Cultural heaven at the Alangkarn Theatre

Following a recent enjoyable visit to Bangkok’s Siam Niramit Theatre for a cultural show, I decided it was time to revisit Pattaya’s own cultural show venue. The Alangkarn Theatre is a fairly modern show venue on Sukhumvit Road south of Jomtien. Thai cultural shows at the Alangkarn begin at 18:00 every evening, apart from Wednesdays, and have three acts.

Act I kicks off the extravaganza with dancers and performers enacting scenes from Thailand’s formative years with the god Naga playing a prominent role. The second act depicts the four principal regions of Thailand and focuses on their culture and festivals. The Royal Mask Drama scene is a highlight of this act. Act III shows how the ancient Sukhothai and Rattanakosin kingdoms of the country evolved.

The contemporary theatre has 2,000 seats which offer great views of the stage where the thespians have stunned thousands of audiences with their skills. State-of-the-art light and sound effects enhance the visual delight for audiences. A trip to the Alangkarn can be combined with dining at a massive onsite restaurant and a walk around the cultural rostrum.

The rostrum is an interesting experience with a market and various fun activities. Some of Pattaya’s finest souvenirs can be found here. Reservations for one of Pattaya’s greatest cultural experiences can be made at http://www.alangkarnthailand.com/reservation.htm or at (66) 3825 6000.

Fishing locations for Pattaya visitors

The balmy waters of the Gulf of Thailand offer a fine selection of activities for Pattaya holidaymakers and residents. Swimming, windsurfing, fishing, diving and sailing are among the options. Lots of specialist tour companies run daily cruises for diving and fishing. Deep sea fishing enthusiasts will catch, if they are lucky, species such as barracudas, rays, marlin, sailfish and even the occasional hammerhead shark.

Mermaids Dive Center, Pattaya Diving and Fishing at Bali Hai Pier and the Scandinavia Bar on Soi 13 off Beach Road are among popular fishing boat charter companies. Mermaids adds a touch of the traditional to its trips as it employs an old wooden-hulled fishing trawler. While the boat may be old its equipment is not and it boasts a fish finder, emergency radio and state-of-the-art rods and reels.

For those who like to keep their feet on terra firma while indulging their passion for angling there are several fishing parks within easy travelling distance of Pattaya. Lakes are well-stocked with carp, tilapia and catfish with some weighing in at over 30kgs. The biggest and best fishing lake is at Bang Saray and is around 20kms south on Sukhumvit Road. Anglers who do not want to travel so far could try their luck at the smaller Jomtien Fishing Park which is noted for its Mekong giant catfish.

Back to nature at a Rayong national park

Thailand is big on its conservation areas and an estimated 10 per cent of the country’s land is contained within designated national parks and preserves. In neighbouring Rayong Province there are two national parks which provide good daytrips for Pattaya’s visitors. The first and most popular is the Gulf of Thailand Khao Laem Ya-Koh Samet Island marine park.

Khao Wong-Khao Chamao is the second of the Rayong national parks and an altogether more relaxing location far from the madding crowds, unless visiting on a Thai national holiday. This 85km² park is named after two landmark peaks, Chamao and Wong. It has large swathes of evergreen forest which are home to great hornbills, gibbons and other wildlife. Two majestic waterfalls and caves are among other park draws.

A waterfall with the same name as the park is an easy one-kilometre hike from the park HQ. Clear pools along the various cascade levels allow walkers to see fish. Klong Pla Gang Waterfall is a bit farther and requires a reasonable level of fitness. The trail here is lined with ferns and the occasional wild orchid. There are a few bungalows and a camp ground for people wishing to prolong their return to the hustle and bustle of the city.

Khao Wong-Khao Chamao can be reached by taking Highway 3 all the way past Rayong and Klaeng from Pattaya, and then turning left at the junction with Route 3377. The park is signposted from the turnoff. Some taxi drivers and Pattaya travel agencies run trips out to the park for those who prefer to sit back and enjoy the splendid vistas.

