Phuket or Pattaya in early July. Where is it better to relax - Pattaya or Phuket? Housing prices in Pattaya

Where is better - Pattaya or Phuket? We did a big comparison of the two major resorts Thailand based on various criteria (sea, beach, prices for hotels and food, transport, flights), they wrote a review and made conclusions about where it is better to go on vacation.

Phuket and Pattaya - two the most important resort. Usually tourists choose between them, because few people fly to Krabi or Koh Phangan. We decided to help our readers with their choice - read and choose where it is better to relax.

Prices are indicated for the high (winter) season.

Exchange rate: 1 Thai baht (THB) ≈ 2 RUB.

Pattaya or Phuket: sea

Phuket. The sea is a million times better than in Pattaya! It is clean, you can see crabs and colorful fish swimming in schools in the shallow water. Diving and snorkeling are common. The entrance is flat almost everywhere, which is convenient for vacationers with children. The color of the water is rich blue.

Pattaya. The sea is a green turbidity with garbage. I don't want to go into the water. There are several beaches where the situation is better - Jomtien, Wong Amat, Pratamnak. Behind clear sea you need to sail to neighboring islands - Koh Larn, for example. It seems that everyone goes there to swim, since in Pattaya tourists exclusively sunbathe. The sea on the island is cleaner, but it is expensive to sail there every day: 2 hours and 120 baht per day for two are spent on ferry travel, plus food, drinks and fruit on the island are more expensive.

Clear water on the secluded Kata Noi beach in Phuket.
Jomtien Beach in Pattaya.

Beaches in Phuket and Pattaya: where is better?

Phuket. For a relaxing holiday, go to Phuket - the beaches there are picturesque and clean. Even one unloved by tourists was rehabilitated. This is not a paradise place, but the most comfortable place in Phuket for living and relaxing. Individual praises can be sung to the sand and silver pieces.

There are many beaches on the island - you can choose the one that suits you. We liked Kata Noi, Nai Harn, Yanui, Banana Beach and Mai Khao.

Pattaya. We didn't like the beaches of Pattaya. They are almost all dirty, crowded and noisy. Even if you manage to retire, traders will overtake you. The sand is the most common yellow. The central beach is lined with paid sunbeds and umbrellas.

Where better beaches , in Pattaya or Phuket? Our opinion is that Phuket is much cleaner and more beautiful.

Banana Beach in Phuket is small, secluded and beautiful.

Central Beach is the busiest in Pattaya.

Sights of Phuket and Pattaya

Phuket. Phuket's attractions are predominantly natural - numerous idyllic islands, beaches and observation decks. Besides this, there is Big Buddha, Wat Chalong temple, Old city Phuket Town, Soi Bangla and colorful shows and performances. The main attractions are other islands: Phi Phi, James Bond, Similan, etc. Most people go there on excursions.

Pattaya. It is richer in attractions: islands, Temple of Truth, elephant village, floating market, Khao Kaew Zoo, Alangkarn Theater, Nong Nooch Tropical Park, etc. Much of this can be seen on a bike.

Pattaya has a convenient location - it’s only about two hours away by bus, and that’s where there is freedom for lovers cultural recreation! In addition, from Pattaya you can get to Ayutthaya - ancient capital kingdom of Ayutthaya.

Last minute tours to Thailand. Which is cheaper: Pattaya or Phuket?

Vacation packages to Thailand can be very cheap! Often a ready-made tour package costs as much as an air ticket. See examples in.

Last minute tours for two to Pattaya from Moscow for 7-10 nights in high season can be found from only 60 thousand rubles! Vacation packages to Phuket usually cost the same or a little more. Tours are cheaper in summer.

Travel packages from St. Petersburg to Pattaya and Phuket usually cost from 80-100 thousand rubles.

How to find a truly last minute tour? Search on search engines, and they will find best deals among different tour operators. Be sure to check out ours - it will help you save!

Cinematic Yanui Beach in Phuket.

We don’t understand why people go on a tour to Pattaya when there is Phuket.

Contingent

Phuket. Chinese couples (young ladies always in romantic dresses) and families with children rule the roost here. Indians walk arrogantly in Rolexes, and elderly Europeans and Americans approach go-go girls in bars. The Russians feel at home and try to convey something to the Thais in louder Russian. Perhaps the most Russian speakers are popular resorts: Patong, Kata, Karon and Surin.

Pattaya. The resort is dominated by older Europeans and Americans looking for a hot girlfriend for the rest of their vacation days. There are many young and middle-aged men, attracted by the open-mindedness of local workers and workers of the ancient profession. And - oddly enough - completely Russian tourists with children walking decorously along the promenade.

In general, Pattaya is more of a retirement resort, while Phuket is more of a youth and middle-aged resort.

Hotel prices in Pattaya and Phuket: where is cheaper?

Pattaya. There are many hotels in Pattaya - from cheap nameless ones to expensive and well-known ones. Cheap guesthouses near the beach cost from $13 per night. In the mid-price category, we recommend The Pattaya Park 3* for $22 per day. Among the expensive ones, we recommend Siam @ Siam Design 4* from $75 per night. This hotel has a huge number of excellent reviews and is rated "excellent".

