Moving South to the Sea

[The Dark Lord]

Hi fellow well informed TVF friends,

 

After four years in the wilderness bereft of any semblance of civilised contact, I have finally persuaded the current Mrs Dark Lord to move to the coast away from this intellectual desert in central issat.

 

looking to move to good mix of Thai n Foreigner area, safe, not overly crowded and preferably close to the sea with clean and easily accessible beaches. 

 

Thinking; Rayong, Hua Hun / Cha Am

 

the Dark Lord and his minions welcome any / all feedback from those who are already seconded in such places.

 

 

thanks oh wise ones.

[JSixpack]

Naklua

[beachproperty]

My vote is for ......Rayong ....although its not Pattaya (that's a plus) , Pattaya is just an hour away

 

Doesn't flood

Mostly Thai with some falangs living here

Weather is the best in Thailand ....Not too hot ...get the cool sea breezes

Has all the amenities .....Makro, Tesco, Big C , Central Shopping Mall, Home Pro, Global, etc.

Has a vibrant Bar scene.....with live music

AND its just 1 1/2 - 2 hours from Bangkok

[newnative]

Moved to Thailand from America in 2010.  We started in Rayong on the beach near Ban Phe.  Didn't last too long--just not enough to do and it was a fairly long drive in to Rayong to the stores like Home Pro.  No movie theater nearby and, actually, not many farangs around, either.  I was usually the only farang in Home Pro or the grocery store when we went shopping.  We ended up moving to Pattaya and it was the right move for us.  Some TV posters view Pattaya negatively and persist in insisting that it only has two things to offer--girls and bars.  However, we have friends like ourselves who live a very nice life here and never go near Walking Street, Soi 6, and the like.  In the seven years we have been here Pattaya has changed quite a bit--lots of nice, new hotels and condos have been built. Great housing choices whether you rent or buy--both in Pattaya itself and the quieter, outer areas.   A lot of ticky-tacky shacky type buildings have been torn down and replaced by nicer buildings.  New malls have opened and older malls, like Central Marina, have been beautifully re-done.  A number of family-type attractions have opened to join the ones already here--Harbor Mall has opened with lots of family entertainments such as an ice skating rink and roller skate rink, rock climbing wall, etc. Two big new waterparks opened--Cartoon Network and Ramayama.  Some nice, new restaurants--like The Chocolate Factory and Sky Gallery--have opened to join the wide variety of restaurants already here.  Two movie theaters playing movies in English are here--as are bowling alleys, lots of golf courses, and good public and private hospitals.   Terminal 21 is being built and it should be another great addition to a city that is changing for the better.  Anyway, maybe worth a look--there's a nice group of expats and retirees living here full and part-time. 

[champers]

I'll say Pattaya too. It is all things to all people and I like my new life in retirement at Naklua, where it is nice and quiet.

There is a huge range of restaurants, plenty of expat friendly supermarkets, cinemas, beaches, islands and an airport at U Tapoa that can transport you to other Thai cities and beyond. Avoiding the worst excesses of the city can be easily avoided or enjoyed, depending on your point of view and outlook on life.

Good luck, to you and yours, wherever you end up.

Edited June 1, 2017 by champers

[Mojomor]

Jomtien is much better than Pattaya, seeing as you already have a lady etc.

 

My 2 satangs worth.

 

[The Dark Lord]

Guys you are fabulous, thanks for the advice so far. Genuinely very appreciative!

 

i did not say ( by error) that we are looking to buy a place ( preferably detached house with a garden) I am retired (early)  and all spawn have flown the nest. Some voluntarily, some "by request" .

 

we are not avid people mixers but like to mix when it suits us. 

 

Both the the same age (circa mid 50's) and enjoy walking the beach, people watching, each other's company ( most of the time ), good internet.

 

we have given ourselves one year to find "the place"  and will spend about two weeks at each location savouring the area prior to final purchase. 

