Ko-Lan
Koh Lan is the closest island to Pattaya: it is only 10 km away, you can get here by a leisurely ferry in 50 minutes, and by speedboat — twice as fast. On a small island there are 7 picturesque beaches with white sand, clear water and water attractions — jet skis, bananas, kayaks. Other activities include parasailing, diving and snorkeling.
At the highest point of the island there is a statue of a Wandering Buddha, from the top of the hill there is an impressive panorama of the Gulf of Thailand and Tavayen Beach. Nearby there is a small Chinese temple, to which hundreds of stone steps lead, and at the Naban Pier there is the Wat Mai Samraan temple, decorated with many Buddha figurines.
Bangsaen
In less than an hour, a taxi or minibus will take you from Pattaya to the seaside town of Bangsaena, which became the first resort in Thailand more than half a century ago. Its pride is a luxurious beach with palm alleys and the purest turquoise water. In addition, it is worth visiting the bustling Nong Mon market, climb the green hill of Khao Samuk, where a large flock of macaques lives, and admire the elegant Chinese temples.
Sriracha Tiger Zoo
You can watch wild and domestic animals just half an hour’s drive from Pattaya: it is not difficult to get to the Siracha Tiger Zoo by bike, bus or with an excursion. In Sirach, hundreds of tigers live in conditions as close to natural as possible. In addition to big cats, the zoo is home to elephants, crocodiles, camels, donkeys, pigs and capybaras, and its business card is a glass aviary where a tigress feeds piglets with milk, and a pig feeds tiger cubs. Visitors can also feed striped babies from a bottle and take pictures with them. Other entertainment — shows with tigers and elephants, pig races, cockfights and elephant riding.
Bangkok
Having had enough of a beach holiday, you can always plunge into the turbulent life of a bustling metropolis: Pattaya and the capital of Thailand are separated by about 150 km, regular buses run to Bangkok, excursions are organized for tourists. Magnificent courtyards and temples, the world’s largest golden Buddha statue, spacious parks and cozy cafes, historical performances and circus shows — the diverse Asian city never tires of surprising travelers.
You can see the Thai capital in all its splendor from the observation deck on the top floor of the tallest skyscraper — Bayok Sky. You can also admire the local beauties from the water by going on a cruise along the Chao Phraya River, which flows through the whole of Bangkok.
Ayutthaya
The ancient capital of Siam is a completely different story: Ayutthaya charms with silence and a special atmosphere created by the ruins of medieval buildings. Once there were three huge palaces, dozens of forts and hundreds of temples in the center of the legendary city, and it was possible to get into it through 94 city gates. Architectural ensembles are beautiful even today, even in a semi-abandoned state, and peace and tranquility reigns around.