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Another of the fun day trips you can experience while in Pattaya Thailand is the Mini Siam Park.  Yes it is a little touristy, but most day trips in the area are that way.  This attraction lets you see 100 of the world’s great wonders in miniature.

The park sits on approximately 30 acres (rai) of land and is divided into two parts, Mini Siam and Mini Europe.  Although the second section is Mini Europe, it really contains sites from many countries from outside Thailand.

You can visit Angkor Wat, the Eifel Tower, the Statue of Liberty, and the Sydney Opera House in small scale in Mini Europe.  In Mini Siam you’ll be treated to models of Wat Arun, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, and Ayutthaya.  The details of these recreations are quite good and make for some fun pictures.

There are plenty of souvenir shops, a mini cart go kart racing facility, food and drink.  Plenty to keep you entertained for a nice day out.  This trip is great for families as well as the single traveler.

You can book a tour through most tour agencies or through your hotel.  Cost is around 700 THB (Thai Baht) to join a group tour, but can range as high as 3,000 THB for a private tour.  Tours typically consist of about 4 hours, including transfer to and from your hotel and an English speaking guide, but consult with the tour company you book with for full details.

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If you are looking for a daytime excursion to pass a few hours then Underwater World Pattaya might be worth a look.  It is an aquarium attraction located a short distance from downtown Pattaya Thailand.  Billed as a unique edutainment aquarium, it is really not that impressive, but a fun way to pass a couple of hours.

The format as you walk through the aquarium is a ‘journey to the bottom of the sea’.  You start out on the beaches and walk your way past tanks and exhibits with many different types of sea life stopping along the way to look, enjoy, and some times touch and interact with the creatures.  Signage is written in both Thai and English, but is more informational than really educational.

The grand finally of the tour is walking through a 100 meter long see through tunnel that surrounds you with water and sea life.  It really is impressive and you feel like you are right there with the fish as they swim around you.

The aquarium houses over 2,500 animals and over 300 species of fish.  In addition to the tour several shows are put on throughout the day.  You can watch eagle rays being fed, sea otters performing a show, and large sharks and rays being fed.  If you really want to do something special, you can actually dive with the sharks as your friends watch from inside the tunnel.  The cost can be a little prohibitive for this as it runs about 2,500 Baht.

The admission price is about 400 THB (Baht) for adults and 300 THB for children.  You can book this through your hotel or tour agency, or just get a baht bus to Underwater World yourself as it is very close to most Pattaya Hotels.

While Underwater World Pattaya may not be the best aquarium experience if you’ve had the pleasure of visiting some of the major ones in the west, it is still an entertaining way to spend a few hours.  And if you bring your Thai friend, chances are they will really enjoy it as they may have never been there before.

Massage in Thailand is a traditional and revered art, passed down through many generations.  It is not the typical sex massage that a lot of people associate with it.  If you are looking for information on an adult massage, check out our article on soapy massage in Pattaya.  This article is about traditional Thai massage.

The typical Thai massage involves a lot of stretching an deep massage.  It is believed to have it’s origins from a doctor to Buddha 2,500 years ago in India.  Once these techniques made it to Thailand, they were influenced by Ayurvedic disciplines and the traditional Chinese culture that was so prevalent in Thailand.  It was traditionally performed by Thai monks and is still part of the tradition of Thai medicine.  Wat Po, the oldest temple in Bangkok is home for teaching of the traditional Thai massage.

A Thai massage is very therapeutic, energizing, and relaxing.  Though it can be quite taxing at times as they stimulate the muscles.  You may find yourself being put through a series of yoga like stretches during the course of the massage.  The massage therapist will use hands, feet, elbows, and anything else that seems relevant to give you a complete full body massage.

Unlike the ‘happy finish’ massage, the traditional Thai massage is done fully clothed.  You will be on a raised table or perhaps a mat on the floor.  There is no soap or oil involved.

As part of traditional Thai medicine it is meant to cure or treat a number of ailments.  However it is also taught and practiced by numerous people not in the main stream Thai massage school.  This isn’t to say that these practitioners are not good, just in a different school.  Thai massage has been gaining popularity in both Europe and the United States.

