Pattaya
Explore Pattaya
Introduction
As a world-class resort, Pattaya is not deprived of attention on the Internet. Therefore, in this article, we will not repeat the well-known tourist information and try to describe Pattaya City and its sub districts from the property-related angle.
First, let us deal with the general geography. Pattaya is located on the Eastern Seaboard of the Gulf of Siam (or as it’s now known Thailand), about 150 kilometers southeast of Bangkok. Strictly speaking, only the central part of the resort (three kilometers of the coast) could be formally named “Pattaya” – as a small fishing village placed here before. This area includes present-day districts: Central Pattaya, South Pattaya and Pratamnak Hill. At the same time, Greater Pattaya (or Pattaya City) is a conglomerate of several districts and stretches for 30 kilometers of coastline. It is curious that when you buy or rent a property here, you probably will not find the word “Pattaya” in your address. The fact is that Pattaya is an independent administrative region that combines geographic areas such as Naklua, Nongprue and parts of Huay Yai and Nong Pla Lai. Therefore, it is more likely that you will see these names in the chain of your address. Anyway, addresses in Thailand are really something.
An important line of demarcation of the resort is the main highway of the city – Sukhumvit Road, which has a length of more than 400 kilometers and on its way from Bangkok to the south eastern province of Trat, passes through Pattaya.
Thus, Pattaya can be divided into four conventional areas, which will help with its geography: Central (historic center), Northern part, South part and Eastern part. This is relatively conditional division because each area includes several districts. The major reference points are Central Pattaya (all the other areas are situated either on the north or on south from the central part) and Sukhumvit Road (eastern areas are located to the east of Sukhumvit).
Now let’s look at Pattaya districts in more detail.
Central Pattaya
If you are looking for privacy and harmony with nature – this place is definitely not for you. The main motto here is movement! Beach-road together with the famous Walking-street (located next to the South Pattaya area) are the “Epicenter” of nightlife. There are several large shopping centers in Central Pattaya, as well as countless bars, restaurants, various shops, massage parlors and other entertainments. Perhaps this is the most populous area of Pattaya with constant traffic on the streets and throngs of people until the early hours of the morning.
This area is probably not the best place to relax in the sun as the beach here is a fairly noisy and crowded. However, this disadvantage is completely replaced by the quantity and quality of other attractions that are within walking distance, which in turn, makes it unnecessary to use your own vehicles.
There is very limited high-end housing stock In Central Pattaya save a few condominiums and there is very little new residential construction. There are however numerous luxury branded hotels and, at the same time, one can discover large quantities of cheap guesthouses and small hotels with an inexpensive daily rent.
Central Pattaya is probably most suited to people coming here for a lively holiday, preferring to spend here a short fun filled vacation. We can also recommend the area to expats who need to live close to work. Due to the high demand for short-term lease (including the low season), Central Pattaya is ideal for investment property purchase.
South Pattaya
South Pattaya can be divided into a part adjacent to the shoreline (near South Pattaya Road), the eastern part (near Thepprasit Road), and part on the border with Pratamnak (Thappraya Road). The coastal part, where Walking Street and the major tourist gateway to the sea – Bali Hai Pier are located, it is very similar to Central Pattaya by real estate characteristics.
Thepprasit Road and all of South Pattaya adjacent to the Sukhumvit, is a “working” area inhabited mostly by Thai people working in the area, there are though, a liberal sprinkling of long term expats. There are less activities for tourists, but, many offices and various retail outlets (shops, stores), useful for those who come to Pattaya not as a tourist. This is a bit lower down the scale on the investment scale currently however, there are some major projects in the planning so definitely one to watch for the future.
However, this cannot be said about the Road that divides South Pattaya and Pratamnak – Thappraya road. Despite the fact that this area is further from the coastline, its main advantage is its unique location. Tourist hustle and bustle there seems to be left out, but still it is a stone’s throw away to the beach and Walking Street, and to the beautiful parks of Pratamnak Hill, and to Jomtien (in fact a continuation south on Thappraya Road on the recently built Jomtien 2nd Road and to the shopping malls of Sukhumvit. This is probably the only place in Pattaya, with such a quick and easy access to a variety of points of the resort.
It is no coincidence Thappraya became a place of intense development of new condominiums, positioning itself as inner city resorts. It can be seen that the population here is a little different: the absence of large hotel complexes (the majority are located in Central Pattaya) causes a smaller number of”tour-packagers” (those who came for a couple of weeks on the tour package). The main inhabitants of Thappraya are more likely to be a “winterer” (someone who regularly and individually comes to Thailand to spend a few months in a year). In contrast to the “coastal” strip of South Pattaya, this place is more favorable for older couples and families with children but also those who want to be close to the nightlife but just far away enough for peaceful living. Investment attractiveness of this area is high.
