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Pattaya

Even if you know exactly what to expect of Pattaya, it still comes as an eye-popping sensory explosion. Multicultural, hyper-touristy Pattaya (เมืองพัทยา) boasts some excellent and good value places to stay and eat, and the area is also a family-friendly resort coast. Nevertheless, the city itself is no tropical paradise; its reputation for sleaze is totally deserved, with hundreds of beer bars, go-go clubs and massage parlors. Much of the rest is dedicated to mass-market sun-seeking tourism, with a huge retired expat population, and enormous tour groups hurried through town in an almost constant stream. For a relaxing stay in Pattaya, base yourself outside the central area.

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