| The beach that never sleeps |
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The climate is tropical and warm all year round. Monsoon winds are sometimes accompanied by rain. However, it can be very hot from March to June. From July to September, the temperature ranges from 32 to 38 degrees. It is cool from November to February. Pattaya is a mere two-hour drive from Bangkok, Thailand’s capital, on Sukhumvit Highway via Bangna, Bangpakong, Chonburi and Sri Racha. Travel around Pattaya is most convenient by mini-bus. Motorcycle and car rentals are easy to find. Boat trips to islands nearby are available everyday. Pattaya’ accommodation facilities suit every budget. Facilities range from the air-conditioned, beachside opulence of some of Asia’s finest hotels to the basic simplicity of friendly guesthouses. They range from budget rooms to five-star hotels and resorts. Room rates start from Bt200 for a simple guesthouse to Bt20,000 up for five-star hotels. Pattaya has many expatriate residents, and is essentially an international tourist resort and expanding city, so the Thai population itself is very internationalized. Most notices are in English as well as Thai and some signboards are in German and even Russian. Most vendors are used to non-Thai speakers and are ready with at least a smattering of English or German and a smile. |
