Apartment Advice

[Hikage]

Hi,

Can anyone tell me how I might go about renting an apartment/condo for about 5 months in either Pattaya or Jomtien beach? Some suitable places?

I have a budget of around 20-24K thb p/m. It's only for one person so a 1BR or studio would be OK. A sea view would be nice. Internet access is required for my own computer.

Any hints on where to look would be great or is it best to just pound the pavement and walk in to places once I'm there? A list of suitable candidates would be nice.

Thanks

[PattayaParent]

Check out real estate agents websites and find places that you like then turn up at the place itself and try to negotiate direct with the owner or see what other units are available in the building.

[pauljones]

Handy Map of condo properties;

http://www.jomtien-p...ttaya%20Map.jpg

Craigslist:

http://bangkok.craig...xAsk=&bedrooms=

Thai Visa Classifieds or Baht & Sold are some good places to explore.

Edited August 17, 2011 by pauljones

[vpi78]

I know several people that got good results from dancewatchers.com.

[johnboy3739w]

Have a nice studio available as from 2nd Sept - see website below for details / pictures:

http://beach-condo.yolasite.com/

[guzzi850m2]

Have a nice studio available as from 2nd Sept - see website below for details / pictures:

http://beach-condo.yolasite.com/

Very nice.

I personal like this area much more than Jomtien but we are all different.

[Darrel]

Dancewatchers: nice enough units but quite expensive.

Wong Amat: posh, but rather hard to get to/from without own transport or good legs. Not much in the way of cheap food in the evenings unless you walk up to Naklua Rd.

Given the OP's budget I would be inclined to look in View Talay 5C (VT5D would be a bit cheaper) or Jomtien Complex, both of which are on the main beach road and bahtbus route to/from Pattaya. A good 50sqm unit with full-on sea view can easily be had there for the prices quoted, even in high season. Maybe 15,000 in low season. Warning: all those buildings also have units with no view at all (and I really mean NO view) and photos don't always show this.

Looking in the lobbies of buildings will usually unearth a noticeboard with ads from owners, and there are often laundry shops doubling as rental agencies on the ground floor of buildings.

Nearby Jomtien Condotel is also a possible, as are the Grand Condotel and Jomtien Plaza. If the OP has own transport (or doesn't mind the occasional discussion with bahtbus drivers) and wants to be away from the hustle and bustle, Metro or VT8 would be nice. All these buildings potentially offer cracking views from the right unit.

Not all units have their own ADSL internet included (some do) and it isnt always easy/quick to get it turned on. Wifi is available in nearly all those buildings, though it may not be brilliant. There is also a public wifi service advertised on the supermarket noticeboard just opposite Jomtien Condotel, and by all accounts the new high-speed optical fibre wifi system will extend there at some point (maybe November 2011).

[londoedan]

Within the OP's budget I reckon he could probably get a 50 m2 studio on a high floor at View Talay 6 on Pattaya Beach Rd.

IMHO this is a great beachfront location and central for just about everything.

There are some agents on the ground floor of the building and a couple of owners regularly advertise in the Thai Visa classifieds.

Simon

[Darrel]

Within the OP's budget I reckon he could probably get a 50 m2 studio on a high floor at View Talay 6 on Pattaya Beach Rd.

It rather depends on when his 5 months starts and ends. In Jomtien he can do it easily on his budget, in VT6 he may be pushing it a bit for the best units.

[Tolley]

Personally i wouldn't consider Jomtien.

Everything is in Pattaya really so you might as well base yourself in Pattaya.

Too much hassle getting from Jomtien to Pattaya all the time.

[londoedan]

Within the OP's budget I reckon he could probably get a 50 m2 studio on a high floor at View Talay 6 on Pattaya Beach Rd.

It rather depends on when his 5 months starts and ends. In Jomtien he can do it easily on his budget, in VT6 he may be pushing it a bit for the best units.

You could be right, I think I paid about 20-22,000 per month a couple of years ago.

I was on the 18th floor, WS side and really enjoyed sitting on the balcony in the evenings and staring out into the bay - idyllic ! Nice pool as well there.

If I could afford it, VT6 is one place I definitely consider buying.

Simon

[Darrel]

I was on the 18th floor, WS side and really enjoyed sitting on the balcony in the evenings and staring out into the bay - idyllic ! Nice pool as well there.

If I could afford it, VT6 is one place I definitely consider buying.

I can afford it, and I also really like where VT6 is located as far as amenities go, but I very quickly realised that the large empty plot south (WS side) of VT6 could end up with something like the Hilton on it, and good-bye view.

[Darrel]

Too much hassle getting from Jomtien to Pattaya all the time.

Many people manage to take the bahtbus to/from Jomtien, every day, for 10B with no hassle at all.

