Pattaya, once a sleepy fishing village, is now Asia's best known beach resort and pleasure playground.

Pattaya is not a resort for those in search of tranquility - Pattaya is brash, over commercialised and proud of it.

Nightlife beyond the hotels is varied and vibrant and will appeal to the more liberated.

Just two hours drive south-east of Bangkok, Pattaya makes an ideal two-centre option.

The nearby Coral Islands of Ko Lan, Koh Sak and Koh Krok are ideal for swimming and boast every imaginable watersport, from windsurfing to water-skiing to para sailing and scuba diving.
The Siam Country Club has one of the best golf courses in the Kingdom.

Shops are abound as are a wealth of international and local seafood restaurants at amazingly inexpensive prices.

Further south, up the coast from Pattaya, lies the town of Rayong.
Little known to visitors from outside Thailand, Rayong is steeped in natural beauty and fascinating history.

Blessed with pristine beaches, rural scenery, fascinating temples and delightful islands this area of the south is a complete contrast to the neon and nightlife of Pattaya - although just close enough to that resort for shopping or dining out.