Activities

All the sports to give you an action packed holiday

Paintball
Paintball World is a 5000-square-foot.The venue has a number of facilities including clubhouse with bar and food. Paintball is available outdoors while there is a computer-controlled indoor. There is a viewing gallery for people who only want to watch. Paintball World is a professional organisation with a solid emphasis on safety.Tel: (038) 232-796.

Pattaya Shooting Range
Tiffany’s on Pattaya II Rd. N. Pty. (Tel: 038 429-642) has an airconditioned shooting range with 19 fully equipped galleries. Open: 0900 to 2200 daily. Wide selection of hand guns and field rifles of varying calibre – .22, .38, .45, and 9mm. Demonstration room and instructors.

Rates: Bt200 range fee. Single bullet price: .22, Bt6; .38, Bt15; .45, Bt20; 9mm, Bt20. Target: Bt10.

Lakeland Water Cable Ski
Cable ski around an enormous fresh water lake. Practise your tricks or learn to water-ski, a sport that is quickly gaining popularity. Open daily from

9 a.m.- 6 p.m. Admission: 300 Baht per person (for around 2 hours) Restaurant services available. Contact (038) 232-690-2.

Pattaya Bungee Jump
Pattaya Bungee Jump is one of the most exciting activities available – and at 56 metres it is the highest bungee jump in Thailand. The Pattaya Bungee Jump is now nine years old and during that time many hundreds of jumpers have experienced the adrenaline rush only a bungee jump can provide. In addition to the traditional bungee jump there is also a catapult, which will rocket you 56 metres into the air.

To ensure your safety, all staff are fully trained and under the direction of an experienced jump master. All equipment is regularly maintained and equals that of bungee jumps in New Zealand. Open every day from 0900 to 1800. www.bungeejump-pattaya.com

Pattaya Park Tower, Water Park & Funny Land
The best views of Pattaya can be from the observation decks of the Pattaya Park Tower. There are three ways to travel, sky shuttle, speed shuttle and tower jump depending on the level of the challenge you want to experience. You can slide from the 170 metres high tower down the cable or descend via the sky shuttle to the beach below.

All are free when you buy an observation ticket. For families try the water slides and relax in the whirlpool at the resort’s famous beachside Water Park.

Go-Karts
The Pattaya fun Go-kart racing track is open daily from 09:00 am to 18:00 pm. If you want some serious practice, weekdays are the best.

The 400 - metre track is suitable for adults and children with a choice of 80 cc Go-karts for children and 120cc or more are for adults.

Contact Andy Scheiddeger through Tel. (038) 422-044 fax. (038) 422-041.

Scuba
Main diving and snorkeling areas in Pattaya are located near the off-shore islands of Larn and Phai as well near Sattahip, a one-hour sail south of the resort. Diving in Pattaya is convenient and saves time because it takes only 20 minutes to take a speed boat from Pattaya to Krok Sattahip require a one hour drive along the main highway to the small resorts where you can rent boats.

“If the sea is rough we will organize dive trips to the islands close by Pattaya where divers can view turtles and puffer fish” said Real Divers’s co-owner, Neil Chandler.

All the islands are technically controlled by the Thai Navy. Near the islands off Satahip divers can explore HTMS Khram, a landing craft which was sunk deliberately off Phai island in January 2003 and lies at a depth of 12 to 28 metres. Another popular dive site is the Hardeep wreck off Sattahip which stands in 28 to 30 metres of water. The freighter was sunk by Allied bombs in 1942. Both sites are suitable for entry level certified divers.

Islands further away from Pattaya include: Rin, Manwichai, Keung Badaan, Hoo Chang and Phai where divers can see different types of hard and soft coral. The areas around Pattaya and Sameasan areas are also suitable for snorkeling. The sea floor slopes down from two meters to a depth of 20 meters with variety of marine life (large turtles, stingrays, moral eels, puffer fish and angelfish) as well as coral formations.

