Pattaya

Questions carved in wood: the Sanctuary of Truth

The Sanctuary of Truth is a vast wooden building on a seaside cape in Naklua. It was founded by Lek Viriyaphan, who also created the Ancient City Museum and the Erawan Museum, and construction began in 1981. The official website's home page still shows a running count of the years, months and days since work started. Lek believed Western science had made life more convenient than ever but couldn't nurture the human mind, so he looked to philosophy and art for a way to do that. That's why the carvings here feel less like decoration and more like questions: Who are we? Where do we come from? How should we live? The route follows them from carvings of earth, water, wind and fire to the pillars that ring the sanctuary. The whole building is carved from wood. For the largest timbers, grooves were cut and wedges driven in instead of metal nails — no nail was long enough to hold pieces that size. From a viewpoint on a nearby hill, the sanctuary looks as if it's floating on the sea beyond the trees. Give it two to four hours; guided tours run at set times for each language. Adult admission is 500 baht by day and 700 baht for the night tour after sunset. You'll need to wear a hard hat inside, and if you're showing a lot of skin, you can borrow a shawl or sarong (200-baht deposit).

Same sea, different beaches

Pattaya's coastline changes character from one neighborhood to the next. • Pattaya Beach — the center, curving a long way along Beach Road. This is where hotels and restaurants are packed most tightly. • Naklua and Wong Amat — the north. Close to the sanctuary and the seafood market, with quieter nights. • Pratumnak — the hill between the center and Jomtien, with small coves, a viewpoint and a temple with a big Buddha. • Jomtien — a long beach stretching south, noticeably calmer. It's the most useful split when you're choosing where to stay: base yourself in the center if your plans revolve around the nights, and go north or south if the sea and some rest come first.

Ko Lan: a day across the water

Look out to sea from town and the first island you'll notice is Ko Lan, also called Coral Island. Boats leave from Bali Hai Pier at the southern end of Walking Street. On the island, you get between the beaches by motorbike taxi or songthaew. Walk past the busy beach by the landing and on to the smaller ones farther away: the crowds thin out and the afternoon under your umbrella gets quieter. Boat times vary by route and season, so check when the last boat back leaves as soon as you land.

A table by the sea

If you're picking one meal in Pattaya, make it seafood. Lan Pho Market in Naklua sets up right beside the sea, with stall after stall that will grill or steam whatever fish, prawns, crab or shellfish you choose. A whole salt-grilled fish, eaten on a plastic stool in the sea breeze, is about as Pattaya as a meal gets. At seafood restaurants in town, the standards are poo pad pong curry — crab stir-fried with egg and curry powder — and sour, spicy tom yum goong. For something lighter, pair som tam (green papaya salad) and gai yang (charcoal-grilled chicken) from a roadside stall with sticky rice. Roll a little rice between your fingers and dip it in the som tam juices — that's how it's done in Isan, Thailand's northeast.

A hill at sunset, a street at night

As the sun gets low, head up to Pattaya Viewpoint on Khao Phra Tamnak. The curve of Pattaya Bay spreads out below, and after sunset the lights come on one by one along the beach. Wat Phra Yai, with its big golden Buddha, sits on the same hill, so the two go well together. Back down the hill, Walking Street starts at the southern end of the beach. Live music and touts' calls mix under the neon, and the crowds grow as the night goes on. Most of what lines the street is bars and clubs, so if you're traveling as a family, one walk-through just after dark is plenty.

Getting there and getting around

From central Bangkok, buses to Pattaya leave from Ekkamai (Eastern Bus Terminal) and Mo Chit (Northern Bus Terminal). Pattaya is about 150 km from Bangkok, roughly two hours by road. In town, songthaews — also known as baht buses — do most of the work. They're pickup trucks running set routes in one direction along Beach Road and Second Road: wave one down, press the buzzer on the ceiling when you want to get off, and pay the driver. Ask to go off the route and you're effectively hiring the whole truck, so agree on a price before you get in. With luggage or late at night, a ride-hailing app like Grab is easier.

A 3-night, 4-day itinerary

Day 1 — Bus from Bangkok or the airport → check in → sunset at Pattaya Viewpoint → a stroll down Walking Street Day 2 — Boat from Bali Hai Pier to Ko Lan → an afternoon on a beach away from the landing → seafood dinner in town Day 3 — Morning at the Sanctuary of Truth (2–4 hours) → seafood lunch at Lan Pho Market → an evening walk on Jomtien Beach Day 4 — Morning at Wat Phra Yai → check out → back to Bangkok or the airport

What to eat

• Grilled seafood (Lan Pho Market, Naklua)
• Poo pad pong curry (crab with egg and curry powder)
• Som tam and gai yang (papaya salad, grilled chicken)
• Tom yum goong (sour, spicy prawn soup)

Handy tips

• Fill in the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) online within three days before you arrive, arrival day included, and show the confirmation email at immigration.
• Using or carrying any e-cigarette, including liquid and heated-tobacco types, is illegal in Thailand. South Korea's foreign ministry notes that enforcement cases come up fairly often in Pattaya.
• Buses to Pattaya North Bus Terminal leave from Suvarnabhumi Airport, 1st floor near Door 8 (135 baht, about 2 hours). The last departure from the airport is at 6:30 p.m., so if you land at night, arrange other transport ahead of time.