Advice: rent an apartment or villa on Airbnb.ru - it's more interesting! Fabulously beautiful villas in Phuket cost from $50. Pattaya has a huge selection of apartments.

Prices for food and fruits

If you choose which is better, Pattaya or Phuket, based on prices for food, fruits and drinks, then preference should be given to Pattaya. At the resort, even in tourist establishments, food prices are not off the charts. But in Phuket restaurants the prices are closer to Moscow. However, also on the island in local cafes, night markets and pop-up shops.

	Pattaya	Phuket (Patong)
Kebabs in a makashnitsa	from 10 baht/pcs.	from 20 baht/pcs.
Rice with meat or padtai in a makashnitsa	from 40 baht	from 50 baht
Banana pancakes	from 40 baht	from 60 baht
Shakey	from 25 baht	from 40 baht (in the market - from 25)
Trays with fruits on the street	from 20 baht (depending on the type of fruit)	from 100 baht (any)
Beer at the bar	from 50 baht	from 80 baht.
Coconut on the street	from 20 baht	from 50 baht

Prices for kebabs at the night market in Patong.

Flights from Russia

From Russian cities you can fly to Pattaya and Phuket. There are direct flights and with transfers. Usually tickets to Bangkok are a little cheaper than to Phuket (but it also happens vice versa).

You can get to Pattaya through Bangkok, and from there by low-cost airline, transfer or bus. There are also direct routes from Siberian cities to Pattaya Utapao Airport.

If you don’t want to deal with local transport and travel with transfers, order a taxi - it’s reliable and simple. We used KiwiTaxi services when traveling from Patong to the airport.

Introductory image source: © nathanh100 / flickr.com / Licensed under CC BY 2.0.

The age-old tourist question – where is the best place to go? - two famous resort Royal Thailand. Rest in each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages, features and nuances. Depending on individual needs, everyone will choose a resort to their liking. And to understand Pattaya or Phuket, we’ll tell you about the features of these cities.

Climate: weather and nature

Climate is one of the significant factors influencing the choice of a particular holiday destination. Despite the fact that the weather in Thailand is always positive and pleases us with a gentle sea, the geographical location makes itself felt.

Pattaya or Phuket at different times of the year

Pattaya is located on the shores of the Gulf of Thailand, not far from the multimillion-dollar city of Bangkok. One of oldest cities Thailand is located in an industrial zone and has now become a vast tourist metropolis with developed infrastructure and a wide range of services;
Phuket is located on the island of the same name, which is subordinate to Thailand. This beach resort is located in the wind corridor of the Andaman Sea. Its mountainous areas are shrouded in relict tropical forests and coconut plantations.

The average temperature in these cities differs by a couple of degrees. The air temperature in Phuket is +30 degrees, the water temperature is +28 degrees. For comparison, in Pattaya these figures reach +32 and +28 degrees.

What about the climate in Phuket?

The distance from Phuket to Pattaya is about 1000 kilometers, so climatic conditions here they differ significantly. Half of the city is covered with vegetation, so you can always get some fresh air in the park.

The temperate monsoon climate is characterized by the presence of typhoons and tropical storms. Throughout November-May, the temperature remains constant at 26-30 degrees, and the warm and calm sea happily welcomes visitors. During the favorable swimming season, precipitation occurs 1-2 times a week.

The paradise holiday in Phuket is overshadowed by the rainy season, which begins in early summer and lasts until mid-autumn. In such weather, few people risk swimming, and in general the beaches are closed in June-October. The sea becomes cloudy, strong winds drive high waves with dangerous undercurrents.

For lovers of surfing, windsurfing or kiteboarding, this is ideal weather, but you should be extremely careful at this time at sea.

What will Pattaya offer you?

Unlike Phuket, holidays in Pattaya, located on the mainland, during the rainy season are characterized by rather cloudy days and light night rain. Dry and milder climate when heat on hot days it can drop to 20 degrees and below.

Rare and small waves during low tides do not frighten vacationers, which allows swimming at any time of the year. To avoid the sizzling heat and experience a calm sea, the optimal travel period is October to mid-March. However, don't count on walks in the shady park, as there are practically none left here.

Sea and beaches

Probably every tourist goes not only for impressions of the climate and weather conditions. Vacations at sea provide travelers with a colossal effect. So they try to find perfect beach in a quiet place.

Beach holiday in Phuket…

Holidays in Phuket are replete with a variety of beaches, the purity of which allows you to see all the mammals of the underwater world. Countless wide beaches have been landscaped. A comfortable, gentle entrance and the rich blue color of the water predispose you to relax. On the southern side of the island there are pristine forests, which makes it possible to fully breathe in the fresh aromas of tropical vegetation.

Almost quiet deserted places fans will like it family vacation. If you want fun and parties, then go to Patong Beach. These places are suitable for snorkeling and diving. Even though white sandy beaches They are constantly cleaning up, a huge flow of tourists manages to leave their traces on the beaten paths.

