Pattaya

The author wrote: > The truly amazing thing is that > wandering amongst this lot are families > who must think this is an okay place to > take their kids. Of all the places in > the world why would they choose to come here? Several reasons. 1. Most families you see are on package tours. Besides bars, the other thing Pattaya has PLENTY of is good, reasonably priced tourist class hotels. So a lot of tour operators offering cheapo round trips through Thailand want to end that tour with a couple days beach time. A big segment of package tourers these days is people from Russia, Eastern Europe, China, Korea and so on. So not even the traditional 'Western' holiday maker. 2. I like the Pattaya area myself too for a family holiday, with the kid. Note that you don't have to stay on the main strip in Pattaya, there's quite a few nice beaches up and down the coast that are very suitable for kids. Add to this that Pattaya is super easy to reach, good accommodation is cheap, it doesn't fill up even during holidays when people are paying incredible amounts of money for a crap hut on allegedly 'backpacker budget' beaches/islands. Then Pattaya is pefect. Stay in the Jomtien or Wong Amat area and you don't have to see a single bar unless you want to. Also, when you're a family with older kids then just temples & a beach doesn't cut it, you need to add some entertainment. And Pattaya has loads of that, things like elephants, zoos, theme parks, paintball, bungee jumping, go-karting, golf, i.e. all things that you (and I) probably wouldn't want to be cought dead doing on a holiday in Thailand, but that *ARE* things that keep kids entertained. Good beaches in the Pattaya include Wong Amat, Samae beach on Ko Larn island (good ferry connection from Pattaya pier) and Jomtien Beach. There's further beaches South to that, and of course Ko Samet is a bit further out but still easily reached from Pattaya.

Great photos and thanks for your time and efforts, its appreciated. http://www.pattaya-bars.net