Geography of Pattaya

Nestled along a picturesque bay on the East Coast of the Gulf of Thailand, Pattaya is a world-renowned seaside resort known for its exotic beaches, vibrant nightlife, shopping and much more. Pattaya lies about 165 km southeast of Bangkok, in Chon Buri Province of Thailand, between 12°55'39"N latitude and 100°52'31"E longitude. The Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok is the nearest airport from Pattaya, and it takes just around 1 ½ to 2 hours drive to reach the city from the airport. The city lies parallel to Sukhumvit Road on its east and the coastline on its west. Though mainly known as a premier holiday destination, Pattaya also boasts a number of private industrial estates for light industry and regarded as the center of the Pattaya-Chonburi Metropolitan Area. The city of Pattaya is a self governing special municipal area.

Pattaya has an area of approximately 208 sq km with a 15 km long and scenic coastline boasting some of the most exotic beaches in the world. The topography of the city comprises of a plain on the coast with some high mountains to the south. The area on the east slopes down towards the sea on the west. The coastal side of Pattaya can be divided into five contiguous sub-districts - North Pattaya (Pattaya Nua), South Pattaya (Pattaya Tai), Central Pattaya (Pattaya Klang), Naklua (just north of North Pattaya), and Buddha Hill (sandwiched between South Pattaya and Jomtien Beach).

Pattaya has a good network of roads, and so getting around the city is quite easy. The famous Beach Road (also referred to as First Road) runs North-South along the Bay, bordering the main beach (Hat Pattaya), Pattaya Second Road and Pattaya Third Road , and the main Sukhumvit Road coastal highway. Both the Beach Road and the Second Road are one-way routes, running parallel to each other (just about 100 meters apart). A large number of east-west streets (locally known as sois) connect these two main roads, as well as to the North Pattaya Road, Central Pattaya Road and South Pattaya Road. The Beach Road, Second Road, and North Pattaya Road all meet at the Dolphin Roundabout landmark. Visitors should note that street signs are generally in Thai except a few of the sois which carry signs in English too.