Tourist in Thailand

Thailand as you all know  is one of the most exotic places in the world you can visit. There are a lot of different things that you can see. And one thing is certain and that is that you will never be bored. If you are you looking for a warmer climate to get away from the cold weather, or the entertainment and nightlife, then this is the place for you. All of this can be found here.

 Bangkok is a huge city, and is an ideal place for shopping. I personally visited Pattaya, which is not far from Bangkok. It is only a two hour drive, and the busses are easy to find. I came directly from Bangkok airport to Pattaya, and didn’t have trouble at all.

When I arrived, I took an interesting taxi that was very pleasant and funny for me. It’s called a Tuk-tuk taxi. It is actually a van with two seats, where the rear of the trunk was built ​​like that so you can to sit. It has a roof to protect from the rain and two benches, even a metal rod on which you can stand.

Next thing I noticed was the number of motorcycles on the streets. It’s a huge number. I guess in this traffic it’s good to have a bike, and not a car. Since you will get to your desired destination faster than with a car.

People In Pattaya are used to tourist, and for me it was no trouble to fit in. They are pleasant people who smile a lot. And when you figure out that money has a big role here,  you will have no difficulties and your time here will be easier.

The number of massage parlors is enormous. I haven’t been to a street yet, and not seen at least a couple of massage parlors. And when you go for a walk, even if you don’t notice a massage parlor. There are always people in from who will advertise their salon, and invite you in. The price for a standard Thai massage Is 200 Baht, and often you see pleasant Thai girls who work there. I do recommend it you go at least once.

Thailand tourism is very developed. I don’t need to say more, because the number of tourist is the proof of that. If you are visiting Thiland, and coming to Pattaya, I do not recommend you to take room near central Pattaya or Walking street. It is the most fun place for nightlife and entertainment. But you want to have peace and silence when you sleep. So I suggest to go near, like Jomtien, Pratumnak and other places. It not far away, and it’s easy to come to “Walking street”.

The sandy beaches here are beautiful, long and offer a variety of entertainment like jet ski, boat drive with parachute and other. You can also look for boats that can take you to a nearby island called Ko Lan. A very beautiful place, not so far away.

If you are concerned about food. Do not worry. There are many restaurants that offer different kinds of food. If you're not in the mood to try exotic food, you can always choose dishes from different parts of the world. But there is Thai food that are very good, tasty and healthy. For me, the best is curry soup. Seafood you can find everywhere. Try it.
Money exchange is not a problem, and the currency is quite stable. There is no difference in price at different exchange offices. And you can easily find them.

Hope you can visit Thailand soon.

Pattaya - A Few Basic Information

Here I will describe my impressions of my visit to Thailand and Pattaya.

I am a tourist who is visiting Pattaya City. Pattaya City has four major zones: North Pattaya, Central Pattaya, South Pattaya and Jomtien. I live now in Jomtien. There is also a small mountain known as the Pratumnak Hill, it is located between South Pattaya and Jomtien. There you can see the “Big Buddha”, which is a great tourist location. 

The most popular way of transportation here is of course by motorbikes. But the more fun and exciting transport is the “Tuk-Tuk” taxi (song twice)  They are special customized pickup trucks with passenger seats in a covered overhead back cabin. These pickups can easily carry 8-10 passengers in the back, plus 1 or 2 passengers in front. They are allowed to stop anywhere, and you just need to push the button when you want somewhere to go out. Then you have motorbike taxi’s, and finally private taxi cars.

Jomtien Beach Rd., which is a two-way road, also parallels Sukhumvit Rd and is the only road in the Jomtien area, except for some connecting streets. Sukhumvit road is a main transit street.

If you want to rent a motorbike here, it is very easy. All you need is a passport, and some money (1000tbh) that you leave for insurance. But you should know that in Thailand people drive on the left side, just like in England or Japan. So for me it was very confusing in the beginning, and you should be careful when you drive.

Especially interesting to me was when I saw the way that people sell food and other belongings in the streets. Many Thais make small trailers that are combined with their motorbikes. And placed in that trailer is a battery, that often have a grill or a small stove. In this way they sell food. And when they have a customer, they just stand on one side of the road. And the food is always fresh. The sell various types of Thai dishes, fresh chopped fruit and sometimes clothes.

And if you want to take another form of transport, you have motorbike taxis. You can see them often, and recognize them by the vests they wear. Price depends on where you want to go. When you agree about destination and price, just sit on the bike, and he will take you.

As for the supermarkets and buying basic things, it’s not a problem. Every street has a 7 Eleven shop, sometimes at every 50 meters. These markets are not large, but they have all the necessary things that you will need every day. Particularly interesting is when you see in front of the 7 Eleven shop at the entrance,  a few dogs who sleep right next to the door. Thais do not put in chains their dogs,  and i'm pleasantly surprised to see how many there are on the streets. They are peaceful and very beautiful dogs.
Besides 7 Eleven market there is also Family Market. Pattaya has several shopping centers as well as large supermarkets such as Tesco Lotus and Makro.

If you are not close, even that is not a problem. It’s very cheap to rent a bike, so feel free to take one. Rental costs from 100 to 200 TBH, you just need a passport and a deposit of 1000 TBH. To point out that you need an international driver's license, otherwise you can get a fine if the police stops you. They will give you helmets, and you can freely leave them on the motorbike when you park. Here the helmets are cheap, and it’s not a custom for someone to steal them.

Walking Street Pattaya is one of the most exciting streets in the world. Want to have fun? Here you will find everything you are looking for. Entertainment, bars, discos, gogo-bars, cabaret shows and much much more. This is surely a party zone!

One thing is sure, when walking down the Walking Street it would be an experience you will never forget. In late hours, the Walking Street is closed for traffic. If you are hungry, you will certainly find your own taste. There are a variety of sea-food restaurants to Indian, Italian, European, Thai or many other countries. The largest discos are Candy Shop, Marine Disco, Insomnia, Tony's and Mixx.

The number of foreign people visiting Walking Street is huge. It is very easy to recognize, since it has a large sing posted at the front. You just go to Beach Road in south Pattaya and you can’t miss it. And don’t be surprised if some of the girls are calling you and inviting you to go to their bar. Some will approach you, and if you don’t want to go to that club or bar, be sure to polite say “no”. 

But you also have to be careful since there is a large number of people walking this street. Keep your wallet safe and secure, because you will never know what you can find in there. Communication can be a problem too, since you are in a different country, be sure to learn more about their culture and the way they live. If something happens to you, be sure to contact the tourist police. You will sure pass next to them, and they are easy to spot.  

Pattaya nightlife is a heaven for single guys, and if you can be smart and look around, you will have a great time here. Pattaya girls are pretty open minded, and there is one thing they are looking for the most. And that is a foreigner with lots of money. Not saying that all girls in Pattaya are like that, but the most bar-girls will expect money since that is their job. You can find everything here. After one month, I still see new things every day, and there is no shortage of surprises.

And one more thing before I end this text, make sure that a girl you meet… is actually a girl! You heard all the stories, and yes, they are all true!