The Best Day Trips From Pattaya

When friends visit and want to get out of the city for a day, these are the places I send them.

Bang Saray

If you've got a car and one free day, this is where I'd go first. It's a quaint little fishing village that reminds me of Pattaya 10 or 20 years ago. You can walk around, the beach is nice, and there are plenty of seafood restaurants for lunch.

Koh Lan

No car? Take the boat to Koh Lan, about 30 minutes from Pattaya. I've written more about it in the best beaches around Pattaya.

Koh Samet

Beautiful, with really nice beaches. It's about an hour to an hour and a half's drive to the pier at Ban Phe, plus a short ferry. I went recently with my parents and loved it.

Koh Si Chang

A quieter island off Sriracha with a more Thai feel. Not much in the way of roads or restaurants, but a really nice day out.

Khao Chamao waterfall

The closest waterfall I'd say is really worth seeing. I've been three or four times. It's a fair drive, around two hours, and then a steep 2-kilometre hike up to the waterfall and back down, so you need to be fairly active.

Khao Chi Chan, the Buddha on the mountain

A huge Buddha image carved into the hillside, and worth seeing. It's not really a full day trip, more something you can see in a couple of hours, so combine it with lunch and a few other stops.

What I'd skip

Bangkok as a day trip. It's about two hours each way, so you'd have to leave very early to make it worthwhile. Give it a night or two instead.

I'd also skip Silverlake, the vineyard. Last I heard it was pretty much closed, so check before you go.

What to bring

Sun cream and sunglasses are musts, and a hat is worth thinking about. Water too, though you'll find a 7-Eleven almost everywhere, and it sells pretty much everything you'd need for a day out, including sun cream.

Drive yourself or take a taxi?

For a full day in one place, like Nong Nooch, a taxi there and back works fine. But if you plan to stop at the Buddha mountain, then lunch, then a 7-Eleven, then a temple on the way back, rent a car. It gives you the flexibility. Just work out how many stops you're likely to make.

If you'd like a car for the day, Pattaya Rent a Car can help. Before you go, read driving in Pattaya, and for things to do in town, things to do in Pattaya.