Traditions and culture in Pattaya

Pattaya started out as a small fishing village, but has become a pivotal part of the tourism industry in Thailand over the past four decades, based on the lure of excellent beaches and the chance to indulge.

Petty crime has led to the city being made a self-administrating municipality, although the core sex-industry has remained and ensures that it is one of the most renowned party destinations in Asia.

However, Pattaya has done a great deal to improve its image and now attracts holidaying families, who will enjoy cultural attractions such as the colourful Songkran Festival, which includes beauty pageants, live music, fireworks and water sports contests.

The Pattaya International Music Festival is also popular, with fans flocking to the region every March to see a host of Thai and international artists perform across a range of genres.

The creative arts scene in the city is also on the rise, with art galleries by the bucket-load and a highly successful community theatre group called the Pattaya Players.

Things to do in Pattaya

While any holiday guide for Pattaya would point to its reputation as a haven of single men looking for companionship, there is plenty to attract tourists with different aspirations for their holiday.

There are a number of diving centres in the city, while opportunities to go horse riding, bungee jumping, motor racing, flying or just for a relaxing spa massage are also available.

Lovers of wildlife will find that there are a number of zoos in Pattaya, such as the Mini Siam, the Elephant Village and the Sri Racha Tiger Zoo, which house hundreds of tigers and thousands of alligators.

Of course, most backpackers looking to book flights to Pattaya will know that it is perhaps for its hedonistic nightlife that the city is best known.

There are literally hundreds of bars, go go bars and night clubs to choose from as part of a vibrant scene which centres around the world-famous Walking Street region.

In addition, it was claimed in 2005 that there are around 35,000 hotels available in the city, so finding a cheap hotel should not be too difficult for most travellers.

Weather in Pattaya

Pattaya has a tropical wet and dry climate, which is divided into three noticeable seasons - warm and dry (November to February), hot and humid (March to May) and hot and rainy (June to October).

Perhaps the best time to take a holiday in the city is over the Christmas and New Year period, which is also the most popular time for tourist arrivals.

Destination checklist for Pattaya

Pattaya has a population of 104,318.

The city is six hours ahead of GMT/UTC time.

The official currency is the Thai baht.

Thai is the official language spoken.

The city's international dialling code is +66.