Phuket and Pattaya where better. Kingdom of Thailand, Pattaya - “Pattaya or Phuket, what to choose? Differences, pros and cons, life hacks. All based on my own experience. In Pattaya with children? Where to go, what to see and where to take excursions. ". Local transport

Need to choose between Pattaya and Phuket? We will help you!

Inexperienced tourists traveling to Thailand for the first time are most often tormented by one problem: Pattaya or Phuket? What's better? Where will the vacation be spent as richly and interestingly as possible? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each of these popular resorts? In terms of popularity, they are real rivals, and in order to determine where it is better to go on vacation, it is worth comparing both places in three positions. Firstly, by the availability of convenient conditions for a beach holiday, secondly, by the financial cost of food, and thirdly, by the availability and accessibility of various entertainment.

Where are the best beaches?

On the first point, Phuket can be called a real leader - this island, where summer reigns all year round, consists almost entirely of beaches, so a resort vacation here is ideal. In Pattaya, there are fewer beaches and places for swimming and sunbathing, and there are a lot of tourists (mainly our compatriots). The only thing that this Thai resort can oppose to Phuket is the neighboring island of Koh Lan, connected to Pattaya by ferry, where there are several very cozy corners.

Estimating Potential Food Costs

If you plan a trip to Phuket or Pattaya, evaluating both resorts in terms of high cost, then the latter is more profitable for tourists. Phuket makes its guests fork out pretty much, and this is not only because the number of tourists who come here every year is constantly growing, but also because many products are brought to the island, which is a resort, from the mainland. In general, food here will be about 10-25% more expensive than in Pattaya.

Availability of entertainment in Pattaya and Phuket

It is quite easy to determine which resort is better in terms of entertainment available to guests. Lovers of beautiful landscapes, untouched nature and a relaxing beach pastime can go to Phuket - it's both interesting and inexpensive. For lovers of vibrant nightlife and modern entertainment infrastructure, Pattaya is the place to be, with everything from great shopping opportunities to adult-only pleasures. A variety of restaurants, cafes, bars and clubs are also here.

Advantages of Pattaya resort

Comparing both resorts, one cannot fail to say that there are no common standards for evaluation, and each tourist makes a decision solely according to his own preferences. Pattaya has a number of advantages that are worth paying attention to. Firstly, it is a great climate for swimming, sunbathing and water sports all year round, as well as magnificent natural conditions. Secondly, these are democratic prices for accommodation, food, and entertainment, and everything is of the highest quality. Thirdly, the local population, accustomed to tourists and giving them the most cordial welcome.

• good climate
• democratic prices in hotels
• any entertainment
• population is more familiar with Russians

What is remarkable vacation in Phuket?

The most important advantage of the Phuket resort is that it gives its guests a huge amount of impressions and positive emotions. Generous sun, gentle sea, inviting beaches, an abundance of fresh fruits - this is very close to what is called a heavenly pleasure from a vacation.

• the opportunity to admire the natural scenery
• more adapted to a beach holiday
• relatively high cost of living and food

To decide on a resort, let's summarize

Pattaya. Its advantages are in the affordability of prices, in proximity to the old and new capital of the kingdom and their attractions, in a milder climate and lack of precipitation. And also - in an active nightlife and an abundance of shopping centers. Disadvantages in poor ecology, dirty sea and coast, crowded, few beaches. Therefore, Pattaya is more suitable for young travelers, friendly companies, party-goers, lovers of "strawberries", as well as for people on a limited budget.

And what awaits tourists on an island with picturesque landscapes? Cleaner coast and air, clear waters, forests, exciting underwater walks, fishing, snorkeling. There are more beaches in Phuket, they are cleaner and more diverse, and there are also much fewer vacationers here. Among the shortcomings of the resort are higher prices, a small number of attractions, a lot of precipitation during the wet period. Therefore, holidays here are recommended for family travelers with children, couples in love, lovers of a peaceful beach holiday and almost untouched nature. For those who do not crave a rich excursion program.