Pratumnak
Pratumnak Hill is often referred to as the Beverly Hills of Pattaya. The attentive traveler will notice that around Thailand, there is usually a hill (elevation), with a Buddhist temple (Wat) near any village in Thailand. Of course, there is the Golden Buddha place in Pattaya, and it is situated on Pratamnak (though, in fairness, it should be noted that the construction of a giant statue of Buddha in Pattaya began only in 1977).
In short, Pratamnak is:
- The most green and clean area of Pattaya: Rising 120-meters from sea-level, nature changing before your eyes.
- The most beautiful park in Pattaya.
- The most beautiful views of the city (the central part, Jomtien) and the bay.
- Here is the residence of a member of the revered Thai Royal Family, therefore this is the most protected and safe area of Pattaya.
- Clean and quiet beaches.
Pratamnak is one of the most elite and expensive places in Pattaya. According to Api Property Pattaya, price of homes for sale here are the highest, and, according to Colliers International, price per square meter in a new condominium is only slightly inferior to the elite new north.
Pratamnak, of course, is a more secluded and quiet place than the central area of Pattaya, however, because of the large tourist attractions, you can find a lot of overly active “tour-packagers” on its streets which does not define Pratamnak as the ultimate perfect place for calm resort life. However, at night it is very quiet as all the night “attractions” are located at a distance.
While geographically Pratamnak is located very close to the center and to Jomtien, there are no main public transport routes (baht buses or as they are officially called – song teaw). However, there are numerous motor bike taxis and with the recent introduction of air conditioned metered taxis, transport is no longer an issue.
Infrastructure of Pratamnak is well developed; there are many cafes, restaurants, gyms, massage parlors and other places for entertainment and recreation. There are no large shopping centers here but you are only minutes away.
Pratamnak is a popular place for wealthy Thais who own property here and come to Pattaya from Bangkok for the weekend. Therefore, in most resorts the pools will be quiet and empty during the week. Pratamnak is suitable for various categories of tourists and visitors and purchasing of a small condo will be good investment for subsequent renting on short-term lease. Large apartments and houses are expensive in terms of the lease and are more suited to the long term corporate rental market.
North Pattaya, Naklua and Wongamat
Historically the resort of Pattaya was developed as follows: after the central part came into mass construction and the availability of quality land became less and less, all new construction of modern complexes moved to the north, with a lack of quality land to expand on the emphasis shifted to the southern regions: Jomtien, Na Jomtien and to the south. Indeed, if we look at the coastline, the main cluster of white skyscrapers is precisely in North Pattaya, Naklua making this coastline something similar to the resorts of Miami.
To access from Naklua area to the central and southern parts of Pattaya, you can take a taxi with one transfer. Travel time by taxi is 15-20 minutes.
Beaches of North Pattaya are rightly considered as clean and they can compete with the very remote and developed southern regions (Na-Jomtien and further).
There are no large shopping malls in the north of Pattaya, but there is some tourist infrastructure with its cafes, snack bars, quality restaurants, souvenir shops, etc.
Due to the concentration of high-class hotels and condominiums, located on the first line, the real estate of north of Pattaya is considered as the most expensive in Pattaya.
These areas will be of little interest to young people because of the almost complete lack of nightlife (especially in the most remote, northern parts), but they are ideal for couples with children, the elderly and anyone who appreciates a measured and leisurely lifestyle.
Although there is a very high demand for long term corporate rental in this are due to its proximity to the deepsea water port of Laem Chabang (one of the largest in Asia). The Investment attractiveness of the north is proabably not as high as in other areas of Pattaya due to higher purchase prices creating a lower rental yield, so the majority of property owners acquire here mainly for their own accommodation and enjoy high quality tropical resort life for a very reasonable price.
Jomtien, Na Jomtien
As already described, the focus on the further development of Pattaya, as a resort, today is placed on Jomtien areas, located to the south of (Na-Jomtien, Ban Amphur and BangSaray). Strictly speaking, not so long ago the south of Greater Pattaya ended in Jomtien – a small village, separated from the main Pattaya by Pratamnak Hill.
Jomtien development as a resort began recently, but has expanded a lot. Not long ago a wide and comfortable Jomtien Second Road was opened as an understudy of Sukhumvit closer to the shoreline. Nowadays we can notice a huge growth of condominium complexes with sales offices, showrooms, as well as other infrastructure elements.
According to the report of Colliers International, 40% of the 56,000 planned for new apartments are built in Pattaya Jomtien. Additional investment is a certainty for developers due to plans to build high-speed rail link, which will connect Bangkok and southern regions of the east coast of Thailand. In this case, one of the stations of the rail link is to be located in the area of Na-Jomtien.
With many bars, restaurants, massage parlors and souvenir shops make Jomtien embankment very similar to the Beach Road in central Pattaya. Large shopping centers are absent here, so if you want to do a large weekly shop –you will have to go to the shopping malls or to the central part of Sukhumvit. If you have your own transportation (car or bike) – it will greatly facilitate the task.
