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On Pratumnak Hill between Pattaya and Jomtien sits the 18-meter-high golden Big Buddha of the temple Wat Phra Yai. You climb up a dragon-lined staircase and are rewarded not only with the impressive statue at the top, but also with a wide view over the city and bay. Admission is free.
The viewpoint on Pratumnak Hill offers the classic postcard view over the curving bay and Pattaya skyline. Especially at sunset, the platform is a popular meeting place for photos. From the city center, you can reach the hill in a few minutes by taxi.
The Sanctuary of Truth in Naklua is a gigantic temple building made entirely of teak wood right by the sea. The 105-metre-high construction is covered all over with filigree carvings and has been erected by hand in the traditional way since 1981. Up close, the building is an overwhelming experience.
Walking Street in the south of Pattaya is the city's notorious party mile. As soon as the sun goes down, the street, which is closed to traffic, turns into a glaring sea of neon lights, bars, clubs and live music. For many, a stroll through the pulsating hustle and bustle is part of the Pattaya experience.
Gay attractions in Pattaya revolve less around museums and more about an entertainment culture that is closely tied to the city's queer history. The clearest example is the large cabaret theatres. For over three decades, the Tiffany's Show has been one of Pattaya's most famous attractions and takes place in a theater with around a thousand seats, the Alcazar is only a few steps away. Several times a day, both houses show elaborate revue programs with transgender artists and male dancers, opulently costumed and with a lot of stage technology. The shows are aimed at a wide range of tourists, but are deeply rooted in the local drag and ladyboy tradition.
If you want to understand the queer side of the city, you can hardly avoid the three trendy districts. Boyztown is considered the nucleus of gay Pattaya. With its remaining bars, Sunee Plaza tells of a time when it was home to one of Thailand's largest gay bar clusters, and the younger Jomtien Complex shows where the scene has shifted today. A separate place is Dongtan Beach in the south, which is marked as a gay beach with rainbow flags and functions as a social meeting place during the day. These stops combine well into a walk that reveals more about gay Pattaya than any classic postcard view.