The most popular resorts in Thailand are Pattaya and Phuket. Therefore, many people have a question, which is better to choose Pattaya or Phuket. I visited both resorts and made a comparison in terms of prices, beaches, natural scenery, variety of attractions and entertainment, nightlife and weather conditions. This article will help you finally decide and choose a resort to your liking.

Beaches

In Pattaya, due to the large number of tourists, the beaches are dirty almost everywhere, only Jomtien is more or less clean. For snow-white sand and clear water, you will have to go to the islands closest to Pattaya, for example, Koh Lan.

In Phuket, as well as on other islands of Thailand, the beaches are clean, picturesque with fine white sand and azure sea.

Nature

Since Pattaya is the main resort of Thailand, almost every meter of the city is built up with buildings and there are almost no natural corners left here. Only Pratumnak Hill is the only place where you can spend time among nature.

There are quite a lot of natural areas on the island of Phuket, these are parks, waterfalls, and tropical forests. Here you can enjoy the beauty of nature.

Entertainment and attractions

Pattaya has a huge selection of entertainment and attractions: an aquarium, a dinosaur park, a rock park, a temple of Truth, Big Buddha, a royal theater, a water park and more. Nearby is the ancient cultural center - Ayutthaya.

There are much fewer of them in Phuket, but nevertheless, there is also something to do and see here: waterfalls, Chalong temple, aquarium, monkey camp, Big Buddha, diving, snorkeling.

Night life

In Pattaya is the most popular party street in Thailand - Walking Street. There are many bars, discos, clubs, famous transvestite and Go-Go shows.

An analogue of Walking Street in Phuket is Patong Street, but the nightlife here is not as rich and vibrant as in Pattaya.

Prices

Prices in Pattaya are 1.5-2 times cheaper than in Phuket. Hotels, transport, food are much more expensive in Phuket. Of course, you can also find budget accommodation here. But it's up to you to decide: there is nothing to deny yourself in Pattaya or modestly relax in Phuket.

Weather

In Pattaya, you can relax all year round, even mild here, there are no strong winds and big waves.

It is worth going to Phuket to rest only from December to March, at this time the weather is sunny and clear, the sea is calm, there is no rain. The rainy season begins in April, which is accompanied by strong winds, showers, and high waves at sea. Swimming in such weather is dangerous and numerous signs on the beaches indicate this.

Pros of Pattaya

• Lots of entertainment and attractions. Here you will definitely not be bored. Numerous cafes, bars, restaurants, large shopping centers, clubs, spas are waiting for you. Huge selection of excursions, many Russian guides.
• The cheapest vacation in Thailand, low prices for housing, transport, clothes, food and more.
• It is easy to move around the city, public transport is very cheap.
• Comfortable rest all year round, the rainy season is mild.

Cons of Pattaya

• The sea and beaches are dirty, garbage often lies along the coast.
• There are no picturesque natural places, almost every site is built up with buildings.

Pros of Phuket

• Clean beautiful beaches with white sand and clear water.
• The infrastructure is well developed: many cafes, restaurants, hotels for every taste and budget, shops.
• Quite a lot of entertainment and, but their choice is not as diverse as in Pattaya.
• There are many picturesque natural places for a relaxing family holiday, but there is also a street with discos and clubs.

Cons of Phuket

• Rest will cost much more than in Pattaya.
• Public transport is poorly developed and expensive, you will have to rent a car or scooter.
• A comfortable beach holiday is only in winter, during the rest of the year big waves rise on the sea.

Summarizing

You should choose Pattaya if you:

• Do you want to save money on vacation?
• Love the nightlife;
• Prefer more entertainment than a beach holiday;
• Want to see many interesting places and sights.

You should opt for Phuket if you:

• Love beach holidays;
• Prefer to spend time among beautiful nature.

What resort do you prefer? Pattaya or Phuket?

Supporters of Pattaya, explaining their choice, argue that in Phuket after three or four days you can get bored here. However, the concept of "boring" is different for everyone and the needs for entertainment are individual.

• Phuket is a family vacation, swimming with children, a good beach;
• Pattaya is a huge selection of show programs, excursions, interesting places and opportunities for hanging out.

We offer to compare all the parameters of recreation at the indicated resorts of the popular Asian country. This information will help you make an independent decision about where to go.