A healing hands massage by the sea

People visiting Pattaya can get massages that will take away aches and pains and leave their bodies feeling totally rejuvenated. Most of the major hotels and resorts have their own spa centres which provide massage services as part of their therapeutic treatments. There are also lots of parlours at the junction where Pattaya Tai (South Road) meets Beach Road as well as ones on side roads and small sois.

The massage parlours usually have boards outside them advertising the different massages on offer. Choices for traditional massages are usually standard body ones, oil massages, herbal massages and foot massages. Prices begin at around 150 Baht an hour.

Conventional massages focus on body pressure points to relieve stress and soothe fatigued muscles. Masseurs and masseuses offering herbal treatments often compress leaves in cotton gauze and apply them to parts of the body. A foot massage can leave feet feeling lighter than air and as though they have had knots and twists taken out of them.

Another option for a massage in Pattaya is to get one from the bevy of masseuses that walk along the beach every day. The last alternative for male visitors is one of the entertainment venues with attached massage parlours where adult-only treatments are offered.

A trip back in time at the Floating Market

At Pattaya Floating Market visitors are transported back to a period when the bulk of Thailand’s commerce took place on streams and canals. The massive market complex opened in 2008 and is an aesthetically pleasing sight with canals, bridges, old Thai pavilions and exotic tropical trees and shrubs. The canals are dotted with punts ferrying shoppers between the four regions of the market. The areas represent the four parts of Thailand; the north, the northeast, the south and the central provinces.

The parts of the market feature boutique like shops where hand-crafted items native to the four regions make great gifts and mementos. OTOP (One Tambon One Products) items feature prominently as do silks, woven cloth and clothing, and herbs. Portrait artists knock up reasonable likenesses in no time at all. Fruits, drinks and regional gastronomic delicacies are available from waterborne vendors.

The market’s Nueng Siam Woodcarving Museum houses wonderful artefacts and exhibits, the most noted of which is a Ganesh elephant god effigy. There are frequent traditional dance performances as well as the chance of witnessing a boxing bout by contestants hanging from a pole above one of the canals. Those who wish to spend a few days longer here are able to check in at the onsite home-stay guest house. Full details of Pattaya Floating Market’s myriad draws are available at http://www.pattayafloatingmarket.com/.

Revisiting Walking Street

Every evening Walking Street in Pattaya is closed to traffic and, as the sun sets, colourful neon lights are turned on to illuminate one of the most vibrant entertainment precincts in Thailand. Although the street is at the heart of Pattaya’s red-light quarter, this is not its only attraction as there are venues for live music, high-tech disco music, playing pool and even relaxing meals and drinks.

Walking Street comes to life at around 18:00 when bars such as Maxie’s kick it off with happy hour drinks. After hitting the cut-price drinks a good meal will provide the stamina to carry on late into the evening. This is where a visit to the legendary Goodfellas club can pay dividends. The themed bar serves a diverse selection of tasty snacks and salads. The poker chicken strips come highly recommended.

Club Insomnia features a spacious dance floor with a state-of-the-art sound and light system. This club hosts the occasional top-name DJ. FLB Bar stages live bands that play classic tunes and has an astonishing bevy of beautiful hostesses. For those that enjoy alternative entertainment, Club Boesche is a must-visit spot on any Walking Street night out. A large tub in the club is occupied by ladies who stage live shows throughout the evening.

Christmas dinner in Pattaya

Pattaya is a cosmopolitan resort and offers visitors the opportunity of sampling cooking from most regions of the world. As the festive season approaches, wining and dining venues are starting to advertise menus for Christmas dinners. Some of the British-style pubs dotted around Pattaya have already put up display boards or added extra pages to menus that display their particular offerings. Christmas pudding, roast potatoes and turkey, and even Brussels sprouts all feature prominently.

The Butcher’s Arms or Soi Buakhao’s Pig & Whistle are good locations to find out about Christmas meals. As well as the Brit-pubs, there are also a number of hotels and restaurants which have posted online menus and forms for pre-booking, a useful tool for those not in-country at the moment. The Sports bar at the 18 Coins Hotel, also on Soi Buakhao, is serving a 599-Baht dinner including a turkey platter, mince pies and pudding with custard on Christmas Day. Bookings at http://www.18coinshotel.com/christmas-dinner-pattaya/.