Thai massage believes in the theory that the body transmits air or energy through thousands of pathways throughout the body called ‘sen’.  The practitioner seeks to spread and relax the body so that this energy travels freely and is uninterrupted.  It is very similar to many Easter beliefs such as Tao, that believes that there are meridians throughout the body which energy passes and any blockage could be causing the person harm or discomfort.

The traditional Thai massage seeks to unify the mind, body, and spirit.  It will help focus a persons energy, re-energize them, and help reduce pain and tension.

Traditional Thai Massage in Pattaya

There are many places in Pattaya to find a traditional Thai massage.  Actually there are more traditional places than naughty ones, contrary to popular belief.  You will find a wide range of establishment, from a small shop with one or two practitioner, to large scale facilities equipped to handle 15 or 20 clients at a time.

You will usually have your choice between several types of massage.  The full body and foot massage are two of the most popular.

The foot massage is a unique experience.  The Thai massage practitioner believes that you can control the meridians of the body by affecting several pressure points located on the feet.  They will give your feet a thorough massage and open the sen pathways by manipulating certain points on your feet.  You will be amazed at how good you feel from something that seems so simple as a foot massage.

You can also find a large number of hotels and spas that offer traditional Thai massage in Pattaya.  These experiences come complete with all the pampering that accompanies a high rent resort.  However, the massage itself can be just as good in one of the smaller establishments.

It is not hard to find a massage establishment in Pattaya.  From Walking Street and throughout the city they are readily available.  You will often find that as you walk by the massage girls will call out to you as they try and drum up business.  You want massage?

The Pattaya Crocodile Farm and Million Year Stone Park has become a must see place on many peoples trip to Pattaya and the Chonburi area.  That is one of the reasons it has made it on our Things to do in Pattaya list.  The other reason is that it really is a great day trip.

Located a short 10+ minutes from the main hotel area in Pattaya, the park is easily accessibly by Baht Bus or Taxi.  It has many similar attractions as the Sriacha Tiger Zoo; however the closeness of the venue makes it the best choice if you have to choose between the two.

Situated on 70 acres of land, it is the creation of a local businessman four years in the making.  He was known to have an affinity for natural beauty and the park displays his focus.  He brought to the park 30 years worth of his collection of fine and rare natural objects including 200 year old Thai trained trees, fossilized tree trunks that are millions of years old, and beautifully colored stratified rock, and so much more.

In addition to the fabulous gardens and natural rock exhibits at the Million Year Stone Park, there are many different things to see including the Pattaya Crocodile Farm.  It is the largest collection of salt water crocodiles in the country.  Here you can observe, feed, and watch a crocodile show.  You can even get your picture sitting on the back of one if you are brave enough.

Also making its home on the property is an exotic animal zoo.  Here you will find ponds full of large catfish and snakeheads, albino bears, camels, tigers, if you can think of it, they probably have it.

The park also offers activities such as a coach or tram ride to enjoy the sights while enjoying the comfort of being driven around.  There are also plenty of places to find food, drink, and souvenirs.

This is a fun activity located not too far from the main area of Pattaya and is well worth the visit.  If you have time, make sure to put the Pattaya Crocodile Farm and Million Year Stone Park on your sightseeing list.

Opened in November 2008, Pattaya Floating Market covers 27 Acres and is one of the largest of it’s kind in Thailand.  It honors the four regions of Thailand, North, South, Central, and North Eastern, offering a special combination of attractions and traditions from each.  Located just south of Pattaya on Sukhumvit Road, it is very close, making it a great place for a day’s outing.

Things To See At The Floating Market
Many types of Thai buildings, with unique architecture honoring the four regions, are connected by a series of canals.  Visitors can walk along the boardwalk and enjoy the buildings or be ferried around the canals in one of the 80 paddle boats on site.  The boat trip will allow the guests to enjoy the wonders of river life, exotic plants, bridges, and architecture on display.  There are over 100 shops selling delicious meals and souvenirs.

