I flew from Singapore on Friday Cathay Business Class :-)
Landed at Suvarnabhumi mid-afternoon and used my APEC Card to use the fast track line through immigration. Fantastic, as there was nobody in that queue!
I'd arranged a car to take me to Pattaya it is about a 90 minute drive. The cost was THB1,200 which I thought was reasonable.
I have spent a lot of time in Bangkok so thought I'd try Pattaya for the weekend. I'd never wanted to go as it has a sleazy reputation. However a few people have recently told me that it's nice once you are away from the main walking street. So I booked the Avalon Beach Resort on Dongtan Beach.
I got a room on the top floor overlooking the pool and out to the beach. The room is dated but large and clean and in the Thai style with lots of timber. I liked it.
I walked around the area, withdrew some cash (love my Wise card) and had a massage then dinner.
Saturday morning I got up and had breakfast in the hotel.
Then I headed out for a walk. I wanted to see the Big Buddha mainly because it is on a hill and I wanted some nice views. It's a nice morning and not hot.
My beach!
I walked along the beach for a while then went inland via a typical Thai street ie lots of hotels, restaurants and massage places. Easy walk, although no footpaths so have to be a bit careful.
Got to the Buddha...
View back to Jomtien Beach...
Walked back a slightly different way, and stopped for a Thai Milk Tea...
Had a swim at the beach and then headed back to the hotel for some pool time. After that, I headed back to the main street for lunch. Found some street food for THB100 and it was excellent...
Saturday night I walked down Jomtien Beach to a rooftop bar I had researched.
There are a range of water sports you can do here...
The bar was a fair walk. I stopped at Jomtien night market and bought two polo shirts for THB500.
The bar was nice but a bit windy...
Lovely views...
Two for one happy hour...
Breakfast was included in the hotel room rate and not a bad spread. Started the Sunday with a soup...
Went and got some cash from the ATM as they don't like credit cards! Had a haircut for THB160, picked up my laundry (THB120 for 1.5kg) and stopped for a coffee for THB60. It feels cheaper here than in Bangkok.
The beach is quiet in the morning...
This is very Thailand!
So is this :-)
Jomtien Beach is the next one down from Dongtan...
I then went and packed and had lunch by the pool until my car arrived to take me back to Bangkok.
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