Where is the climate better: Phuket or Pattaya?

The weather conditions in these regions have some differences, so tourists who want to choose the perfect holiday should take these features into account. It is recommended to fly to Phuket from the second half of November to May, since this time is free from rain, strong winds and strong waves. The beaches are good for swimming. Despite this, tourists who did not heed these recommendations and flew in the off-season leave rather neutral reviews about their vacation. That is, you can also relax during the rainy season, but you need to be prepared for the cloudy sky, muddy water and the rains that come here in the evening and at night.

Climate in Thailand

The favorable season for holidays in Pattaya is recognized as the period from the beginning of the last month of autumn to the end of spring. The rainy season in this region is not so pronounced, so you can get a comfortable stay here both in summer and in autumn. In addition, due to the geographical location, big waves never come to Pattaya. That is, for those who care about comfortable weather, it is better to purchase tours in the following period:

• Phuket: late autumn - mid-May;
• Pattaya: all year round, but the best time is from late autumn to late spring.

Where is the best sea in Thailand: Phuket or Pattaya?

Tourist reviews say that for those who travel to Thailand to swim and relax on the beach, Phuket will be the best option. Especially if you go on vacation with the whole family, with children. It is better not to go to Pattaya with small children, because the quality of the sea and beaches there is much worse.

During the period suitable for relaxation, the sea in Phuket is distinguished by cleanliness, high water transparency and the azure sea, you can take great photos on the shore. The bottom is clearly visible to a great depth, it is very convenient to enter the water. You can swim here even with kids. The purity of the sea can also be confirmed by marine life that does not live in polluted water.

Travelers who leave their reviews note that the sea in Pattaya is noticeably worse than in Phuket. Often garbage comes across in the water, it is agitated, has a green tint. Within the city it is better not to swim at all, so tourists prefer to go to the beaches in the city surroundings or to neighboring islands, and such trips require money and time. Of course, the sea of ​​Pattaya does not pose a danger, but there will be little pleasure from swimming.

Which Thailand beaches to choose: in Phuket or in Pattaya?

Numerous traveler reviews indicate that the beaches in Phuket, in terms of cleanliness and aesthetics, are better suited for relaxation than the beaches of Pattaya. However, there are not many clubs, bars and other entertainment on the beaches, so even last-minute tours will not attract those who want to have a good time there. The key advantage of the beaches of Phuket is its close location to the sea, in order to reach a comfortable beach in Phuket, you have to walk several hundred meters from the hotel, and in Pattaya you need to drive at least an hour.

Phuket offers its guests over 20 beaches, which are located in the western part of the island. The beaches have differences, you can find the option that is best suited for a particular tourist. There are noisy beaches, and there are quiet and cozy places where there are no hotels and there are practically no tourists. It is on these beaches that typical photos of Thai resorts are obtained, which can be admired on the Internet.

Pattaya is ready to offer many beaches to its tourists, but it is better to choose those that are located away from the central part of the city. For example, Jomtien.

Tourist reviews assure that great photos of sunsets are obtained here, but there are also excellent places for swimming and beach holidays. The best place to visit in Thailand is the Military Beach, which is located 30 km south of the city.

Where to have fun in Thailand

Which is better in terms of entertainment - Pattaya or Phuket? Those who go to have fun in bars, restaurants and nightclubs choose hot tours to Pattaya. In Phuket, these institutions are also available, but they are much smaller. In addition, Pattaya has lower prices for entertainment and food. Pattaya has the reputation of a city of debauchery, but Phuket also has similar "entertainment".

Judging by the cultural program, Pattaya is richer than Phuket. There are more attractions and more varied excursions. In addition, getting to interesting places in Pattaya is easier, since it is a city, and Phuket is an island, so all key points are in the distance. In addition, it is easy to get to other cultural places in Thailand from Pattaya. Pattaya is famous for its beautiful parks, monasteries and zoos.

To get to the sights of Phuket, you need to rent a moped or pay for a taxi, the prices of which are very high. Excursions, as a rule, are boat trips. If you buy last-minute tours, analyze how it will be more interesting for you to relax. And choose a direction according to your goals.

