Pattaya in 3 days: a first-visit plan
Three balanced days for a first visit: the town and its viewpoint, a full day on Koh Larn, then the Sanctuary of Truth and an evening show, with time to rest in the heat of the day.
- 1
Day 1: find your bearings
Start gently. Walk a stretch of the Pattaya Beach promenade in the morning, then ride a baht bus along Beach Road and back on Second Road to see how the town fits together.
Have lunch in a mall food court, out of the heat, and rest until mid-afternoon. Around 16:30, go up Pratumnak Hill for the Big Buddha and the viewpoint: the bay is at its best towards sunset. Finish with dinner and a stroll through a night market.
Useful guides: getting around Pattaya and Pattaya Beach.
- 2
Day 2: Koh Larn
Take a morning ferry from Bali Hai Pier and spend the day on the island: choose one beach for swimming and lunch, and a second for the afternoon if you like to move. Keep an eye on the time of the last boats back. Everything you need is in the Koh Larn guide.
- Bring cash, sun protection and a dry bag for phones.
- Weekdays are quieter than weekends and public holidays.
- If the sea is rough, swap this day with day 3.
- 3
Day 3: the Sanctuary of Truth and a show
Visit the Sanctuary of Truth in the morning, when the carved wood is in good light and the air is cooler. Allow two to three hours with the guided tour. Naklua is next door: have seafood for lunch near the Lan Pho market.
Spend the afternoon by the pool or in a spa, then book an early-evening seat at one of the cabaret shows. For a relaxed last dinner, see what to eat in Pattaya.