Pattaya often gets a bad wrap for it's seediness and unsuitability for certain demographics. The following experience of the city is taken from a Trip Report by forum member Madabouthols103 posted HERE.

Pattaya has somehow developed a bad reputation, particularly for couples. That is why I have written the report, based on our experience as a couple. I confess, we've been bitten by the Pattaya bug, it really is the perfect mix for my hubby and I.

We travelled to Pattaya for 12 nights in June, it was our third trip to Thailand, on previous trips we had been to Phuket, Koh Samui, Hua Hin, Cha Am and of course Bangkok. These are our thoughts on Pattaya as a destination for couples because one of the things I was really worried about before we went was if Pattaya would be a bit wild for hubby and I given it was just the two of us. We are both in our 30's and were really after some rest and relaxation.

As it turned out, we had an absolutely fabulous holiday and I need not have worried one bit. I would like to reassure any couples out there who may feel like I did, to not waste another second thinking about it and absolutely 100% -  just go, you will love it!

We stayed at the Dusit Thani Pattaya Hotel which is in a great location at the northern end of Pattaya. It was away from the hustle & bustle but very easy to hop on a baht-bus (Songthaew) and be there in minutes for the princely sum of THB10 each.

There are two really nice bars across from the Dusit Thai Hotel, Gulliver's Traveller's Tavern & Henry J Beans Bar & Grill  We spent quite a few nights at these, the beer was cheap and so was the food, perfect for chilling after a hard day by the pool!

Another bar we loved was the Pattaya Beer Garden, which is at the start of Walking Street. It looks out over the beach and has a really nice vibe to it so again perfect for a few relaxing beers, and the food is very good. Most nights we headed to Walking street, and yes it is noisy, busy, and hot, but it all adds to the party atmosphere. Yes you will be offered entry to peep-shows and ping-pong shows, but a polite "no thanks" is all that need be said.

There were some really good bars on walking street, Rolling Stones Bar had a live singer most nights, Zab Bar have an Elvis impersonator, and also cover acts doing the Bee Gees and the Beatles which made for a great night out. The Blues Factory is also pretty good to go to once or twice but after that it might get a little repetitive as it is mostly the same singers.

Our favourite bar by far though was Candyshop, it's about half way down Walking street and they have a brilliant R&B band playing every night called Barcode. The drinks there were a little more expensive, but it was worth it for the entertainment. All in all despite my plans before we went, Pattaya night-life drew us back again and again, so there were a few more late nights than originally anticipated - but that's what holidays are for! A great tip I got from AussieKarin0040 was this website which has a great map of all the bars and restaurants in Pattaya.

The restaurants in Pattaya are also very good and you certainly won't go hungry. As my husband isn't into spicy food we mostly ate in places like Gulliver's and the Beer Garden where both of us could be kept well fed. Of course we also paid a visit for dinner and drinks to one or two of the many Irish bars while we were there. Nice bars, but a little more expensive that some of the other bars mentioned so we didn't rush back.

We also went to Manhattan's Restaurant and Bar for a meal one night. They will collect you from your hotel, which is great. The bar is lovely and the food is out of this world. It is the first time that I've had a meal where I kept saying "this is so good" after every bite. Be warned though, it is not cheap, our three course meal plus a bottle of wine came to about THB6500. Definitely one for a special night out only. We finished our special night out with a few cocktails at Mantra Restaurant and Bar, which is just across from the the Dusit Thani Hotel. The bar is really nice, and drink prices about on par with back home, so again really only for that special night out.

Shopping in Pattaya is fabulous and you can get just about anything you want. Central Festival Shopping Centre is huge and full of genuine brand name outlets, so quite pricey, we didn't buy anything in here. Mike Shopping Mall was a good place for shopping as was Royal Garden Plaza. Overall we found that there's more of a range in Bangkok though so we waited until we got there to do our serious shopping.

Cinemas are also very big in Pattaya and most shopping centres seem to have one. They are very cheap at around THB100, have all the latest releases, and far more comfortable than home. A perfect for a break from the heat and the bars.

Just across from the Dusit Thani Hotel is a spa that was really nice and also very cheap - Savanna - it was 800B for a one hour aromatherapy oil massage (a normal oil massage was actually only 550 for 2 hours), manicure and pedicure was THB350 and a one hour foot massage was THB200.

There is also a hairdressers at the gate to the Dusit Thai Hotel, where a blow-dry was THB300. It goes without saying that I was in there every night at that price, as the thought of half an hour with a hair straighteners did not appeal to me. There is also a dentist located in the same spot, with good prices for teeth whitening etc. but we didn't try this.

Overall we had a really fabulous holiday, and there was so much we didn't get to do. Initially we just wanted to avoid another flight and so took a chance on the short car transfer to Pattaya. We're so glad we did as it has become our favourite part of Thailand so far, and I would go back in in a heart beat. I would ABSOLUTELY recommend Pattaya for couples and invite any further questions by PM or just ask away on the Pattaya Forum.

Another Pattaya forum thread on Pattaya for Couples can be viewed HERE.

Further links to information about Pattaya available on Trip Advisor includes;

Getting to Pattaya - Taxi, Bus etc.

Getting Around Pattaya - Transport Options

Activities in Pattaya - Away from the Bars