Is Phuket Or Pattaya Better?

Phuket and Pattaya are both well-known locations in Thailand. Phuket is the largest island in Thailand and Pattaya is a coastal city that is around 1-hour drive from Bangkok. Both of these places are popular with tourists, particularly for the nightlife but is Phuket or Pattaya better.

Phuket is a busy resort island that tends to attract people who are looking to party, older travelers, and those traveling with their families. While Pattaya is a beach resort town that tends to attract people who are looking to party or take a short break for a few nights.

In this post, we will go through is Phuket or Pattaya better. Let’s get started!

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Is Phuket Or Pattaya Better?

Phuket and Pattaya are similar as they both have awesome beaches, parties, and resorts. Phuket is a tourist-focused resort island with good nightlife and plenty of beaches to visit. That has a population of around 420,000 people.

While Pattaya is a small beach resort city famous for its nightlife which has a population of around 120,000 people.

In comparing these two places, we will compare things to do in each place, accommodation, nightlife, and any other factors that would have an impact on your visit.

Let us compare Phuket and Pattaya.

Places To Stay In Phuket Or Pattaya

Phuket and Pattaya both have a good supply of guest houses, hostels, and hotels. Here are a few places to give you an idea of what is available if you are planning to visit either one.

Remember to check the reviews and book a place that suits your interests while traveling.

Phuket Accommodation

Phuket has a good variety of guest houses, hostels, and hotels. There are over 1600 properties in Phuket with prices starting from $18 a night.

Pearl Hotel

Rating 8.1, Prices start from $45 for a double room

Pearl Hotel offers accommodation in Phuket Town with an outdoor swimming pool, a bar, laundry service, and a shared lounge. Free WiFi is available in all areas.

Rooms are air-conditioning with a seating area that has a flat-screen satellite TV, a fridge, and a minibar. Shower facilities, and free toiletries.

Novotel Phuket Kamala Beach

Rating 8.3, Prices start from $125 for a double room

Novotel Phuket Kamala Beach offers accommodation on the beach which comes with a restaurant, concierge service, and an outdoor swimming pool. Free WiFi is accessible in the rooms and throughout its premises.

The rooms are modern air-conditioned rooms with a private balcony, flat-screen satellite TV, a fridge, and a minibar. The private bathroom comes with shower facilities and free toiletries.

DoubleTree by Hilton Phuket Banthai Resort

Rating 8.4, Prices start from $50 for a double room

DoubleTree by Hilton Phuket Banthai Resort offers accommodation in Patong. WiFi is available in public areas and in some rooms. The property offers an outdoor swimming pool, free parking, a bar, and a restaurant.

The rooms are modern air-conditioned rooms with a private balcony, flat-screen satellite TV, a safe, and a minibar. The private bathroom comes with shower facilities and free toiletries.

Pattaya Accommodation

Pattaya has a good variety of guest houses, hostels, and hotels. There are over 1080 properties in Pattaya with prices starting from $18 a night.

Pattaya Blue Sky

Rating 8.8, Prices start from $32 for a double room

Pattaya Blue Sky offers accommodation with an outdoor swimming pool, a bar, and a shared lounge. They offer free WiFi and other services such as a 24-hour front desk, and room service.

Rooms are equipped with a private balcony, air-conditioning with a seating area a flat-screen satellite TV, a fridge, and a minibar. Shower facilities, a hairdryer, and free toiletries are included in an en suite bathroom.

LK Emerald Beach

Rating 9.0, Prices start from $145 for a double room

LK Emerald Beach offers accommodation with a restaurant, free private parking, and an outdoor swimming pool. Free WiFi is accessible in the rooms and throughout its premises.

The rooms come with air-conditioning with a seating area that has a flat-screen satellite TV, a fridge, and a minibar. The private bathroom comes with shower facilities, a hairdryer, and free toiletries.

The Siam Guest House

Rating 8.4, Prices start from $25 for a double room

Siam Guest House offers accommodations with free in-room WiFi access in Pattaya. The property offers a 24-hour front desk and luggage storage facilities.

The rooms at Siam Guest House are air-conditioned with a flat-screen TV and a minibar. En-suite bathrooms offer free toiletries, a hairdryer, and slippers.

Nightlife In Phuket And Pattaya

Thailand is well known for its nightlife and Phuket and Pattaya have busy nightlife. It’s well known that they are both great places to party.

Let’s compare the nightlife between Phuket and Pattaya.

Phuket’s Nightlife

Phuket’s nightlife is mainly in Patong, particularly on Bangla Road. It is full of clubs, bars, go-go bars, massage parlors, and more. You will find that some bars and clubs are open till 4 am.

Patong in particularly on Bangla Road can come across as sleazy, so you need to go there with an open mind. Also, don’t waste your time on money going to the ping pong shows, it’s not worth it.

Pattaya Nightlife

Pattaya’s nightlife is properly world-famous at this stage. It is a city full of clubs, bars, go-go bars, massage parlors, and more. You will always find a bar or club open at any time of the day.