[guzzi850m2]

Personally i wouldn't consider Jomtien.

Everything is in Pattaya really so you might as well base yourself in Pattaya.

Too much hassle getting from Jomtien to Pattaya all the time.

I agree, much better to stay in Pattaya area, Jomtien is not that nice (unless you like to stay on the beach all day). In Jomtien you got the beach road and some small sois, thats it. Filled with people every weekend, no thanks.

You have all the good shopping/supermarkets in Patts,

I often go to Jomtien for eating, but I have both car & motorbike so I am pretty mobile and eat over over the area.

[Hikage]

Thanks for all the responses, the VT places sound good to check out but it looks like I'll be severely limited by my requirement of an Internet connection. A shared wireless situation will not be sufficient.

I guess the only reason I included Jomtien is that I thought I could get more bang for my buck in that area and I know the baht bus is easy to get to and from Pattaya. I've also seen a lot of tall condos there from the beach that seem to have a good view. As for North Pattaya I've never been there but if the baht bus is just as easy there then that would also be a possibility.

[BugJackBaron]

Personally i wouldn't consider Jomtien.

Everything is in Pattaya really so you might as well base yourself in Pattaya.

Too much hassle getting from Jomtien to Pattaya all the time.

I agree, much better to stay in Pattaya area, Jomtien is not that nice (unless you like to stay on the beach all day). In Jomtien you got the beach road and some small sois, thats it. Filled with people every weekend, no thanks.

You have all the good shopping/supermarkets in Patts,

I often go to Jomtien for eating, but I have both car & motorbike so I am pretty mobile and eat over over the area.

Well by the same argument, Foodland is just a 10 minute motorbike ride from Jomtien soi 2. And as for people, tell me you don't get crowds on walking street every day.

Most of the crowds on Jomtien thin out if you go to the north or south (Dong tang beach) part of Jomtien.Unless you need to shop at Central Paragon everyday why stay in Pattaya?

Jomtien has a new second beach road that doubles as a swimming pool every time it rains, a dynamic and charming market and a fantastic new entertainment complex springing up right beside it! Now how much would you pay?

Edited August 18, 2011 by BugJackBaron

[londoedan]

Well by the same argument, Foodland is just a 10 minute motorbike ride from Jomtien soi 2. And as for people, tell me you don't get crowds on walking street every day.

Most of the crowds on Jomtien thin out if you go to the north or south (Dong tang beach) part of Jomtien.Unless you need to shop at Central Paragon everyday why stay in Pattaya?

Jomtien has a new second beach road that doubles as a swimming pool every time it rains, a dynamic and charming market and a fantastic new entertainment complex springing up right beside it! Now how much would you pay?

When I stayed in VT 6 I did not go to Central every day, but just about. Sometimes for a coffee, sometime for the bookshops (the one in the corner on the ATM floor is pretty good), once a week perhaps for the cinema and also to eat there.

Plus you've got the beach about 30 secs walk in front of the gate and easy access by foot to all of the nightlife areas: Soi 7/8 is about 2 mins one way, the 2nd Rd bar complexes are about the same in the other direction and WS is perhaps 5-10 mins walk.

And to answer the OP's other point, the unit I rented did have a dedicated broadband internet connection.

[guzzi850m2]

Well on the argument where to stay it all up to personal taste. I would not like to stay in Jomtien, I will get bored as hell after 4 days, he-he. I like the buzz of Pattaya and the selection of shops & restaurants, whatever you are looking for you can find it in Patts. Yes you can take a 10 bath bus over the hill unless you can drive a motor bike your self, but still no, I prefer walking distance.

Again: we are all different so some prefer that and others that and thank Buddha for that

If I was in the situation of looking for renting something here and never been here before, I would check-in at a hotel first and then do my own research and check all options before renting anything.

[Tolley]

Fact is there is nothing much in Jomtien.

Most everything is in Pattaya so why would you even consider Jomtien.

There is I suppose a dirty beach at Jomtien but there is also a dirty beach in Pattaya.

And it is a hassle getting out of Jomtien.

As for View Talay apartments if you like housing slums then the VT condos are for you!

[Soboringtochooseaname]

Fact is there is nothing much in Jomtien.

Most everything is in Pattaya so why would you even consider Jomtien.

There is I suppose a dirty beach at Jomtien but there is also a dirty beach in Pattaya.

And it is a hassle getting out of Jomtien.

As for View Talay apartments if you like housing slums then the VT condos are for you!

JOMTIEN is the best place to live if you want to be close to action but don't want the feeling to live in a bar.

View Talay apartement, especially VT1 and VT2 are the best deal for people who want to live in a cheap place for one of the best view without anybody in front.

I would never live or invest anywhere outside Jomtien in this area.

