What can one say about Pattaya? The ubiquitous T shirt says it all really. "Good boys go to Heaven, bad boys go to Pattaya." This sleepy fishing town exploded into life during the Vietnam war, when it became the destination of thousands of G.I.s in search of some R & R. With the plethora of "rich" American soldiers, the girls soon flocked here in large numbers and today thousands of girls work in the bars, clubs and massage parlours that are everywhere in Pattaya. It has become known as the middle aged man's playground, but that is a shame because Pattaya and its surrounding area has so much more to offer.
Move away from Walking Street and the area of downtown Pattaya and just 3 km south is Jomtien Beach. This is much more upmarket and classy hotels and condos line the beautiful beach. Jomtien is known for its watersports and jet skis and para-sails are busy all day long. There are plenty of excellent restaurants in Jomtien, serving some of the finest sea food you will ever taste. A short stretch of Jomtien Beach known as Dongtan Beach is Pattaya's only recognised gay beach.
A 15 minute car ride south of Jomtien and you will find Bang Saray Beach This quiet beautiful beach is a haven where visitors can sit under the palm trees, watching the sun go down whilst eating beautiful Thai food served by small open air restaurants. Lie back on the colourful rugs provided and let the world simply pass you by. Watching the sun go down over the bay is one of my favourite pastimes when in this part of the world.
Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Gardens offers visitors to the area a very pleasant day out. This 600 acre site was originally bought in 1954 as a fruit plantation but the owners planted tropical plants, flowers and trees instead. It opened its doors to the general public in 1980 and has gone from strength to strength. In addition to the substantial gardens there are also elephant shows and kick boxing demonstrations. Open air buses ferry customers around, stopping at all of the viewing points for that all important photo opportunity.
Close to the shoreline of Pattaya lie some interesting islands. They have been given names like Near Island and Far Island but these are only for tourism reasons. Visitors wishing to see them can take a ferry or if you are not on a budget, hire a speedboat for the day and hop from one to another. Near Island takes less than 15 minutes if travel by speedboat. Beach restaurants supply food and ryou can eally get away from Pattaya's crowded sea front.
Underwater World is a first rate aquarium where visitors can see close up the marine life that inhabits the waters around this whole region. The highlight of this attraction is the 100 metre long "glass" tunnel which offers visitors a very genuine under water experience. Well worth a visit, Underwater World has gained world wide recognition.
So if you find yourself in or around Pattaya and the thousands of beer bars are not your scene, don't despair, there is plenty to sea and do in this part of Thailand.
Keith Hancock is a Freelance writer and musician from Manchester England, currently living in Bangkok. He has travelled extensively through North America, Europe, Australasia and Asia.
He has written commissioned work for the BBC, writes on a broad range of subjects and currently travels throughout Asia constantly.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7124975