The Holiday Inn and Asia Pattaya hotels are both laying on Christmas Eve gala dinners. The Holiday Inn is providing a Christmas-fare orientated buffet with a full range of entertainment. Santa Claus will be making a special appearance for youngsters. The Asia Pattaya’s Petch Hall is the venue for a candlelight Christmas repast with live entertainment.

Riding a motorcycle rental in Pattaya

Renting a motorcycle while on holiday in Pattaya is an ideal way of getting around town and accessing the unique tourism draws on Thailand’s eastern seaboard. Small Honda motorcycles can be found at hire outlets all over town, with daily rental fees as low as 150 Baht. The rental companies do not usually ask for driving licences before hiring bikes out.

As the bikes frequently only come with third-party insurance, some of the companies do request that renters leave their passports as surety against any damage. When hiring a bike it is a good idea to have any old damage to it noted on the rental agreement, or even better to take photographs. When renters return their motorbikes it is not unknown for the more unscrupulous rental operators to claim that old damage occurred during the current rental period.

The bikes should also be taxed with the year 2555, next year, showing on the tax disc and come with a crash helmet. Riders without crash-helmets are often stopped and fined at police check-points. Motorcyclists do need to be careful as driving rules and standards in Thailand are not the same as in Western nations.

Yamaha Mios and Honda Waves go for between 150 and 250 Baht a day, depending on condition, age and sometimes the renter’s particular bartering skills. Long-term visitors can often rent the smaller bikes for monthly rates of around 2,500 baht. Dirt bikes and large road bikes such as Harleys are available for rent in Pattaya, but the bigger ccs come with bigger price tags.

Buying tailored garments in Pattaya

Many visitors to Thailand’s principal tourist hubs take advantage of the tailor’s shops in them to have premium quality bespoke garments knocked up at a fraction of the cost of similar articles in Western countries. Pattaya is no exception and there are abundant tailors who will turn out suits, trousers, shirts, dresses, skirts, blouses, overcoats and clothing accessories within a 24 or 48 period.

Although some of the tailors hail from the Indian Subcontinent, there are also Thai managed shops. A quick walk along Beach Road or Second Road will quickly unearth reputable establishments such as Maharaja’s or Giovani Collection. A personal favourite is New Look Collection which is located on the premises of Areca Lodge, just off the main tourist area.

New Look offers clothing for all occasions and prides itself on offering the finest quality materials when creating formal suits and tuxedoes as well as casual denims. The tailors here use skills honed over several generations to create articles that feel as comfortable as a second skin. Over at Maharaja’s, master-tailor Sarit oversees the cutting of herring-bone cashmere suits and hundreds of other custom designs. As Giovani’s name implies its emphasis is on European flavourings, and Italian wool and fabrics feature prominently in its offerings.

Punch and Judy British pub in Pattya

One of the newer wining and dining venues in Pattaya is the ambient London-style Punch and Judy tavern. Its location on Thepprasit Road’s Soi 17 is a little off the beaten track, but the pub’s authentic décor, relaxing atmosphere, and eclectic selection of drinks and menu items more than compensates for this. A sports section, a pool table in good condition and weekly quiz night are among other reasons to visit.

Friends who had visited the Punch and Judy told me it was a typical old-style London boozer with a focal bar and privacy giving booths around it. It is not as busy as its namesake in London’s Covent Garden, but this just adds to its appeal as who wants to enjoy a decent wine or draught Guinness while standing shoulder-to-shoulder with other imbibers.

As well as Guinness, the pub’s drinks menu includes Magners cider, Semillon Chardonnay white wine, red wine, and a full selection of locally produced beers. Even Boddingtons Bitter sometimes makes an appearance. The bar’s diverse food offerings are based on English pub-grub, with some Thai specialities, and include Cumberland sausages, fish and chips, ploughman’s lunches and breakfasts. There is a special roast dinner on Sundays.