Shopping in Thailand: where is the best shopping - in Pattaya or Phuket?

Shopping and shopping in Pattaya is better. The city has a huge number of large shopping centers, where a huge selection of goods and favorable prices. But if this is not enough, you can go to Bangkok. In general, shopping tours in Thailand are very popular. Often last-minute trips are purchased during the sales season. Phuket cannot offer such a wide range of shopping opportunities. There are a number of shopping centers on the island, but the range is somewhat narrower than in Pattaya.

Prices in Thailand: where is cheaper - in Pattaya or Phuket?

Prices in Phuket are usually twice as high as in Pattaya. This applies to food in restaurants, products in the market, as well as transport. But the prices of hotel rooms are almost the same. In the off-season, the cost of living, as a rule, decreases. Grateful reviews are received by accommodation on RoomGuru and on Hotellook. These sites will help you find the best options. Food prices in Pattaya are more democratic than on the island. Food sold on the street in Pattaya costs about one and a half times cheaper.

We offer some useful tips for those who want to eat inexpensively and tasty in Thai resorts. Inexpensive food is sold in the restaurants of the shopping malls, which sell dishes of oriental and western cuisine. You can also have a cheap meal at the night markets. Prices for fruits in Thailand depend on the time of year. For some fruits, the season is summer and autumn, while others ripen in spring and winter. Seasonality significantly affects prices. Some fruits ripen here all year round, so prices do not depend on the season.

Tours to Pattaya are more expensive than to the island. In Thailand, you can also relax by purchasing last-minute tours that are convenient to search with the help of special search engines.

Last-minute tours to the city of Pattaya will cost less than to Phuket.

Pattaya or Phuket - that is the question! These are the two most popular resorts in Thailand. However, Phuket and Pattaya are fundamentally different from each other. In short, go to Phuket for a beach holiday, tropical vegetation and other exotic things, and go to Pattaya for shopping, transvestites and discos.

Pattaya or Phuket - which is better?

No one will give you a definite answer to this question. Because it all depends on the person and his interests. My opinion is that in Pattaya and Phuket you can have a wonderful rest, no matter what anyone says about these destinations. There are also beach holidays in PTT, on the island of Koh Lan, and in Phuket, of course, there are also various excursions, shopping and transvestites in Patong. There is even an analogue of Walking Street.

Phuket is worth a trip if you prefer a relaxing holiday by the sea. So, to get out of the hotel to the beach, swim, sunbathe, and one evening go to the city for a party or watch some show. In Pattaya, on the contrary, the city cannot boast of exotic rough vegetation, and to get to a normal beach, you will have to go through a difficult path. But on the other hand, all shops, daytime and evening entertainment will always be within walking distance.

Also, it is believed that Pattaya is cheaper than Phuket, not only for tours, but also for prices in shops and markets. But actually this is not true. In Phuket, the prices for goods and products are the same as in Pattaya. Well, unless you buy food and fruits in stores near the sea, but move a little deeper into the area, the prices there will already be adequate. Only tickets and air tickets are more expensive. Tickets to Bangkok are cheaper by about 3-5 thousand rubles.

Comparison of Pattaya and Phuket

Ease of access

To get to Pattaya, you must first fly to Bangkok, and then get to the city by bus or taxi. Travel time is an hour and a half. To get to Phuket, you need to fly to the island, and then also get to the desired city. Travel time depends on the chosen city and on average no more than an hour. If you are coming on a tour, the transfer will be included in the price. For independent travelers, the following links will be useful:

Hotels

I will not say 100%, but it seemed to me that Phuket hotels are a little better. My personal opinion. Of course, there are very poor guesthouses on it, and PTT has chic five-star hotels. It seems to me that in terms of the total number of quality hotels, this island is still ahead of Pattaya. Especially hotels with good views, close to the sea where you can swim.

Sea and beach holidays

Pattaya is a city resort, the beach there is not the best. Some tourists swim, but most disdain. During the tourist season, from November to March, the sea and clear water are even more or less clear, but in the off-season, from May to September, the beach and the sea in PTT are very dirty. To swim in clean water you have to go to the neighboring island (Ko Lan).

