If you want to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the city and enjoy the beautiful nature, you should go to the military beach in Pattaya – a place that most tourists do not yet know about.
Military Beach is located 25 km from Pattaya city, in the northern part of the peninsula. It got its name due to the fact that once there was a military base on this territory. It is also often referred to as the” Blue Lagoon”, due to the picturesque rainforest surrounding the beach.
In travel guides and maps, Pattaya’s military beach is referred to as Sai Kaew Beach.
How to get to the beach from Pattaya by yourself
Getting to the military beach in Pattaya is not at all difficult, because it is connected to nearby cities by an asphalt road. There are several options:
By tuk-tuk (songteo)
This option is the cheapest, but also the most inconvenient. Landing is carried out on the Sukhumvit highway (there is no specific stop), leading from the city of Pattaya to the beach along the sea. You must get into a white tuk-tuk and be sure to tell the driver where to stop. However, you can only get to the checkpoint on Songteo. You will either have to walk the remaining distance or rent a taxi. A tuk-tuk ride (songteo) costs 20 baht. They run every 10-15 minutes. There is no exact timetable.
By taxi
The most expensive, but the easiest way to get from the ambassador to the military beach. The cost of a trip from Pattaya to the military beach will cost 300-400 baht. The price depends on your ability to bargain and the driver’s persistence.
By car
You can get to the military beach in Pattaya on your own by rented transport. Take the Sukhumvit highway and drive in a straight line for 25 km. After that, you will see a checkpoint with the Thai military – this is where you need to turn off. If the soldiers are present, they will ask you why you came here and ask for your passport. If there are no military personnel at the entrance, then you must leave your documents (it can be either a passport or a driver’s license) in the booth, take a special piece of paper that you will be asked to show at the second checkpoint (somewhere in 200 meters).
After checking your documents and vehicle, you need to get to the ticket office (distance-4-5 km). There are plenty of pointers here, so you can’t get lost. After buying a ticket at the beach ticket office, you need to leave your car in the parking lot and transfer to the free tuk-tuk, which runs here every 7-8 minutes. The journey time is about 10 minutes.
Remember that when traveling to Sai Kaew Beach, the military carefully checks all documents, so everything should be in order. Please note that you must have a Thai driver’s license to drive a vehicle in Thailand. In its absence, the violator is almost always fined $ 12.
With a guided tour
This is the simplest option. It is enough to buy an interesting excursion in one of the tourist centers in Pattaya and go traveling. In addition to the beach itself, guides usually take tourists to monkey Island and the coral reef. There can be from 10 to 40 people in a group. The price of such a trip will be 60-90 dollars. The tour usually lasts 7-8 hours.
What the beach looks like
The total length of the coastline is 400 m. The right side of the military beach in Thailand is less popular with tourists, because the coast here is rocky, there is no infrastructure. But the left part is an excellent choice for those who want to buy. In this part, the sand is fine, occasionally there are shell stones and small pebbles.
The entrance to the sea is gentle, and the water goes almost 50 meters during low tide, leaving behind small lakes and puddles that children will definitely like. Since the beach is a lagoon sandwiched between two rocks, waves and strong winds are almost nonexistent here. Unlike many other Thai beaches, the water here is quite clean, but garbage is still rare.
On this beach in Pattaya, there are many sprawling trees that provide enough shade for everyone to hide from the scorching sun rays. There are also several gazebos and large straw umbrellas.
The beach is quite wide, and since there are always a few people here due to the inconvenient location, there is enough space for everyone. There are no problems with the infrastructure on the beach: there are toilets, changing rooms and showers. It is also possible to rent a car for an additional fee:
| Cost (baht) | |
|---|---|
| Beach Mat | 20 (+deposit of 80) |
| Swimming circle | 10 (+50 deposit) |
| Lounge chair | 30 (+ 100 deposit) |
Beach access costs: 100 baht for adults and 50 baht for children. Tickets can be purchased at the ticket office at the entrance.
