Krathing Lai Beach

The wooden temple sitting out over the water on its pier is what makes this one worth the trip. Most beaches around Pattaya give you sand, deckchairs and someone trying to sell you something. This one gives you a tree-lined promenade with actual shade, a slower pace, and a bit of architecture that stops you and makes you look.

I'd come late afternoon. It faces west, so the light goes gold across the water and the walk along the promenade turns into the reason you came rather than a way to fill an hour. It's a strolling beach more than a swimming-and-sunbathing beach, and that's the point. If you want jet skis and beer buckets, stay closer to the city center. If you've had a few days of that and need the volume turned down, this is where I'd send you.