John MacCalman
Oct 14, 07, 1:47 pm
I've been a frequent visitor to Pattaya over the last 10 years and recently was knocked out by the incredible resident rock band that plays at The Climax Rock Bar and Restaurant in Walking Street. (http://www.climaxpattaya.com) I liked the place so much that I made (for free) a website for them with videos of the band, restaurant menus and many good local links for further info.
I usually hang out in the Continental One Pass section of F/T but today I was exploring the full depth of the F/T forums and came across this Thailand forum so I thought I would pass on some tips about Pattaya and how to get there.
MONEY
The currency in Thailand is the Thai Baht. I strongly recommend you avoid changing money before you arrive - the exchange rates at the airport banks on arrival are far superior to the rates that you will get in your own country and it just goes to show what a rip off foreign exchange business is for tourists who don't know any better. In many countries the airport foreign exchange booths give poor rates of exchange but in Thailand this is certainly not the cse. When you arrive at Bangkok International you will find a bank immediately inside the customs hall.
HOW TO GET THERE
Pattaya is about 90 miles south of the new Bangkok International airport. You could take the official airport taxi service which will probably set you back around 2,300 Baht including expressway tolls but I would recommend you pre-book a taxi from Pattaya using the Pattaya 4 Leisure website (link on my website) (http://www.climaxpattaya.com) where you car will only cost you 1200 Baht including tolls and the driver will meet you off your flight holding up a sign with your name and take you right to your hotel door. The advantage in pre-booking a taxi from Pattaya is they know where all the hotels are! There are also bus services between the airport and Pattaya but these do not operate in the evening or at night. My website (http://www.climaxpattaya.com) has links to information on these.
PATTAYA
There are two distinct parts to Pattaya for the tourist. North Pattaya is more peaceful and is home to many of the plush hotels in the $100 -$400 US a night range, while in South Pattaya it is much wilder, home to more of the budget style accommodation and is the area for the best nightlife and it is the location of the original Walking Street,
WALKING STREET
Walking street, home to the Climax Rock Bar and Restaurant (http://www.climaxpattaya.com), is also the centre of nightlife with great restaurants, girlie bars and live music. Located at the Southern end of Pattaya, Walking Street is closed off to traffic from 7pm and usually does not reopen till around 2am when the most of the bars are supposed to close. Certainly they turn the lights and music down! The Thai Police have a special Tourist Police squad and Tourist Police Volunteers who patrol the area and have done an excellent job in clearing out undesirables in the last couple of years. They are tolerant but not to the point of drunken abuse. They also have several undercover officers disguised as tourists to keep an eye on things.
SURVEY KIDS - ITS TIMESHARE!
Watch out for young students doing a "survey". They are very polite and they earn 20 Baht for each survey form completed and a bonus of 100 Baht if the person surveyed actually views the property. If you give them your details you'll get a call at your hotel and they send a car round to take you to view a timeshare property with the usual inducements. Just be aware it is a timeshare operation that they are selling and a polite "no thank you" will be fine.
Hope this info helps and if you have any questions about Pattaya, please post them here and I'll do my best to respond.
I usually hang out in the Continental One Pass section of F/T but today I was exploring the full depth of the F/T forums and came across this Thailand forum so I thought I would pass on some tips about Pattaya and how to get there.
MONEY
The currency in Thailand is the Thai Baht. I strongly recommend you avoid changing money before you arrive - the exchange rates at the airport banks on arrival are far superior to the rates that you will get in your own country and it just goes to show what a rip off foreign exchange business is for tourists who don't know any better. In many countries the airport foreign exchange booths give poor rates of exchange but in Thailand this is certainly not the cse. When you arrive at Bangkok International you will find a bank immediately inside the customs hall.
HOW TO GET THERE
Pattaya is about 90 miles south of the new Bangkok International airport. You could take the official airport taxi service which will probably set you back around 2,300 Baht including expressway tolls but I would recommend you pre-book a taxi from Pattaya using the Pattaya 4 Leisure website (link on my website) (http://www.climaxpattaya.com) where you car will only cost you 1200 Baht including tolls and the driver will meet you off your flight holding up a sign with your name and take you right to your hotel door. The advantage in pre-booking a taxi from Pattaya is they know where all the hotels are! There are also bus services between the airport and Pattaya but these do not operate in the evening or at night. My website (http://www.climaxpattaya.com) has links to information on these.
PATTAYA
There are two distinct parts to Pattaya for the tourist. North Pattaya is more peaceful and is home to many of the plush hotels in the $100 -$400 US a night range, while in South Pattaya it is much wilder, home to more of the budget style accommodation and is the area for the best nightlife and it is the location of the original Walking Street,
WALKING STREET
Walking street, home to the Climax Rock Bar and Restaurant (http://www.climaxpattaya.com), is also the centre of nightlife with great restaurants, girlie bars and live music. Located at the Southern end of Pattaya, Walking Street is closed off to traffic from 7pm and usually does not reopen till around 2am when the most of the bars are supposed to close. Certainly they turn the lights and music down! The Thai Police have a special Tourist Police squad and Tourist Police Volunteers who patrol the area and have done an excellent job in clearing out undesirables in the last couple of years. They are tolerant but not to the point of drunken abuse. They also have several undercover officers disguised as tourists to keep an eye on things.
SURVEY KIDS - ITS TIMESHARE!
Watch out for young students doing a "survey". They are very polite and they earn 20 Baht for each survey form completed and a bonus of 100 Baht if the person surveyed actually views the property. If you give them your details you'll get a call at your hotel and they send a car round to take you to view a timeshare property with the usual inducements. Just be aware it is a timeshare operation that they are selling and a polite "no thank you" will be fine.
Hope this info helps and if you have any questions about Pattaya, please post them here and I'll do my best to respond.