Driving Along The Coast Of Pattaya?

[bkk1970]

Hi all,

Since I have to spend 1 week in Pattaya,I'd like to drive a car or ride a motorbike along the coast of Pattaya to explore around.It can be either down south direction to Koh Samet or up north to Bkk.I want to take it easy and pull my car or motorbike over whenever I see a nice beach.

What would you guys advice me?Riding the motorbike or driving?(what's the less dangerous?)How bad is the traffic here beside Bkk?

Thanks a lot.

[pluto_manibo]

The road between Pattaya and Bangkok is a very busy one....and there are no nice beaches I can think of! If you go southeast your chances of finding nice beaches are much higher, in the Ban Chang, Rayong area....The road is a lot more quiet as well....For the this option a motorbike would be quite nice...you might want to ride all the way to Koh Chang....That is a great ride! For the option towards Bangkok....I never found the ride very pleasurable, overtaking a lot of "SIP LO" and not very scenic.

[terdsak_12]

Once you get past Rayong town there are some nice bike riding roads along the coast.

[Dragonman]

Hi all,

Since I have to spend 1 week in Pattaya,I'd like to drive a car or ride a motorbike along the coast of Pattaya to explore around.It can be either down south direction to Koh Samet or up north to Bkk.I want to take it easy and pull my car or motorbike over whenever I see a nice beach.

What would you guys advice me?Riding the motorbike or driving?(what's the less dangerous?)How bad is the traffic here beside Bkk?

Thanks a lot.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Agree with the other guys, head towards Rayong, can take ferry to Samet. Lots of nice beaches around Sattahip( where I live), Ban Chang, Rayong, but you'll have to go off the main highway to find them. Get a decent map. With regard to motorbike v car, the bike gives you a much better feel for the countryside, but the car is invariably safer. Unless you are an experienced biker stick to the car, you can always rent an open jeep

[astral]

There is a back road from Bang Saen beach following the coast to Chonburi, with

some interesting sights. Not beaches particularly.

Otherwise go to Sattahip and follow the old coast road from there.

[wilko]

Don’t listen to them! There are loads of interesting places North of Pattaya: - Monkey mountain and loads of little side roads normally ending in a village with a disappointing beach but a really good cheap seafood restaurant. Chonburi coast and around Bang Saen are worth a look too. Get on the coast road whenever you can.

South there are also a number of places some with beaches. Bang Amphoe has the best seafood restaurants on the entire coast, Bang Sare has beaches, there are some fascinating deserted resorts and as you enter Rayong the Kanary apartments on the beach do a fantastic lunchtime buffet for 200 baht. If they’re closed drive down to the Southern end of that beach and there is another brilliant seafood restaurant there!

I have yet to find an accurate good quality up to date map. Some simply miss out roads or don’t follow their route! Most have stupid pictures and ads. all over them.

Sattahip is a naval town, again famous for its seafood.

You might even want to drive down past the ESSO Oil refinery at Laem Chabang! You’ll get a nice surprise at the end of the road – a fishing village with guess what?? – a load of seafood restaurants!!!!

Koh Loy at Sri Racha is an island joined to the town by a large causeway. The island has an old temple, a turtle “sanctuary” and loads of seafood stalls…good views of Laem Chabang shipping and the Island of Si Chang. (you can get a passenger ferry over for the day).

Behind Sri Racha visit is Khao Keow reservoir (about a 30 km drive all the way round) and the Khao Keow Open Zoo, please don’t go to the Tiger Zoo it is a bastion of animal cruelty.

There main road Sukumvit, which goes both north and south of Pattaya, is a bit rowdy at times and I would recommend a car rather than motorbike for safety reasons and convenience…you might want to take stuff…swimmies, shade, picnic, icebox etc…I’m afraid I myself don’t travel light!

So basically just get a car and go down every side road you see – that’s what I do, you’ll be amazed at what you might find!