[CatCage]

Ten years ago when I moved into Jomtien it was a quite little backwater within easy reach of downtown.

Now its noisy and congested with bad traffic into and from town. The new second road is a savior though and you can swing down there to Soi Watt Boon and hang a left on Sukhumvit to Lotus and Makro

[DefaultName]

Within the OP's budget I reckon he could probably get a 50 m2 studio on a high floor at View Talay 6 on Pattaya Beach Rd.

It rather depends on when his 5 months starts and ends. In Jomtien he can do it easily on his budget, in VT6 he may be pushing it a bit for the best units.

You could be right, I think I paid about 20-22,000 per month a couple of years ago.

I was on the 18th floor, WS side and really enjoyed sitting on the balcony in the evenings and staring out into the bay - idyllic ! Nice pool as well there.

If I could afford it, VT6 is one place I definitely consider buying.

Simon

That's something that a lot of folk miss - if you have a nice place, nice enough that you're happy spending an evening a week in instead of going out, the savings on that evening can easily offset the extra cost of the room.

[frenchfarangjomtien]

I would ever advice View Talay 6 to my friends, at he worst location, at the only polluted location in Pattaya, second road...

If you choose View Talay go to Jomtien, it's a lot better.

[Awohalitsiktoli]

Ten years ago when I moved into Jomtien it was a quite little backwater within easy reach of downtown.

Now its noisy and congested with bad traffic into and from town. The new second road is a savior though and you can swing down there to Soi Watt Boon and hang a left on Sukhumvit to Lotus and Makro

Not only was Jomtien better ten years ago, it was better 20 years ago, but what was just said depends on what you are looking for. It still is not as busy as Pattaya and the beach is better in Jomtien (IMHO). I used to like Jomtien more than I do today because it seemed a bit isolated from Pattaya, but when I wanted "action" Pattaya was easy to reach. Now the traffic congestion is not so good between Jomtien and Pattaya. If you want more "isolation" from both places, start looking south, but you might get bored down there In truth, both places have changed and not for the better, and for two reasons: population growth and an insane development plan.

[quandow]

I've been living for several years at the Baan Suan Lalana apartment complex in Jomtien and love it! The fully furnished studios I've seen run from TB 5k to 8k. You can rent a motorbike on a monthly basis and have money left over on your budget. As well, if you want to go out on the piss and not drive, motorbike taxis are abundant, just make sure and negotiate the price before you hop on.

[Darrel]

In truth, both places have changed and not for the better, and for two reasons: population growth and an insane development plan.

There's a plan?

I thought things just happened spontaneously.

[Awohalitsiktoli]

In truth, both places have changed and not for the better, and for two reasons: population growth and an insane development plan.

There's a plan?

I thought things just happened spontaneously.

Yes, but it is likely that I should not have mentioned it as we will get "off track." The other poster said Baan Suan Lalana. It looks good from a distance. There is another place in front of it closer to the beach with that odd design (sort of triangular shape). I can't remember the name of it, but it might be worth looking at. Anybody know the name and prices?

[Darrel]

BSL is low-rise, with a fairly large number of houses/bungalows also. A bit too far off the beaten track for my taste, as I like to have the option of taking a regular 10B bahtbus.

Quite a bit nearer the beach is Jomtien Beach Paradise, which is a sort of triangular shape but taller, with some very low-rise building in front of it. Is that the one you mean?

[Awohalitsiktoli]

BSL is low-rise, with a fairly large number of houses/bungalows also. A bit too far off the beaten track for my taste, as I like to have the option of taking a regular 10B bahtbus.

Quite a bit nearer the beach is Jomtien Beach Paradise, which is a sort of triangular shape but taller, with some very low-rise building in front of it. Is that the one you mean?

Yes and thanks for that. My brain cells simply were not cooperating JBP is a place a friend of mine lived in for a few years and said it was OK. I do no remember what he was paying to live there (rent?). It is not too far from BSL, so both places could easily be visited on the same day. I have never seen BSL except on the internet and it appears to have a nice-looking pool but is set way back from the beach. For the price, BSL looks pretty good (very inexpensive). JBP is a bit closer, but still a good walk to the beach. Does the 10B bus regularly go down that far now?

[Darrel]

JBP does have direct Beach Rd access (once you walk through the low-rise houses). In that respect it's on a par with VT8 or Metro, but just a touch further back. BSL is well on the Sukumvit side of 2nd Rd and a good 15 minutes walk to the beach.

From JBP you can certainly get a regular bahtbus going to Pattaya, though coming back some of them dont want to go further down Beach Rd than the police box where the road narrows. That's only 5 minutes walk from JBP though. The fare would probably be 20 rather than 10, especially if you went as far as Central.

So I would say that JBP is more convenient than BSL, unless of course you have your own transport.