In addition to the river boat ride, there are many other cultural activities and shops to visit on the land.  You can enjoy demonstrations in Thai classical dance, martial arts, and the water boxing show.  You get to experience performances from the four regions of the country.  Some of the cultural dances on offer are the Bangkokian Dance, Lao Kratob Mai, Long Drum performance, and the coconut shell dance.

There are over a hundred shops selling crafts, paintings, wood carvings, Thai herbs, silk crafts, and many different things from all over Thailand.

In addition to all the cultural activities and shops, there is the Nueng Siam Woodcarving Museum on site.  It displays rare pieces of hand crafted wood carvings in 200 year old teak.  You will see an impressive carved image of the elephant god Ganesha on display here.
Hours and Prices

The Pattaya Floating Market is open daily from 10am till 11pm.  Entrance to the Park is currently free, however if you would like a boat ride the cost is 200 Baht.  The price is per boat, weather one or four passengers.

This is one of the newest attractions in Pattaya and makes for a great daytime excursion.  Visiting the Pattaya Floating market is a nice way to experience some Thai culture in a family friendly tourist environment.  Well worth a visit on your next holiday.

Nong Nooch Tropical Garden and Resort is another item on the Things to do in Pattaya list.  Located a short 20 minute drive from Pattaya, Nong Nooch is one of the finest botanical gardens in all of Asia.  It is filled with thousands of palms, orchids, ferns, cycads, and many other species.  It also has a grand collection of many rare plants.

Located on 600 plus acres with two man made lakes, it opened to the public in 1980.  In 2001, Kampon Tansacha, the son of Nongnooch for whom the garden was named, took stewardship of the grounds and resort. He has been running it ever since.

Getting To Nong Nooch
You can book a tour with your hotel or online and they will provide you transportation to and from the garden, as well as the entrance fee.  There are also packages available that include activities like elephant rides. The packages usually run from about 650 Baht for an Adult and 550 for a child on the low end, to 1,250 Baht (Adult) and 700 Baht (child) for a package for more activities.

If you prefer to do things on your own, you can hire a baht bus to take you and your group to the botanical gardens.  Depending on your negotiation skills, you may be able to make a good deal.  Once there you can buy your ticket at the gate.

Things to do at Nong Nooch
All the massive gardens are spectacular, there is more to do during your visit than walk the grounds.  There are 4 shows a day at the Thai Cultural center.  These include some Muay Thai Boxing, Hill Tribe music and dance, a Thai Wedding Ceremony, and elephant shows outside.  The elephants perform various tricks for the audience including soccer and basketball.

You can also get your picture taken with a baby tiger, parrot, or elephant at the small zoo on the premises.  It’s a touristy thing to do, and available at some of the other venues around Pattaya.

If you are hungry there are several restaurants that should suit your fancy.  Visitors have a choice of Thai, Chinese, Korean, or western cuisine.  There are enough choices to get your mouth watering.

If you want to pick up a few souvenirs, there is a shopping mall where you can pick up a few trinkets, t-shirts, or whatever else catches your eye to remember your visit.

Staying at the Nong Nooch Resort
There are several different types of accommodations available to you if you wish to stay at the resort.  There are a series of traditional architecture Thai Teak Houses, various cottages, and even some lakeside villas available to rent.  It provides a unique experience to stay right there on the grounds.

The beautiful grounds, rare plants, and enthralling cultural shows should make Nong Nooch Tropical Garden a must see on your Pattaya activity list.

As part of the “things to do in Pattaya” series, we bring you the Ripley’s Believe It Or Not Museum.  It is actually more than just the museum, they have three other attractions for your enjoyment as well.  It is a fun way to spend a few hours during your day.  It is a family friendly attraction that will amuse you and the rest of your group.

Ripley’s Location – Royal Garden Plaza

Located on the upper level of the Royal Garden shopping mall (3rd floor), between beach road and second road, you can enter the mall from either side.  However, on the second road entrance you will have a nice picture taking opportunity of the Ripley’s plane crashing into the mall.  It is a pretty common tourist picture…you can see mine in the post.

