What To Do?

[soundman]

A friend of mine posed this question a few days ago and I thought I'd post it here and see what solutions could be put forward by all the Pattaya veterans.

Friend's folks have decided to come and visit their son in Thailand. They have decided, for whatever reason, that they would like to spend a week in Pattaya. The couple in question are active sixty somethings. They know very little about Thailand and will expect their son to act as a tour guide for the week they are in Pattaya.

What activities and sightseeing in and around the immediate vicinity of Pattaya could people suggest would be fun and appropriate for a couple of sixty somethings?

Just to throw a spanner in the works, my friend's parents are coming smack bang in the middle of the Songkran festivities.

Cheers & thanx,

Soundman.

[candoman89]

1. Nong Nooch,

2. day long boat trip to some islands (Koh Samet?)

3. Golf/fishing

Lots of tourist booths with suggestions.

[thaiclan]

koew Kheo zoo

Nong Nooch

Day out sailing - go to one of the islands

Visit the orphanage (maybe bring some stuff from home to donate too)

SBI kareoke - absolutely empty until 10pm + so why not get them to croon some of their golden oldies on the stage. Even get a DVD of them doing it!

Sanctuary of Truth

Golf

Lawn bowling

the Dusit buffet on Saturday night

[soundman]

koew Kheo zoo

Nong Nooch

Day out sailing - go to one of the islands

Visit the orphanage (maybe bring some stuff from home to donate too)

SBI kareoke - absolutely empty until 10pm + so why not get them to croon some of their golden oldies on the stage. Even get a DVD of them doing it!

Sanctuary of Truth

Golf

Lawn bowling

the Dusit buffet on Saturday night

Thanx for that.

What is "Sanctuary of Truth"?

[Meg_2003]

Million Year Stone Park & Crocodile farm

Koh Larn

Elephant Trekking

Markets

Buddha Hill

Go to see the view of Pattaya on top of the hill

Jomtien Beach

[PhilHarries]

Nobody's mentioned the Crocodile Farm & Million Year Stone Park. Touristy naff yes but they should enjoy it. On the way back could stop in at that temple near the chinese temple and do both (sorry that's the bst I can do name wise) and then Buddha mountain.

<Edit : jut seen meg_ken 2003 reply. Oh well will have to be quicker>

Edited April 10, 2008 by PhilHarries

[Meg_2003]

Nobody's mentioned the Crocodile Farm & Million Year Stone Park. Touristy naff yes but they should enjoy it. On the way back could stop in at that temple near the chinese temple and do both (sorry that's the bst I can do name wise) and then Buddha mountain.

Beat you to it...lol

[soundman]

Nobody's mentioned the Crocodile Farm & Million Year Stone Park. Touristy naff yes but they should enjoy it. On the way back could stop in at that temple near the chinese temple and do both (sorry that's the bst I can do name wise) and then Buddha mountain.

<Edit : jut seen meg_ken 2003 reply. Oh well will have to be quicker>

Chinese temple is a good idea.

There nearest one I can think of is in Bang Saen. Where is the one near the crocodile farm / stone park? Is it really big, colourful, full blown chinese temple with gongs, drums & hundreds of deities?

Cheers.

[innovator]

Lots of 60's year olds walking down beach road and frequenting the go go bars. Maybe they would enjoy seeing the sights on Walking Street, a lifetime of memories in just a few hours.

[patsfangr]

I'd add the Tiger Zoo in Si Racha. It's only about a 45 minute drive, and really is a full day of fun, with the shows, restaurant, etc.

[jonniebkk]

While granny is wandering aimlessly around RGC, slip grandpa around the corner to the Pump Station...I'm sure it will be the highlight of his trip (life?) and a good challenge for the girls

[MeaMaximaCulpa]

Soundman,

Here are a few more things to do in Pattaya.

