Pattaya Beach
Pattaya's 2.7 km city beach along Beach Road, from the Dusit Thani in the north to Walking Street in the south, with baht buses and the Koh Larn ferry at its end.
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Best rated within a 7-minute walk
Finding your way around Pattaya Beach
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North to south along Beach Road
- North end · Dolphin roundabout
- The beach starts at the Dusit Thani hotel, where Beach Road meets North Pattaya Road at the Dolphin roundabout. The baht buses begin their one-way run south down Beach Road here.
- Center · Central Pattaya
- Central Pattaya, which opened in 2009 as CentralFestival Pattaya Beach, fills the block between Beach Road and Second Road at Beach Soi 9, with the Hilton tower above it. Mike Shopping Mall is a few minutes south past the Central Pattaya Road junction, and Royal Garden Plaza a little further on.
- The sand
- About 2.7 km of beach runs between the two ends. Erosion had cut it to a strip a few meters wide until the Marine Department rebuilt it in 2018 with sand dredged from the seabed off Koh Rang Kwian. Floods in a bad rainy season still wash sand off sections of it, and the city refills them afterward.
- South end · Walking Street
- Beach Road ends at South Pattaya Road, where Walking Street begins and runs out to Bali Hai pier, the departure point for the Koh Larn ferries.
- Above the bay · Pattaya City sign
- The PATTAYA CITY letters stand on Pratumnak Hill above Bali Hai pier. The viewpoint below them takes in the whole curve of the bay, and entry is free.
Getting there and around
- The dark-blue baht buses (songthaews) run one way south along Beach Road from the Dolphin roundabout to Walking Street and come back north on Second Road. A ride on that loop costs ฿15, and the longer runs out to Jomtien or Naklua cost ฿20.
- Hail one going your way, press the buzzer to stop and pay at the driver's window. Don't name a destination before you climb in, because asking turns the shared ride into a private charter at a charter price.
- Walking the whole beach from the Dolphin roundabout to Walking Street takes about 35 minutes.
- The public ferry to Koh Larn leaves Bali Hai pier, ฿30 one way and about 45 minutes.
Details
Tours that include Pattaya Beach
Guided visits and day-tour combos that include Pattaya Beach.
Why go, and how to do it well
Pattaya Beach is the city's main beach, about 2.7 km of sand along Beach Road from the Dusit Thani hotel at the Dolphin roundabout to the start of Walking Street. Central Pattaya mall fills a block in the middle, and hotels, bars and restaurants line the road the whole way. Erosion had cut the sand to a strip a few meters wide until it was rebuilt in 2018 with sand dredged from the seabed.
I'd treat it as a beach for a lounger, a walk and the sunset rather than for swimming. Environmental assessments rate the water off the central beach as poor, and it's worst after heavy rain when the streets drain into the bay. For a swim, take the 45-minute ferry from Bali Hai pier to Koh Larn, ฿30 each way. Jet skis, parasailing and banana boats work the front, and if you rent a jet ski, film it with the operator watching before you set off, because the damage scam is the known risk.
The south end runs into Walking Street, Pattaya's nightlife strip, which carries on out to Bali Hai pier. Above the pier on Pratumnak Hill stands the PATTAYA CITY sign, and the free viewpoint below it takes in the whole curve of the bay.
Written by Mac Kiley · Updated Oct 2026
Tours that include Pattaya Beach
Guided visits and day-tour combos that include Pattaya Beach.
Around here, on foot
Well-rated places within a short walk of Pattaya Beach, nearest first. Minutes are at an easy pace in the heat.
- 1 minShibuya PattayaRestaurants & Food · 90 m · 4.4★
- 2 minLisa on the beachNightlife & Bars · 150 m · 4.5★
- 3 minHard Rock Cafe PattayaNightlife & Bars · 220 m · 4.4★
- 3 minRolling Live 3Nightlife & Bars · 240 m · 4.6★
- 4 minHorizon Rooftop Restaurant and BarRestaurants & Food · 290 m · 4.5★
- 4 minDriftRestaurants & Food · 310 m · 4.6★
Experience hints
Pair your visit. After Pattaya Beach, round out your day in Pattaya with contrasting stops nearby.