 

Understand it it is a bit cheeky but as we try each area, would love to catch up with our advisors ( you guys) for a cold one or two and a chat ( our cost) as we explore in more depth. 

 

Spent time in Patts and HH as visitors over the years but tough to get the right feel without local expert knowledge hence our request and thanks to you all so far. 

 

Interests range from the inevitable shopping, eating and talking ( current Mrs D Lord) to Pink Floyd, playing guitar, ( Mr D Lord) 

 

Current Mrs D Lord is indig Thai  but has lived with me in UK, Italy, Singapore etc as well as having travelled extensively ( and expensively - see shopping above) for over 17 years so is somewhat world wise. Me untypical Brit, disheartened by the lowering of basic moral standards in business and general life at home who left there in disgust but am not a "preacher" preferring to live with an each to his own attitude.

 

Looks like a fun year ahead!

 

cheers

Edited June 1, 2017 by The Dark Lord
Fast finger syndrome

[sanukjim]

Not near the beach but Min Buri is a great small town.Plenty of expats (Germans,English,Americans,Irish,Scots) with both Thai and farang families,good schools in the area ,only three bars here at soi 164 with a mixture of locals and farangs.I have been here 12 years and have seen no trouble ,robbers,house thefts or fights. several good restaurants.20 minutes to downtown Bangkok,15 minutes to the airport .

[williamgeorgeallen]

i would suggest renting for the first 10 years before considering buying. wish thats what i had done.

[Lone Ranger]

Have lived in Hua Hin for 5 yrs now & would highly recommend it.

 

It has everything you stated you both need plus not as sleazy as Pattaya-the sea is also clean as are the beaches.

 

I suggest you rent for a year then buy -the best beach is Koh Takiab so check out all the sois starting at the Water Park [there are several villages along the soi opp Watern Parkheading towards the mountains] just outside main town & work your way down Petchakasam main coastal road going south.

 

Another option but maybe too quiet is Pat Nam Prang which is 20 mins drive south of Hua Hin on the coast-stunning empty beaches & scenery,very peaceful -idyllic location.

 

Enjoy !

[garbolino]

1 hour ago, sanukjim said:

Not near the beach but Min Buri is a great small town.Plenty of expats (Germans,English,Americans,Irish,Scots) with both Thai and farang families,good schools in the area ,only three bars here at soi 164 with a mixture of locals and farangs.I have been here 12 years and have seen no trouble ,robbers,house thefts or fights. several good restaurants.20 minutes to downtown Bangkok,15 minutes to the airport .

how is minburi only 20 mins from downtown bkk MORE like 2 to 3 hrs drive ...traffic is always bad

[garbolino]

14 hours ago, beachproperty said:

My vote is for ......Rayong ....although its not Pattaya (that's a plus) , Pattaya is just an hour away

 

Doesn't flood

Mostly Thai with some falangs living here

Weather is the best in Thailand ....Not too hot ...get the cool sea breezes

Has all the amenities .....Makro, Tesco, Big C , Central Shopping Mall, Home Pro, Global, etc.

Has a vibrant Bar scene.....with live music

AND its just 1 1/2 - 2 hours from Bangkok

more like 3 hrs from BKK it takes 95 mins to get to airport using the bus from Jomtien and the aiport is 140 kms away centre of Bkk is about another 30 kms

[pegman]

From what you have written I think Jomtien checks all your boxes. The housing development just north of Rompho Market would fit what you are looking for.

[garbolino]

3 minutes ago, pegman said:

From what you have written I think Jomtien checks all your boxes. The housing development just north of Rompho Market would fit what you are looking for.

long way from beach NO baht taxis go there ....very very enclosed

[khunPer]

I'll suggest you shall invite Lady Dark Lord on outing to the South, and check the turnement areas by the sea, and spend a few days near each potential castle and fortress, because you will find many challenging options, but only some might include the right attractions for a Lord of the Dark.

