Where to stay

The beaches are one of the major draws for visitors to Pattaya. The main Pattaya Beach is a 4-kilometer sweep of golden sand centered around Pattaya Beach Road. Choose from hotels in this area to be close to the action for watersports and lively parties. Those on a lower accommodation budget should look to South Pattaya, with more nightlife and watersports options. For child- and family-friendly activities, book a room in the popular hotels in the North Pattaya neighborhood. Those who prefer a quieter stay and more exclusive areas with better beaches should consider staying in the neighborhoods of Naklua Beach and Wong Amat, where the seafront is lined with luxury resorts and five-star hotels close to beachside restaurants.

Pattaya is celebrated for its nightlife and offers everything from dance clubs to pubs, upmarket sky bars, and cabarets. Walking Street in South Pattaya is the busiest party area. Book a hotel in this area to be a few blocks from your room after a night out. Walking Street stretches for a kilometer and provides every type of nightlife attraction you can imagine. Stay in North Pattaya to party at Soi 6 (a soi is a side street) for the beer bars and some of the city's more notorious clubs. If beer gardens and cheap cocktails are more your style, then accommodations in Central Pattaya - especially Soi 7 and Soi 8 - are a good choice. For a bit more refinement and sophistication, find a room in the great hotels of Pattaya Beach Road and enjoy cocktails and views at the luxurious hotel sky bars.

With large shopping malls, commercial zones, busy night markets, and street stalls, Pattaya is a paradise for shoppers. There's something to suit all budgets in this city, from high-end fashion to cheap clothes and traditional handicrafts. Stay in Pattaya Beach Road for popular malls such as Central Festival Pattaya Beach and the Pattaya Night Bazaar, where local silk screens, carved wooden elephants, and patterned handbags can be found. Accommodations in South Pattaya are closer to Pattaya Walking Street and both the Royal Garden Plaza and The Avenue Pattaya Shopping Mall. Stay even further south to be near the famous Pattaya Floating Market and Thepprasit Road Nightmarket.