Pattaya is renowned for many things, some more notorious than others. However, beautiful beaches are not one of the best attributes that you would associate with the city.
True the main strip in the centre of Pattaya all along beach road does offer a fairly average beach in terms of sand and sea.
But that is not to say that there does not exist golden sand and crystal clear azure waters in the greater Pattaya area, listed below are some of the better beaches on offer.
Jomtien Beach
Jomtien Beach is only three or four kilometers from the centre of Pattaya but is a far more attractive and scenic beach than it’s noisy neighbour.
Jomtien beach stretches out for nearly 6 km almost as far as the eye can see, from the gay orientated Dongtan Beach in the north, right along to Na Jomtien beach in the south.
Recently it has undergone a major overhaul to make the promenade wider and more accessible to walk along. Dongtan has a very hip atmosphere and is shaded by overhanging trees with a classy boulevard running along it’s length.
The sand is clean but the water a little muddy from the tide but still refreshing to take a dip. The food vendors and beach restaurants are top notch at Jomtien and at a rather slower pace to that of Pattaya Beach.
Nakula Beach
To the north of greater Pattaya are two wonderful beaches that are a little hidden away but well worth finding. These two beaches are amongst the finest in the area and are also located in a rather salubrious area with many five star hotels and condos are to be found.
Naklua means “Salt Fields” which is a throwback to the local industry that formerly existed before tourism. Still local fisherman make a living from the shores and their freshly caught produce can be enjoyed at local restaurants.
Wongamat Beach
A little jewel of a beach that nestles in a crescent shaped bay. Wongamat is really picturesque with coarse but very clean sand and impeccably maintained.
The atmosphere is quiet and is ideal for families and children, even though the beach is fairly quiet there is still plenty of room to camp out and enjoy running about.
There are adequate chairs for hire plus plenty of small restaurants and bars. Access to the beach is easy and there are no steep steps or obstacles in the way.
Cosy Beach
Located in the Pratumnak area, Cosy beach is hidden away amongst cafe’s, bars, hotels and restaurants.
The beach lives up to it’s name in that it is extremely “Cosy” and is set apart from any other beach areas by rocks and headland. Also access to the beach is fairly difficult but the effort is well worth going through.
Cosy Beach is normally deserted and there are no bars or food vendors actually operating on the beach. If you want to spend a day down there then it is advisable to take a picnic.
Tien Beach
Tien Beach is situated on Koh Larn island which is about 30 min ferry ride from Bali Hai pier, Pattaya City. It has six beaches and the best is Tien Beach, it is only really accessible by boat or you can take a local taxi over the island and walk ten minutes on a wooden bridge to take you there.
The water all around Koh Larn is clear blue and you can easily see the tiny fish swimming. The sand is white and pure and definitely worth the short ferry ride to get to.
Things are a lot quieter on Koh Larn than the hectic city and it is a refuge for the more discerning traveller.
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