Pattaya

Pattaya is the Gulf of Thailand’s most animated shore, a short drive from Bangkok. Beyond its famous nightlife lie quieter headlands, island days on Koh Larn, golf courses and a growing collection of resort hotels where the city’s energy is held at a comfortable distance.

Pattaya lies on the eastern shore of the Gulf of Thailand, about two hours by road from central Bangkok. It began as a fishing village and grew into a resort after American servicemen came here on leave in the 1960s. Today the city wraps around a central bay, with Naklua to the north, the quieter Pratumnak headland to the south and the long beach of Jomtien beyond it.

Pattaya has more to offer than its reputation suggests. The Sanctuary of Truth, a vast temple of carved teak overlooking the sea at Naklua, is one of the most remarkable buildings in Thailand; Nong Nooch Tropical Garden lies to the south; and the island of Koh Larn, a short boat ride from Bali Hai pier, has clear water and small beaches. The surrounding hills hold some of the country’s leading golf courses.

The best time to visit is the cool, dry season from November to February, when skies are clear, humidity is low and the sea is calm. This is also the busiest period, particularly around Christmas and New Year. In April, Songkran, the Thai New Year, is celebrated in Pattaya with several days of water festivities that continue later than in most of the country.

March to May is hot, with temperatures often in the mid-thirties. The south-west monsoon brings rain from May or June to October, usually in short, heavy bursts rather than whole days of downpour, and Pattaya remains a reasonable choice in these months, when hotels are quieter and the city is easier to enjoy at a slower pace.

The best hotels stand slightly apart from the centre. InterContinental Pattaya Resort occupies a wooded headland on Pratumnak with its own beach; the Royal Cliff Grand Hotel, part of the long-established Royal Cliff complex, rises above the same stretch of coast; and Cape Dara Resort faces the sea at the northern end of the bay, near Naklua.

LVXVRY books InterContinental Pattaya Resort through IHG Destined — at the official hotel rate, with the privileges the programme attaches to the stay. For the Royal Cliff and Cape Dara, LVXVRY advises on and arranges the stay, and can combine Pattaya with time in Bangkok or on the islands of the Gulf.