The nearby less crowded beaches are perfectly clean and their surroundings resemble a Bounty advertisement. Kamala Beach is beautiful in its own way, far from entertainment and unnecessary noise. Among similar ones, Nai Harn, Kata Noi, Surin, Karon, Kalim, Banana Beach, Yanui and Mai Khao should be noted. In general, here everyone can find a place to their liking.

Heading to the beaches in Pattaya

Pattaya is an entertainment center, and the city's muddy and crowded beaches do not quite fit the description of ideal. You won’t be able to be alone here – there are a lot of merchants, but the main beach area is filled with umbrellas and sun loungers. The central beach of the city is suitable for motorized water activities, and crowds of tourists always leave behind mountains of garbage.

If you want to enjoy a beach holiday, then go to the neighboring islands. You can get to the nearest Koh Larn by ferry or speedboat in 30-45 minutes and the trip costs 30 baht. However, be prepared for the fact that food prices there are a little higher.

Some visitors to Thailand spend part of their vacation in hotels and guesthouses located nearby. The situation is a little better on the neighboring beaches - Wongamat, Pratamnak or Jomtien.

Entertainment and excursions

Besides beach holiday you should plan the rest of the day. For lovers of entertainment and cultural events, you need to consider visiting places where they will be more interested. And then we can solve the main question?

How about entertainment?

The status of the most party place in Thailand deservedly belongs to Pattaya. At every step there are establishments of various entertainment types - nightclubs, pubs, restaurants, go-go bars, discos and cafes. The key place for such entertainment is Volkin Street.

Street performers and clowns fill the streets with crowds in the evening and invite vacationers to forget about pressing problems. Multi-colored signs with bright colorful lights entice passers-by to visit entertainment venues and become a part of them.

A separate topic is extreme tours, trips to neighboring countries. Shopping, visiting night parties and spectacular drag shows - a noisy and dynamic city, the diversity of which will take your breath away. A full range of entertainment and an exciting night out for young couples and tourists who prefer active recreation.

Well, what would we do without water activities, which can be found in Pattaya or Phuket. Motorcycles, water skis, tablets, bananas, paragliders and other devices are a mandatory attribute of a sea holiday.

The completely different atmosphere in Phuket is an ideal place for relaxing walks and stress relief. Amazing water landscapes attract with their extraordinary colors and set you in an artistic and romantic mood:

Unforgettable nights with a cup of coffee under the palm trees;
Thai cuisine and enjoying fresh seafood;
exciting and inexpensive shopping and relaxing massage treatments;
flying over the jungle and riding huge elephants;
visit to the zoo and dolphinarium;
diving and fishing for marine life.

To diversify your relaxing holiday, visit Patong Beach. The famous Bangla Road is in no way inferior to Walking Street. On the southern and northwestern beaches night life much calmer.

Where are there more historical places and cultural monuments?

Pattaya - the cradle of its own cultural monuments and all kinds of excursions that take place in the outskirts of the city or in Bangkok. Among excursion tours paid trips are presented:

To visit temples and monuments;
Floating markets and theaters;
To crocodile and cobra farms;
To a parrot or monkey park;
To water parks and zoos.

From Pattaya it is easy to get to Bangkok or Ayutthaya. Except old capital Thailand visit the city of Chiang Mai, Kanchanaburi.

The cultural heritage of Phuket is represented by the following islands: James Bond, Similan, Phi Phi. It is worth planning an excursion to the Big Buddha Temple, Old Town Phuket Town or Wat Chalong Temple. Due to the remoteness of Phuket from other attractions of the country, you can get acquainted with waterfalls and the Butterfly Farm, which gives a superficial idea of the rich oriental heritage of Thailand.

Prices and transport accessibility

Before planning a vacation, every tourist will be interested in the cost of the vacation. Price policy allows you to set priorities. This will make it clear that Pattaya or Phuket will become a holiday destination this year.

What's the best way to get there?

Pattaya is one of Not expensive resorts Thailand, where food prices and moving costs are incomparable with prices in Phuket. This is justified by the quality of the holiday, since Phuket is rich in expensive and sophisticated offers.

Getting to Phuket or Pattaya is not difficult. There are direct flights to both destinations. Depending on your wishes, the following options are possible:

Get to Pattaya via Bangkok, and from there, transfer by bus from the East, North bus stations or Suvarnabhumi Airport, With central bus station fast tuk-tuks will take you to a specific hotel. A more comfortable way to take a taxi;
The route to Phuket via Bangkok is possible by bus from Northern or Southern bus stations, with a transfer you will get by train to Surat Thani, and then by bus. There are flights from Don Mueang Airport to Phuket by loakster or regular flight from Suvernabhumi.

Flights to Bangkok are usually cheaper than flights to Phuket. If you need to travel from Pattaya to Phuket and vice versa, go to the nearest airport or travel by bus.

