Is Pattaya Cheap Now for Hotels Food and Transport
Who says an airport is only for taking flights? You can also take a bus from Suvarnabhumi Airport to some of the famous destinations in Thailand, and this time I was going to Pattaya. I went to the first floor to book a bus ticket. There were two services, one to the bus stop and one to the hotel, and I chose the hotel service. The ticket was 143 Thai Baht, and I still had around an hour before departure.
This was a budget trip, so I did not want to spend $10 on a cafe at the airport. I used 7-Eleven instead, where there were plenty of budget options. Many people ask why I take the bus to Pattaya from Suvarnabhumi Airport instead of Ekkamai Bus Terminal. There are three reasons: my house is only 25 minutes from the airport, the buses at Ekkamai can be a little outdated, and I love Suvarnabhumi Airport, so I always feel happy when I come here.
The airport bus is also practical if you are arriving on an international flight with luggage. The service can stop at North Pattaya, Central Pattaya, and South Pattaya. I intentionally got off at Jomtien because I wanted to check something there. From Jomtien to Central Beach, the cheapest transport cost only 10 Thai Baht. From Pattaya Avenue, I walked through Major Cineplex, turned right, and reached the hotel easily.
A Budget Stay at Cotel in Central Pattaya
Cotel is one of the budget hotels I found in Pattaya, and the same hotel group also has properties in Phuket, Krabi, and Bangkok. I stayed on the fifth floor in room 56. The room was surprisingly large, with a balcony, a bed, a place to work, and a clean toilet and shower. The towels were neat, and the hotel logo was a ship.
Dear special guest, welcome to Cotel. Thank you for choosing to stay with us. Hope you enjoy your stay. Cotel team.
There was a closet, an empty refrigerator, and a coffee-making machine. The hotel did not provide bottled water because it is trying to reduce plastic, but there was a water dispenser on the floor. I also had a TV because I wanted to watch football, and there was a small space to sit. The balcony overlooked the pool without much of a view, but I could say hello to the neighbors and make friends for free.
After the roughly two-hour trip from Bangkok, I was tired, so I took a shower and rested. The room at Cotel cost 850 Thai Baht including breakfast, which made it a strong budget option next to the action.
Affordable Food and a Walk Along Pattaya Beach Road
After resting, I went out to eat and see Pattaya after sunset. The morning had been cloudy, but the weather improved. The food at Mason on the Main Beach Road was very good, especially the mango smoothie. Everything we ordered cost only 250 Thai Baht, which showed how affordable Pattaya can be in the low season.
I walked around Central Pattaya Beach and along the busy soi. There were many motorbikes, taxis, tuk-tuks, and minivans, as well as more pubs and bars than I could count. I also got a haircut for only 150 Thai Baht. If I ever move to Pattaya, it would not be only for the nightlife or the beach. It would also be for the haircuts, because they cut my hair better and more cheaply than in Bangkok.
I noticed a new Pattaya sign on Beach Road. I had not seen it the last time I was there, so it seemed to be a recent addition.
What Pattaya Cost in the Low Season
The next morning, I checked out and thought back to the hotel. It was calm at night, the price was good, and the breakfast was fine. If you want a budget hotel in Pattaya close to the action, Cotel is one of the options I would consider.
The trip itself was cloudy and looked as if it might rain, but I was lucky and had a good time exploring. The bus from the airport, the local transport, the hotel, the food, and the haircut were all affordable. If you are coming to Pattaya in the low season, you can save a lot, especially if you are lucky enough to get sunny days.
As for me, I was going back to Bangkok on an early bus to continue my day. This trip gave me a clear idea of how cheap Pattaya can be right now, from getting there and finding a room to eating, getting around, and enjoying everyday services.
Suvarnabhumi Airport to Pattaya Bus Tickets
Travelling from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Pattaya is straightforward, with two main bus options. The bus from the airport to Jomtien costs around 150 Thai Baht, while the service to North Pattaya bus station costs 130 Thai Baht.
Booking online costs about 10 Thai Baht more, but it avoids the risk of arriving to find that a bus is full. The North Pattaya buses do not run every hour, while the Jomtien service operates from around 6:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m.
Even when you book online, you must confirm the ticket at Suvarnabhumi Airport and collect the physical ticket at least 15 minutes before departure. This is easy to overlook, because an online booking does not automatically mean that you can board the bus.
Hotel Vista Pattaya Low Season Stay
Hotel Vista is a four-star hotel in a central Pattaya location. A room was booked for around 1,000 Thai Baht during the low season, with the beach only a couple of minutes away on foot. The hotel also has a swimming pool and a pool-view room option.
The room included a bed, a work area, television, safe, refrigerator, complimentary water, kettle, shower and bathtub. There was also a large balcony with seating and a view over the pool. A deposit of around 1,000 Thai Baht was required at check-in.
Pattaya Food Beach and Massage Prices
A meal at a Thai restaurant included fried rice with shrimp, fried rice with chicken, papaya salad and fruit smoothies. The total came to around 460 Thai Baht.
Although it was the rainy season, Pattaya Central Beach still had people enjoying the beach. There were umbrellas and seats along the waterfront, and the weather changed between rain and clearer spells.
Pattaya is also known for affordable massage prices. A foot massage cost around 200 Thai Baht, while a massage including the head and shoulders cost around 300 Thai Baht. The Pattaya Food Festival also provided places to eat, use free toilets and spend time near the beach.
Pattaya Low Season Nightlife
Pattaya was calm during the daytime, especially while the rain was falling. At night, the atmosphere changed completely. The weather became cooler and breezier, and the bars and pubs became busier.
Some venues were busy while others remained quiet, but the city was not as crowded as it is during high season. That made it easier to find somewhere to sit, have a drink and hold a conversation.
Walking Street was open, with bars, pubs, loud music and nightlife. There were also classic cars, trucks and motorbikes in the area. The nightlife prices remained relatively affordable, making Pattaya one of the cheaper places in Thailand for an evening out.
Pattaya Morning and Return to Bangkok
Pattaya felt like a completely different city the next morning. The streets were quieter, and the atmosphere was better suited to enjoying views and coffee than nightlife.
The journey back to Bangkok was also inexpensive. The distance from the Chocolate Factory to the Pattaya bus office was around two kilometres. A ride from the hotel to the Chocolate Factory cost about 89 Thai Baht, while the journey from there to the bus station cost around 80 Thai Baht.
The bus from Pattaya to Suvarnabhumi Airport was booked online for the 3:00 p.m. departure and cost around 151 Thai Baht. Overall, the trip showed that Pattaya can offer affordable accommodation, food, transport and nightlife during the low season.
