Vacation Thailand - PATTAYA  ... by ash-hotel.com

First "discovered" by expatriates from Bangkok and American military personnel on leave from Vietnam in the mid-1960s, Pattaya features a wonderful natural bay and, to the south, a long, sandy beach known as Jomtien. Offshore are more than a dozen islands which have become extremely popular with daytrippers from the main town of Pattaya and even campers who relish their unspoiled charms.

Pattaya itself has grown dramatically over the past 25 years, from a quiet fishing village into a mature international beach resort with a comprehensive range of entertainment and sporting attractions. Indeed, few holiday destinations in Asia can match the variety of pastimes. These include all kinds of water sports, archery, bowling, horse riding, go-karting, tennis and scuba diving. Also, within easy reach of Pattaya is a score of international quality golf courses. The resort's nightlife is legendary and caters for people of all ages - including young children. Top international accommodation is widely available.

Koh Larn-Coral Island
Koh Larn is one of the closest islands to Pattaya. Only 20 minutes away by speedboat from the beach or a leisurely 40 minutes on the tourist boats that leave regularly from the South Pattaya Pier.
This island is a centre for water sports, with parasailing, sailboarding, SCUBA and Snorkelling, However, even those not into water sport can still enjoy the beautiful sandy beaches and just relax while the attendant beach vendors will bring cold drinks, steamed prawns and crab right to your deck-chair.

Where to Dine

Benihana
This highly entertaining Japanese/American Steakhouse chain, boasts that "every meal is performance". In this, your own chef performs amazing culinary routines at your table, juggling, throwing and slamming ingredients and seasonings together, and combining comedy and cooking skills, after a lot of banging and crashing, an excellent fusion of Japanese and American food.
Benihana is on the second floor of the Royal Garden Plaza on Beach Road. Open daily from 12 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tel : (038) 425-009

Bruno's Restaurant & Wine Bar
The menu is eclectic, mostly French and Italian Classics with some Thai. It's a bit more expensive than other Pattaya restaurants.Inside it's all low lights, mellow green, and white tablecloths.Bruno's is one of the first places people point you to when trying to show you just how sophisticated Pattaya is these days
Bruno's is located in North Pattaya. Off the Second Road in the Sri Nakorn Center and is open daily for dinner, tel: (038) 361-463

Café Kornborg
A nofrills, westerners' western bar that ignored style and artistry to offer honest, down-to-earth and thoroughly delicious Danish cuisine.
In terms of décor, ambience and clientele, this is as realistic a western-style venue in Thailand, and a typical Saturday afternoon will find a host of ex-pat regulars laughing away with owner Mr. Neilsen, 
Café Kornborg, Soi 33/33 Moo 10 Soi Diana Inn. Open: 8 a.m. to 12: m.n. Tel: 423-203

Restaurant Platong
Platong is located on Pattaya-Naklua Road, about a kilometre from the Dusit Resort on the way to Na Klua Market The Menu features a variety of Thai, Chinese and seafood dishes. However, regulars prefer ti order from the daily recommendations written on a blackboard in front of the kitchen.
What makes Platong a "must visit" eating place among the mainly Thai diners is its cooking style. For example, khana phad pla muk (stir-fired Chinese broccoli with fresh giant squid). the quick stir-fry using a very high flame resulted in crispy soft vegetables with tender round chunks of fresh squid still with a sweet juicy taste. Other dishes are Hong Kong-Style pla kusara nueng si iew (streamed kusara fish in soy sauce); mara phad khai (fried bitter groud with egg), yum khamoay (spicy mixed seafood salad), khai jiew nom sao (young gril omlet), and gaeng pa pla (spicy fish curry).
The restaurant is open from 11 a.m. until late. Reservations are suggested, especially during weekends and long holidays, tel: (038) 225-293