Transport in the city

The organization of carriers in these cities leaves much to be desired.

To use transport in Phuket, you can order a taxi or songthaew. The last option is not very convenient, since the drivers’ routes are not very diversified and they are quite expensive. Songthaew will take you to major beaches or the city center for 30 baht.

And to get to a specific island you will have to buy a tour from an agency or go first to Phuket Town. Renting a bike will cost more than 600 baht. The cost of a taxi is higher.

Pattaya's transport system is slightly better developed. The presence of several types of tuk-tuks makes it easy to move around the entire resort: blue tuk-tuks cost 10 baht and move along the main streets of the city, white tuk-tuks charge 20 baht for their services and move over longer distances. At night, prices for this type of transport rise to 200 baht.

Prices in the city

Pattaya has more reasonable prices for food compared to Phuket. Since Phuket belongs to elite resorts and is able to offer exquisite and expensive dishes, then, accordingly, such a vacation will cost much more. In Pattaya, tourists are offered an abundance of simple and inexpensive dishes, which are simply impossible not to try.

If we talk about rental housing, the situation is similar. Pattaya is a leader in terms of economical living. There are also many expensive and luxury hotels in Pattaya, but you can find budget options and go to the market, supermarket to buy wonderful things at reasonable prices.

The average price category of guesthouses in Pattaya is from $13 per night. Accommodation is also provided in Spartan conditions in Phuket. It will cost about $8 per day; you can find a more acceptable budget option for $20 per day. To find such housing, you need to spend a lot of time and effort. But you can use the services of a hotel with a swimming pool for $31 per day.

Key questions that interest tourists

Pattaya or Phuket for your first visit to Thailand?

For your first visit to Thailand, take advantage of last-minute tours, which are much cheaper than ready-made tour packages. Some companies offer tours for two at a cost of 60 thousand rubles with departure from Moscow to Pattaya. Despite the fact that tours are cheaper in summer, going to Phuket will be a little more expensive than going to Pattaya. Profitable offer You can always find something for every taste and budget on the Internet.

Pattaya or Phuket for permanent residence

Thailand is one of the hospitable countries South-East Asia. If you decide to stop at long term or radically change your place of residence. When choosing a place of residence, it is necessary to proceed from the main subjective factors of the place of work and the level of wages.

It must be taken into account that there are restrictions when forming a staff: it is not possible for a foreigner to officially become a guide, promoter and realtor. And due to the tightening of visa controls, official work as a teacher in a Russian school is possible.

However, there are other ways to move to Thailand for permanent residence:

Find your soulmate and get married in the country;
Invest money in the development of the kingdom;
Apply for a family visa in case of working or studying relatives in the first line;
Get an education in Thailand;
Emigrate after retirement.

Pattaya and Phuket are excellent living conditions, but you should approach this choice carefully and think through all possible options in advance.

Let's draw conclusions...

In order to finally decide which place to go for your next vacation, let’s decide on the main points:

Pattaya numerous city with the absence of a rainy season and with numerous flows of tourists, and to enjoy clean beaches you will need to travel to neighboring islands;
Phuket is an island where pristine nature untouched by man, so enjoy the numerous snow-white and sandy beaches, retire to them and enjoy the beauty of exotic landscapes;
Pattaya is a developed city, the infrastructure of which is aimed at recreation for young people, active and energetic visitors;
Elderly people, couples with children and newlyweds looking for a romantic trip will prefer Phuket;
Phuket is a full-fledged complex of sea excursions, amazing beaches and untouched landscapes, but the prices for location and movement around the city are inflated;
Pattaya is a budget resort for shopaholics who have a choice of entertainment, the opportunity to visit famous attractions, a choice of means of transportation and can try almost everything from the category of exotic cuisine.

Having decided on the best option, postpone the second one for next year. After all, by visiting both resorts, you will be able to see all the most beautiful things that Thailand has today.

Where is better - Pattaya or Phuket? We conducted a large comparison of two major resorts in Thailand according to various criteria (sea, beach, prices for hotels and food, transport, flights), wrote a review and drew conclusions about where it is better to go on vacation.

Phuket and Pattaya are the two main resorts. Usually tourists choose between them, because few people fly to Krabi or Koh Phangan. We decided to help our readers with their choice - read and choose where it is better to relax.

Prices are indicated for the high (winter) season.

Exchange rate: 1 Thai baht (THB) ≈ 2 RUB.

Pattaya or Phuket: sea

Pattaya. The sea is a green turbidity with garbage. I don't want to go into the water. There are several beaches where the situation is better - Jomtien, Wong Amat, Pratamnak. For a clear sea you need to sail to the neighboring islands - Koh Larn, for example. It seems that everyone goes there to swim, since in Pattaya tourists exclusively sunbathe. The sea on the island is cleaner, but it is expensive to sail there every day: 2 hours and 120 baht per day for two are spent on ferry travel, plus food, drinks and fruit on the island are more expensive.

Clear water on the secluded Kata Noi beach in Phuket.
Jomtien Beach in Pattaya.

