Different Faces of Pattaya Beach

Towards the north of the island of Ko Larn is the 7500 metre sweep of Hat Ta Waen Beach with its exotic white sand, lined with a string of stalls and shops. It is on Hat Ta Waen Beach that the sightseeing boats dock. They leave Pattaya South Pier every two hours. A day trip to the island of Ko Larn costs around $150.00. If it is beaches you have come to the island for, there is the 700 metres stretch of Laem Thian Beach and the smaller Samae Beach, both situated on the south-west of the island. Both these beaches are designated places of natural beauty and tranquillity, with Laem Thian Beach particularly standing out for its immaculately clean white sand and waters so clear you can easily see the nearby coral fields. A hotel has now been built on Nuan Beach towards the southern tip of the island.

Pattaya Bay is a 4km long beach, dotted with the many boats carrying tourists to and from the offshore islands. The sweep of the bay is in a north-south direction, lined with trees along its promenade and strings of hotels and restaurants along its northern and central areas. Chonburi Province in which Pattaya is situated is separated into eleven districts. The coastline of Banglamung consists mostly of the Greater Pattaya area. The northern section consists of the area east of Naklua Beach, Pattaya's most northern beach. The main beachfront is Pattaya Beach then, to the south is Buddha Hill Headland which is east of Jomtien Beach. Immediately south of Buddha Hill is Dongtan Beach. The most family friendly of Pattaya's beaches is Jomtien Beach which has a sedate and tranquil atmosphere.

Just to confuse issues, the districts in Pattaya are topsy-turvy, with central Pattaya being described as north and south Pattaya described as central! It is the sub-districts which cause the confusion as they refer to Pattaya Beach and not specifically to the whole of Pattaya itself. Pattaya Nua lies adjacent to the northern end of Pattaya Beach. Pattaya Tai lies to the south of Pattaya Beach and Pattaya Klang is the section of Pattaya which corresponds with the centre of Pattaya Beach. This division of districts is a local convention, often ignored officially which is where the confusion comes in. Naklua which lies to the north of North Pattaya is well served by local buses and is a particularly popular location for German tourists. It is much quieter here and a bit more sedate than Pattaya Beach itself.