Five Family Friendly Things to Do in Pattaya

Pattaya is a well-known spot for local Thais and tourists alike. At just a 2 hour drive from Bangkok, this beach town offers the quickest getaway from the mad hustle and bustle of the city. I have memories of going to the beaches of Pattaya with my family when I was a little kid. Back then in the ‘80s, Pattaya was a sleepy beach town with clean sand and waters, good food, and a relaxed pace of life. Cut to 10-15 years later and the place had exploded with hotels, become crowded with truckloads of visiting tourists and locals, seedy bars and “lady boy” cabaret shows, and dirty beaches. Not a good scene. I had avoided going there in recent years.

By now you may be wondering – is this a travel post in favor of or against Pattaya? Don’t worry, I have good things to say! A few weeks ago, I made a trip to Pattaya with my family, including my two boys of course. We had heard that there have been attempts to clean up Pattaya’s beaches and turn its image around to become more family friendly. And indeed, that is what we found! We did a bunch of activities during our 2 night stay and had a lovely time.

Besides the obvious activity of hitting up the beach, here’s a look at the top 5 “non-beachy” and family friendly things I would recommend doing while visiting Pattaya: 

1.     Silverlake Vineyard: A vineyard outside of Bangkok? Why yes! If you’re headed to Pattaya, this vineyard with its Italian countryside feel are a definite visit along the way. We walked around the beautiful fields, did a wine tour, and enjoyed a lovely Italian meal at the restaurant there.

2.     Sanctuary of Truth: This is a temple located in the heart of Pattaya but you would never know it unless you looked it up. Only by driving through some inner roads will you find yourself at this awe-inspiring wooden structure by the ocean. Work on the temple was initiated in 1981 and is expected to be completed in 2050! As you walk around this temple, you’ll be struck by how every square inch of space is filled with intricate carvings depicting traditional Buddhist and Hindu motifs and images. You can also do elephant and horse rides around this area.

3.     Pattaya Sheep Farm: There is apparently more than one sheep farm in Pattaya but this is the better known one. If you have kids, this is a must-visit for them. Guaranteed fun in feeding the sheep, goats, and alpacas here! There are several other farm animals to see as well as a small park with scenes depicting well-known fairytales (think Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Bean Stalk, Rapunzel, Alice in Wonderland, etc). The sheep farm definitely makes for a great photo op!

4.     Art in Paradise: With one location in Bangkok, this Pattaya attraction is great to visit with family and friends (even more so with kids). It’s a 3D art museum with impressive artwork that creates tricks on the eye. The whole purpose is to stand in front of these images and take photos that appear as if you have been transported into a different place or scene. It makes for an exciting and interactive time! Make sure your camera or phone is fully charged because you’ll be taking tons of photos!

5.     Massages: Massage places are a dime a dozen in Bangkok. Same story in Pattaya. Find a decent looking spa or massage spot and treat yourself to a relaxing massage. Now it really feels like you’re on a mini-vacay!

There are several other places that seemed interesting which we didn’t get to visit. Here is a resource which we found useful for family-friendly activities in Pattaya: link here.