Ripley’s Believe It Or Not – Ticket Prices

Once you head up to the top floor you will find the Ripley’s end of the mall.  There is a ticket booth in the center that you can go to in order to purchase your tickets.  As mentioned earlier, there is more than just the museum to see here.  You can buy a ticket for just the Ripley’s Believe it or Not Museum, or the better value is to purchase an all day pass that gets you into all the exhibits.

Prices:  (in Thai Baht)

• Ripley’s Believe It Or Not Museum      Adult 480    Child 380
• Ripley’s Haunted Adventure                  Adult 480    Child 380
• Ripley’s Infinity Maze                               Adult 480     Child 480
• Ripley’s Moving Theater 4D                   Adult 200     Child 200

All Day Play Package Price:

• All Day Ticket (All Venues)                    Adult  880     Child 780

It is well worth it to buy the all day ticket, you can get into all places for less than the cost of just two.

Ripley’s Believe It Or Not Museum Pattaya

The museum is billed as being a world famous collection of oddities that range from the bizarre to the beautiful.  It has 10 individual galleries with 0ver 300 different exhibits that cover things from primitive torture devices, real shrunken heads, and a was figure of a four eyed man.  It is a tourist trap at it’s finest, but I would still recommend taking the tour, it is fun and has more than a few interactive exhibits that will make you chuckle.

Ripley’s Haunted Adventure Pattaya

Another part of the Ripley’s attractions, this venue is a haunted house set up to scare visitors year round.  It is a replica of the 20th century warehouse of the Grimsby and Streaper Casket Company.  It has an interesting back story of a casket company built in San Antonio Texas that was riddled with disappearances, foul play, and ghosts.  It is sure to give you a little fright.

Ripley’s Infiniti Maze Pattaya

A 20 minute journey into the maze will challenge your perception, mesmerize your senses, and make you question reality…at least that is how they promote it.  It is a fun excursion for 20 – 30 minutes.  The lighting, sound effects, and illusions will do there best to dazzle your senses.

Ripley’s Moving Theater 4D

A wild simulator ride and the first of it’s kind in Thailand.  It is a movie and ride all built into one.  It is an HD movie with motion seating that makes you feel like part of the movie. It isn’t revolutionary but it is good fun.

All in all, Ripley’s is a good way to spend a day while in Pattaya.  Truth be told, you won’t be overly impressed, but you will have fun.  And for only 880 baht, it is a good way to spend a few day light hours in the city of sin.  So if you are looking for something to do in Pattaya, check out Ripley’s Believe it or Not.

Our next installment of things to do in Pattaya is the Sanctuary of Truth.  Pattaya has a number of fun things to do that don’t get a lot of attention.  This is another great way to spend a couple hours during the day, and an excellent opportunity to take some great photos.  The castle is within the city limits and close to most hotels.  The Sanctuary of Truth is entirely had crafted out of wood and has been under construction for the past 20 years.  According to the guide, it is estimated that it will take another twenty years before it will be completed.  The intricate wood carvings hold both spiritual and philosophical meanings.

Getting to the Sanctuary of Truth

Located within the Pattaya city limits, in the Naklua area, it is a short trip from most Pattaya hotels.  You can book a tour through most travel desks, but this really isn’t necessary.  You can hire a baht bus (Songtaew) to take you and your friends there.  The cost will depend on how many people you have and how good your negotiation skills are.  I recommend that you also talk to the driver upon your arrival to get his phone number to get him to pick you up.  Most drivers will stick around and wait for you, knowing the baht they will get for the personal hire will be more than they will make doing circles around second road.  If you choose to send your driver on his way, be aware you may be waiting for a while to see another baht bus show up if it is a slow day.  You may have to hoof it to the main road in order to catch a ride home.

History of the Sanctuary of Truth

There is way too much information and philosophy related to the Sanctuary for me to summarize it here, but I will try to provide a brief overview.  The Sanctuary of Truth was conceived by a successful business man and billionaire name Khun Lek.  It is a fine example of traditional Thai architecture, and elaborately inlaid with hand crafted wood sculptures.  It has a blend of influences from the major religions found in Thailand, Buddhism, Hindu, Khmer, Chinese, and of course Thai.