The Sanctuary of Truth is a huge wooden structure built by a private person (forgot who, you can look it up). Well worth a visit, but it is 5-600 Baht per head. I heard one can swim with dolphins there, I have not done myself, so check it out. It is located at the end of Soi 12 on Naklua road. If the visitors are reasonably fit, take them for a walk along the beach, starting from the Dusit Thani Hotel, and walk north till you see the Sanctuary (but best to check if you can enter from the beach side in advance...). The walk is nice in itself, just get back on the road and catch a baht bus back to your car. Plenty of places to stop for a drink and a snack, or even a swim.

Also the walk from North Jomtien to the Bali Hai pier is worth a try, have not done this myself, but have been recommended it. Will do soon.

Tiffanys has a shooting range in the basement (never tried it, but Dana and some friends recommended it. Not cheap either, but could be fun). The manager might be our next Pattaya mayor...

Go-carting off Thepprasit road, also paintball is nearby I believe.

Pattaya Park has a revolving (revolting?) restaurant on something like 56th floor. Gives you a great view of Pattaya and beond. Food is OK, but not gourmet.

Mini Siam next to McDonalds on Sukhumvit. Small scale models of Thai and int'l buildings.

Have a leasurely lunch at the Bang Saray Club, wonderful setting on a deserted beach. 20 mins south of Pattaya.

Yellow submarine takes you under water for real, the Underwater World gives you an illusion of being under water. Have only tried the latter myself.

Horse riding at The Horseshoe Point. Nearby have a snack, coffee or lunch at the Deli Bean. Also many nice restos around the Mabprachan Lake.

Take the opportunity to indulge in massages and spa treatments.

Check out the new wine from the vineyard next to Buddha hill.

Have dinner or Sunday Brunch at Mantra Restaurant, go for the unlimited wine menu!

With the above plus all the previous suggestions, you should have no problems filling a couple of weeks with nice stuff to do.

Good luck, and let us know how it went!

[Mobi]

All of the above, plus, (and excuse me if I repeat anything).

Wat Yanasangwararam, Go south, and just before Nong Nooch, there is a large complex of ornate temples and gardens which is one of the more important Wats in the area, covering many beautiful acres. There are also several other Wats in the same area with 'revolutionary' designs or maybe avant guard architectural styles.

2kms south of this is a large Buddha image carved out of a massive vertical rock-face over 150 metres high. This image is painted and can be seen for many miles around, but the closer you get the more vivid it becomes.

Bottle museum

Sri Racha Tiger Zoo.

I also recommend the Bang Sarae club, but in addition, at the end of the Beach itself on the outskirts of the village is a large seafood restaurant which is built on stilts out into the sea. Excellent, cheap, seafood, with a lovely view of the bay.

Ripleys Blieve it or not /Haunted House at the Royal Garden.

3 cinema complexes.

3 Bowling Alleys

Ladyboy shows - Tiffanays and Alcazar

A bit further afield - Bang Saen beach - very clean, with loads of food, and a marine park. Kow Samuk (monkey colony), and The incredible Chinese Temple (probably cost billions) on the Ang Sila Road.

There's more, But I doubt you can use half of what we've told you in your 2 weeks.

[soundman]

Thanx everybody for some great suggestions.

Many I'm allready familiar with but there seem like a few really good ones to add to my list of standard "sightseeing with the relatives" rather than packing them off with one of the local services.

Cheers guys,

Soundman.

[chavy]

ok guys, thanks very much for all the suggestions & a big thank you to the Soundman for starting this thread...most helpful, thanks

[Cuban]

I did a similar package trip for some guests a few weeks ago - sorted out a tame Baht Bus as their personal taxi for the day, only took them to the agreed places (Buddha mountain, Noch gardens etc.) and food as required out of the main Pattaya strip. About a 1,000 Baht for the whole day which was fine with me as I didn't have to suffer the "sights and the traffic', but they liked the idea of an open air taxi for pictures etc.

PS. They also did one of the elephant rides.