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Where the wavelengths match

White sand and gentle waves in plenty. Pattaya is all this and much more, discovers MURLI MENON

ON THE WATERFRONT Pattaya offers multiple options to tourists to relax

I am writing this from the garden-facing room at the homely, yet modern, Royal Orchid Beach Resort in North Pattaya. Pattaya is a paradise for all those who love the sun, the sea, the sand and the surf. The Royal Orchid Resort is located at Naklua, a short walk away from Naklua beach, one of the many beaches that dot Pattaya. Here you will find old wooden houses and narrow streets with traditional shops and several traditional Thai houses overlooking the creek. As one walks along the cobblestone streets that lead to the beach, there is still an air of a quaint little village about Naklua. One can find several shops selling handicrafts and domestic goods along the street corners.

The story

There is an interesting story about the origins of the name Pattaya. In 1767, Thailand lost Pattaya to the invading Burmese army for three months. The reining Thai king Tap (Phraya Kamphangphet) made it clear that had his general Krungsri Ayuthayya fought the Burmese with greater effort, Pattaya would never have been lost. So the king raised another army of 500 under his own command to repel the invaders. On reaching Pattaya a local warlord called Klom and his army joined the battle against the Thai king. As the two armies prepared to fight, King Phraya appeared in person, seated on the back of the royal elephant with a gun in hand, followed by his soldiers, who advanced on the Klom army, which hesitated to join the battle.

Overwhelmed by the personal presence of the king and his forces, The Klom army surrendered without a fight and were integrated into the king's own forces. Thus strengthened, the combined army rested at a local lake. The local people called this place Thapphraya after the king's name but due to mispronunciation, tapphraya soon metamorphosed into Pattaya. As one crosses the Dolphin Point and heads towards South Pattaya, one can walk along the edge of the sea on a newly constructed promenade, under the shade of the swaying coconut palms! Pattaya is dotted with several beautiful beaches and the colour of the sea is turquoise. Several coral islands are scattered around Pattaya and are easily accessible by boat. The beach at Naklua is a relatively quiet beach unfrequented by tourists. The sea is calm and the greenery starts where the beach ends! Jomtien beach is the other beach at Pattaya. Koh means island in Thai, and two coral islands, namely Koh Larn and Koh Sak, are a short boat ride away from Pattaya.

The visit to Koh Larn is an extremely pleasant experience. One takes the morning boat, which leaves Bali Hai pier from South Pattaya at 6:00 a.m. Boats go at one-hour intervals to Koh Larn and cost 20 Baht. There are three islands, Koh Larn, Koh Sak and Koh Korok, situated 17.7 km west of Pattaya Strait. The boat ride takes 45 minutes one way. The island is spread over four square kilometres. The boat gently rides the waves, and one can get a magnificent view from the upper deck. The turquoise waters stretching from horizon to horizon, the snow white clouds suspended above the water and the light blue sky, a stark contrast to the waters. Soon two islands covered in a canopy of green appear at the far end.

These islands appear wild. Soon one lands on a white sandy beach surrounded by crystal clear waters. There are corals of every shape and size here. The beach is no less beautiful.

White sands stretch for kilometres. I enjoy soaking in the warm waters of the sea, feeling the gentle waves lapping at my feet. Once the novelty of the water wears off, one can explore the island, which is largely uninhabited. A few stalls selling souvenirs, coconut water, boiled corn surround the beach. I climb the hill, which is covered with a dense growth of trees, to reach the top. The view from the top of the hill is picturesque... the silvery sands, the wide arced bay, the swaying palms and the green treetops. The ocean breeze is cool and rejuvenating. Meditating on the hill is a divine experience.

There are several other tourist attractions around Pattaya including Underwater World, Crocodile Farm and Mini Siam, which contain replicas of 80 sacred sites and important historical sites around Thailand at a scale of 1:25.

Tesco Lotus and Big C are two supermarkets at Pattaya selling everything from pins to washing machines.

Local handicrafts, silverware, pottery and traditional clothes are sold at night bazaars. The unique feature of Pattaya is the availability of motorbike taxis and shared tuktuks (like Vikrams), which make commuting in Pattaya easy and affordable as compared to meter cabs.

How to get there

The nearest international airport to Pattaya is the Suvarnabhoomi International Airport at Bangkok . There are several options for Indian tourists to get to Pattaya from Bangkok.

By bus: The easiest and most popular way to get to Pattaya from Bangkok is by bus. This 140 km trip takes 2 hours.

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