The latest Pattaya travel blog and guide on a budget (budget for Pattaya trip), tips, places to visit, top things to do and experiences for those who like to discover a Pattaya self-sufficient, budget and cheapest trip. Pattaya is one of the most attractive and “hot” destinations in Vietnam. The beautiful islands, long coast with fine white sand enough to cling your foot in the day and then at night to make room for red street Walking Street with the endless fun game … Let’s refer the handbook to Pattaya with our Pattaya blog (Pattaya travel blog) — The fullest Pattaya travel guide for a budget trip to Pattaya, Thailand below.
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Pattaya travel blog: When is the best time to visit Pattaya?
The weather in Pattaya (or Thailand in general) is divided into two main seasons:
- The rainy, hot season starts from May to October
- Dry, cool season: November to the end of April.
You should travel Pattaya when the weather is pleasant, avoid rain because that time is very convenient to explore, visit the beautiful sightseeing outdoor places. In addition, coming to Thailand from October to April, you will have the opportunity to join the two largest festivals in the country in the land of golden temples of Thailand, which is the Loy Krathong Light Festival, and Songkran Lunar New Year took place in mid-April.
Pattaya trip cost: The cost for a backpack trip to Pattaya
Cost of stay
The room rates range from 12 – 27 dollars/night (double bed, air conditioner, cable TV, refrigerator, water heater).
Food costs
Street Food: The price is plentiful and quite cheap, only 1-2 dollars, you can get a good dish.
Enjoy food in the restaurant: it will take more cost, about 15-18 dollars for a full meal for 2 people.
Cost of transportation
Motorbike taxi: There is everywhere in Pattaya, the cost of one route in the city is about 1 to 2 dollars.
Renting motorbikes about 6 dollars/day (24 hours)
Pattaya blog: How to get to Pattaya?
The most convenient way to get to Pattaya is by land. You can catch a taxi, a bus or drive the car by yourself. Although it owns the U-Tapao-Rayong-Pattaya International Airport, it is currently open only two routes are Ko Samui and Phuket, so you often don’t choose this way
From Suvarnabhumi airport
Taxi
You will take 90 – 120 minutes to get to Pattaya depending on traffic conditions and weather. The average cost is about 46 dollars per trip (2 times expressway fee, 1 dollar per time).
Normally, when using the taxi in Thailand, you should negotiate the price before boarding. Prioritize the vehicles that the driver in the car, not “rush” to pick up guests outside to ensure your departure is on time and fast.
In order to save money, you can walk to pick metered taxi outside the airport (save airport charge of 1.5 dollars).
From Don Muang airport
Taxi
Like Suvarnabhumi Airport, you will pay 1.5 dollars for airport taxi service charges, 1.8 dollars for expressway charges, plus the amount shown on the clock by distance. The total cost you must pay for 52 – 61 dollars.
Bus
From the lobby to the airport, you take a walk outside and cross the street to catch bus number 29 or take a taxi to Mochit station (nearest to the airport), then buy a ticket to Pattaya. The ticket price is 4.6 dollars (blue car), about 1 hour 30 minutes to Pattaya bus station.
Train
You can take the train from Don Muang station to Bangkok Hualamphong station and from this station; you can go to Pattaya station. The fare is about 7 dollars and 12 dollars one route.
Pattaya travel blog: Some tips for Pattaya travel guide on a budget: Experiences for a backpack trip to save budget
Save on travel expenses
Taxi
Taxi in Pattaya is rarely turning on clock whether metered taxis or private taxis (yellow and green cars), you should negotiate before going, an average rate of about 5 dollars/km (though you only go 1 km).
The driver in Pattaya is quite “basic” in English; make sure that you bring the Thai address of the places you visit, occasionally if you are lucky enough to see drivers carefully print out a name of popular places… in many languages.
If you are coming back to Bangkok, you can find the taxies that take you from Bangkok and ready to come back. These drivers are not too bargaining and will accept the price for 24 – 36 dollars.
Songthaew
The “modified” cars from this truck are quite useful in a city without tuk-tuk like Pattaya. You can catch the car quite easily along the South roads, Central and North Pattaya roads, sometimes at the Dolphin Circle also having songthaew.
Getting to Jomtien: Take songthaew at the top of Pratamnak Road (Second Road stretching from South Pattaya intersection), the cost is about 0.5 dollar.
