1. Tiffany’s Ladyboy Cabaret Show is the first cabaret show in Southeast Asia performed exclusively by transvestites. Starting in 1974 with only three performers, the Tiffany’s show cast has since grown to more than 100 performers adorned in elaborate costumes performing in the company’s own 1,000-seat theater. With any raunchiness toned down, the show is now deemed safe for all ages and encompasses a wide range of styles ranging from a history of Siam told through dance to Broadway musicals and even a Bollywood-style number.
2. The Ripley’s Believe It or Not museum features over 300 exhibits from the collection of Robert Ripley, the creator of the internationally-famed books about world oddities. Located at the third floor of the Royal Garden Plaza, the museum has ten galleries featuring all manner of strange and shocking exhibits, such as genuine human shrunken heads and a mask made entirely of human skin, as well as more benign curiosities such as a model of the Titanic made from more than a million matchsticks.
3. The Alangkarn Theater is a must for tourists wanting to see the hottest cultural shows in Pattaya City. The 2,000-seat theater is adorned with modern Thai décor and features the 70 meter long Hexa Stage which has a host of state-of-the-art facilities such as a gigantic movie screen and high-tech light and sound systems that include digital synchronized pyrotechnics as well as multi-colored laser animation. And viewers can treat themselves to delicious local and international cuisine at the theater restaurant before or after the show or go shopping for souvenirs in the Cultural Rostrum, which features a wide variety of traditional handicrafts.
4. The Marine Science Aquarium and Museum of the Bang Sen Institute of Marine Science is the ideal educational destination for visitors wanting to learn more about local marine life. Designed to educate visitors about marine life and the marine environment, the Marine Science Aquarium features a large collection of marine life, including crustaceans, fish and vegetation. And the museum is conveniently located near the Bangsaen Beach, one of Pattaya’s most laid-back and affordable beaches.
5. Mini Siam in Pattaya City is one of the world’s most unique attractions – a park that features over a hundred miniature replicas of famous sites worldwide. Divided into two sites – Mini Siam and Mini Europe – you can not only see such familiar attractions as the Statue of Liberty and the Eiffel Tower, but also famous structures from Thai history, including the Temple of the Emerald Buddha and Sukhotai’s Wat Mahathat to more modern creations like the Hualamphong Train Station and the Rama IX suspension-cable bridge.
When deciding which Pattaya resort to book, it is very important to understand the differences between the two main beachfronts of the city, since they have their own distinct characters that would appeal to different types of tourists.
Pattaya Beach is considered the more sedate of the two beachfronts, ideal for families or for those who just want to have a quiet getaway. But this does not mean that the area is dead, since tourists looking for something livelier can venture to the southern side of the Beach, which is one of the major hubs of Pattaya’s nightlife and has a wealth of bars, restaurants and nightclubs, as well as the ubiquitous souvenir shops. Many hotels and guesthouses are also located here, since the area is within walking distance from the beaches.
If you want to have fun in Pattaya Beach, you have to love the water, since there is a wide variety of water sports that you can try out, including jet skiing, paragliding and wind surfing as well as taking a ride on a slippery banana boat. But if water sports are not your thing, you can simply rent a deck chair and umbrella and lean back and watch the world go buy or read that book you’ve been meaning to finish. And you can try out a variety of Thai street food from the vendors who are making their rounds up and down the beach all day. Many mid-range Pattaya resort hotels can be found at Pattaya Beach, where rates are comparatively cheaper than in the rowdier and more energetic Central and South Pattaya areas.
And speaking of South Pattaya, Pattaya Beach visitors can stroll down there when night falls to enjoy its lively nightlife. Bar hoppers can go to Walking Street, a strip of road that is shut off to traffic at night and has many beer bars and clubs, some of which even have live entertainment, as well as Pattaya’s raunchy go-go bars, where you can see scantily-clad girls performing in everything from lingerie to body paint. But the area is also home to many family-friendly transvestite cabarets such as Tiffany’s and Alcazar, who stage glitzy and exotic shows.
Jomtien Beach, in contrast, is more well-known for the many cultural attractions that can be found there. These include the Pattaya Elephant Village, Floating Market, Noch Nooch Botanical Garden and Bottle Art Museum. And a short drive will take you to the Three Kingdoms Theme Park, whose exhibits are inspired by a traditional Chinese epic and the Buddhist shrine Wat Yansangwararam, where relics of the Lord Buddha as well as a replica of the Buddha’s footprints can be found.
But Jomtien also has a bustling nightlife that is sure to appeal to partiers and carousers. The area is also home to many of Pattaya’s gay bars as well as a popular transvestite show called Star-Treff Travestie. But those looking for more glamorous entertainment can try out Alangkarn, an extravagant Las Vegas-type show that spotlights Thailand’s history and has a cast of over 150 performers as well as live elephants. Many affordable Pattaya resort hotels can also be found here.