Vietnamese food
For Vietnamese, we suggest you visit a great streetside hut called Viengjan, an open-air, down to earth eatery on Second Road serving Thai, Laos and Vietnamese dishes at friendly prices.
Or, going a bit upmarket, a decent Vietnamese restaurant called New Thang Long, tucked neatly in Pattaya Soi 3 opposite Big C Supermarket.
Prices are mid-range, and the menu is impressively extensive with all favourites like foe (Vietnamese noodle soup), goong pan oi (fried prawn wrapped in sugarcrane), and khao niew moo yang (roast pork with sticky rice).
To find your way, call New Thang Long on (038) 425-487

Seafood Centres
It's OK to visit Pattaya and stay away from the sea, but if you skip a trip to the city's seafood restaurants, you've missing out.
The first area is the beach road at the far end of Jomtien. On the left side there are about five seafood places favourite among thai and foreign customers - it's hard to say which serves better food, so you can consult your whim on where to eat. At the end of this road you' ll run into a legendary eatery called Loong Sawai, whose stellar reputation presents a little difficulty as the place is always crowded and noisy.
If you' re aiming for something more peaceful, leave Pattaya and head east along Bang Na-Trat for five kilometres. Make U-turn after passing Ocean Marina and turn left into the area called Ban Amphoe. This is a seafood strip that's lesser-known yet serves even juicier seaside dishes, and at the same time diners can look back to enjoy the sweep of Pattaya's coastline.
Three famous places stand next to each other, Sri Nuan, Ban Amphoe, and Joi Rod-dee. At Ban Amphoe our thumbs-up go to fried rock lobster with garlic; at Joi Rod-dee, try steamed prawn with salt, goong ob klua, and fired garoupa in chilli sauce or pla gao rad prik. Prices are slightly lower than in downtown Pattaya.

Henry J. Bean's Bar & Grill
Sometimes when a restaurant tries hard to be fun, the results are cringe-making, but in Henry J. Bean's it really works. The restaurant itself is attractive enough; dark, wide, high and wooden, with 50's Americana dripping from the walls and an open space for dancing.
But it's the staff that really make it. They are ordered to be relaxed and informal, to joke, and mainly to make sure everyone has a good time, including themselves. It's a mission taken eagerly to heart every impression is that they actually love being made to do a ritual group line-dance to "Greased Lightning"
It needs some polish before they go on tour, but it's certainly entertaining. Our waiters also enjoyed squirting us with fake sauce-on-a-string, screaming "Fajita!" when the sizzling Me-xican dish came out of the kitchen and had a mind boggling array of brain teasers, party pieces and bar tricks to show us.
All this good clean fun, and the live band, is well supported by good, hearty American fare. Favourite dishes are the enormous steaks, ribs and fijitas
Henry J. Beans is in the verdant grounds of the Amari Orchid Resort in North Pattaya on the beachfront road. It's open 5 p.m. till late every night, and open for Sunday lunch. Tel: (038) 428-161

Ali Baba
Ali Baba is actually reminiscent of a glorious Indian fantasy, a glowing cave where the adventure of young Ali Baba and 40 thieves might have taken place long ago.
The interior, as you ascend the stairs to the second-floor, captures the mystic sophistication of ancient India without overdoing its elaboration - not many Indian Restaurant in Bangkok can match the creative flair of this place.The food is North Indian, with all the regular stars featured on the menu, such as chicken tikka, lamb, tikka masala, vegetable curries, and an expensive section of tandoori items.
Ali Baba, Pattaya Klang Road, Tel: (038) 429-262 

Dalaney's Irish Pub & Restaurant
Dalaney's was dreamed up by guys in suits thousands of miles away from Ireland. It's amazing how something so contrived can have so much character. The pub/restaurant is right by the Royal Garden Plaza on Pattaya 2 Road in a sprawling, windowless underground bunker done out in dark wood and tiles, with leather sofas strewn about and authentic-Irish-stuff-out-of-a-box everywhere.
Foodwise, favourites are the mighty beef and Guinness pie and Irish stew at. True to theme, there is also an extensive spud menu, Delaney's is open 9 a.m. till late every day. Tel : (038) 710-641

