Travelling around Pattaya is most convenient by minibuses (songthaews) that continually ply the Beach Road and Pattaya 2 Road in counterclockwise circuits. There are also minibuses running to Naklua and Jomtien areas. You can hail minibuses at any bus stop, which has the blue signpost. Fares range from 10-30 baht depending on the distance. Just hop in and pay the fare when you get off.  For those who wish to be independent and explore Pattaya's surrounding countryside and beaches at leisure, there are many car rental companies offering various types of cars and motorcycles. Visitors are advised to shop around and consult local tourism publications as each company offers different prices and conditions.

Anyway, renting a car from leading car rental companies is strongly advised as they provide international standards of service which include first class insurance, as well as information and maps of tourist attractions. Make sure you bring your passport and driving license when renting a car.

Pattaya's Songkran Festival (13-19 Apr)

Songkran festival officially lasts for three days (13-15 April), but in Pattaya the celebration is extended to one week. April 19 every year is Wan Lai Day or the traditional New Year Day of the eastern provinces of Thailand including Pattaya City.

Apart from throwing water at each other, there are many other activities such as beauty contests, colourful processions, folk games, cultural performances, making merit at the temple and paying respect to the seniors of the family by pouring water on their hands.

Pattaya Carnival (around Jan)

To promote tourism in the area, Pattaya Carnival is held annually around the beginning of the year at Pattaya Pier, Bali Hai Cape. At the event, a spectacular float of flora, beauty pageant, cultural shows and music performances as well as various exciting water sports competitions take place. Fireworks are also displayed on the beach.

Pattaya International Music Festival (March)

Starting in 2002, Pattaya International Music Festival is held for three days in March each year. On stages, enjoy several styles of music performed by both Thai and international artists. Usually, the event lasts from 18.00 to 24.00 hrs.

The music performances are displayed at various stages along Pattaya’s Beach Road starting from the Dolphin Circle to the Bali Hai Pier.

Pattaya Vegetarian Festival (Oct)

Every year Pattaya City holds the 10-day vegetarian festival featuring large amounts of vegetarian food and a grand procession carrying two statues of Chinese deities -- Kiew Uang Huk Jo and Kuanyin Bodhisattava. The procession will march through the city and end at Sawang Boribun Dhamma Sathan. Participants should dress in white.

Loy Krathong Festival (Nov)

The delightful Loy Krathong Festival, celebrated nation-wide on the full moon night in November to pay respect to the Water Goddess. The float or krathong made of banana-leaf is floated into the sea or on the river. The Loy Krathong festival in Pattaya features floral floats, sport events, beauty contests, cultural performances, food stalls and a spectacular display of fireworks on the beach.

The traditional Thai New Year or Songkran day which is locally called Wan Lai, is annually celebrated on 18-19 April, though elsewhere in the country the festival falls on 13 April. The activities in the festival include throwing water at each other for enjoyment, beauty contests, colourful processions, folk plays, and paying respect to the seniors of the family by pouring water on their hands.

Pattaya Carnival

To promote tourism in the area, Pattaya Carnival is held annually around the end or the beginning of the year at Pattaya Pier, Bali Hai Cape. At the event, a spectacular float of flora, beauty pageant, cultural shows and music performances as well as various exciting water sports competitions take place. Fireworks are also displayed on the beach.

Pattaya International Music Festival (March)

Starting in 2002, Pattaya International Music Festival is held in March each year. On stages, enjoy several styles of music performed by both Thai and international artists. Usually, the event lasts from 18.00 to 24.00 hrs.

Pattaya Vegetarian Festival (14-23 Oct)

Every year Pattaya City celebrates the 11-day vegetarian season with enormous amounts of special vegetarian food which should be enough for about 5,500 participants and a grand procession carrying two statues of Chinese deities -- Kiew Uang Huk Jo and Kuanyin Bodhisattava. The procession will make its way around the city and end at Sawang Boribun Dhamma Sathan. All interested people are welcome (please dress in white).

For more details, contact TAT Pattaya office,

Tel. 0 3842 7667, 0 3842 8750.

*The event dates are tentative, please check before travelling.

Pattaya, like Bangkok, offers not only a great number of food shops and restaurants, but also a wide variety of cooking styles and generally at reasonable prices. Whatever kind of food you'd like to eat, from Thai to Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Indian and European food, you'll surely find it here.There are plenty of food shops along Pattaya 2 Road and Beach Road, while seafood restaurants cluster around South Pattaya, where marine animals are attractively displayed in front of the shops for clients to choose. Prices (charged by weight) are quite moderate, especially when compared with those in Western countries.

In addition, fast food franchise restaurants are available in several department stores with the Royal Garden Plaza as a leader.