 

Many foreigners settle in Hua Hin and Cha Am areas, and like – as suggested above – but there are also some of the islands to check, like Phuket and Samui, which might not be as isolated as the sound, and other areas further South like Krabi, all with a pleasant mix of expats and Thais, excellent beaches within reachable distance, good facilities for shopping end experience, etc.

 

Before I decided for the place to settle in LoS – and that included water and hopefully beach, shopping, relaxation, leisure activities, etc. – I toured around and visited a number of potential places. It's very individual what each of us find as the right mix – there one need touring – I happily found my "paradise" that way, and have not regretted my choice...

[LennyW]

Ban Chang is your best bet, not overly crowded, housing much cheaper than Pattaya or Rayong lots of new developments at keen prices, easy access to the airports, both Swampy and U tapao, be even easier soon when the 7 extension is finished as it ends at Ban Chang.

Lots of bars, restaurants , 3 beaches, Big Tesco and Tesco express's, 7/11 galore, International schools,  easy access to Pattaya about 40 minutes and Rayong 30 minutes.

The cost of living is definitely less than the bigger neighbours.

Check it out.

[beachproperty]

1 hour ago, garbolino said:

more like 3 hrs from BKK it takes 95 mins to get to airport using the bus from Jomtien and the aiport is 140 kms away centre of Bkk is about another 30 kms

Well...I guess you don't have a car . I do and made the trip to my house in Pravet (suburb of Bangkok ...close to Airport) many times. The usual trip at a causal speed is about 2 hr. If I do 120 kph I can do it in 1 and a half hours. 

 

Jomtien as you suggest is probably 1 1/2 hours away but Rayong city is right on highway 36 and Highway 36 goes into 7. A straight shot ....Its about 30 minutes to get to Highway 7 and then it is easy driving for about an hour.

[pegman]

2 hours ago, garbolino said:

long way from beach NO baht taxis go there ....very very enclosed

5 minute walk to Thappraya Road baht bus route and to Jomtien Beach. Maybe too long for you. Disabled are we? I lived in that area for 3 years and have walked that 1,000x. Seems every comment you have made has been shoot down. Time to give it up buddy. 

[craigt3365]

Are you more interested in a relatively quiet place or one closer to the action? Or some place in between?

[NanLaew]

Cha-am.

 

Then ride the ferry every 4-6 weeks to Pattaya for a reality check.

[sanmyn]

I live in an older condo building in Naklua, close enough to Pattaya. I am on the beach front and I love it. I have lived here twelve years, am 81 years old, single, active, and get out quite a bit. Our building has ten floors, two condos/floor, all four bedroom, four bath plans, I converted mine to 3bdrm/3 bath. I love Naklua. Email me for more details. "Gary", [email protected]....

[Nurseynutcase]

Ever thought about Phuket?  I live in Kata, don't ride a motorbike but cycle - 9 mins to the beach.  Live in a quiet area of Thais and some  short trem (holiday) farangs.

 

Local bar of Danes, Germans, Swiss and Swedes - all speak English.  A real old English pub full of ex-pats in Chalong if you want that kind of thing.  Many different restaurants serving all types of foods.  Big C, home pro a short motorbike ride away.  Macro now in Kata, beautiful fresh food market.  Fantastic fish market in Rawaii.

 

Shopping for the Missus?  Depends what sort of shopping, local markets or expensive shops - they are in Patong and Phuket town.

 

We rent - 15,000baht/month for 2 bed villa.

 

Have a great time looking around.

[The Dark Lord]

57 minutes ago, craigt3365 said:

Are you more interested in a relatively quiet place or one closer to the action? Or some place in between?

Somewhere in between. Having been in the Navy for several years and posted to Singapore for several more with responsibility for all of Asia  I have collected most t shirts, read most books , seen most films etc of the "fun side" and with a reasonably good Mrs D Lord by my side for the last 17 years have " hung up my guns" 

 

we do not want to be the Swiss Family Robinsons of the area but by the same token neither do we desire constant streams of visitors. . 

