I usually travel with my family every Lunar New Year. It’s not a family tradition but my parents simply love to travel to welcome a new year and relax after a hard-working year. Our destination for Year of the Dog 2018 was Thailand, particularly Bangkok and Pattaya cities. It was a 4-days-3-night trip generally flying from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam to Bangkok, then bussing to Pattaya, coming back to the capital city of Thailand, and finally going to our sweet home after all.
Day 1: Ho Chi Minh City – Bangkok and Pattaya
We came very early to the Tan Son Nhat airport in the morning. After arriving at Thailand’s Don Mueang Airport, we went directly to Pattaya. We visited 2 spots on the way between Bangkok and Pattaya:
- Tiger Zoo – Thailand’s biggest tiger camp, where a lot of rare tigers gather. Besides that, visitors can also watch crocodiles, elephants, or other animal shows.
- Wat Phra Khao Yai (Big Buddha Hill) – One of the most famous sacred pagodas in Thailand. There is a 30m Buddha statue at the place.
- If you don’t know things to do in Pattaya at night, what are Pattaya attractions, or what to see in Pattaya, you might want to try going to adult shows like Fantasy Show, Harem Show, or Big Eye. Those aren’t allowed to take a picture or record videos so I can’t show anything. If you are curious and comfortable with that adult stuff, getting to know it is a good experience in Pattaya.
Day 2: Things to Do in Pattaya
The morning started with breakfast at the resort we stayed in. Our destinations of the days were:
- Coral Island – 25 min’ away from Pattaya. The island is well-known for its diverse corals and sea creatures. Different from the vibrant of Pattaya, on the island you can enjoy the cool atmosphere, join the activities on the water, or dive into the sea to explore the corals and marine life.
- Visiting Bird Nest Central and Honey Shop
- Khao Chee Chan – the image of the Buddha is carefully sculptured in the mountain. The outstanding image is made from 24-karat gold, 130m in height, and 70m in width. It was created in 1996, on the 50-year reign anniversary of Thailand’s King Rama IX.
- Pattaya Floating Market – opened in 2008, the market is where visitors can find many Thai special foods, handmade products, souvenirs, gifts, etc. from all the provinces of Thailand.
The floating market is a special point in Thailand. There are several floating markets across the country. If you are looking for floating markets close to Bangkok, you should check out the Amphawa Floating Market, which is about 90 minutes away from the capital city.
- Alcaraz Show – a special and famous music show performed by the ladyboys. This is the must-watch when you come the Pattaya. The featured video above is a part of the Alcaraz Show. You can also check The Broad Life’s YouTube channel for some videos recorded.
- Walking Street – the most lively path of the land. If you love the bars and clubs or simply love to discover the real Pattaya, you shouldn’t miss this street.
Day 3: from Pattaya to Bangkok
It usually takes more than 2 hours to drive from Pattaya to Bangkok depending on the traffic. In normal conditions, 2 hours may not be so long as there are destinations along the way that tourists can visit. Our spot list for the third day includes:
On the Way from Pattaya to Bangkok
- Snake Farm – a lot of shows from varied snakes, some are dangerous and there are even cobras. They will show you how to get the snake’s poison and its genitals. You can also a lot of useful info from snake serum in preventing or curing illnesses.
- In the leather-craft store – visitors can watch the process of making a leather product and freely do shopping after that.
At Bangkok
- We enjoyed the Nanta show after having our dinner. It’s a musical show where entertainers use cooking tools to make the beat. After the show, visitors can buy souvenirs from shops outside.
- Bangkok has some night markets for tourists to spend their night time. Or you can wander around the city, go to the bars or clubs, or spend the night at the hotel’s swimming pool.
Day 4: Bangkok – Ho Chi Minh City
On the last day of our trip to Thailand. There are a few last destinations that we visited after checking out the hotel:
- Golden Buddha Temple – where you can find the biggest golden Buddha statue.
- Wat Benchamabophit – the marble temple, one of the best-known and most attractive ones in Thailand.
- Chao Phraya River Boat Tour – getting to know the popular river in Bangkok and watching the fish phenomenon.
- World Gem Collection – the biggest gem center in Southeast Asia, where visitors can see how jewelry is made. You can also buy any items after the store tour.
As our flight was delayed, we then decided to spend our rest time at malls before coming to the airport, ending our New Year’s trip to Bangkok and Pattaya.
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