Pattaya is a popular Beach resort on the Gulf of Thailand, just 150 km southeast of Bangkok –a mere two-hour drive. Pattaya's pulsating NIGHTLIFE is well known, but Local authorities have, in recent years, improved the quality of the beaches and reinvented the resort as a more family-friendly destination. Vibrant, colourful, loud, smoky, bustling, exciting, turbo-charged, and conversely, often peaceful…all these adjectives appropriately describe Bangkok. Known as Krungthep in Thai; Bangkok, with a population of around eight million, is the first port of call for most visitors to Thailand.
Most first-timers see this city as one caught between the past and the present. Ancient temples and modern shopping malls comprise Thailand's capital, and Buddhist monks and regulars of Patpong (Bangkok's red light district) share the city's streets. The contrast can result in an exhilarating yet chaotic setting.
With that said, Bangkok's dynamic environment requires a lot of energy. Consistently hot weather and persistent crowds take their toll on unprepared visitors. Yes, the city seems to boil over with everything from humidity to humanity, but it's this exotic overabundance that charms travelers. Here, you'll find the world's largest open-air market, a world-class aquarium housed in an eight-level shopping mall, a 150-foot golden Buddha statue and so much more. It's a city of vast surprises, so savor its delightful incongruity.
