While its reputation as a seedy, bar-speckled hole still prevails, Coconuts discovered on a recent venture that Pattaya has much more to offer in its hidden beach gems and quiet mountains. What’s better is that it takes just a little over an hour to reach the island from the Bangkok’s Suvarnabumi Airport. So what are you waiting for – hop on the next plane to Thailand!
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When we heard distant rumors of a more charming and cultural side of Pattaya, we ventured to the seaside resort town to investigate.
Pattaya has been trying to rebrand its image away from seediness for a number of years, in hopes of drawing a more respectable clientele of visitors. And why not? The prime location – about an hour from Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport on the glimmering Gulf of Thailand – begs out for a place amongst the more refined destinations for Singaporean holidaymakers.
Watch the Coconuts TV travel video on Pattaya here!
We headed from Bangkok to Wong Amat Beach, a quiet and sandy nook nestled in North Pattaya. Our weekend getaway began at the Centara Grand Modus Resort Pattaya, which combines industrial “steampunk” chic with vintage furnishings and modern design for a truly unique seaside experience. A peaceful respite from the bustle of Bangkok, Centara is situated on a private beach decked out with lounge chairs. Directly above the beach is a multi-level swimming pool with a pool bar – literally a bar in the pool where you can sit on underwater stools. As tempting as it was to spend the weekend lounging on the sand and drinking freshly-muddled mojitos in the beachfront pool, we had come to explore the “finer” side of Pattaya.
And explore we did. Just a few minutes walk from Centara lies the Sanctuary of Truth, a not-to-be-missed attraction that alone is worth the trek to Pattaya.
Looming 100 meters high, every inch of the Sanctuary of Truth is covered with intricately hand-carved wooden statues of Hindu and Buddhist gods and goddesses. Even more astounding, it is made entirely of wood - with no metal nails holding the monumental structure together. Over 30 years in the making, the building was conceived by Thai millionaire Lek Viriyaphant in an effort to preserve Thailand’s ancient woodworking skills and architecture. A group of woodworkers still sit under a canopy across from the temple deftly carving new statues to adorn the building, which should supposedly be completed by 2025. There are also elephant rides and Thai dance performances on the grounds.
After spending hours wandering through this mesmerizing structure, we headed back to Centara for dinner at the rooftop restaurant Twilight. The three-course meal began with a refreshing mozzarella and tomato appetizer, drizzled with a tangy pesto and balsamic caviar. Next came the artfully presented smoked salmon entree in lemon butter cream sauce – which arrived under a conical, smoke-filled glass top that released a puff of smoke upon removal. For dessert, there was a sweet, creamy creme brûlée with raspberries and blueberries. All in all, a delicious meal in a serene setting.
The next morning we loaded up on complimentary brunch treats – a varied spread of eggs, pancakes, Thai curries and fruit – and headed out to another of North Pattaya’s offbeat attractions, Mini Siam, where we enjoyed milling about shrunken versions of the world’s historical sites in a couple hours. It's certainly silly, but there’s something fun about posing with the kitschy miniaturized monuments. The sprawling grounds are divided into “Mini World,” featuring the Eiffel Tower, Statue of Liberty, Christ the Redeemer, and Trevi Fountain, among others, and “Mini Siam,” a whole section dedicated to Thailand’s landmarks.
Pattaya is also, interestingly, home to a world-renowned botanical garden that’s impressed even the Queen of England with its exquisite, award-winning orchids. Nong Nooch Tropical Garden is considered one of the largest and most beautiful botanical gardens in all of Southeast Asia. It’s also famed for its elephant and Thai cultural shows. An elephant ride sounded like an optimal way to see the garden, so we climbed aboard and took a bumpy tour. Definitely a fun experience – complete with the elephant using his trunk to lift our guide onto his back, although it was slightly marred by the sadness of watching the elephant get prodded with a scythe. The garden itself features an impressive array of tropical plants, orchids and landscape designs from all over the world. On the way out, we fed the elephants some bananas as a small token of thanks and hit the road.
The largest carved Buddha image in the world gleams from the cliff of Khao Chi Chan (Buddha Mountain). Drawn into the cliff with lasers, this massive, gold-lined effigy features the Buddha in a cross-legged meditation pose. Regardless of your religious leanings, seeing Buddha’s image on such a large scale is an impressive, and even transcendental, experience.
Located right next to Khao Chi Chan is the only winery in eastern Thailand. Silverlake Vineyard is an idyllic place to spend an afternoon touring lush gardens and sipping on crushed grapes. With a peaceful panoramic view of the surrounding mountains and lake, it’s also a picturesque spot to catch the sunset.
Sure, there's still a lot of trouble that can be found in Pattaya, but we found the undiscovered finer side of the city to be just our speed – will it be to yours?
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