On some maps of Thailand, Jomtien Beach is also called Chom Tian. It is a little town east of the Gulf of Thailand and 3 km (1.9 miles) to the south of Pattaya. The beach is a small 6 km (3.7 mile) stretch of sand and blue sea. It is a quiet place, that is popular for its numerous water sports and activities, as well as its yearly festivals and sporting events. A portion of the beach called Dongtan Beach is the intriguing gay beach of Pattaya.
Even with its quiet demeanour, Jomtien has enjoyed a surge in construction and there is a significant increase in new establishments and housing developments, in recent years. It is now the new residence of retired expats and locals from Bangkok who want a secondary home. Though the beach is one of the smallest in Thailand, there are a lot of world-class attractions and exciting activities you can do in and around the area.
Here is a list of some of the places you must see, while visiting Jomtien Beach.
1. Cabaret shows
A popular tourist attraction that attracts many travellers to Thailand is their ladyboy shows or cabarets. Katoeys or ladyboys are rampant in Thailand because they are fully accepted and welcomed by their very liberal society. They are one of the most beautiful and deceiving performers in the world, often impersonating famous celebrities, mythical creatures, and disco divas. Their outstanding performances are full of glam, colourful costumes, extravagant sets and fanciful lighting that provides a truly entertaining experience to the audience.
There are several cabaret shows in Jomtien. The nearest cabaret is the Venue Residence and Cabaret. It is 7 minutes or 2 km (1.2 miles) away from Jomtien Beach, if you take Jomteinsaineung Road.
Thai cabaret show
Address: 413/24-28 moo 12 (Jomtien Complex Plaza), Nongprue, Banglamung, Chon Buri 20150, Thailand
Contact: +66 38 303 787
Website: The Venue Residence and Cabaret
2. Pattaya Park
Pattaya Park is one of the landmarks on Jomtien Beach that is hard to miss. You will know you are there once you see the high observation tower, like a needle in the sky that looms 240 meters (787.4 feet) high. The tower also features revolving restaurants, awesome 360-degree views of the whole of Pattaya and a jump off point, at 170 meters (557.7 feet). It is an ideal place for a family outing if you want to spend an entire day in a giant amusement park.
Aside from featuring Thailand’s first Tower Shot, Pattaya Park also offers exciting rides like the Sky Shuttle, Speed Shuttle, Swing Vikings Ship, Slalom Roller Coaster, Demolition Derby, Family Swinger, the Monorail and Musical Carousel. It also has a water park, where you can splash down the slides or unwind in the whirlpool by the beach.
Pattaya Park is just 12 minutes or 3.7 km (2.3 miles) away from Jomtien Beach if you take Thappraya Road.
Pattaya Park
Address: Pattaya City, Bang Lamung District, Chon Buri 20150, Thailand
Contact: +66 62 547 5711
Website: Pattaya Park
3. Pattaya Lakeland Cable Ski
Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing
For people bored of lying on the beach, Pattaya Lakeland Cable Ski offers an entertaining alternative for water sports enthusiasts. A few meters from the beach is a man-made, freshwater lake, that is accessible from any location in Pattaya. It features activities like waterskiing and wakeboarding, using a cable skiing machine that pulls you thru the water. It is safer than the conventional method of being towed by a boat and it offers the thrill of being able to manipulate the speed you want, as you slice thru the water.
You can immerse yourself in these exciting activities for a minimum of two hours up to a full day. The place provides life jackets and a variety of boards to choose from. There are also experienced trainers to help you get kitted out. From Jomtien Beach, this popular tourist attraction is just 17 minutes away if you take Route 3.
Pattaya Lakeland Cable Ski
Address: 90/1 Sukhumvit Rd. Na Kluea, 20150, Thailand Sukhumvit Rd., Na Kluea, Bang Lamung,
Price: 2 hours = from 8.96 USD / All day = around 14.94 USD
Opening Hours: 9am - 6pm.
4. Pattaya Floating Market
Pattaya Floating Market is divided into 4 sections and has a total area of 100,000 square meters (1,076,391 square feet). Each section represents the four regions of Thailand and sells items like local handicrafts and food that are native to these places. There are several art galleries, souvenir shops, fruit stands and eateries, selling real Thai cuisine. To complete your Thai experience, hire a boat to navigate the floating market. You can ride one for a fee for half an hour and a boat comfortably sits four people. You will marvel at the amazing ancient Thai structures and their typical riverside way of living.
