Thailand’s party town

During a large group family trip to Thailand, we spent a few days in Pattaya, Thailand’s beachside party town. This city is what I imagine Miami to look and feel like, but with much better food. Simon and I are typically frugal travelers, but since things are more affordable in Southeast Asia, we went along with everything his aunt planned. Over the next three days, we experienced the luxuries of resort life, including private drivers, Terrace House-style villas, and at-home meals prepared by personal chefs. Hard life, I know.

In between the pool lounging, long beachfront brunches, and daily massages, we went out to see some local attractions including Pattaya Floating Market, Walking Street, CentralFestival Mall, Big C hypermarket, and the Sanctuary of Truth, which deserves it own feature later in this post.

Some of the attractions in Pattaya felt too modern (illusion art museum, water park, etc) and touristy (the floating market). Where I truly enjoyed learning about Thailand culture was through food. Although street food wasn’t as easy to find as in Bangkok, we managed to locate a variety of tropical fruits I was thrilled to try, including green mango, pomelo, black watermelon, and even durian. I also gave durian a real chance for the first time ever and didn’t hate it! We also had fresh seafood (large prawns, raw shrimp, and so much more) at Preecha Seafood, a Thai/Chinese restaurant by the beach with a very local feel.

Beach cafes

We inadvertently ended up spending a lot of times at beach cafes, which I can only describe as day clubs without the loud music and obnoxious partying. The first day we arrived , our driver drove us to the most beautiful place I’d ever seen. Stepping foot into Bali-themed Oxygen Beachfront Oasis on a late afternoon was like a dream paradise come true. The beach, the umbrellas, the food options, the service… I died and went to heaven.

We also had brunches at The Sky Gallery and Surf and Turf Beach Club, cafes of similar scale and feel, but felt a tad more crowded. Being someone who eats fast while on vacation, actually taking the time to enjoy a slow meal is real luxury I should indulge in more often.

The Sanctuary of Truth

Finally, my favorite place in Pattaya was the city’s largest attraction, an astonishing monument called the Sanctuary of Truth. Commissioned by an art-loving millionaire businessman in 1981, its vision was "the magnificence of heaven recreated on Earth.” This unfinished temple/castle structure is notably constructed entirely out of wood in traditional Ayutthaya-era architectural styles. Every building element and sculptural piece is intricately hand carved to pay homage to figures from ancient religions and philosophies. This building is truly unreal.

Not only is the sanctuary an architectural wood carving masterpiece, it presents and preaches a life philosophy that makes you reflect on your own self development journey. Within the halls of the museum are plaques that showcase principles on everything ranging from love to humility, drugs to procrastination. The founder pays tribute to the ancient Earth, ancient knowledge, and Eastern philosophies by bringing those beliefs into the modern world. This framework preaches respect, trust, love and generosity, and personally feels so much more grounded in reality than any widely-recognized religion or belief. Why can’t we all be as wholesome and worldly as this guy?

Pattaya was a fun and relaxing couple of days! I’m already looking forward to the next time, where I’ll be doing tons of aquatic activities at Koh Larn island, catching a ladyboy show, and having all the meals at Oxygen Beachfront Oasis. Hehe!

Check out part one of this trip, Bangkok.