai and Lao.

The economy of Issan is agrarian and the primary source of income in the region is rice growing. Most of the girls who make it down to Pattaya are farmer's daughters, literally. They were raised on primitive farms where they helped out with the planting and harvesting starting at a young age. Their families are extremely poor.

Family life and the security of the family are very important to the girls of Issan. For them the family is the most important part of their life. The girls have the responsibility of taking care of and supporting their parents and grandparents. All of the working girls in Pattaya send money and gifts back home the family in Issan whenever possible.

The girls of Issan are not well educated. Even though the government provides schooling only up through the 12th grade and there are plenty of schools throughout the region, most of the girls drop out of school after the 8th grade. In the poorer communities it's even worse, with a lot of the girls dropping school after the 6th grade so that they can go help on the farms. They literally grow up in the rice fields.

It's not surprising that the girls try to escape their poverty by traveling to Pattaya in search of a more exciting lifestyle and the prospect of meeting a Western man who is able to support them and their extended family back in Issan. In fact, in Issan the girls are traditionally taught that it's preferable to marry-up in status.

It's easy for a first time visitor to be smitten by the beauty and allure of the Pattaya girls. Many a traveler has quickly fallen in love with a girl from Pattaya after only knowing her for a few days. Long term success in a relationship is not as easy, however. You have to take into consideration the huge cultural divide that exists between the typical Issan girl and the typical Western man. It's going to take a lot of work to make a relationship succeed.

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Pattaya Bar Girls - What's the Story?

If you're going to Pattaya, then you're probably very interested in getting to know what you can expect of this amazing Thai seaside resort. You're also excited about the possibility of meeting a beautiful Pattaya bar girl. Pattaya is one of a kind, it's a place that lives by its own rules and norms. There are no Western morals here, but is that good or bad? You decide. I'll clue you in on what to expect though.

Pattaya is famous for many things: The beach, the weather, but mostly for the nightlife and the beautiful Pattaya girls. Pattaya has a vibrant and exciting nightlife that is not found anywhere else. There are the typical outdoor beer bars, clubs and discos, gogo style bars and lots more. Anywhere you go, you will meet beautiful Thai women sending you smiles, which if reprocicated can sometimes lead to fiery and intense love stories.

The girls in Pattaya come from all over Thailand, but mostly from the North Eastern region of Thailand called Isaan. This region is mostly agricultural with many small farms and towns. There are of course a few larger cities such as Khon Kaen and Udon Thani, but village life is still the norm. That is also where most Pattaya bar girls come from. It's tough to move up the social ladder if you're born in Isaan. Most of the time, your choice is between hard work on the farm or take a low paying job in a factory, store or office. It's easy to see why Pattaya, with its shiny lights and neon glow can be such a draw.

Many Thai girls know someone who have gone to Pattaya to work in the bars or hotels and then they suddenly show up one day with a foreign boyfriend. They now have nice clothes and expensive cell phone and have travelled to places that most in Isaan have only seen in TV or read about. Naturally, that's going to be exciting for a young girl and so the cycle goes.

It's important to understand this, if you're going to be in a relationship with a Pattaya bar girl. Can you handle the expectation of not only girlfriend but also her family? The Pattaya beer bars are great fun, but they're not the best place to look for love in Pattaya. There are so many girls who do not work in bars or even go there who would like to meet a Western gentleman.

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Meet the Girls in Pattaya

Pattaya, Thailand's number one seaside resort, attracts hordes of hopeful men and women alike every year. Thai girls flock to this unique city by the sea for the excitement, sea and sand, but mostly with the hope of meeting a foreign man, the Thai equivalent of a knight in shining armor. The men are more than willing to play that part, at least for a while.

It's easy to see the attraction that Pattaya girls have. Long black hair, beautiful almond eyes, slim, sexy and full of life. Pattaya girls have that special gift to make an old man feel young again, to make you feel strong, desired, wanted.

There are probably more single women pr. square foot in Pattaya than anywhere else in the world. It's literally impossible to walk more than a few meters without bumping into an attractive Thai girl.
Pattaya has much more obviously, great selection of restaurants, entertainment, the beach and affordable housing, but it's the girls that is the big draw for most. Thousands of foreign men and Thai women are married every year, to the extent that one government marriage office recently reported that there were now more foreign-thai marriages than Thai-Thai. If you are looking for a girlfriend or wife, then you will most likely find one, you just have to make sure not to get involved with the wrong kind of girl.

You can't label people based on their job. You could meet the sweetest girl in a bar and you could meet a bad girl in a respected job. The problem is that new guys to Thailand sometimes end up with the wrong kind, because they don't yet know how to tell them apart.

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Extreme Sports Activities in Pattaya

For those who think Pattaya is a nightlife centre and only comes alive at night, check out the extreme sports available to add excitement to your days.

If water sports are your interest, there's wind surfing, and kite surfing. You can windsurf all year round, but the ideal time of the year is January to end of March, when there are moderate west to south west winds around 8 to 12 knots. For kitesurfing ( or kiteboarding) enthusiasts, the best time is March to June when there's moderate south westerly winds and low tides making wide beaches, which are ideal conditions for novices.

Windsurfing and kiteboarding lessons are held at the Blue Lagoon Watersports Club, on Jomtien south beach. The area is reserved for wind powered sports only, so there's no annoying jetskis to contend with! The waters in the Pattaya area are safe. During the wind season there are no jellyfish or sea urchins and there has never been a shark attack recorded in Thailand!

Windsurfing lessons are given by Amara Watersports, owned by Ex World Champion Windsurfer Amara Wichithong. If kiteboarding is your sport, there are several courses, from a 4 hour introduction to a which will prepare you for your first ride on the water, to a 3 day course that will make you a independent kite boarder.

For scuba diving enthusiasts, Pattaya offers a host of diving activities and good diving conditions all year round. Diving trips to Pattaya's Islands are available every day. Pattaya is Thailand's wreck diving capital, you can choose from several wreck diving courses. If you're an experienced diver, then consider a specialised course like underwater photography or a technical diving course like a rebreather course (no bubbles so you don't frighten the fish!) or a cave diving course.

Adventures in the air abound in Pattaya, learn to fly an ultralight, or a paraglider, or if jumping out of plane appeals to you, there are several skydiving courses available. A great way to start is with a tandem skydive. There's all the thrill and sensation of free fall, as you enjoy a panoramic view of the world below you. As you travel through the air, an expert skydiver is in control, managing the parachute and bringing you safely to earth.

Paragliding allows you to float on thermals and soar like a bird across the countryside, in a silent and effortless fashion. Courses from beginner to advanced pilot are available. Paramotoring courses are also available.

For the adrenaline junkies, Pattaya has two bungee jump locations. Take a ride to the top of a 50 metre tower and leap towards the earth in the knowledge a bungy cord will stop you before you reach the lake below!

If you're a speed freak, you'll love the bike track days at Bira International Raceway. Your bike is a powerful but controllable, race bred Suzuki GSXR-750. On site specialists help you set up the bike to suit your style of racing, and ensure you have a fun filled day!

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