City vs its beach · 90 minutes apart
Bangkok vs Pattaya: which is better for your trip?
Bangkok, unless you specifically want a beach: Pattaya is a two-night add-on, not an alternative, and it's 90 minutes from Bangkok's airport.
- Destination
- Bangkok
- Pattaya
- Budget day
- ฿1,200
- ฿1,100
- Mid-range day
- ฿3,000
- ฿2,800
- Best months
- November – February
- November – February
- Crowds
- Very High
- High
- Listed here
- 783 places
- 452 places
By Mac Kiley · Updated Sep 13, 2026
Pick Bangkok if…
- You're here for the city: temples, food, markets, rooftops
- Your trip is short
- You don't need a beach to enjoy a holiday
Pick Pattaya if…
- You want sea air after Bangkok without flying
- Nightlife, or a long stay in Jomtien, is the goal
- You'd like Koh Larn's beaches and the Sanctuary of Truth
Why I'd choose that way
Pattaya is effectively Bangkok's beach, and that's how to treat it. Bangkok has the depth: 400-plus temples, the Grand Palace, Chatuchak, Chinatown's food, the river, and a nightlife scene that runs from Thonglor jazz to Khao San chaos. Costs are close; Pattaya is marginally cheaper on paper.
Pattaya's pitch is beach access without a flight, an upgraded promenade, the Sanctuary of Truth, Nong Nooch, Koh Larn's clear water, and quieter Jomtien and Bang Saray for long-stayers and families. Central Pattaya is still Walking Street; know that going in.
If your trip is a week or less, spend it in Bangkok and take a day or two in Pattaya only if you want sea. If you have longer and want a real beach holiday, fly to Phuket, Krabi or Samui instead.
Bangkok vs Pattaya at a glance
| Factor | Bangkok | Pattaya |
|---|---|---|
| Budget day | ฿1,200 · $37 | ฿1,100 · $34 |
| Mid-range day | ฿3,000 · $92 | ฿2,800 · $86 |
| Mid-range hotel | ฿2,000 · $61 | ฿2,000 · $61 |
| Best months | November – February | November – February |
| Rainy months | May – October | May – October |
| Avoid | April – May (peak heat) | June – October (rainy, rough seas) |
| Temperature | 25–34°C | 24–33°C |
| Crowds | Very High · peak December & January | High · peak December – January |
| Best for | Food, temples, markets, nightlife | Bangkok's nearest beach, nightlife, Jomtien for families |
| Beach | None; Hua Hin or Pattaya are ~3 hrs away | Pattaya Beach, Jomtien; Koh Larn by ferry |
| Nights | Thailand's biggest: rooftops to Khao San | Big: Walking Street |
| Getting there | Fly into BKK or DMK, direct from most major cities | ~1.5 hr from Suvarnabhumi; ~2 hr bus from Ekkamai |
Daily figures are typical totals for a hostel or mid-range hotel, food, local transport and one activity; they move with season. USD at ฿32.6. Full breakdown on the Thailand travel costs page.
What you'd actually do there
The best-known places on each side, one per kind, plus a hidden gem. Ratings re-sync from Google monthly.
BangkokVery High crowds
Wat Phra KaewTemples & Culture4.7(43,722)
Chatuchak Weekend MarketMarkets & Shopping4.4(56,311)
Siam Kempinski Hotel BangkokHotels & Resorts4.7(6,977)
OMG Bar BangkokNightlife & Bars Hidden gem5.0(457)
- Over 400 Buddhist temples including Wat Phra Kaew, Wat Pho, and Wat Arun
- Chatuchak Weekend Market — one of the world's largest with 15,000+ stalls
- Street food capital: from ฿40 pad kra pao to Michelin-starred Jay Fai
PattayaHigh crowds
Elephant Jungle Sanctuary Pattaya Camp 1Activities & Tours4.8(1,468)
The Sanctuary of Truth MuseumTemples & Culture4.7(46,481)
Central PattayaRestaurants & Food4.5(37,725)
SPA ZENITH ThailandWellness & Spas Hidden gem5.0(95)
- Sanctuary of Truth — a 105-meter hand-carved wooden temple, under construction since 1981
- Koh Larn island — turquoise water and white sand beaches, 45 minutes by ferry
- Walking Street — Southeast Asia's most famous nightlife strip, 1 km of neon
The day trips that decide it
What each place is a base for. Real prices and dates are on the partner.