 

All your suggestions so far are pretty much along our thinking based on visits but your elaborations and comments are seriously helping us a great deal. 

 

Been living here here in LoS for a number of years already but in the desert wasteland of AIS SAN which whilst having some beautiful attractions just does not press the right buttons for me. 

 

Glad to read about the clean beaches and sea as I have salt water instead of blood running through my veins. Rayong is where the aircraft carrier is stationed is it not? Maybe to be joined by the subs soon. Does the USN or any other Navy visit often?

[The Dark Lord]

12 minutes ago, Nurseynutcase said:

Ever thought about Phuket?  I live in Kata, don't ride a motorbike but cycle - 9 mins to the beach.  Live in a quiet area of Thais and some  short trem (holiday) farangs.

 

Local bar of Danes, Germans, Swiss and Swedes - all speak English.  A real old English pub full of ex-pats in Chalong if you want that kind of thing.  Many different restaurants serving all types of foods.  Big C, home pro a short motorbike ride away.  Macro now in Kata, beautiful fresh food market.  Fantastic fish market in Rawaii.

 

Shopping for the Missus?  Depends what sort of shopping, local markets or expensive shops - they are in Patong and Phuket town.

 

We rent - 15,000baht/month for 2 bed villa.

 

Have a great time looking around.

Thanks, very much appreciated your time and effort to reply. 

 

been to Phuket many times and found it to be more and more expensive each time we went there. Also felt our ex soviet friends seemed to be on the rise to the detriment of those originating from further west. Have a number of friends in Phuket but had dismissed it due to cost and the aforementioned ingress.

 

will refloat the concept with the current Mrs D Lord when she gets back from the hairdressers ( how much time do they spend in the hairdressers over a lifetime.....)

 

cheers

[NanLaew]

A few of my peers who managed their finances and romances properly have the best of both worlds where they have the family home up in Isaan and either a condo or a second house down in Pattaya. They spend their time drifting back and forth and their biggest initial decision is which one of their two cars to leave at what home. Since the inter provincial drive is no longer the fun it used to be, they use the flights out of U-Tapao for their 'migrations'.

[The Dark Lord]

18 hours ago, beachproperty said:

My vote is for ......Rayong ....although its not Pattaya (that's a plus) , Pattaya is just an hour away

 

Doesn't flood

Mostly Thai with some falangs living here

Weather is the best in Thailand ....Not too hot ...get the cool sea breezes

Has all the amenities .....Makro, Tesco, Big C , Central Shopping Mall, Home Pro, Global, etc.

Has a vibrant Bar scene.....with live music

AND its just 1 1/2 - 2 hours from Bangkok

Many thanks for taking the time to respond, genuinely appreciated by both the current Mrs D Lord and the Dark Lord himself!

 

you are on our wavelength and certainly will, once we have sorted out a few issues up here, pay a visit to Rayong. As we get closer, could we contact you for more detailed suggestions based on your experience?

 

cheers

 

TDL

[The Dark Lord]

18 hours ago, newnative said:

Moved to Thailand from America in 2010.  We started in Rayong on the beach near Ban Phe.  Didn't last too long--just not enough to do and it was a fairly long drive in to Rayong to the stores like Home Pro.  No movie theater nearby and, actually, not many farangs around, either.  I was usually the only farang in Home Pro or the grocery store when we went shopping.  We ended up moving to Pattaya and it was the right move for us.  Some TV posters view Pattaya negatively and persist in insisting that it only has two things to offer--girls and bars.  However, we have friends like ourselves who live a very nice life here and never go near Walking Street, Soi 6, and the like.  In the seven years we have been here Pattaya has changed quite a bit--lots of nice, new hotels and condos have been built. Great housing choices whether you rent or buy--both in Pattaya itself and the quieter, outer areas.   A lot of ticky-tacky shacky type buildings have been torn down and replaced by nicer buildings.  New malls have opened and older malls, like Central Marina, have been beautifully re-done.  A number of family-type attractions have opened to join the ones already here--Harbor Mall has opened with lots of family entertainments such as an ice skating rink and roller skate rink, rock climbing wall, etc. Two big new waterparks opened--Cartoon Network and Ramayama.  Some nice, new restaurants--like The Chocolate Factory and Sky Gallery--have opened to join the wide variety of restaurants already here.  Two movie theaters playing movies in English are here--as are bowling alleys, lots of golf courses, and good public and private hospitals.   Terminal 21 is being built and it should be another great addition to a city that is changing for the better.  Anyway, maybe worth a look--there's a nice group of expats and retirees living here full and part-time. 