Phuket is a resort with an excellent beach holiday. Some of the best beaches in Thailand. The sea is clean, the water is clear. Large wide beaches, Karon and Kata, resemble those of the ocean. In the low season, there may be waves, due to which the water becomes more cloudy. Phuket is definitely more suitable for swimming than Pattaya. If you are going to Thailand for a beach holiday, then only to the island of Phuket.

Beach in Pattaya in the Pratumnak area. Photos during the tourist season


And this is how dirty it is on the beaches of Pattaya in the off season. Bathing is canceled

Our beach holiday in Pattaya goes like this


Patong beach, Phuket


Karon Beach, Phuket


Kata-noi beach, Phuket

Entertainment

Pattaya has a lot of entertainment for children and adults. Water parks, museums, exhibitions, attractions, restaurants, a miniature park, various shows, concerts, fashion shows, including among transvestites, and much more. What is Volkin Street worth. Phuket also has all these entertainments, in the same way there are several shows of transvestites (Aphrodite, Sim Niramit), a zoo, a butterfly garden, Buddhist temples, etc. But maybe a little less entertainment for children.

Walking street Pattaya. Bangla road looks the same, only wider

Where can I order a transfer from the airport?

We use the service - Kiwi Taxi
Ordered a taxi online, paid by card. We were greeted at the airport with a sign with our name on it. We were taken to the hotel in a comfortable car. You have already talked about your experience In this article.

Excursions

Travel agencies in PTT offer a variety of excursions, show programs, visits to temples, a zoo, Ayurvedic shops and factories. From PTT you can easily go to Bangkok or Ayutthaya on your own or with a tour. You can also go to Cambodia or even Laos for a two or three day excursion.

In Phuket, tourists are offered not only sightseeing tours of the island with visits to temples and jewelry, latex and other factories, but also trips to the Phi Phi Islands, James Bond, Similan Islands, elephant riding, waterfalls, artificial rafting, ATVs, boat trips, diving and snorkeling, various shows of transvestites, elephants and shows for adults. You can take an excursion for 2-3 days in and.

Pay attention, everyone says that Pattaya is cheaper ... But! In Phuket, attractions are cheaper or completely free (Wat Chalong Temple - free, Zoo 300 baht, Bird Park 300 baht). And in PTT, the entrance costs an average of 500 baht per person everywhere (Temple of Truth 500 baht, Khao Kheo Zoo 500 baht, Nong Nooch Garden 500 baht)!

In terms of entertainment, it is difficult to say which is better, Pattaya or Phuket. Both resorts are rich in a variety of excursions and entertainment events, but Phuket is cheaper. .

Observation deck in Pattaya Big Budda Hill
Bangkok

Phi Phi Islands

Public transport

Pattaya has excellent public transport. Minibuses (songteo), which the locals for some reason call tuk-tuks, go through almost all the streets of the city. The fare is only 10 baht. Most minibuses operate around the clock. It will not be difficult to get to any part of the city.

In Phuket, transport is also in order, but there are some nuances that can cause inconvenience. Firstly, the distances are much greater, because PTT is a city, and Phuket is a huge island. You should be prepared for the fact that the road will take time, especially to remote beaches such as Nai Harn or Mai Khao. Secondly, in connection with this, buses are more expensive - an average of 30-40 baht. Thirdly, they do not go as often as in PTT. And fourthly, buses only run until 5-6 pm, and some finish even earlier. Therefore, you can only move around the island in the evening by taxi if you don’t have your own transport.

Minibuses in Pattaya. Go often, cheap


A commemorative photo in front of a pink people truck in Phuket

Long term rental

Information for those who want to live in Thailand for a month or more. In both resorts, you can easily find a decent apartment in a condominium on the beach. Both there and there are houses for rent, which are often cheaper than apartments. There is a large selection of budget housing, and here and there you can live in a room for 5-6 thousand baht per month. Rental prices are about the same.

