Pattaya Hotels in South Pattaya Beach

Pattaya, just a 90-minute drive from Bangkok on a convenient-to-drive motorway (soon to become a mere 60 minutes from the new Suvarnibhumi International Airport when it opens in early 2006), is Thailand’s first beach resort to gain international fame — and occasional notoriety -- and is located on the east coast of the Gulf of Thailand.

Hyper-activity rules the resort. At first light, Pattaya bursts into life as tour groups head to the beach. Not to splash in the sea or toast themselves on the sand (Pattaya faces west, so the sun hides its face until the afternoon), but to board dozens of waiting boats for the daily dash to the offshore islands of Larn and Pai, and the attractions of sparklingly clear waters, scuba diving among glamorous coral or just relaxing on beaches which face the sun!

Once Pattaya awakens, it never seems to stop. Jet skis, catamarans, banana boats, skiers, paragliders and speedboats whiz around the bay, which curves in a gentle arc from the luxurious Dusit Resort on its northern promontory to the bars and seafood restaurants that enliven South Pattaya’s nightlife.

The beach offers a refuge from marine action; you can sit in a deckchair under a large parasol and be offered scrumptious Thai snacks and fruit, ice-cold beers, and even a tingling Thai massage under the gentle hands of your friendly beachside masseuse.

However, Pattaya is more than just seaside activities. On the other side of the new-look promenade, the resort buzzes with restaurants and pubs catering to many nationalities, shopping plazas packed with boutiques and designer brand offerings, street vendors, open-air bars with friendly hostesses and amazing cabaret shows all jostling side by side with an abundance of accommodation from simple guesthouses to five-star resorts.

The luxurious Royal Cliff Beach Resort has been instrumental in Pattaya’s emergence in recent years as an attractive destination for international meetings and incentives, after it built the Pattaya Exhibition and Convention Hall (PEACH) capable of hosting events for up to 5,000 delegates.

Not only is it attracting events, it is also bringing more international hotel operators, such as Marriott, Hard Rock, Sheraton, and Accor, into the resort, while others are evaluating future investments. Their presence is in turn attracting up-market travellers, who appreciate that Pattaya has 18 international standard golf courses close by, a motor-racing circuit, horse riding opportunities, elephant trekking, scuba diving, deep-sea fishing, year-round sailing activities at Royal Varuna Yacht Club, and at the marina with boats for charter just down the coast, and even an award-wining wine club at the Royal Cliff.

New attractions are complementing the growth of this upmarket family resort, such as Ripley’s Haunted Mansion next to its popular Believe It Or Not Museum, the amazing Underwater World, and Alangkarn, a cultural extravaganza featuring elephants, music and dance that rivals the Phuket FantaSea.