The Floating Market is a welcome escape from chaotic Pattaya and a fascinating first-time experience for newcomers to Thailand. The market is just 8.7 km (5.4 miles) south of Jomtien Beach. It’s just an 18-minute drive if you take Route 3.
Pattaya Floating Market
Address: 451/304 Amphoe Bang Lamung, Chang Wat Chon Buri 20150, Thailand
Website: Pattaya Floating Market
5. Alangkarn Theatre Show
Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing
As the name suggests, this is an extravagant all-in-one show, set on an enormous stage that looks like a Roman Coliseum, with a capacity of 2,000 seats. It offers one of the outstanding and most elaborate cabaret shows on stage. You could say the performance is an overkill, because the production went all out with the most colourful and intricate costumes on their all-star cast, combined with pyrotechnics, real surround system, multicolour laser shows and the special participation of a few elephants.
This one-of-a kind show is usually about the culture and history of Thailand, in its full regalia. The two-hour show starts after a two-hour dinner. Alangkarn the Extravaganza Show is just 11 km (6.8 miles) away from Jomtien Beach or a 22-minute drive via Route 3.
Alangkarn: The Extravaganza Show Pattaya
Address: Sukhumvit Road K.M.155, Jomtien, Chonburi 20250 THAILAN
Opening Hours: Dinner: 5:00 - 6:00 PM / Show: 6:00- 7:00 PM
Contact: +66 3825 6000
Website: Alangkarn Theater Show
6. Mimosa Pattaya
Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing
Mimosa Pattaya, also called the “City of Love”, is an interesting shopping complex, that is a combination of a shopping mall, a cultural attraction, a petting zoo and amusement park. It is a replica of Colmar, a French city. It features brightly coloured Renaissance style edifices, old-fashioned walkways and charming canals. The musical fountain in the centre transforms into a stage, where a 45-minute ladyboy show, in Tiffany style, is held. When the fabulous dancers are not performing, they are scattered all over the grounds, entertaining guests and posing for pictures.
Mimosa is also a collage of restaurants and shops, with no special brands where you can buy clothes, souvenirs, toys and local handicrafts. If you’re looking for a family centred place, that provides an amazing shopping experience, then Mimosa Pattaya takes the top pick. It is just 22 minutes away from the beach, which is around 11 km (6.8 miles) if you take Route 3.
Mimosa Pattaya
Address: 28/19-20 Sukhumvit Rd, Tambon Na Chom Thian, Amphoe Sattahip, Chang Wat Chon Buri 20250, Thailand
Opening Hours: 10am - 9pm. Daily.
Duration: around 3 hours required.
Contact: +66 38 237 318
Website: Mimosa Pattaya, in Thai
7. Pattaya Shooting Park
Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing
The Shooting Park was built in 1999, with plans of being an elite shooting range for not only Pattaya but for the entire eastern region. It provides first class facilities for shooting aficionados, with high-quality equipment and shooting weapons. There are air-conditioned and outdoor shooting ranges, where you can practice target shooting, using a high-powered gun or a bow and arrow. For added entertainment, there is also a fishing park, where you can catch exotic gigantic fish, which you can cook for lunch, with the help of a professional chef.
There are other outdoor activities here, like tower jumping across the lake, horseback riding, riding a horse-drawn carriage through the gardens and kayaking. The Pattaya Shooting Park is just 25 mins from the beach, a good 10.8 km (6.7 miles) if you take Route 3.
Pattaya Shooting Park & Adventure
Address: 1/6 Moo 4 T.Huiyai, Pattaya
Contact: +66 38 907 808
Website: Pattaya Shooting Park & Adventure
8. Viharn Sien
Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing
Viharn Sien, also called Viharnra Sien, is a uniquely beautiful Chinese temple that is three storeys tall. It’s official name, Anek Kuson Sala, was given by Rama IX and it is a museum, filled with several Chinese mythological figures, like the 8 immortals, antiques and artefacts. It has several statues of the Buddha, in all shapes and sizes and other Chinese gods, old paintings and granite carvings. On the grounds, before the entrance, are lifesize statutes of terracotta warriors and horses that guarded the tomb of China’s first emperor, Qin Shi Huang.