Beaches in Phuket and Pattaya: where is better?

There are many beaches on the island - you can choose the one that suits you. We liked Kata Noi, Nai Harn, Yanui, Banana Beach and Mai Khao.

Where are the best beaches?, in Pattaya or Phuket? Our opinion is that Phuket is much cleaner and more beautiful.

Banana Beach in Phuket is small, secluded and beautiful.

Central Beach is the busiest in Pattaya.

Sights of Phuket and Pattaya

Phuket. The attractions of Phuket are predominantly natural - numerous idyllic islands, beaches and observation decks. In addition, there is the Big Buddha, Wat Chalong Temple, Phuket Town Old Town, Soi Bangla and colorful shows and performances. The main attractions are other islands: Phi Phi, James Bond, Similan, etc. Most people go there on excursions.

Pattaya has a convenient location - it’s only about two hours away by bus, and this is where freedom for lovers of cultural recreation lies! In addition, from Pattaya you can get to Ayutthaya - the ancient capital of the Ayutthaya kingdom.

Last minute tours to Thailand. Which is cheaper: Pattaya or Phuket?

Vacation packages to Thailand can be very cheap! Often a ready-made tour package costs as much as an air ticket. See examples in.

Travel packages from St. Petersburg to Pattaya and Phuket usually cost from 80-100 thousand rubles.

How to find a truly last minute tour? Search on search engines, and they will find the best offers among different tour operators. Be sure to check out ours - it will help you save!

Cinematic Yanui Beach in Phuket.

We don’t understand why people go on a tour to Pattaya when there is Phuket.

Contingent

Pattaya. The resort is dominated by older Europeans and Americans looking for a hot girlfriend for the rest of their vacation days. There are many young and middle-aged men, attracted by the open-mindedness of local workers and workers of the ancient profession. And - oddly enough - there are a lot of Russian tourists with children, decorously walking along the promenade.

In general, Pattaya is more of a retirement resort, while Phuket is more of a youth and middle-aged resort.

Hotel prices in Pattaya and Phuket: where is cheaper?

Advice: rent an apartment or villa on Airbnb.ru - it's more interesting! Fabulously beautiful villas in Phuket cost from $50. Pattaya has a huge selection of apartments.

Prices for food and fruits

	Pattaya	Phuket (Patong)
Kebabs in a makashnitsa	from 10 baht/pcs.	from 20 baht/pcs.
Rice with meat or padtai in a makashnitsa	from 40 baht	from 50 baht
Banana pancakes	from 40 baht	from 60 baht
Shakey	from 25 baht	from 40 baht (in the market - from 25)
Trays with fruits on the street	from 20 baht (depending on the type of fruit)	from 100 baht (any)
Beer at the bar	from 50 baht	from 80 baht.
Coconut on the street	from 20 baht	from 50 baht

Prices for kebabs at the night market in Patong.

Flights from Russia

From Russian cities you can fly to Pattaya and Phuket. There are direct flights and with transfers. Usually tickets to Bangkok are a little cheaper than to Phuket (but it also happens vice versa).

You can get to Pattaya through Bangkok, and from there by low-cost airline, transfer or bus. There are also direct routes from Siberian cities to Pattaya Utapao Airport.

If you don’t want to deal with local transport and travel with transfers, order a taxi - it’s reliable and simple. We used KiwiTaxi services when traveling from Patong to the airport.

Those people who have never visited Thailand are often interested in the question of which of the two resorts to give preference to.

In this article we will help you make a choice, because the quality of your vacation and the positive emotions you receive from your stay in Thailand depend on it.

Where should you go after all: Pattaya or Phuket? It is difficult to give an exact answer to this question, because it is important to take into account personal preferences and the purpose of the trip. Perhaps you want to soak up the clear sea or learn about the sights of Thailand, try exotic dishes or visit local modern parties in Oriental style.

So, let's figure out what the pros and cons of the two main resorts in Thailand - Phuket and Pattaya.

Phuket or Pattaya: where is it better to relax?

So that you can avoid making a mistake with your vacation spot, we will analyze in detail where your vacation will bring positive emotions to you. To do this, we compare both resorts according to different criteria.

Beaches

If you are interested in a beach holiday, then the island of Phuket takes the lead.

In Pattaya you can visit three huge beaches and several smaller beaches. In Phuket, the number of beaches is much larger, and their size also differs. This allows each tourist to choose that corner of the resort where he can completely relax from all worries.

In Phuket there are noisy beaches where there are constant parties, and there are quiet ones with few people. In Pattaya, there are a huge number of people on all the beaches, so it will be very difficult to be alone.

❗ The beaches of Phuket are better and more diverse than the beaches of Pattaya.

Cost of holiday

Phuket is considered one of the most expensive resorts in Thailand, especially when it comes to accommodation or taxi travel. You can try to find inexpensive housing, but this is more difficult. Most guesthouses that are rented to tourists are not represented on the Internet. An even bigger disadvantage of inexpensive housing is that it is located too far from the sea. And to go to the beach by taxi you will have to pay a tidy sum.

