In this Article you will discover how Pattaya is being developed into a family destination.

Pattaya, 50 years ago a fishing village several hours from Bangkok evolved into holiday destination for single people.

Now Pattaya City Hall is tirelessly working towards changing the image of its resort city to that of a family destination; both for vacation and long-term relocation.
Strict zoning of the adult entertainment areas is being considered with the end results to be branded as Happy Zones.

•    Pattaya’s ever-growing Ex-Pat communities
•    Pattaya – the fun family destination
•    There’s something for everybody in Pattaya!

So if you are considering a vacation to Pattaya, or permanent settlement, but are worried about the city’s image – don’t worry, there are now lots of attractions for families and children.

Pattaya has evolved from a low-budget holiday destination comprising only 2- and 3-Star hotels and Guest Houses to a thriving tourist destination encompassing all budgets and now with an expanding number of internationally branded 5-Star luxury hotels and resorts.

As a tourist you no longer have to leave your budget-priced room to find breakfast and walk the streets to entertain yourself.

Your resort-style hotel will have full facilities. 

Starting with an international buffet-style breakfast you can then laze at the side of the hotel’s large swimming pool, snack from the poolside menu or pamper yourselves with a massage.
Many hotels have organized and well supervised Kid’s Clubs, some even have late afternoon Foam Parties exclusively for children.
For dad there is often a hotel gymnasium; for mum a Spa.

For those of you wanting a beach holiday, Pattaya has miles of sand! 

In parts the beaches are only narrow with chairs and sun shades, but if you venture north of the city to WongAmat or south to Na Jomtien and Ban Amphur you will find large expanses of sandy beaches.
Over recent years both Pattaya beach and Jomtien beach have been enlarged.

For the adventurous beach-goer Wake Boarding and Kite Surfing can be tried out on the beach at Na Jomtien; a safe location with consistent winds and warm water. You will find equipment for hire and lessons available. Situated by a beachfront restaurant you can entertain yourselves all day!

Another beach alternative is Koh Larn, the island found in Pattaya bay. Hop on a speedboat to the island and arrange a time to be collected.
Get close to nature on Koh Larn with its clear water, beautiful beaches, forested hills, restaurants and great sunsets. Watch out for the small monkeys too.

Shopping is a popular holiday pastime and in Pattaya you have a wide variety of options. Choose from luxury shopping malls to local shopping attractions such as Pattaya Floating Market or the weekend Theprasit Night Market in Jomtien.

Central Festival Beach is the largest shopping mall “on the beach” in south east Asia. This 6-storey shopping mall caters for all shoppers and has floors designated for clothing, electrical goods, food and entertainment including a multi-screen Cineplex and a 10-pin bowling alley.
Sitting on the top of Central Festival is the 5-Star Hilton Hotel with its great facilities and restaurants overlooking Pattaya bay and towards Koh Larn.

Terminal 21 Pattaya opened in 2018 with its world class 5-Star brand boutiques and restaurants. T21 also comprises a 500-room luxury hotel with full facilities.

The Central Group is planning to invest 3 Billion THB in building Wongamat Beach Village which will incorporate shops and restaurants in a “unique natural beach park and lifestyle mall”.
Thailand’s second ICON SIAM will be built in Na Jomtien, next to Ocean Marina Yacht Club. The complex will include a shopping mall, a hotel, cinemas, and a convention center…”the pot of gold at the end of the high-speed rail rainbow”.

Did I mention the mention the high-speed rail link and monorail? More to come on a later date!

Pattaya Floating Market on Sukhumvit Road Jomtien has become a major tourist attraction. This is not just any old market but a Floating Market divided into the 4 main regions of Thailand and offering products from each region.

For the longer-term ex-pat resident supermarkets such as Central Festival, Villa, Tops, Foodland and Foodmart, Tesco and Makro offer the general food and provisions that you get back home. Several independent ex-pat food stores specialize in the smaller brands that are overlooked by the large food chains so you never miss out on those treats.