There is work constantly going on at any time, with upwards of 200 woodcrafter’s working at any one time.  Being entirely hand crafted is part of the reason it is going to be a 40 year process to completion.  Each of the four wings represent a different philosophical aspect, elemental and religious.  The building site is continuously under construction, so hard hats are required

The Tourist Attractions

The Sanctuary of Truth Pattaya is one of the great places to take photos on your trip.  It overlooks the ocean from a rocky hilltop, and the vast amount of sculptures and architecture can keep you busy for hours if you let it.  There is also a dolphin show in the lagoon a couple times a day.  If you wish to see this arrive at the right time.  There is also an elephant feeding area.  You can buy some bananas for a small fee, and feed the baby elephants that are on site.  I saw two at the time I was there.  This is a great photo opportunity, and the elephants may get a little frisky, which can give you some funny photos.  There are also ATV rides available, but if it is rainy season be prepared to get muddy.

The entrance fee was 500 Baht at the time of writing.  This is quite a reasonable price since you get a personal tour guide, and the groups are quite small.  Their English language skills are quite good and they are very knowledgeable about the Sanctuary.

This is a fine day trip and a good photo outing for those who are looking for a little more than nightlife on their holiday.  Take a trip to the Sanctuary of Truth in Pattaya Thailand and enjoy!

About a 30 minute drive from your hotel in Pattaya, the Sriracha Tiger Zoo is home to a large collection of tigers, crocodiles, chimpanzees, pigs, and all sorts of other creatures.  Situated on 100 acres, the zoo contains 200 Bengal Tigers and over 100,000 crocodiles (yes you read that right).  There are many activities to do here that will keep you going for hours.  If you are looking for a fun way to spend time during the day in Pattaya, this is one of many options.

Getting to the Pattaya Tiger Zoo

You will find many places around Pattaya that will be willing to sell you a tourist package to bo visit the Tiger Zoo.  From touts on the street, to specialized tourist agencies, you can become inundated with offers if you look.  My prefered choice, as I have mentioned in other articles, is to book your trip through your hotel tour desk.  You can be assured that they are on the up and up, and will organize the best trip for you.  Typically this involves transportation from your hotel to the Tiger Zoo and back.  It is pretty much a full day trip, so be prepared.  The ride is short, 30 minutes by hired bus from your Pattaya Hotel.

Things to do at Sriracha Tiger Zoo

You will have no trouble filling your day at this tourist trap.  At the Sriracha Tiger Zoo you can observe the benagal tigers in their habitat as well as get your picture taken with a tiger cub.  You can go to the amazing circus and watch the tigers perform for you.  There are elephant rides, feeding of elephants and pigs, and the whole host of creatures not to be missed.  The zoo also has a crocodile show which is quite amazing.  Performers get up close and personal with these animals, kiss them on the mouth, and put their heads inside the crocodile jaws.  (this is not to be confused with the crocodile farm, also a day attraction of Pattaya).

The Tiger Zoo Pattaya also has a lush tropical garden for you to walk through and enjoy.  Some have said that you could almost spend an entire day in the gardens, that might be true.  However if you get hungry, you will find a wide assortment of food available on the grounds.  From Thai to European and some things in between, there will be plenty of choices of restaurants to eat in.

Some of the main attractions are the aforementioned Amazing Circus and Crocodile show.  You can also see the Scorpion Queen, a lady with way too many scorpions on her clothes for my tastes.  Then again, one would be too many for my tastes.  There are also the Pig Races, and the Crocodile egg breaking festival if you are there between May and August. The tiger zoo Pattaya has something for everyone.

If you have the time, this is definitely one place you should check out.

This is the first installment of many in a series focusing on things to do in Pattaya during the day time.  If you are like me, you don’t just enjoy the nightlife, but you want some fun things to do with your day as well.  I just jotted down a short list, and I already have ten things for you.  I’m sure that list will grow as my memory starts to  uncloud.

Till the next time…put Sriracha Tiger Zoo in Pattaya on your list.