Interested divers can join Real Divers, a dive centre owned and run by two brothers, Neil and Peter Chandler, who are both Master Instructors with 17 years experience licensed by the Professional Association of Diving Instructors(PADI) for Southeast Asia divers and CMAS for European divers. Courses are offered in English, Dutch, German, French and Thai.

Real Divers offer a scuba diving course at Bt3,000 per person for a one-day dive including equipment, transport from hotels to the dive sites and dive instructors.

Each dive takes about 40 to 50 minutes divided into morning and evening sessions. Water, first-aid medicine, toilet and shower are provided onboard. The boat can accommodate up to 25 people.

For information, www.realdivers .com

Motor racing
Bira International Circuit (Pattaya), Km 14 on Highway 36 (see eastern coast map) is home to the the motor car and bike community. Races are held at weekends. Minibuses do the return trip for Bt200 to Bt300. The 2.4 km track, with spectator stands, features events for motorcycles, production cars; pickups and Formula 3 racing cars.

Admission: Bt80, Bt100, Bt120 or Bt150 for regular race events. Surcharge on international events.

Horse-riding
The Horseshoe Point Resort & Country Club offers several kinds of riding, including dressage, trail riding, jumping, polo and pony club riding for children. Located on a ranch spread of 1,500 acres with trails, paddocks and beautiful tropical gardens, the owners have turned a passion for horses into a full-fledged riding academy. Recognised as Thailand’s largest riding academy, it has a team of professional international instructors and trail guides. Trail riding for all levels of riders is scheduled daily from 0800-0930 and in the afternoons from 1300-1700.

Located off the Siam Country Club Road at Km 12, visitors from Bangkok, turn left from Sukhumvit highway before getting to Central Pattaya traffic lights. Contact, tel: (038) 735-050.

Windsurfing
June through October are the best months for professionals. Beginners have a better opportunity to get started when the winds are light usually during in the morning. Surf schools are mostly on Jomtien Beach with Surf House International being one of the most popular. Winds vary throughout the year from 5 am in the morning with stiffer sea breezes in the late afternoon.

International journeys are held in early December – the Siam World Cup with national races is usually held in mid-April. The Pattaya Wind-surfing Club on Jomtien Beach specialises in funboard surfing.

Bikes
Motorbikes, a mix of road and track versions, are the most popular for exploring the immediate region. But be warned you should have a driving licence, wear a helmet and have proper insurance, plenty of it in the medical category. Check the bike before renting for malfunctions, poor brakes, scratches and damage.

Cheats abound in this business category. If you think you are the victim of cheating contact the Tourist Police immediately.

Beach road vendors rent by the day, week or month. Daily rates range from Bt250 to 1,500 depending on the size of the bike which vary from 125 cc to 1100 cc monsters.

Tennis
Most of the major hotels in Pattaya have tennis courts. Although the facility is opened to everyone, guests are given preference on court bookings. Tennis coaches are in residence at courts most of these hotels. Instruction fees range from Bt100 to Bt150 per hour. Court rentals vary with each hotel, but in most cases play is free for guests. See our Hotel Checklist in this section for court locations. Hotels add a Bt100 hourly surcharge to cover lighting for night time use of court.

Outdoor riding stable Pattaya
Located at Km 11 on Highway 36, on the way to Rayong 3 km before and opposite the Bira circuit Pataya riding club offers horse back riding facilities on forests and highlands, with 16 horses which mostly originate from Australia .

Running
Pattaya Hash House Harriers – This local chapter of a world-wide fun running and beer swilling club, sets off at 1600 every Monday from The Hare House, Soi Post Office for its weekly run. The official bar also has a Hash happy hour from 1800 to 1900 daily.

Badminton
Pattaya Badminton Courts on Soi 17 are open 1400-2400 daily. There are four courts, 1 km from Pattaya II Road. Hourly rates: Bt60 per hour, racquet rentals Bt20, shuttlecocks Bt25. Contact is Payung. Members fee Bt500 month.