Moving to Pattaya / Jomtien or Hua Hin?

[dagling]

I can not quite decide where to move, I hear a lot of positive and negative about both places.

Want to buy a condo, when we already have houses here in Isaan which we will visit a few times a year due to her family and our mutual friends up here.

Where do you get the most for your money when buying condo, and how is the cost of living between Pattaya / Hua Hin?

I am 48 years old, married with thai seven years. Like visiting a restuanrant / bar one to two times per week for some beers and food.

Beginning to get enough of Isaan and heat up here, 42 degrees here today and zero wind;-(

Do not want to move further south than Hua Hin. Feeling perhaps that Pattaya has more to offer in terms of activities, and is closer to the airport and Bangkok and other places I like, for example Kho Samet and Kho Chang.

Someone who has experience of having lived both places, that will give me some advice?

Would love to hear about why you chose your current residence.

[guzzi850m2]

I am a Pattaya resident for about 10 years now and have only spend 2 or 3 holidays in Hua Hin.

I prefer Pattaya, much more options for shopping/ restaurants and night life.

Bang Saray app 20 km south of Pattaya have nice beaches and very good sea food restaurants, some Pattaya residents have moved there, some condos there now.

Yes we also go to Koh Chang sometimes, app 3 hours drive from Patts to the ferry.

Traffic is getting worse and worse, now they are building an underpass on Sukhumvit (800 days scheduled) so now it's even more chaotic but since you also ride bikes not a big deal.

Convenient for me going to the air port when flying to work and come back.

Easy to go to BKK for a mini holiday or embassy visit, I can actually take a 0800 bus, go to the embassy for pass port renewal, have lunch, take a bus home and be back in Patts at 1600 hours.

Check both places out yourself, stay a week or so in each place, we can discuss which is best in huge detail and some will still prefer one place over the other for various reasons.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Typically this will result in a Pattaya bashing topic, but before that kicks off let me put in my 25 satang:

I live in Chiang Mai and on holiday with the wife and kids we like to spend a couple weeks in either the Pattaya area or Hua Hin / Cha Am. If I'm by myself I mostly go to Pattaya as it's closer, and the nightlife is astonishing. With a family however most of the 'scene' is also fairly easily avoided once you know your way around; so that doesn't really count against Pattaya.

To actually live I would pick Cha Am or Hua Hin. Mostly because they're smaller towns (especially Cha Am, which is actually a really nice size now, with enough options for food or the occasional drink) Pattaya is a really big city with a very business-like Bangkokey feeling at times. (Bangkokey in my definition: The majority of the population migrated in from other places with one objective in mind: making money. That affects the overall vibe of a place.)

Cha Am and Hua Hin retains some original charm, with a moderate serving of international/tourism conveniences. (Also to Thai holiday makers).

I'm just outside Cha Am right now and I could kind of see myself living here. And there is lots and lots to do up and down the coast.. We went to Ao Manao beach in Prachuap earlier, and yesterday spent a day at the fancy water park in Hua Hin, which the kids enjoyed immensely. (I still can't believe I went off the Free-Fall slide, but my 9 year old daughter did it and then I had no choice.. ) That's where you go 50 km/h almost straight down on your bum, then hit what feels like a wall of water. Anyway, good fun.

It's the first time for me in Cha Am since about 12-13 years ago, and I like what I'm seeing. Still a small easy going place, but more options. Nice.

Edited March 15, 2015 by WinnieTheKhwai