Getting to Naklua: You can pick up the songthaew from Second Road to the Dolphin rotation (0.5 dollars). If the car turns left or right in the rotation (do not keep going straight to Naklua), get off immediately and walk straight through the circle to catch another car (0.5 dollars).
Getting to Sriracha or Sattahip: Pick up the white songthaews or stop on Sukhumvit Road to pick you up (1 dollar).
One tip to save money: is to research road directions to places, how to get there, the cost of getting in the car, not telling the destination to the driver, just waiting for the car to approach the place you want, ring the bell to get off the bus. The cost for a trip is from 0.5 to 1 dollar. If you say the name of the destination and let the driver carry it, they can get your car from 3 – 5 dollars. If traveling in groups, the group can rent a single songthaew to travel at a cost of about 3 – 5 dollars per route
If you have price pressure by a car driver: remember the vehicle number (3 digits – printed on two sides of the vehicle, behind the car, and in the upper left corner of the windshield) and make a phone call at Operators: Pattaya City Manager (038.429.216) or Banglamung District Baht Bus Cooperative: (038.221.271 / 038.423.554).
Bus
Also known as Beach Bus, usually moves along the following route: Pattaya Floating Market – Chaiyapreuk – Jomtien Beach Road – Thappraya – Pattaya Second Road – Dolphin Trains – Northern Bus Station – City Hall – Pattaya Beach Road – Walking Street – Thappraya – Jomtien Beach Road – Chaiyapreuk – Floating Market Pattaya. Ticket price is about 1 dollar.
Moto-taxi
Like in Vietnam, motor-taxi is the fastest moving vehicle in Pattaya. Riding a moto-taxi would be cheaper than renting a separate songthaew, but also less secure. You can catch a motor – taxi almost anywhere in the city. Motor – taxi drivers often wear red / orange jackets, when they see visitors pass by they clap or call you to pay attention. The cost for one way to locations in the city is about 1 to 1.5 dollars
Eat good food when coming to Pattaya
Like in Bangkok, coming to Pattaya, you should not miss the typical Thai food such as:
Som Tam: papaya salad with tomatoes, garlic, lemongrass, peanuts, cashews.
Tom Yum Goong: Sour soup made from lime juice, lime leaves, chili, galangal, lemongrass, and mushrooms. There are different types of Tom Yum such as Tom Yum shrimp, seafood or meat.
Pad Thai: Noodles or stir-fried rice with shrimp, meat, egg, raw spices and vegetables.
Gaeng Daeng & Gaeng Keow (Thai Curry): Includes red curry and blue curry with different taste from the ordinary curry.
Tom Kha Kai: Tom Yum soup cooked in coconut milk with galangal, lemongrass and lemon leaves.
Khao Niew Ma Muang: Mango – sticky rice, add coconut milk, peanut, and sesame.
Khanom Krok: Baked coconut cake made from flour mixed with coconut milk.
As for dining places in Pattaya, you have many choices from budget to luxury. If you want to learn about a country’s food, the easiest and most honest way is to try the street food. For the people who travel in the style of playing the main – eating is extra, the food court (food court) in the entire commercial center is not a bad choice. Besides the traditional Thai food, you can also choose the dishes of other countries
Pattaya accommodation budget tips: Save cost of accommodation when traveling to Pattaya
Pattaya has many medium-sized hotels with room rates ranging from 12 – 27 dollars/night (double bed, air conditioning, TV, refrigerator, water heater). There are many low-cost motels you can consider such as Soi Buakhao, Soi LK Metro or Soi Honey Inn. If you want to save more money, you can rent rooms upstairs in the bar or massage shop, but these places are usually quite noisy and less safe.
After considering for the area you want to stay in, you can easily find the suitable hotels (according to your requirements for price, quality) at famous booking websites such as Agoda.com or Booking.com).
Pattaya travel guide: Where to stay?
Below are some best cheap, budget, mid-range and upscale hotels with good ratings and reviews you can refer to.
- Holiday Inn Pattaya (Address: 68, 463, 463/99 Thanon Pattaya Sai 1, Pattaya City, Bang Lamung District, Chon Buri 20150, Thailand / Phone: +66 38 725 555), 4-star hotel with room rates from $74/night. (Check rates and reviews on Agoda.com or Booking.com).
- Centara Grand Mirage Beach Resort Pattaya (Address: 277, Bang Lamung District, Chon Buri 20150, Thailand / Phone: +66 38 301 234), 5-star hotel with room rates from $124/night. (Check rates and reviews on Agoda.com or Booking.com).