BangkokTemples, canals and food tours
Most bookings cancel free up to 24 hours ahead
See tours and pricesPattayaSanctuary of Truth and Koh Larn trips
Most bookings cancel free up to 24 hours ahead
See tours and pricesAlso on Klook:Bangkok toursPattaya tours
Doing both Bangkok and Pattaya
Hourly buses from Ekkamai (฿148, about 2 hours), an airport-direct bus to Jomtien, or the famous ฿31 slow train. It's Thailand's easiest intercity hop.
Bangkok to Pattaya: bus, airport shuttle or the ฿31 trainBookable departures · refreshed daily
Bangkok → Pattaya: departure times you can book now
Every departure currently on sale through 12Go for this route, by class. Fares are the spread across the classes shown; the exact price for a seat and date is on the booking page.
Bus
| Class | Departures |
|---|---|
| Express | 05:00, 06:00, 06:30, 08:00, 09:00, 09:30, 10:00, 10:30, 11:00, 12:00, 13:00, 14:00, 15:00, 16:00, 16:30, 17:00, 18:00, 19:00, 20:00, 21:00 |
| Class | Departures |
|---|---|
| Express | 07:00, 08:00, 09:00, 10:00, 11:00, 12:00, 13:00, 14:00, 15:00, 16:00, 17:00, 18:00, 19:00, 20:00, 21:00 |
| VIP 24 | 08:30, 10:30, 12:30, 14:30, 16:30, 18:00 |
Minivan
| Class | Departures |
|---|---|
| Regional 14pax | 07:00, 08:00, 08:30, 08:50, 09:00, 09:15, 09:30, 10:00, 10:30, 10:40, 11:00, 11:30, 12:00, 12:15, 12:30, 13:00, 13:30, 14:00, 14:30, 15:00, 15:30, 16:00, 16:30, 17:00, 17:30, 18:30, 19:00, 19:30 |
| Regional Van | 08:00, 10:00, 11:00, 12:00, 13:00, 14:00, 15:00, 16:00, 17:00, 18:00, 19:00 |
Flight
| Class | Departures |
|---|---|
| Economy | 06:10, 06:30, 07:00, 07:30, 08:10, 10:30, 12:40 |
Times and fares as sold on 12Go, refreshed daily. Services sold only locally — ordinary trains, weekend excursion trains, walk-up pier tickets — are not listed; see the table above for those. Sponsored link: we may earn a commission when you book, at no extra cost to you.
Bangkok or Pattaya: the questions people ask
Is Pattaya worth visiting from Bangkok?
For two nights, if you want a beach without a flight, or for the Sanctuary of Truth and Koh Larn. Not as a replacement for the islands further south.
How do I get from Bangkok to Pattaya?
Bus from Ekkamai (hourly, ฿148, about 2 hours), a direct bus from Suvarnabhumi to Jomtien, a ฿31 slow train, or a taxi. Skip the airport taxi touts.
Is Pattaya cheaper than Bangkok?
Marginally: about ฿1,100 a day on a budget against ฿1,200, and ฿2,800 against ฿3,000 mid-range.
Can I stay in Pattaya and day-trip to Bangkok?
You can, but the traffic makes it a long day. Do it the other way: base in Bangkok and give Pattaya its own night or two.
Written by
Mac Kiley
I lived in Bangkok for four years and traveled the country from there. The guides are my own opinions, written the way I'd explain them to a friend planning a trip.
More about Mac