Thailand (Lonely Planet, 13th Edition) - China Williams [189]
Shopping
Thanon Hat Pattaya is lined with stalls selling everything from dodgy DVDs and counterfeit CDs to T-shirts and jewellery. For more serious shopping, head to the Royal Garden Plaza (Map; Th Pattaya 2; 11am-11pm).
Getting There & Away
AIR
Bangkok Airways (Map; 0 3841 2382; www.bangkokair.com; 179/85-212, Mu 5, Th Pattaya 2; 8.30am-4.30pm Mon-Fri, to noon Sat) links U-Taphao airfield (0 3824 5599) about 33km south of Pattaya, with Ko Samui and Phuket (one way from 3200B, daily).
BUS
There are air-con buses to Pattaya from Bangkok’s Eastern (Ekamai) and Northern (Mo Chit) bus terminals (100B to 140B, two hours, every half-hour from 6am to 9pm). From Pattaya, buses to Ekamai run every half-hour from 9.30am to 11pm, and to Mo Chit from 4.30pm to 9pm. In Pattaya the air-con bus station is on Th Hat Pattaya Neua, near the intersection with Th Sukhumvit. Once you reach the main Pattaya bus terminal, waiting red srng·ta·ou will take you to the main beach road for 30B to 40B per person. Note that buses travelling from Ekamai to Hat Jomtien are often 2nd class; it’s often faster to take the 1st class bus to north Pattaya and hop a srng·ta·ou to Hat Jomtien.
Several hotels and travel agencies run minibuses to addresses within Bangkok, or east to Ko Samet and Ko Chang – the fares start at about 200B. Try Ko Chang Business Centre (Click here) or ask at your hotel.
A direct bus service runs from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport to Pattaya and Hat Jomtien (120B to 150B, two hours).
From Si Racha, you can grab a public bus on Th Sukhumvit to Pattaya (60B, 30 minutes) – in Pattaya, they stop near the corner of Th Sukhumvit and Th Pattaya Neua. From here, you can flag down buses to Rayong (80B to 90B, 1½ hours).
You can also catch a white srng·ta·ou from the Naklua market to Si Racha (25B, 30 minutes), and then to continue to Ko Si Chang, catch another srng·ta·ou from where you’re dropped off at the clock tower (Click here).
TRAIN
One train per day travels between Pattaya and Bangkok’s Hualamphong station (3rd class 40B, 3¾ hours). It leaves Bangkok at 6.55am on Monday to Friday. The return train departs from Pattaya at 2.20pm.
Schedules for this service can change, so it’s wise to check the latest times at Pattayatrain station (0 3842 9285), off Th Sukhumvit just north of Th Hat Pattaya Neua, before travelling.
Getting Around
CAR & MOTORCYCLE
Avis Rent-A-Car (Map; 0 3836 1628; www.avisthailand.com; Th Hat Pattaya Neua; 8am-9pm) has offices at the Dusit Thani Resort.
Holiday Rent-A-Car (Map; 0 3842 6203; www.pattayacar-rent.com; TTh Pattaya 2; 9am-5pm) Located opposite Royal Garden Plaza this cheaper local company also offers full insurance. Prices for a 1500cc Toyota Vios start at 1250B per day. Discounts are offered for longer periods.
Local travel agents offer Suzuki jeeps from around 1000B per day, but expect to pay through the nose if you have an accident.
Motorcycles cost 150B to 250B per day for a 100cc machine; a 125cc to 150cc will cost around 350B, and you’ll see 750cc to 1000cc machines for hire for 500B to 1000B. There are motorcycle hire places along Th Hat Pattaya and Th Pattaya 2.
SRNG·TĂA·OU
Locally known as ‘baht buses’, srng·ta·ou cruise Th Hat Pattaya and Th Pattaya 2 frequently – just hop on, and when you get out pay 10B anywhere between Naklua and south Pattaya, or 40B for as far as south Jomtien. Price lists posted in the vehicles state the maximum drivers can charge for any given journey.
Readers have complained about having taken the 10B srng·ta·ou with local passengers and then having been charged a higher ‘charter’ price of 20B to 50B. Establish the correct fare in advance. Also don’t board a srng·ta·ou that is waiting empty at the side of the road, as the driver may insist you have ‘chartered’ the entire vehicle.
RAYONG PROVINCE
From Pattaya, most travellers fast-forward down the coast to the weekday calm and occasional weekend chaos of Ko Samet. The little port of Ban Phe is the jumping-off