Skip to content
Thai EscapeTravel
Get a quote

Pattaya travel guide

Pattaya, area by area

Pattaya runs for roughly ten kilometres along the Gulf of Thailand, and each stretch of that coast suits a different holiday. Here is how to choose where to sleep before you look at hotels.

Ask us to recommend an areaBrowse the hotel directory
Areas covered
5
Hotels in the directory
824
Profiles checked by hand
49
Planning guides
12

Where to stay

Five areas, and what each one is actually like

Pattaya's neighbourhoods are close together but very different in character. Pick the one that matches your days, not the one with the cheapest room.

Palm trees, boats and the promenade along Pattaya's Beach Road

01 · Central Pattaya

Beach Road and the city centre

This is the Pattaya most people picture: the beach promenade on one side, shopping centres, markets and restaurants on the other, with Walking Street at the southern end. You can spend a day here without a taxi.

Suits
First visits, short stays, travellers who want restaurants and nightlife on the doorstep.
Trade-off
Traffic and evening noise are part of the package. Ask for a room away from the road if you sleep early.

Near: Walking Street nightlife and bars · Pattaya Beach and Beach Road · Big Buddha Hill viewpoint

See 408 hotels in Central Pattaya
Jomtien Beach promenade with palm trees, sunbeds and umbrellas

02 · Jomtien

A long beach south of the centre

Jomtien Beach runs for several kilometres with a wide promenade behind it and restaurants along the beach road. The pace is slower than central Pattaya, and the sand is usually less crowded.

Suits
Families, longer stays, anyone who wants beach time without the city noise.
Trade-off
You will use transport for central Pattaya and Walking Street; the ride takes a while in the evening.

Near: Jomtien Beach and its beach-front promenade · Jomtien Second Road restaurants and bars · Sunset views over the Gulf of Thailand

See 109 hotels in Jomtien
Wong Amat Beach with Pattaya's skyline across the water

03 · Wongamat

The quiet northern bay

Wong Amat curves around the top of Pattaya Bay, where larger hotels sit close to the water and the streets behind them are mostly residential. It is the calmest stretch of coast inside the city.

Suits
Couples, families with small children, travellers who prefer a resort base to a city base.
Trade-off
Fewer restaurants within walking distance, and the centre is a taxi or songthaew ride away.

Near: Wong Amat Beach · Northern Pattaya coastline · Seafood restaurants along the bay

See 85 hotels in Wongamat
Naklua Beach, shaded by trees along the shoreline

04 · Naklua

Seafood, markets and local streets

Naklua was a fishing village before Pattaya grew around it, and it still feels separate. The waterfront is lined with seafood restaurants, and the morning market is where local families shop.

Suits
Return visitors, food-led trips, travellers who like ordinary neighbourhoods rather than resort strips.
Trade-off
Quiet in the evenings, and the beach here is modest compared with Jomtien.

Near: Naklua seafood restaurants · Local fishing-village atmosphere · Quiet northern Pattaya beaches

See 32 hotels in Naklua
Pattaya Bay and the city skyline seen from Phra Tamnak Hill

05 · Pratamnak / South Pattaya

The hill between the two bays

Pratamnak Hill separates Pattaya Bay from Jomtien. The roads climb past viewpoints and small coves such as Cozy Beach, with a mix of guesthouses, apartments and boutique hotels.

Suits
Travellers with a scooter or car, longer stays, anyone who wants sunsets and distance from the crowds.
Trade-off
Steep streets and few pavements; walking to the beach is not practical from most of the hill.

Near: Pratamnak Hill viewpoints · Cozy Beach coves · Walking Street and South Pattaya

See 144 hotels in Pratamnak / South Pattaya

Match the area to the trip

Four common trips, and where they usually end up

A short version of the advice we give most often, before we know anything about your dates.

First time in Pattaya

Stay central for the promenade, markets and Walking Street, or in Jomtien if you would rather sleep away from the nightlife. Both are easy to explore on foot during the day.

Central PattayaJomtien

Travelling with children

Jomtien and Wong Amat have the calmest water and the most space on the sand. Hotels here are more likely to have a pool and family rooms than the city-centre guesthouses.

JomtienWongamat

A quieter couple's trip

Pratamnak's hillside hotels and Naklua's waterfront restaurants suit a slow holiday, with the city a short ride away when you want it.

Pratamnak / South PattayaNaklua

Here for the nightlife

Walking Street, Soi Buakhao and the bars around them are all in Central Pattaya. Book close to where you plan to spend your evenings and walk home.

Central Pattaya

The water

Three beaches, three moods

Pattaya Bay faces west, so sunsets over the water are the reason to be on the sand in the late afternoon.

Read the beach and area guide
Pattaya Beach
The main bay, with the promenade running its length. Busy in the late afternoon, and the water is busiest near the piers.
Jomtien Beach
Wider and longer than Pattaya Beach, with room to spread out. The southern end is the quietest.
Wong Amat and Naklua
Smaller beaches on the northern curve of the bay, sheltered from the swell and generally calmer.

Before you book

The practical bits

Transport, weather and how a hotel rate actually gets confirmed.

Getting around

  • Songthaews — shared pick-up trucks — run along Beach Road and Jomtien Beach Road; agree the fare before you get in.
  • Ride-hailing apps work across the city and are the simplest way to reach a specific hotel.
  • Central Pattaya is walkable; Jomtien, Wong Amat and Pratamnak are not, so plan on a short ride for dinners and beach days.
  • Most international visitors land at Suvarnabhumi; U-Tapao, near Rayong, is the closer airport.

When to visit

  • November to February is the driest and least humid stretch, and also the busiest.
  • March to May is the hottest period; afternoons are better spent by the pool than walking.
  • June to October brings short, heavy showers, greener countryside and quieter hotels.
  • Thai public holidays and long weekends fill the beaches with visitors from Bangkok.

Booking a room

  • Rates change with the date, the season and how full the hotel is, which is why this site does not print prices.
  • Send your dates and we check availability and the current rate with the hotel or our suppliers.
  • You see the confirmed rate, the room type and the cancellation terms before anything is paid.
  • We do not add hotels to this guide that we cannot describe from their own website.

Start here

Hotels we describe from their own websites

Every hotel below was checked against the hotel's own site for its rooms and facilities. Rates are always confirmed with your dates.

All Pattaya hotels

Pratamnak Hill, Pattaya

Royal Cliff Grand Hotel

A five-star hotel in the Royal Cliff estate on Pratamnak Hill, with sea-view rooms, the Grand Infini Pool and access to the estate's two private beaches.

  • Swimming pool
  • Sea view
  • Beach access
  • Spa

Best for: Guests who want a formal five-star stay with sea views above Pattaya Bay

View detailsGet a quote

Rates confirmed on request.

Pattaya Beach Road

Avani Pattaya Resort

A 300-room resort on Beach Road in central Pattaya, built around a tropical pool garden and spa, with the beach a one-minute walk across the road.

  • Swimming pool
  • Spa

Best for: Families and couples who want a central Beach Road base with a pool and spa

View detailsGet a quote

Rates confirmed on request.

Not sure which area fits your trip?

Send your dates, who is travelling and what you want out of the holiday. We will suggest two or three areas, explain the trade-offs, and quote hotels that are actually available.

Request a quoteAsk a question