Egyptian Restaurant
On Second Road, on the way from South Pattaya to Jomtien, there's a tiny stretch of Little Arabia. Tailor's shops, Indian eateries, Eastern Mediterranean restaurants - this is an enclave of spices and mustachioed men, of Arabian Music and masala Tea. Although not all that extensive or upbeat, it's worth a visit if you're looking for a nice, unceremonious meal from the region.
Food Places line the streets - Indian, Pakistan, Arabian, Mediterranean. Most are well-priced, unfancy, and unair-conditioned. One place that looks particularly clean and friendly is Egyptian Restaurant, on the corner next to the Beverly Plaza Hotel.
You will be impressed with their fried mutton with aubergine, a typically heavy Arab dish. The meat had been boiled before it fired, so it was tender yet juicy and smell-free.
Other interesting items include Lebanese salad and humus, a favorite appetiser of ground chickpeas with sesame, as well as variety of biryani. If you're for exotic dishes, try grilled pigeon or grilled lamb heart.
Egyptian Restaurant, Tel: (038) 426-993

P.I.C. Kitchen
It is one of the best-looking restaurants in Pattaya, For sumptuous Thai food and a pleasant atmosphere, this is a gem you can't afford to miss. P.I.C. is a serene compound of two open salas, one on ground level, the other raised up on tall pillars in the nostalgic fashion of traditional Thai House. This elevated platform offers such a laid-back, balmy ambience that you're tempted to lay down and fall asleep after a meal. The food is Thai.  P.I.C., Pattaya Soi 5, Tel: (038) 428-374

Attractions
Pattaya has an enormous number of tourist attractions. To say there is something for everybody would be an understatement. Whether you are an active participant in life's adventures or just enjoy a quiet, relaxing outing to somewhere different, Pattaya has it all. The following is a small sample of the attractions you can visit on your stay in our friendly city.

Hundreds of unbelievable exhibits in ten individually themed galleries. Top floor of the Royal Garden Plaza in the centre of Pattaya, this attraction can hold both adults and children spellbound for hours. In addition there is the exciting Laser Trek game and the amazing Motion Master moving theatre.

Nong Nooch Village
Whether you wish to ride an elephant through the jungle or just watch the elephants at work or play, there is the opportunity here for you to take some wonderful photographic mementoes back home. We can recommend the Nong Nooch Village as having a most amusing elephant display and the chance for you to become acquainted with these lovely animals. In addition they have a Cultural Show with sword fights, Thai kick boxing and much more every day. The Village is set in beautiful landscaped tropical gardens, worth the visit for that alone. Spend at least half a day at Nong Nooch.

The Million Years Stone Park and Pattaya Crocodile Farm
15 minutes outside Pattaya this is a 40 acre tourist attraction with petrified trees over 1 million years old, speciallygrown Thai style trees over 200 years old, Bonsai's and beautiful landscaped gardens with rare tropical flowers.
The Park has thousands of crocodiles plus many rare and exotic fish like the Amazonian Snakehead and giant carp weighing up to500 kgs.
The zoological gardens section has elephants, tigers, lions, bears, cranes and the largest flock of ostriches in Thailand.

Pattaya's Elephant Village
Situated a few Km from Pattaya, this Elephant Village lodges beasts and their handlers and sees to their needs with funding from shows and treks which educate, entertain and amaze. Daily the elephants perform tasks which they have been taught to perform for centuries in the service of man. Log clearing and transportation in mountainous jungle terrain are their specialities.
You can also ride on an elephant, one of life's most amazing experiences. Perched in pairs in specially constructed saddles, you will feel the sensation of height from the very first moment. Swaying from side to side as your beast takes each step, you begin to feel the charisma of these creatures. Your elephant ride will be one of your life's greatest highlights.

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