IN Pattaya prices significantly lower for everything - housing, taxis, groceries, entertainment, restaurants, etc. Because of this, tours to Pattaya are more popular among tourists. From Pattaya you can go to Bangkok, which is 100 km away, and do cheap shopping. If you want to go shopping, visit restaurants, have fun, then it is better to choose Pattaya.

❗ Holidays in Pattaya are cheaper than holidays in Phuket.

Entertainment

The most common holiday option in Thailand is considered to be diving, snorkeling and fishing. Phuket and the islands that are nearby are the best place for this type of holiday. In Pattaya you will not be able to fully engage in diving, and the nearby islands do not have a very rich underwater world, especially when compared with Phuket and the Andaman Sea.

Walking Street in Pattaya is the place where the main entertainment of the entire resort is collected. Most of the recreational facilities for different categories of tourists are located here. First of all, Walking Street is known as the “red light district”, where men can find exotic entertainment.

In Phuket, it is important to choose the right beach if you want a loud and bright holiday. The best option in this case is Patong. The rest of the beaches are relatively calm. On southern beaches after the sun sets, life generally stops.

❗ For noisy entertainment - to Pattaya, for a measured vacation - to Phuket.

Weather

Weather in Pattaya. If we talk about the weather, Pattaya takes the lead here. This resort has the warmest weather in all of Thailand. From late autumn to mid-spring, precipitation occurs very rarely, about 2 times a month, and their duration does not exceed half an hour. The sun constantly shines in Pattaya, which tourists from Russia miss so much during the cold season. The rainy season lasts from the beginning of May until October inclusive. In this case, precipitation occurs several times a week. Sometimes it can rain for a week, and then not rain for a week, if not more. During this period, you can see clouds in the sky more often than the sun. When the rainy season arrives, in the rest of Thailand, conditions are several times worse.

Weather in Phuket. During the “non-rainy” season in Phuket, it can rain several times a week. During the cold season, rain is an almost daily occurrence, and the duration of rain can exceed several hours. Of course, the weather can be slightly different every year and sometimes even during the rainy season there can be a few dry and sunny days in Phuket. Another disadvantage is that during the rainy season in Phuket there are very high waves, and there is also a dangerous current. The ban on swimming in the sea will be signaled by special flags along the entire beach.

❗ If you are traveling during the rainy season, it is better to choose Pattaya.

Sea

When it comes to choosing a place for a beach holiday, the state of the sea is one of the most important indicators. After all, first of all, tourists go to enjoy the warm and clean sea, swim, sunbathe, and only after that see the sights or buy souvenirs.

In Pattaya the sea is very dirty, it’s hard to even call it a sea. It's the worst in all of Thailand. On the main beach of the resort there are many motorized water activities, which significantly spoils the state of the sea. Tourists and residents themselves throw various types of garbage into the water. Only 2 beaches in Pattaya can be called relatively clean - Jomtien and Wongamat. There are many small islands near Pattaya where the water is crystal clear. You can get there relatively quickly and cheaply by ferry.

In Phuket, the sea is several times cleaner, especially on those beaches where there are not a huge number of tourists. Even on the largest beach in the resort of Patong, where there are always a lot of people, the sea condition is much better than in Pattaya. On the southern beaches of Phuket you can easily see a wide variety of fish that swim near the shore without fear.

❗ In Phuket the sea is much cleaner than in Pattaya.

Phuket and Pattaya: comparison

Holidays at each of the resorts have their advantages and some disadvantages. It is important to consider them when choosing a resort for your holiday. Let's look at the advantages and disadvantages of each resort in the tables.

Pattaya

Phuket

A resort like Pattaya is an excellent holiday option for people who prefer a budget holiday option or for those who like to travel alone. Tourists who visit Pattaya during the rainy season will be able to better understand the historical heritage and culture of Thailand. See beautiful architecture and get acquainted with incredible places of this country.

Phuket is a resort for tourists who come exclusively for a beach holiday and who are willing to pay extra for it. This resort is perfect for couples with children and for those people who are not particularly interested in sights and architecture. Phuket is beautiful resort, where you can visit the islands, visit the jungle, and get closer to nature.

Phuket or Pattaya: where is better to spend your holiday?

If you want to visit Thailand, get to know Asian culture better, see numerous attractions and visit loud parties, then the best option for you is Pattaya. You can go to this resort without children and fully immerse yourself in the life of Thailand. In addition, this option is perfect if you don’t want or don’t have the opportunity to spend too much money on vacation.

But if you prefer relaxing holiday alone with nature, clear sea, numerous beaches, then it is better to go to Phuket.

Phuket beaches are better and more varied than Pattaya beaches;
Holidays in Pattaya are cheaper than holidays in Phuket;
For noisy entertainment - to Pattaya, for a relaxed holiday - to Phuket;
It is better to relax in Phuket with children;
In Phuket the sea is much cleaner than in Pattaya.