A section of the museum contains Thai cultural artefacts, hand-carved statues, puppets, instruments, Khon Masks and others. Viharn Sien is an amazing place to go if you want to learn about Chinese and Thai culture and history. The structure itself stands out from the other temples with its magnificent ancient Chinese architecture. It is a donation from the Chinese Government given on King Bhumibol’s 60th birthday, in 1987. Today, it is visited by locals and tourists for worship and to marvel at this remarkable historical and cultural collection.
Viharn Sien
Address: 15 kilometres (9.3 miles) south of Pattaya, on Sukhumvit Road (2 km (1.2 miles) from Wat Yansangwararam)
Price: from 50 THB (1.50 USD)
Opening Hours: 8am - 5pm.
9. Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden
This garden is owned by an affluent couple, Pisit and his wife Noongnooch Tansacha, who bought the sprawling 600 acres (242.8 hectares) in 1954, with the intention of planting all sorts of fruit. While travelling overseas, Mrs Nongnooch was awed by the beautiful gardens popular in other countries. So, she decided to convert her fruit orchard into a magnificent landscaped garden and wildlife reserve, filled with various exotic ornamental plants and flowers. The garden eventually became a tourist attraction, with the addition of lavish accommodation, a resort, spa services, a small zoo, seminar halls, banquet halls, restaurants and a swimming pool.
In 1980, the garden opened for public use and daily elephant and Thai cultural shows were added to the attractions. Today, the Noong Nooch Gardens are known worldwide and they have received recognition as Southeast Asia’s largest botanical garden. It also holds an impressive collection of cycads, and they even have their own gene bank.
The gardens are 21.4 km (13.3 miles) from Jomtien Beach, which is about a 35-minute drive. You can get here by taking a taxi or an Uber, but the fastest way is to drive your own car.
Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden
Address: Na Jomtien 6 Tambon Na Chom Thian, Amphoe Sattahip, Chang Wat Chon Buri 20250, Thailand
Opening Hours: 8am - 6pm. Closed on public holidays.
Contact: +66 62 518 7006
Website: Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden
10. Khao Chi Chan (Buddha Mountain)
“Buddha Mountain” or Khao Chi Chan, one of the most popular tourist sites in Thailand, is the biggest image of Buddha, engraved on the side of the cliff. It measures 109 meters (357.6 feet) in height and 70 meters (229.7 feet) wide. Tourists visit this place both to pay their respects and for sightseeing. In front of the cliff is a large field, with a stone garden and a lake filled with water lilies. These are areas that are restricted to visitors, to prevent any untoward accidents like falling rocks.
Khao Chi Chan, the solitary mountain made of limestone, was initially cracked to supply materials to the construction industry. The idea of sculpting an image of the Buddha on its face came up during the celebration of the Majesty King Bhumibol’s golden anniversary. The image was carved on the mountain using laser computer software. It was done at night, in order to see the laser more clearly. After drawing, the lines were filled in with gold. It’s an amazing sight to see, even from far away and it draws a lot of tourists who are passing by or on their way from the golf course or to a nearby waterhole called Silver Lake Winery.
From Jomtien Beach, the best way to go to Buddha Mountain is by car, taking Route 3. It’s just 22.2 km (13.8 miles) away and will take a 33-minute drive.
Khao Chi Chan (Buddha Mountain)
Address: Soi Khao Chi Chan, Tambon Na Chom Thian, Amphoe Sattahip, Chang Wat Chon Buri 20250, Thailand
Opening Hours: 6am - 6pm.
Website: Buddha Mountain Pattaya
More than meets the eye...
Just south of Pattaya, Jomtien Beach offers a quiet escape from the busy and noisy metropolis. That is why it is a favoured destination for retirees, expats and those who seek a more sedentary life. But don’t let the calm of the beach fool you. Jomtien’s beautiful shores offer more than what you see. It offers several unique but world class attractions that you will not find anywhere else on the planet. The cabaret shows and ladyboys are unmatched, by any standard and their parks and shopping malls are simply astounding!
The museums and places of worship are beyond interesting, they are incredible! No wonder people want to spend the rest of their retirement here. It’s a wonderful place to spend a permanent vacation!
History
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