However, in Phuket, since the beginning of the high season, the cost of renting housing near the beaches has sharply increased, almost 2 times. In the low season, from May to September, you can rent a good apartment in Patong for 10-15 thousand baht. But already from November to March, it will cost 20-25 thousand, while housing prices in the center of the island, in the areas of Kathu, Town, Chalong, do not change due to the season. Here is such a feature.

Read more about all the nuances of self-renting housing in Thailand at the links:

Product prices

The level of food prices is no different. Yes Yes exactly. Forget already this myth that Phuket is an expensive island. I don’t know who came up with this, but we have been living here for 5 months now, and most of the products in supermarkets, such as Tesco, Big C, 7-Eleven, are exactly the same as everywhere else in Thailand. Down to the penny. Also, there is no significant difference in prices in the markets and in macarons. High prices are always where there are many tourists. But as soon as you move away from the tourist center, you can already see the usual Thai price tags. Do not be guided by the mangoes on the beach, the same mangoes will cost 2 times cheaper in the market on the third street from the sea.

• - an example of an overpriced market for tourists
• - example of prices in the markets for local
• - an overview of Thai food courts where you can eat together 200 baht

Tsunami threat

In Pattaya, due to its geographical location, there are no tsunamis, typhoons, earthquakes and other natural disasters. The most dangerous thing that happened here was a “flood” up to the ankle. Phuket is more dangerous in this respect. In 2004, the Phuket tsunami killed hundreds of people. Now in Thailand, a tsunami warning system is in place, the authorities assure that they will never again allow such victims.

Safety

In general, Thailand is pretty safe everywhere. However, according to statistics, Pattaya has the highest concentration of any unscrupulous public. Since people from all over Thailand, Laos, Burma and Cambodia, including from the poorest provinces, come to work in PTT. We recommend avoiding transvestites, they can distract, and at this time quietly get into pockets / bags and pull out all the valuables. For 4 months of our stay in PTT, there was one case when money was pulled out in a minibus.

Cleanliness and comfort

Pattaya is decently inferior in terms of cleanliness of beaches and tourist areas. In the city itself, during the high tourist season, it is even more or less clean, and in the low season, a lot of garbage appears on the embankment, on the beach and in the water.

Pictured is the embankment of Jomtien Beach

Phuket or Pattaya - where is it better to relax and live?

If you want to know our opinion, then Phuket is better ...

But, to each his own, as they say. Both resorts are good in their own way. Until we ourselves lived in PTT, we had a rather negative attitude towards this city and always preferred Phuket.

Public opinion inspired us that in Pattaya there is dirt, garbage, it stinks everywhere, rats and cockroaches are everywhere, and there are more trances and prostitutes on the city streets than tourists. Then life turned out so well that we moved to live in Pattaya and.

Of course, Thailand is not Europe, and there are streets where it can be not very clean or stink from the sewer, but these streets are usually far from tourist places. Every city in Thailand has such streets. Thai women and "men" of easy virtue are also not as numerous as expected, separate streets have been allocated for them, where you can just so rarely get into.

As for the island of Phuket, before we always thought that it was insanely expensive, and there was nothing to see on it except for sea excursions ... A few months ago we came to live in Phuket. Now with all responsibility I declare to you that all this is nonsense! The prices here are exactly the same as elsewhere in Thailand, there is public transport and excursions on land and water are no less diverse.

So, if you have already been to Phuket and do not know where to go, then do not listen to anyone, but rather visit Pattaya yourself. Check for yourself which is better, Pattaya or Phuket. Well, if you always come to rest in PTT, guided by stereotypes about the high cost of Phuket and so on, then “take a chance” to see something new and boldly go to Phuket Island!

What to choose, Pattaya or Phuket, if we are going to Thailand for the first time?

It usually happens that unprepared tourists, having seen enough beach photos from some travel agency, visit Patayka, see the dirty sea and dirty city beaches, and then begin to write bile reviews about the rest in Pattaya, tell friends and colleagues shocking facts, claim that all of Thailand is like that, and in general, they will never go to Asia again ... But you are not like that, since you came to this article.

