We start off from
the Balice airport on November 9 at 15.25 to arrive in Vienna at
about 16.30. We have approx. 7 hours of waiting here. We wanted to
save some money on tickets and now we regret it. The airport is
small, there’s not much to do here. From Vienna we depart several
minutes before midnight to touch the Thai ground the next day at
15.05 local time.
When we get there,
part of the country is still under water, we check regularly the
government's website www.thailand.prd.go.th and sites of the two
English-language newspapers, “The Nation” and “The Bangkok
Post”. We also check the information of the Polish Embassy in
Bangkok (www.bangkok.polemb.net), but they seem to frighten you more
than to inform – that’s my opinion.
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| One of the most interesting things I experienced in Thailand was meeting a tiger |
When we get off
the plane it's seems we've found ourselves in a different world.
Suvarnabhumi Airport (read it as: soo-wan-na-poom) is enormous. No
wonder, Bangkok is a major hub on the Asian aviation map. But this is
much more than we expected. Several levels, each has its assignment.
Level 4 for departures, Level 3 for arrivals etc. And what’s
interesting, it’s not so easy to move between them. For example you
can't take a lift from Level 4 to Level 3. What for? – you could
ask. Of course, we find a way to do this, because there’s a cheap
grocery store on Level 3.
The airport is
located approx. 25 km from the city center. Just at the beginning
there’s a little unpleasant surprise waiting for us. Although we
checked thoroughly all the information on the airport’s website
(www.bangkokairportonline.com), it turns out to be outdated (more
about this in another part, dedicated to the capital).
We don’t lose
time and find quickly an exchange (there are several points here) to
change some money to start with. Close to the exchanges there's a
tourist information counter of TAT (Tourism Authority of Thailand)
with sympathetic and helpful staff and free maps. We change jeans and
shirts for shorts and T-shirts and run to the counter where tickets
to Pattaya are sold. Note: there are two counters of two companies
side by side, one selling tickets for 124 THB and the other for 200
THB; they don’t differ much, the one being public and the other
private.
The
bus goes directly to Pattaya and doesn’t stop along the way. It has
several stops in Pattaya itself, the last one not far from Jomtien
Beach, on Thapphraya
Rd., in front of the “Pan Pan Restaurant” (it’s good
orientation point). The last departure from the airport is at 22.00
and it goes only to North Pattaya Rd. It’s not a big problem
because songthaews (sort of collective taxis) operate until late at
night. You need to be careful when getting on the empty vehicles
because sometimes the drivers treat such a course as a taxi course
and will ask for much more money than usual fare which is 10 THB per
person. Nevertheless they often ask 20 THB from the foreigners. The
best solution is to count the exact amount and give it to the driver
or his assistant with a bold face.
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| One of the main streets in Pattaya |
Pattaya
is situated approx. 150 km from Bangkok, on the coast of the Gulf of
Thailand which makes it a good place for rest for those who don’t
want to waste time and energy to get to one of the many islands, and
at the same time want to enjoy fully the lively night life. Pattaya
is famous for that. Many people, having returned from there, bluntly
call it a brothel-city. In my opinion, it enjoys deservedly such an
opinion and I think it doesn’t seem to bother anyone.
Official
website of the city: www.pattayacityhall.go.th
We reach Pattaya
at about 21.00 and we don’t really know how to move around the
city. We try to hook a few people, but it seems no one speaks English
here! It’s strange in a place where, apart from vice girls,
tourists are the largest group. Finally, a Frenchman, seeing our
embarrassment, shows us the direction to the center and instructs us
how to use songthaews.
We get to the
center and enter the first alley. Noise, neon lights glare our eyes;
girls on one side, boys on the other… It’d be very difficult to
fall asleep here. We wander around narrow streets for quite a time
and decide to go back to the main intersection. We notice a small
sign “Rooms for rent”. That’s the place. Nice, clean and
spacious room, a window overlooks the neighboring temple; very quiet;
private bathroom with hot water; air-con, fridge, TV set, free wi-fi.
450 THB. We take it. A moment to refresh ourselves and off we go for
the first reconnaissance and a dinner.
We’ve heard many
good things about Thai cuisine. Friends advised us to eat in the
street. You don’t have to be afraid of the lack of hygiene. Well,
the establishments here might not be too sterile but we don’t have
such objections as in e.g. India. We order a soup and rise with
chicken as a second course. We get totally different dishes. Some
minutes pass before we manage to explain what we really want. Again,
what’s wrong with English here? Indeed, we expected that in the
country where several million tourists arrive annually, the knowledge
of the basics of English will be a norm.
In Pattaya we
spend almost a week in total (in two rounds). Where to start…
Beaches
The biggest
attractions of Pattaya are its bars, night-clubs and beaches. There
are several parks in the vicinity offering shows of the Thai culture,
elephant rides etc. This is the right town to spend a few days'
holiday.
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| Jomtien Beach |
Beaches may not be
too nice nor clean, especially the one in the center, near the
promenade, going off the “entertainment” streets. The best one is
located in Jomtien, south of the city. There are lots of resorts and
hotels here. A bit calmer is Naklua, north. The central beach, called
Hat Pattaya, is suitable only for those whose only need is that the
water was wet. At night the shore changes into a crowdy bar and
almost every piece of sand is occupied by deck chairs for which you
have to pay, of course.
