Should we contact them directly or buy tickets from an agency ?

Is it still possible to be picked up & returned to your hotel ?

picked up & returned to hotel: this will not be the cheapest way for a family I'm afraid.

The white (?) song taews which are on sukhumvit heading towards Satthahip and will pass there.

I always buy tickets (with Thai drivers license for resident tariff) in the park direct

Prices here seem pretty much standard http://www.hotels2thailand.com/pattaya-show-event/nongnooch-village-pattaya.asp

I have booked tickets with this company before (but not for Nong Nooch) and saved a few Baht. Prices shown do not include taxes - so you don't know the full price until just before the online payment is made (still time to opt out if you wish).

Prices at the gate are not much different and there may be a family ticket option.

Personally, I would not go with the hotel pick-up option. Sometimes you can end up spending hours picking up/dropping off other clients at their hotels.

White baht bus along Sukhumvit to the Nong Nooch service road is 20 Baht each, but then you need to take the tuk-tuk or m/c sidecar to the park itself which is 3-4 km further (don't know the price). Same procedure on your return.

Taxi Meter from Pattaya to Bang Saray is about 400 Baht (robbing B*stards will never use the meter) so I guess it will be about the same to Nong Nooch. So my suggestion would be to ask your hotel reception for a price to arrange a taxi each way or negotiate a price yourself with one of the local taxi meter drivers.

Sounds like a lot of trouble but, IMHO, Nong Nooch is well worth it. Don't just go and see the culture/elephant shows, take a walk (or "train" ride) around the gardens - fabulous.

Unless you have a Thai drivers licence to avoid the double pricing i would suggest hiding in the boot of the car and get your wife or g/f to pay the thai price, However, you may have to promise her anything to let you out of the boot/trunk especially if she parks the car in the sun.

Depending where you are in Pattaya a taxi should be approx. 500 and then again back. As you are a family getting to Suk for the song taew and then upto Nong Nooch wont save much for the hassle and extra time. Pay at the gate, DL/WP gets Thai price. Agencies tend to charge extra and as mentioned may have to pick others up on the way.

Depending where you are in Pattaya a taxi should be approx. 500 and then again back. As you are a family getting to Suk for the song taew and then upto Nong Nooch wont save much for the hassle and extra time. Pay at the gate, DL/WP gets Thai price. Agencies tend to charge extra and as mentioned may have to pick others up on the way.

At that price it's as cheap to hire a car for a day which gives you much more flexibility.