For a fun family day out you also have the choice of 2 prestigious water parks; Ramayana Waterpark and Cartoon Network Amazone Waterpark, both only a short drive out of Pattaya towards the south.
You are guaranteed a good day out at either destination with their many entertainment zones and attractions.

A short drive out of the city will bring you to 2 more popular attractions; Pattaya Underwater World and Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Gardens.
Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Gardens is a 500 acre tourist attraction with amazing gardens and landscaping, offering cultural shows and the opportunity to ride on an elephant. Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Gardens has won awards at the Chelsea Flower Show and “The Garden for all the People of the World” is world recognized.

When it comes to dining Pattaya offers you many international options.
It is a must to try the freshly cooked street food with their abundance of aromas while sitting in a bustling street restaurant. Don’t go home without tasting Tom Yum Goong (Spicy Shrimp Soup), Som Tum (Spicy Green Papaya Salad), Gaeng Daeng (Red Curry), Pad Thai (Thai style Fried Noodles) or Gaeng Keow Wan Kai (Green Chicken Curry).
If Thai food does not suit for your family’s taste then Pattaya has a myriad of international cuisines available to suit every budget. There are countless Italian, French, Japanese, Indian, German and English-style restaurants serving food as good as “home”. You only have to see how many French people are eating in a typical French restaurant to know it must be good.
For the special occasions fine dining options are readily available at both international 5-Star hotels and at award-winning private restaurants.

So as a holidaymaker you have nothing to worry about – Pattaya is a family destination.

Pattaya has a lot to offer for the ex-pat family too, either working here on a term contract or living here on a fulltime basis.
Unlike other destinations in Thailand, Pattaya has a great infrastructure as discussed above.

Pattaya is not only a tourist destination – it’s an international city with commerce and industry to add to the entertainment factor.
Many single ex-pats choose to live within the city itself.
But families usually decide to settle, and lease or buy property in the suburbs of Pattaya.

That is why Pattaya has an ever-growing ex-pat community living on the north and eastern areas of the city that work within a 45 minutes’ drive to the Eastern Seaboard’s engineering, oil and gas and automotive industries.

While the parents are at work the family still functions in Pattaya as a normal family would in their own country.
Children can be educated at a variety of international schools in Pattaya and within a 45 minutes’ drive. These international schools start at Nursery and Kindergarten stage and lead up to Year 12 (18 years old) education with day learning and boarding options.
These international schools are designed to be at one with nature; not the concrete jungles you can find at home. These schools are usually surrounded by natural beauty as well as the school’s sports fields, believing that a good mix of academia and outdoor sport to be the perfect educational match.

Healthcare is often a worry for families that relocate to foreign climates.
There is no such worry in Pattaya! 
Pattaya has become a hub for medical tourism so you and your family have a wide choice of hospitals to care for you if needed, with specialists in every field offering international quality healthcare.
Affordable medical insurance is recommended as healthcare is not free like in some countries.

Shopping for groceries is easy for the ex-pat, regardless of where you live within Pattaya. In addition to the large Tesco and Makro-style hypermarkets you will find adequate convenience stores in your locality.

Schooling and shopping are something that your qualified real estate broker will advise you on when choosing property to lease or buy within Pattaya.
As a foreigner in Thailand it is easy to set up local bank accounts to receive your salary or pension. Your bank account can be set up to pay your regular utility payments direct to the service providers. Every bank offers internet on-line banking, debit cards and credit cards.

There are even more dining choices for the car-owning ex-pat family living in the suburbs of Pattaya. They have easier access to the Thai and international restaurants on the eastern side of the city and the seafood beachfront restaurants to the south at Na Jomtien, Ban Amphur and Bangsaray.

Life is good for the ex-pat family in Pattaya – Pattaya is a family destination!

© 2023, Robert D Watson