Hi and firstly many thanks for taking the time and effort to respond. As I say to all the kind folks who have taken the effort, the current Mrs Dark Lord and the Dark Lord himself are genuinely appreciative of your comments, advice and sharing of your experiences. 

 

We have relatives in Patts but as you so clearly point out there is Pattaya and there is Pattaya which are as alike as chalk and cheese. In my misspent youth I knew Pattaya well but in my autumnal years I would like to get to know the other Pattaya better to put it in the "serious consideration" list. 

 

Need to sort port out some things up here in the wastelands but once we have our plan to come down would you be open for a meet, a few cold ones one afternoon or evening such that we could get some more ideas on specific  areas to look at / avoid?

 

no pressure and no offence will be taken if you prefer to remain anonymous 

 

cheers

 

TDL

[JSixpack]

Lot of good points about Pattaya have been mentioned but an important one: medical care. Pattaya has 3 international hospitals and a public. Others are not so far away. Though the best care is in Bangkok, I think only Chiang Mai can offer much competition otherwise.

[Encid]

I prefer the Eastern seaboard over the Hua Hin area... there is always a sea breeze here wheras Hua Hin is always hot and humid.

As has already been mentioned, Pattaya almost matches Bangkok with the plethora of restaurants ranging from basic Thai to 5 star, lots of western style supermarkets and shopping centres, and great dental and medical facilities.

Swampy international airport is only 1.5 hours away by car and Utapau airport is only 30 minutes down the road to Sattahip.

 

I would recommend the Najomtien area... south of the city but only a short 15-20 minute drive into central Pattaya.

Much cleaner beaches, cheaper housing, less traffic, and much quieter.

 

 

/Edit: I forgot to ask... do you play golf?

There are no less than 26 golf courses within a hour's drive from Pattaya.

Edited June 2, 2017 by Encid

[The Dark Lord]

28 minutes ago, Encid said:

I prefer the Eastern seaboard over the Hua Hin area... there is always a sea breeze here wheras Hua Hin is always hot and humid.

As has already been mentioned, Pattaya almost matches Bangkok with the plethora of restaurants ranging from basic Thai to 5 star, lots of western style supermarkets and shopping centres, and great dental and medical facilities.

Swampy international airport is only 1.5 hours away by car and Utapau airport is only 30 minutes down the road to Sattahip.

 

I would recommend the Najomtien area... south of the city but only a short 15-20 minute drive into central Pattaya.

Much cleaner beaches, cheaper housing, less traffic, and much quieter.

 

 

/Edit: I forgot to ask... do you play golf?

There are no less than 26 golf courses within a hour's drive from Pattaya.

Hi Big E and thanks for taking the time and effort to respond, Both  the current Mrs D Lord as well as the Dark Lord himself very much appreciated the display of human kindness. 

 

Do I play golf? Well I have a set of clubs, I have taken lessons and hold / held a handicap card for Nad Al Sheba golf course in Dubai but if what I do falls under the heading of playing golf is very much a matter for great discussion and often hilarity. 

 

Probably best described as a most enthusiastic beginner!

 

 

Edited June 2, 2017 by The Dark Lord
Anomaly in the matrix