Walking Street street is the main party street in Pattaya but is not cheap. If you go to Soi 6,7 or 8, it is better and cheaper.

Prostitution In Pattaya And Phuket

Phuket and Pattaya both have a reputation for prostitution and there is a reason for it. Pattaya is home to the largest concentration of hookers in the world. There is no way of avoiding them in Pattaya especially if out for the night.

On the other hand in Phuket, you will find prostitution mainly in the Bangla Road area. You are not going to really encounter hookers unless you go to these areas and are looking for them.

What To Do See In Phuket And Pattaya?

Phuket and Pattaya are both blessed with beaches, temples, food, and plenty of other things to see and do on each island.

Here are some of the best things to do in Phuket and Pattaya.

Things To Do In Phuket

Phuket is a popular resort island that attracts millions of international visitors every year. Despite being an island there are other things to do in Phuket other than the nightlife.

Here is a list of a few things to do in Phuket Thailand.

Visit A Few Temples

There are a few interesting temples in Phuket that are worth a visit. Here are the lists of the temples to visit in Phuket.

• Chalong Temple – This is a massive temple and is the largest and the most popular Buddhist temple in Phuket.
• Big Buddha of Phuket – This is an iconic 45-meter-tall marble statue on top of Nakkerd hill. That offers panoramic views from the top.

Go Diving Or Snorkeling

Phuket offers some of the best site dives in Thailand as well as great snorkeling opportunities. There is no shortage of dive shops on the island.

Here are some of the dive sites around Phuket.

• Racha Noi and Racha Yai.
• Hin Musang.
• King Cruiser wreck.
• Similan islands.
• Surin islands.

Snorkeling gear can be rented from dive shops on the many beaches in Phuket.

Go, Island Hopping

Phuket is close to a couple of islands that have some awesome beaches and is an enjoyable day out visiting the islands. Go can relax on the beach, go snorkeling, and more.

Some of these islands are as follows.

• Phi Phi islands.
• James Bond Island.
• Koh Panyi.
• Similan islands.

Visit The Phuket Elephant Sanctuary

Elephants can be found across Thailand but because of tourism and logging have suffered terrible abuse.

Elephant sanctuaries provide protection and rehabilitation. There is a fee to enter the elephant sanctuary but it is money well spent. As it helps to ruin the sanctuary.

Enjoy The Beaches

One thing Phuket does not lack is beaches. Phuket beaches have crystal clear water, comfortable breeze, blue lagoons, and white and soft sands.

Some beaches in Phuket have been damaged by over-development in the last 20 years. Here is a list of the best beaches in Phuket.

• Nai Harn beach.
• Kata Noi beach
• Bangtao beach.
• Freedom beach.
• Karon beach.
• Kata beach.
• More on the best beaches in Phuket.

Things To Do In Pattaya

Pattaya is a popular resort with Thais and international visitors, this is because of the nightlife. There are other things to do other than the nightlife.

Here is a list of a few things to do in Pattaya Thailand.

Visit A Few Temples

There are a few interesting temples in Pattaya that are worth a visit. Here are the lists of the temples to visit in Pattaya.

• Sanctuary of Truth – This is not a Buddhist temple and is made from teak wood. This is a beautiful and humbling place to visit.
• Wat Phra Khao Yai – Also known as Big Buddha Hill, it is about 100 meters above sea level. At the top, you can see Pattaya city.
• Buddha Mountain – At the side of the mountain, you will see the largest engraving of Buddha in the world.

Enjoy The Water Parks

One thing Pattaya doesn’t lack is water parks. It even has the largest in Thailand. They all have plenty of slides and rides, just don’t forget the sun cream. The best 2 water parks to visit are as follows.

• Ramayana waterpark.
• Cartoon Network Amazone Waterpark.

Go, Island Hopping

Pattaya is close to a couple of islands that have some amazing beaches and is a good day out visiting the islands. Go can relax on the beach, go snorkeling, and more.

Some of these islands are as follows.

• Koh Larn.
• Koh Sak.
• Monkey Island.
• Koh Krok.
• Koh Rin.

Visit Ripley’s Believe It Or Not

This has over 300 exhibits that will astonish you with surprising and shocking displays believe it or not stories.

There are also some fun rides, a 12D Moving Theatre, and the extremely popular Sky Rider. Which will give you awesome views of the city.

Visit Pattaya Floating Market

If you are interested in visiting a floating market, you have an opportunity to see the Pattaya floating market. Here you can buy fruit, food, souvenirs, and clothing.

Wrapping Up

Finally, in the grand scheme of things, there are not too many differences between Pattaya and Phuket other than the fact one is an island and the other is a city. You can do more or less similar activities in each place but Phuket is more expensive and more touristy. It depends on your personal preference and travel plans.

And that’s it for now! I’d love to know if this guide on if Phuket or Pattaya is better has helped you. Let me know if you have any questions and let me know if there is more to add.

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