The beach and the sea is relatively clean here, much cleaner than in central Pattaya. Unlike the coastline on Naklua, Jomtien’s coastline has an embankment along the sea (Jomtien Beach Road), full of movement and bustle. While in the northern part of Pattaya all waterfront complexes have a direct access to the sea, while in Jomtien you have a road to cross on way to the beach. However, in other aspects these areas have an equal value. Sea is clean here, distance to the centre of Pattaya is equal (10 minutes driving from Jomtien and about 15-20 minutes from Na Jomtien). Jomtien and, of course, more southern areas are also quiet and peaceful. Slight inconvenience can be perceived from intensive construction, but this is a temporary phenomenon and the positive point is that it continues to be shaped with tourist and recreational infrastructure. For example, recently in Pattaya, one of the largest water parks in Asia was opened by The Cartoon Network, and it was located in Na-Jomtien.
Jomtien is the area with the first large new generation residential complexes appeared. These projects can rightly be called as real Resort Complexes. If we look at the early development in the North of the city, we can see just modern and comfortable “towers” with a relatively small land area, while today the emphasis is on the closed areas with lots of buildings, private recreation area, landscape design, multi-level swimming pools, shops, restaurants, etc. Virtually every such project is a mini-city with its own infrastructure and own style, own theme “highlight” (as, for example, implemented in the complexes in Las Vegas).
It may seem strange, but the cost of apartments in the more remote Na-Jomtien is higher than in Jomtien. This is due to the fact that Na-Jomtien is less developed from a tourist point of view and its development by building separate complexes, generally front line of premium quality and, consequently, with a premium price. Nevertheless, the complexes themselves are admirable. In this sense, Jomtien offers a broader spectrum of properties, in addition to five-star options, it also offers a wide range of affordable budget projects. Incidentally, there is no public embankment along sea in the Na-Jomtien as in Jomtien, and Hotels and Resort condos have direct access to their beaches. In fact, Na-Jomtien becomes elitist for wealthy Thai & foreigners today.
The lag in the development of tourist infrastructure affects the overall Na-Jomtien.There are fewer restaurants with European cuisine, not a lot of massage parlors and souvenir shops. Promenade in Na-Jomtien usually involves a trip somewhere near the center. However, the real tropical nature and clear sea compensates for these shortcomings. This place is, no doubts, for those who cannot stand the bustle and want to get the maximum quality of life outside the tourist crowd.
It is the time to talk about the houses, not apartments. The most important consumer quality of a house is its land, preferably with private garden, good views and with a sufficient level of privacy. Central parts of Pattaya City do not provide such features, there is shortage of quiet residential areas with western-style houses. No, there is the private sector in the center, but as a rule it consist of specific Thai houses, often townhouses, very small plots and generally, not in the gated communities, without security, shared infrastructure, and so on. There are no individual houses on the first line in Pattaya because the land far too expensive and is occupied by luxury hotels and condo projects.
The first gated communities of Western standards appeared in Jomtien. Since these villages were built some years ago when the land was less expensive, you can still find houses with a nice size garden and privacy which also rent extremely well so good for investment however, with no new housing projects being planned within 1 km of the shoreline, we expect these properties to increase in their already quite high value.
Eastern regions
(Highway 36, East Naklua, East Pattaya, Mabprachan- Pong, East Jomtien, eastern parts of Baan Amphur and Bangsaray)
For most tourists and visitors all the eastern part of the Grand Pattaya are terra incognito. If you are new to Pattaya then it is probably initially thought that it is generally underdeveloped with larger areas of vegetation. However, it is here, you will find the majority of Pattaya’s gated communities, private homes and a recent addition, condominiums.
Life in a detached house in a gated community has many positive points: privacy combined with a high degree of security, private pool, the opportunity to barbecue or watch home theater late at night without fear of neighbours :).
By the way, the eastern part of the Pattaya’s property may be of interest to fans of golf course. Golf is very popular and developed in Thailand. There are many international golf competitions here and even one of the world’s most famous golf players, Tiger Woods is half-Thai. The best golf courses in Thailand are located in Pattaya, Phuket and Hua Hin. There are about 24 golf clubs in the Pattaya area within 45 minutes drive and all of them are located on the eastern seaboard. We have villas directly on the golf course or very close to it.
It is difficult to catch a common price trend of the real estate of the eastern suburbs: the dispersion of prices is very wide. You can buy or rent a very cheap house or apartment somewhere near Sukhumvit, while the price of a new project in an exclusive village will be far higher. The investment component is also ambiguous. On the one hand, it should be understood that potential tenants here will be mainly those who want to stay in Thailand for a long time (at least 6 months). However, the short-term rental market is growing due to people wanting to stay for longer but prefer self catering to hotel living. Generally speaking, houses in the eastern suburbs tend to be less expensive than condominiums, pro-rata, in downtown Pattaya so well worth considering from an investment angle.