Reviews

“We were on holiday in Pattaya for the second time in a row and, as it turned out, we didn’t know much.
For example, you can absolutely safely buy excursions “across the road”, and not three times more expensive from tour operators. Yes, of course, there is a risk regarding insurance. But transport services, hotels for overnight stays, food - that’s all top level. And the program is no different. It just affects the overall cost. After visiting 3 excursions, we managed to save 30%.
I will also tell “future” vacationers about Thai pharmacies, which only serve tourists. Do not be fooled by Thai medicinal preparations, roots, teas, oils. For example, I’ll say that having bought ointment for hemorrhoids at a snake farm, and bath oil at a regular pharmacy, I saw absolutely identical bottles with the same liquids both in smell and color. The only difference is the labels. But that's not all. Having torn off the top label with a snake, it “smiled” at me, exactly the same as the pharmacy one. Only they paid dearly for the “snake” one. ((
And in principle, if you ask the question more seriously, it is unlikely that you will be able to find a tea growing culture in the land of smiles and sunshine. Although the local market is pleasing to the eye - for only 100 baht 3 packs of tea!))
Have a nice holiday everyone, and don’t forget to bargain!!!”

“My husband and I were in Pattaya for the first time in October-November 2016. Previously, I studied a lot of information about Thailand on the Internet. Particularly controversial was the question: is it possible to swim on the beaches of Pattaya? Therefore, I will try to express my opinion - maybe it will help someone. 3 times we were at central beach on Beach Road just south of Central Festival. We went to Koh Larn 3 times and went on an excursion to Samet Island for 2 days.
Central Pattaya beach: the sand is yellow, quite clean, the owners of the sun loungers clean the beach every morning. Basically, there was no garbage floating in the water; there could have been 1-2 plastic bottles or bags within sight. The color of the water is gray-green in cloudy weather and green-gray in sunny weather. The transparency of the water, I would say, is average, i.e. standing up to your neck in water, you see yourself up to your waist. As for the sewerage draining into the sea here, there are no visible signs. And sewage is drained into the sea in most coastal cities, for example in Odessa. My conclusion is that you can swim if you have an excursion that day and have half a day free, or on the first/last day, or for some other reason. But I would not recommend using this beach as your only permanent beach.
It's definitely worth a trip to the islands.
Ko Lan. We were 3 times on different beaches: Tawaen, Tong Leng (on foot after Tawaen along a concrete path), Samae. Of these beaches, I liked Samae the best, Tong Leng the worst. The water is the same on all beaches - very clear, turquoise, just lovely. The sand is the best on Tavaen, but the rest are also good - almost white. Differences in infrastructure. The cost of sunbeds on Tawaen is 100 Baht (sometimes you can bargain for 75), on Tong Leng 100 (not bargained), on Samae - exactly the same soft sunbeds - 20 or 30 or more in different places. The food here is excellent - it’s plentiful, tasty and affordable (the Chinese don’t eat everything by 11 o’clock like on the other two beaches). I'll write a review about Fr. later. Samet - there’s no time now,”

