Exercise/attractions With Small Child

[Orac]

Got the long school break starting in a couple of weeks and I want to keep up my new fitness regime and also spend time with my four year old daughter. Does anyone have any suggestions in or around Pattaya (an hour or so drive no problem) that can be enjoyed and I can also get my fitness fix. Some ideas I have had so far are:

Buddha Footprint Kitchakut Mountain, Chanthaburi - not sure when this is open to this year as Makha Bucha Day is early this year.

Wat Khao Sukim, Chanthaburi - can walk up and down the steps a few times while my wife spends an hour looking round.

Khao Keaw Zoo - Saw some pedelos on the small lake there which could be fun

Muang Boran, Samut Prakan - bit of a distance but could get a bike with a small seat for her

Any more suggestions???

[Rimmer]

The petting zoo out by Silver Lakes Vinyard

[jimmybkk]

The petting zoo out by Silver Lakes Vinyard

+1 for this suggestion. I think it's called Wonder Farm. Your daughter will enjoy it but not sure that you will get much exercise unless you start chasing the rabbits...

Another good alternative is a new place called (I think) Greta Farm & Resort. It's a short way inland from Ban Amphur/Bang Saray. It's set on a huge piece of land and is really very tranquil. They have goats and deer you can feed, a nice restaurant, tennis court, basketball court, bicycles you can hire and also an outdoor play area with things to hang from, climb over, crawl under etc. I'd guess designed for kids but no reason you couldn't use it to get some exercise. They also have bungalows for rent.

[Orac]

The petting zoo out by Silver Lakes Vinyard

+1 for this suggestion. I think it's called Wonder Farm. Your daughter will enjoy it but not sure that you will get much exercise unless you start chasing the rabbits...

Another good alternative is a new place called (I think) Greta Farm & Resort. It's a short way inland from Ban Amphur/Bang Saray. It's set on a huge piece of land and is really very tranquil. They have goats and deer you can feed, a nice restaurant, tennis court, basketball court, bicycles you can hire and also an outdoor play area with things to hang from, climb over, crawl under etc. I'd guess designed for kids but no reason you couldn't use it to get some exercise. They also have bungalows for rent.

Sounds interesting - do you have any directions as it sounds in a similar area to Wonder Farm.

Another thing I would like to try is kayaking/canoeing though would prefer someting with a bit of shade so inland rather than sea - any ideas??

[jimmybkk]

It's not as far inland as the Wonder Farm, but I believe it may be owned by the same people. It's related somehow anyway...

The best I can do in terms of directions from Pattaya is go South on Sukhumvit past Jomtien and into Na Jomtien. A few kms before you reach Bang Saray keep your eyes open for a junction/turning on the left which has a big "3" road sign just before it ("3" being the highway number for Sukhumvit Road). The only other landmark I can remember also at this junction, on the opposite corner, is the Whitehouse Coffee Shop. Turn left at this junction, cross the railway tracks and a couple of hundred metres ahead you'll see the entrance to the farm.

Sorry for the lousy directions - I've only been there once and at that time I was following someone. I have telephone numbers though... 038 343 597 and 081 926 8349.

For kayaking/canoeing I reckon you may be able to do this at Maprachan. I would suggest asking at the hotels and restaurants around there and see how you go...

[Dorkers]

I too have a 4 year old and am always on the look out for some different venues. My normal spots are - the wonder farm (already mentioned), Phala Beach (down towards Rayong) normally quiet, can be a bit hit or miss in regard to the rubbish from the water, but it is not deep and has a few little waves that the youngster can mess around with and another venue off the top of my head is the playground in Naklua next to the fishing market. The playground is shaded and there are usually lots of other kids there for him to play with and also I put his bicycle in the car, bring it with us and he can ride around on the paved areas. It is not 5 star, but it serves a purpose. There are also a few outdoor gym equipment things there, although they again, are not 5 star.

[chickenslegs]

You could try the beach at Ban Amphur which has a kids playground and a couple of places to eat lunch and so on.

Take the Sukhumvit road south past the Ambassador City hotel (and the new Russian village opposite) straight on through the traffic lights at Ban Amphur, up the hill past the Thai/Austrian college, then take the u-turn at the top of the hill. Back towards Pattaya. Turn left at the side of the post office. This road takes you down to the beach where there is plenty of parking.

Don't go during or immediately after a holiday weekend as the visiting bangkokians usually leave the place in a filthy condition.

Edit - just to say that I did write this post in proper paragraphs but it has appeared in a single block, despite my editing efforts.

Edited February 22, 2013 by Rimmer
Para's

[craigt3365]

You could try the beach at Ban Amphur which has a kids playground and a couple of places to eat lunch and so on.

Take the Sukhumvit road south past the Ambassador City hotel (and the new Russian village opposite) straight on through the traffic lights at Ban Amphur, up the hill past the Thai/Austrian college, then take the u-turn at the top of the hill. Back towards Pattaya. Turn left at the side of the post office. This road takes you down to the beach where there is plenty of parking.

Don't go during or immediately after a holiday weekend as the visiting bangkokians usually leave the place in a filthy condition.

Edit - just to say that I did write this post in proper paragraphs but it has appeared in a single block, despite my editing efforts.

Great recommendation. During the week it's really quiet. That playground also has a lot of outdoor exercise equipment for adults. Plenty of places to eat right on the beach. Not sure of the time, but i think it's around sunset, they do an outdoor group exercise to music.

[chickenslegs]

The petting zoo out by Silver Lakes Vinyard

+1 for this suggestion. I think it's called Wonder Farm. Your daughter will enjoy it but not sure that you will get much exercise unless you start chasing the rabbits...

Another good alternative is a new place called (I think) Greta Farm & Resort. It's a short way inland from Ban Amphur/Bang Saray. It's set on a huge piece of land and is really very tranquil. They have goats and deer you can feed, a nice restaurant, tennis court, basketball court, bicycles you can hire and also an outdoor play area with things to hang from, climb over, crawl under etc. I'd guess designed for kids but no reason you couldn't use it to get some exercise. They also have bungalows for rent.

After reading this post I decided to take my wife, daughter and granddaughter to visit Greta Farm today. It is just as described by jimmybkk, but he missed the nine-hole pitch & putt golf course.

We had a nice lunch at the restaurant (most dishes 120 - 150 Baht) then took a walk around to see the animals. Deer, goats, rabbits, geese, ducks, chickens, guinea fowl, a huge turkey and some cage birds. A lovely boxer bitch and 4 miniature dogs (I think Yorkies and chihuahuas) 'escorted' us around the farm to the great delight of my granddaughter.

We were the only visitors in the place until about 5.30pm when a Thai family came out to play (obviously waiting for the sun to go down).

Nice place for an afternoon visit - maybe enough there to keep a family occupied for the full day, but for my family an afternoon was about right. But we will definitely be going there again when my other grandkids come to visit..

To get there - Take the Sukhumvit road south towards Bang Saray. After passing through Ban Amphur and up the hill past the Thai/Austrian College, take the first left turn (this is the road that takes you to the temples complex). After crossing over the railway lines Greta Farms is about 200 mtrs on the right.

Edited February 23, 2013 by chickenslegs

[BillK]

Thanks. Greta farm is a good find. I believe owned by the same people as Wonder Farm and a great way to spend a few hours.