- Hard Rock Hotel Pattaya (Address: 429 หมู่ 9 ถนน หาด Pattaya City, Bang Lamung District, Chon Buri 20150, Thailand / Phone: +66 38 428 755), 4-star hotel with room rates from $64/night. (Check rates and reviews on Agoda.com or Booking.com).
- Dusit Thani Pattaya (Address: 240/2 หมู่ที่ 5 Beach Rd, Bang Lamung District, Chon Buri 20150, Thailand / Phone: +66 38 425 611), 5-star hotel with room rates from $74/night. (Check rates and reviews on Agoda.com or Booking.com).
- Cape Dara Resort (Address: 256 Moo. 5, Naklua, Banglamung, Chon Buri 20150, Thailand / Phone: +66 38 933 888), 5-star hotel with room rates from $118/night. (Check rates and reviews on Agoda.com or Booking.com).
- Golden Tulip Pattaya Beach Resort (Address: 469 moo 5 Naklua 16 Bang Lamung District, Chon Buri 20150, Thailand / Phone: +66 38 199 390), 4-star hotel with room rates from $44/night. (Check rates and reviews on Agoda.com or Booking.com).
- Red Planet Pattaya (Address: หมู่ที่ 9 255/7 Pattayasaisong Rd, Bang Lamung District, Chon Buri 20150, Thailand / Phone: +66 38 427 245), 3-star hotel with room rates from $19/night. (Check rates and reviews on Agoda.com or Booking.com).
- Zing Resort & Spa (Address: หมู่ที่ 9 255/7 Pattayasaisong Rd, Bang Lamung District, Chon Buri 20150, Thailand / Phone: +66 38 427 245), 3-star hotel with room rates from $21/night. (Check rates and reviews on Agoda.com or Booking.com).
- Ibis Pattaya (Address: 463/79, Pattaya 2 Alley, Pattaya City, Chon Buri 20150, Thailand / Phone: +66 2 659 2888), 3-star hotel with room rates from $28/night. (Check rates and reviews on Agoda.com or Booking.com).
- The Venue Residence Cabaret Spa (Address: 413/26-28 moo 12 (Jomtien Complex Plaza), Nongprue Bang Lamung District, Chon Buri 20150, Thailand / Phone: +66 38 303 787), 3-star hotel with room rates from $28/night. (Check rates and reviews on Agoda.com or Booking.com).
Pattay blog: Best places to visit, top things to do in Pattaya: Some experiences you can’t miss while traveling Pattaya
In Pattaya, there are more than 20 big fun activities for everyone. You can freely choose your schedule when traveling in Pattaya Thailand, from underwater interesting experiences such as visiting and conquering Koh Larn Coral Island, enjoying Ao Wong Deuan Beach to destinations. On the shores of the sea, explore Thailand at a miniature shrine in Thai Thani Pattaya or the world’s largest tiger park Sriracha Tiger Zoo …
Sanctuary of Truth
Sanctuary of Truth, 100m high made entirely of wood. The unique feature of this huge wooden castle is that the craftsmen do not use nails to connect, instead they are skilled in using special glue or mortar, wooden latches to connect joints and fix them individually small parts of the castle. This magnificent wooden building was builded in 1981 by the Thai billionaire Lek Viriyahbhun. Over 35 years, the castle is still in the process of construction that making people surprised. The Sanctuary of Truth is a impressive building that contains sculptures, exquisite sculptures of many legendary figures, to reflect the East and the beliefs of different faiths.
Address: 206/2 Moo 5, Soi Naklua 12, Naklua, Banglamung, Chonburi
Open: Daily from 08:00 to 18:00
Ticket price: 450 Baht / Adult, 250 Baht / Child
Phone: +66 38 367 815
Note: The castle has an elevator to serve the elderly and the disabled. There are also elephant riding, horse riding, boat trips to explore around the castle.
Love Art Park
This is an open park with more than 150 artistic sculptures of love. You can take a moment to contemplate the special meaning of love displayed by each artist through the unique statues.
Address: 129 / 5-7 Moo 8, Tambon huaiyai, Amphoe Pattaya Banglamung, Chonburi
Open: Daily from 10:00 to 22:00
Transportation: You can go to Love Art Park by Taxi, Songthaew, or motorbike, bicycle.