Pattaya had been a beach destination since the 1950s. families would drive 4-5 hours from Bangkok to spend the weekend in the quiet fishing village. The town hit the bigtime thanks to vacationing GIs from various bases around Thailand. Their departure after the 1975 defeat in Viet-Nam temporaily doomed Pattaya to the backwater of tourism.
Thais gravitated to Cha-am, backpackers flocked to Koh Samui, and high-liners traipsed to Phuket. No one came to Pattaya for the beaches. Only the bars and girls throughout the 80s and 90s.
The 21st Century witness a shift. Tourists flocked to the golf courses like Mecca and beer louts deserted Spain for Pattaya, but no one came for the beaches and with good reason. The main draw is a disaster.
Plastic bottles outnumber the fish, gas spewed from jet skis shimmers on the water surface like incadescent suntan lotion, and raw sewage floods the bay every serious rain storm. Since none of the beaches have been rated for their cleanliness, water quality, safety or proximity to beer and babes, I’ll be rating the beaches one by one as high season approaches and we might as well start at the bottom.
Lighthouse Beach.
This small beach was once the nudist beach for Pattaya, since its only access was via a long walk along the shore. The newly constructed road and walking park has brought the beach within reach of picnicking families and evening drinkers with the result that the beach is strewn with garbage. No one picks up after themselves. Not Thais or farangs and the city would rather spend a million-baht on a faux lighthouse than a beach crew (12,000 baht/month) to keep the beach clean and also educate people as to how to treat a beach.
“The sea will take everything away.” I was told by one Thai and he threw a plastic water bottle into the waves. “See it goes out to sea. Good luck.”
Lighthouse Beach Ratings ( 0-5 )
Cleanliness – Zero
Water Quality – 2
The cape heaps a full harvest of plastic, although the site is a favorite for Thai fisherman and off-duty construction workers gleaning mollusks from the rocks.
Safety - 3
Lots of broken glass underfoot and a serious undertow. No lifeguard or safety device, although the marine police are around the corner.
At low tide you can walk out onto the sand flats and that’s good fun for your kids.
Beer and babe access – 2
The little cafe offers cold beer at reasonable prices and their food is okay, making it a pleasant setting to watch sunsets. Mostly a family atmosphere.
Total score = 7
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