Reviews from Google
Lots of activities as mentioned in the day time like para-sailing, banana boat, jet ski. For me, my objective is the annual firework display by invited international pyrotechnic team from around the world. 3rd years in a row attending this event, Road closure and local authorities are stepping up their A game to ease end of event bottlenecks. The orderly the home crowd displays really attracts me to come back for more. Thumbs up to the Thais for being so orderly and well manner during the event. Saturday night is always the highlight of the event with the biggest crowd on the beach since its convenient for Thai. Options for viewing are like 1. paying premium to get a seating in the nearby restaurant. 2.rent a beach chair which requires you to be at the beach like 4pm onwards. 3. Hotel room facing the central beach. 4. Sit on the beach. Had tried it all..
A beautiful beach but only till evening 6 pm. After that it becomes a hub for illicit activity; girls every where looking for clients. It has a large foot path for walking and there are different variety of seating options where you can get thai food, drinks and coconut.
Beautiful in the day & night During the day there are many lounger chairs to rent & sit under the shade watching the sea. The coconuts are a very refreshing drink. The atmosphere is nice & chilled. 😍😎🇹🇭
A sample of visitor reviews from Google. Read all 5,207 reviews on Google.
Pattaya Beach, Chon Buri, Thailand
Open in Google MapsMore beaches nearby
All within 3.8 km of Pattaya Beach.
North Pattaya Beach
Wong Amat Beach
Paradise Beach Pattaya
Pratumnak Beach
Tips for Visiting Beaches
Go Early for Empty Sand
Even the busiest beaches are nearly deserted before 9 AM. A sunrise walk is the best hour of the day on the sand, and you'll beat the heat for a morning swim.
Use Reef-Safe Sunscreen
Many Thai marine parks ban chemical sunscreens that damage coral. Bring reef-safe (mineral/zinc-based) sunscreen from home — it's harder to find and pricier in Thailand.
Pattaya Beach: Frequently Asked Questions
Can you swim at Pattaya Beach?
You can, but I wouldn't make swimming the reason to come. Environmental assessments rate the water off the central beaches as poor, mostly because of wastewater, and it is worst after heavy rain when floodwater runs off the streets into the bay. For swimming, Koh Larn is a 45-minute ferry from Bali Hai pier.
How long is Pattaya Beach?
About 2.7 km, from the Dusit Thani at the Dolphin roundabout in the north to the start of Walking Street in the south. It takes about 35 minutes to walk end to end, or one ฿15 baht-bus ride down Beach Road.
Is it safe to rent a jet ski on Pattaya Beach?
The known risk is the damage scam. After the ride the operator points to scratches or dents and demands ฿10,000 to ฿50,000 or more in repairs. Photograph or film the whole ski with the operator watching before you set off, and if a dispute starts, call the Tourist Police on 1155 instead of paying on the spot.
Is this the same as Pattaya Beach on Koh Lipe?
No. Koh Lipe, a small island in the Andaman Sea near the Malaysian border, has its own Pattaya Beach on its south coast, where most boats to the island land. It is a different beach in a different sea, a full day's travel from Pattaya city.
Is Pattaya Beach worth visiting?
Pattaya Beach holds a 4.4★ rating from 5,207 Google reviews — a strong rating for beaches in Pattaya.
When is the best time to visit Pattaya Beach?
The best months to visit Pattaya are November – February, with the most reliable weather. Crowds peak in December – January — going early in the day usually means fewer people. Months to think twice about: September – October (wettest months).
Where is Pattaya Beach located?
Pattaya Beach is at Pattaya Beach, Chon Buri, Thailand, in Pattaya. Getting around Pattaya: Baht buses (songthaews on fixed routes); Grab (widely available).
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