A beach holiday in Pattaya looks something like this. Locals do not disdain dirty water

Therefore, in order to decide what to choose, Pattaya or Phuket, first of all, decide how you want to relax? I have already mentioned more than once in the article that people do not go to Pattaya for a beach holiday. If you want to swim in the sea every day, then choose Phuket. A holiday in Pattaya means more entertainment, nightclubs and shopping. For vacationers and residents there, a few trips to Koh Lan are enough to swim. You can swim in Pattaya itself, there is nothing dangerous in this, just the sea can be very dirty.

In order not to be disappointed in Pattaya, keep in mind when choosing a trip that this is not a beach resort.

And it is unlikely that you will be disappointed in Phuket, as the island has not only excellent beaches, but also many entertainment venues and attractions. The island has more natural attractions - 30 excellent beaches, mountains, neighboring islands and provinces.

Unless, all sorts of interesting things are further apart, since the island is huge, as I said, it takes time to travel. For example, you can get from Karon to Wat Chalong by bus in about 25 minutes, and the road to distant beaches, such as, can take about 2 hours due to traffic jams and waiting for the bus to change.

I believe that both resorts deserve your attention, and where it is better to go on vacation for the first time, decide for yourself, based on my recommendations.

Have you already been to Thailand? Where do you like the most?

Believe me, no one will give you a definite answer to the question - which is better than Phuket or Pattaya. In fact, everything here depends very much on what will be a priority for you on vacation - a clear sea, night parties, or the opportunity to get to know the historical and natural sights of Thailand.

Speaking purely about the climate, Pattaya undoubtedly wins in this matter, because there is definitely the best climate in Thailand. During the dry season, which lasts from November to April, rainfall occurs here no more than once or twice a month, and even then the rain lasts for a maximum of half an hour. Well, the rest of the time the gentle sun shines, which is so lacking in these winter months at our place.

During the rainy season, which in Thailand lasts from May to October, precipitation in Pattaya is not so frequent - once or twice a week, but it can last a whole week and the next week will be dry. True, the sky during this period is usually covered with clouds and the sun is not so often shown. But why be surprised? Still, the rainy season, in Phuket at this time, everything is much worse.

In Phuket, in the dry season, it rains about once or twice a week, but in the rainy season, they can go almost every day for a whole hour or even much longer. So in terms of weather, Pattaya has the palm. But as far as the purity of the air is concerned, everything is just the opposite. Of the minuses of Phuket, one can also note very high waves and even dangerous currents in the low season.

If you look at which of these two resorts has a better and cleaner sea, then Phuket definitely wins. In Pattaya, this is essentially not the sea at all, but just one name, not to mention the purity of the water in general. An incredibly large amount of water motor entertainment is concentrated here on the main beach, which cannot but affect the purity of the water in the sea. Well, plus, of course, the crowds of tourists do not differ in good manners and throw everything into the sea.

In Phuket, especially in those places where there are few tourists, it is much cleaner, of course. Recently, many vacationers have adapted to rent a hotel in Pattaya and go swimming to nearby islands - for example, Koh Lan, where both the water and the beach are very clean.

The beaches are of course the best in Phuket. There are much more of them and in general they are wider than in Pattaya. Therefore, in Phuket it is very easy to choose a quiet and peaceful corner for your vacation. If you wish, there is, of course, the opportunity to find noisy party beaches here. But in Pattaya, you can’t find sparsely populated beaches at all - there are a lot of people everywhere and everywhere.

As for the environment, Phuket undoubtedly wins here, because almost half of the island is occupied by forests, and in Pattaya itself there are practically no parks left where one could at least breathe clean air. Of course, there is no need to talk about such a strong gas contamination as, for example, in Bangkok or in the same Moscow, but still, from an environmental point of view, Phuket is much better.

But in terms of sightseeing, the first place remains with Pattaya. Although it itself may not have so many of them, but from it you can easily get anywhere. So in this regard, the island located in the Andaman Sea loses much to the resort of Pattaya.

There are all sorts of different entertainments here and there, so in this regard, Pattaya and Phuket are on an equal footing. But the prices for accommodation are really much higher in Phuket, it is generally considered the most expensive resort in Thailand. So the choice is yours, weigh all the pros and cons and decide.