Nong Nooch
Tropical Garden
Within
a distance of several kilometers from the city there are several
complexes offering entertainment for local inhabitants as well as for
tourists. One of the most interesting seems to be Nong Nooch Tropical
Garden
(www.nongnoochgarden.com),
founded many years ago by a resourceful Thai woman, Mrs. Nooch. We
choose this place tempted by the possibility of an elephant ride and
making photos with tigers.
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| Delightful Nong Nooch Garden |
You can reach Nong
Nooch on your own but we buy a half day tour in one of the
information points. Bus takes people from their hotels or other
agreed places and takes them to the park. The price includes
admission and two shows. In our case, that will be culture &
history show and the other – elephant performances.
When we reach the
place we have a little time to make pictures with various animals of
what we willingly take advantage. It may seem funny but stroking a
tiger is something magical. It’s a very strange feeling to be so
close to wild animals and not to feel any fear! Then a short walk
through the main part of the garden and we have an opportunity to
ride on a back of the elephant. Despite their enormous size these
animals seem very friendly and even sympathetic.
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| Riding an elephant is an amazing experience |
Next
point of the program: show. I have to admit that Thais are masters in
making this type of performances. History and culture of the country
embellished with a bit monotonous, as for my ears, music (such is the
music created in most Asian countries), performed by the actors in
very colorful costumes (also a characteristic of the continent) lasts
just enough to intrigue, but not to make you bored. Then we can watch
elephants playing darts, football, riding bicycles etc. We have a few
minutes for a soup and there comes a time to return.
These several
hours passed like few moments. Who would like to stay longer in this
beautiful place, and I think it’s worth it, they should find a way
to get here on their own.
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| Thai culture show |
INFO
Nong Nooch Garden,
an organized trip, 8.30-13, cost: 700 THB, including fetching from
the hotel + two shows (culture, elephants); additional costs:
elephant ride 400 THB, picture with an animal 50 THB.
Other attractions
 |
| Wat Chai Monkhon |
*Wat
Chai Monkhon
–
well preserved temple in the city center
*Museum
of Bottle Art
–
near the bus station on Thanon Sukhumvit
Attraction near
Pattaya
*The
Million-Years Stone Park
and
Pattaya
Crocodile Park – www.thaistonepark.com; shows with crocodiles
*Sanctuary
of Truth – www.sanctuaryoftruth.com; wooden building constructed
according with the traditional philosophy, sightseeing, elephant
trekking, demonstration of wood carving, boat rides
Night life
Night life is
concentrated in South Pattaya, especially on Walking Street. This
street has impressed me much but I wouldn’t say positively. I’ve
never been in any brothel district before, I haven’t seen the red
street in Amsterdam or anywhere else. So that is what oldish guys
from all over Europe and other places come here for… Yes, yes.
Pattaya has the reputation of the brothel-city. On many forums you
can read that the city is full of older white men walking around with
young Thai girls. I thought these opinions were much exaggerated. But
the reality surpassed my imagination. It looks as though the oldest
(sorry), bald guys with red noses came here in search of pleasure.
The impression is terrible when one sees these guys hand in hand with
beautiful filigree girls. I don’t enter here into any moral or
ethical issues, they’re adults and free to do whatever they want
and it’s nobody else’s business. I just say about my impression.
And I don’t mean three-five pairs which you pass by on the street.
There are hundreds of them.
Similar depressing
impression is made by troops of girls hanging out in bars, pubs and
night-clubs waiting for guests who in the company of a beautiful
woman, after several drinks, will be more willing to buy a few rounds
more, and will spend hundreds of bahts more. Is a drink all there is,
I don’t know. I dare to doubt. Similarly, girls are flocking on the
promenade waiting for clients, and also in the so called Walking
Street, where probably only pubs and night-clubs have remained. And
if you prefer boys, you may choose among several alleys with dozens
of establishments.
Many clubs offer
various kinds of shows. Here – a cabaret, here – imitators
singins pop songs, there – a show in the aquarium (incredible!).
There are of course shows with a degree of eroticism, but most of
them don’t contain obscene scenes or totally naked bodies and sex.
It should be noted that although they’re not quite Moulin Rouge
type of performances, yet Thai are masters in such short spectacles
and watching them gives a lot of pleasure and can be quite
entertaining.
You must watch out
for one more thing though – so called ladyboys. In Thailand it’s
not rare when a girl you just met turns out to be… a boy. There's a
social acceptance for that, to such extent that even in everyday
situations, e.g. in a store or a restaurant you can’t be sure if
you’re being served by him or her…
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| Cocktail Car - one of the street-pubs in Pattaya |
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| Food tastes best on the street |
On Sunday,
November 13, in the morning we leave for Bangkok where we’ll spend
two nights and then on November 15 at dawn we have a plane to Kuala
Lumpur. We take a bus to the airport and from there we’ll get a
rapid train to the center to avoid traffic jams.