“I was in Phuket with my brother in February and I want to share my impressions. We lived in Patong. Before that, I vacationed more than ten years ago in Pattaya. Honestly, I'm disappointed with the holiday. As if this is not the same Thailand, Thais have stopped smiling and sometimes behave aggressively. Everything has become very expensive, especially transport. Moreover, there are no regular bus routes to the beaches of the island. Since the sea in Patong is dirty, we had to take a so-called tuk tuk for two to Karon beach if in rubles for 1000 rubles round trip and that was after bargaining. On the beaches there are no changing rooms, shelters, toilets, sun loungers, in general there is nothing, you can only buy an umbrella and a mattress for money for an average of 200 rubles per person. The climate is very humid and hot. The treacherous sea carries you away unnoticed, even without waves, once you barely rowed to the shore and there are no lifeguards; the beach is very large. Therefore, sailing from the shore is dangerous and it is better to always have the bottom under your feet. Excursions are expensive and tiring because they are mostly sea, and they depart from the other end of the island and you have to travel a long time by bus to get there. I don’t recommend renting a scooter; it’s easy to get into big trouble in the event of even a small accident, which is very easy given the intensity of left-hand traffic and the recklessness of the locals. As I understand it, the local police make a business out of this after an accident, they take away your passport, seemingly for the duration of the investigation, but even if you don’t give it back, they then extort money. And you don’t know the language or the local laws and the plane didn’t arrive for long, and the plane isn’t waiting. In general, they told me who got into this horror. And if as a result you cause any damage to the locals, you won’t fly away at all. We rented it for a couple of days and I fell and badly skinned my leg. I was walking through the city and a policeman immediately came up and asked about the bike? Well I was warned in advance. A special topic is the attitude at the hotel and the Chinese, of whom there are a lot and come in large groups . In general, the Chinese treat Russians with disdain, I would even say condescendingly, let’s say for breakfast in a restaurant they line up for breakfast in a restaurant with scrambled eggs and it’s simply impossible to approach some, they’ll take it right away, others jump in line, you’ll stand, you’ll even have to fight, but it’s like you’ve come to relax. Then we simply tried not to interfere with them. In the hotel, too, not without problems, I’ll start with the fact that in the room there is an inventory of the property down to the teaspoon. And they immediately warn against signature not to bring anyone into the room, otherwise you will be fined, as in Soviet times. Well, that’s okay, but we didn’t know what an indicative story was in our refrigerator-bar, but as it turned out, a can of soda was swollen from the low temperature, we return from the beach in the evening and at the reception they don’t give us the key, they twist this can and say you have to pay, it’s your fault. In general, this behavior of the staff is a disgrace for the hotel in general and the fact that the key was not given back twice. Therefore, for those who are going, immediately upon check-in, tell them to remove everything from the refrigerator. In general, the streets are narrow, not very clean, and it is not customary for drivers to give way to pedestrians even at the few pedestrian crossings. Moreover, there is nothing particularly interesting there, but going there with children is generally unwise; there is nothing for children, neither food nor children’s infrastructure. And another very important question is that of medicine, those insurances that travel agencies issue actually don’t work there, because if something happens, they tell you it’s not an insured event, it’s that you were involved in an extreme sport or something else they’ll come up with, and if you object, they say pay money at a local clinic and get bills come home and go to court. Therefore, you need to take a decent amount of money with you just in case for treatment. And this is not fantasy, but I talked to one woman, she was running along the sea in the morning and a crack injured her leg, and that’s what the insurance company did to her. Moreover, the flight is long and tiring. The climate is humid and hot all the time, like being in a bathhouse is not comfortable. Ask, what's good there... and the good thing is fruits and fresh seafood and their prices are tolerable at the Moscow level. He stated everything sincerely, without even setting a foot there. I really regret wasting money and time. Tell me, you described it very gloomily... I think not, just objectively. It might appeal to reckless young people who are generally fine everywhere as long as their parents aren’t around, but I think, taking into account the above, it’s dangerous to let them go there. Good luck to everyone and the right choice of vacation spot, because vacations are usually once a year, and if you look at the years there are not so many years in a person’s life,”

With the onset of winter and cold weather in our country, tourists began to look away south asia. It’s warm there, it’s sunny, and you can live there all winter without wearing felt boots and earflaps. More tourists choose Thailand, with its resorts, gorgeous beaches and modern hotels. If you are visiting Thailand for the first time, then you have doubts - which is better: Phuket or Pattaya, where is it better to relax? This question cannot be answered unambiguously, but the two resorts can be compared. That's what we'll do and share our comparisons with you.

In general, it is not very correct to compare these two resorts. After all, on their territory there are different hotels, different beaches and areas. For example, we can write that the hotels in the first resort are more beautiful and have better service. And you will arrive at the resort, check into another hotel, and you will be treated poorly there. So all the comparisons here are not entirely correct, but they can be made. So let's get started.

Beaches of Pattaya and Phuket

As the experience of tourists shows, the beaches of Phuket are much better. They are wider, longer and cleaner. On local beaches There are always a lot of tourists, but there is very little garbage here. In general, the entire island can be called one big beach. And due to the fact that there is little rain in Phuket, the beaches here are visited all year round.
As for the beaches of Pattaya, they are less comfortable. Firstly, the resort does not have large beaches, and almost all of them are crowded with tourists. Secondly, due to the huge number of tourists. Beaches are not cleaned very often. Mostly this is done closer to the morning, and not every time. Only the beaches that belong to hotels are always clean. Also, Pattaya beaches do not always have rentals water technology. Or there is too little of her, and she is always busy.

We think Phuket wins on the beaches.

Prices for housing and food.
Phuket is an island and all food is brought here from the mainland. Therefore, food at the resort costs 20-30 percent more than in Pattaya. Phuket also has more gorgeous beaches and hotels, so accommodation here is also 20-30 percent more expensive.

Most people come to Pattaya for budget holiday. There are not many five-star hotels in the resort. There are mostly small hotels here, which are awarded three stars. It is for this reason that there are more Russian tourists in the Pattaya resort.
And so, here more wins cheap resort Pattaya.

Entertainment and excursions.
And here we will say right away - it will be a draw. After all, it is difficult to guess what you love most. For example, in Phuket there are almost no night parties, there are no huge nightclubs. Quiet holidays are popular on the island. Tourists go to the forests and mountains. They admire nature and beautiful landscapes.

But in Pattaya at night life is just beginning. If your hotel is next to a nightclub, then be prepared for the fact that you will not be allowed to sleep. And on the beaches, night parties are common - there is music and dancing until the morning.
As you can see, recreation and entertainment at resorts vary. Therefore, we leave the choice to you, because everyone has their own tastes and preferences.

What is the result?
And the result is this: we have a draw. Because we will not force our opinion on you. You have learned about all the advantages and disadvantages of resorts and you can choose what suits you. If you like night parties, then come to Pattaya! If you want to sleep peacefully at night and relax on the beach during the day and admire nature, go to Phuket.