Things to do on the beach. Entertainment and its cost
Sai Kaew Beach is a beach for those who want to take a break from the bustling city and enjoy the silence, so there is not much entertainment here:
- Jet ski or jet ski. They can be rented directly on the beach in Pattaya, and the instructor, if necessary, will teach you how to use these shells. Price for 20 minutes – 1000 baht, 30 minutes – 1500.
- Banana boat and rowing boat. Boat rentals are slightly cheaper than jet skis or jet skis. Cost per 60 min. it will amount to 1300 baht (+ a deposit of 100).
- Diving. There are a lot of diver instructors on the beach, who are ready to teach everyone to scuba dive for a reasonable price. Usually they can be found on the right side of the beach – where the sea is deeper. The price for an hour of training varies from $ 15 to $ 40.
- Walk. It will be interesting and easy to walk around the beach – many rare plants for Thailand are planted here, as well as dolphin sculptors are installed. There are many well-groomed flowerbeds and flower arrangements.
- Excursion. Coral reef excursions are also available. The guide, together with a group of 10 people, swims up to the reefs on a boat with a transparent bottom, so the sea inhabitants and picturesque corals will be clearly visible. By the way, it is in this place that tourists take the best photos of the military beach in Pattaya. Price-1500 baht.
- Feeding monkeys. Organizers of such exotic entertainment can be found in the central part of the beach. When a group of 10 people gathers, guides take tourists to monkey island, where they can feed the primates. The price is $ 45. At the same time, it is not recommended to take small and shiny things with you, which the monkeys can take as a souvenir.
As for accommodation in Pattaya, there are several expensive hotels nearby, as well as a hotel-bungalow, accommodation in which will cost from $ 30 per night for two.
Where to eat
There are only a few restaurants and cafes on Sai Kaew Beach in Pattaya. The menu is quite diverse: both traditional Thai dishes (fried rice with basil, tom yam kung, pad thai, kung keo wan) and European cuisine (steaks, French fries, chicken with rice, soup) are presented.
The most inexpensive lunch will cost 100 baht per person, but usually you have to pay 200-300 for one meal:
| Dish / Drink | Cost (baht) |
|---|---|
| Curried chicken | 150 |
| Chicken with cashews | 150 |
| Tom Yam Kung (king prawn soup) | 230 |
| Pad Thai (rice with shrimp and vegetables) | 180 |
| Khao Na Fet (roast duck) | 300 |
| Khao Nii Mu Yang (pork skewer) | 200 |
| Garlic steak | 220 |
| French fries | 100 |
| Stewed vegetables | 120 |
| Salad with cabbage | 100 |
| Khao Nyung Ma Mueang (mango with rice) | 110 |
| San Kaya Fu Tong (pumpkin with custard) | 130 |
| Black Tea | 40 |
| Cola | 20 |
| Coffee | 40-75 |
| Fruit shake | 30-40 |
| Cha Yen (Thai iced tea) | 35 |
Since the beach is located on the territory of a former military base in Pattaya and it is not so easy to get here, the nightlife is completely absent. There are no late-night clubs or restaurants on the beach or in neighboring villages. Life in this area stops after 18.00.
Useful tips
- Do not forget to bring your passport, which will be required when passing the checkpoint.
- In the wildest and least visited areas of the beach, there is a risk of encountering aggressive monkeys. If the meeting took place, try not to get too close to them, and carefully watch for small (especially shiny) things. Try to get to a crowded place as quickly as possible.
- Visit the military beach in Thailand is better on weekdays, when there are few people here. On weekends, Thai families often have picnics here.
- After 18.00, life on the beach freezes: all restaurants close and rental shops close their work.
- During public holidays, you can’t get to the beach by car, as entry by vehicle is prohibited.
- In Thailand, only a Thai driver’s license is valid.
Conclusion
Military beach in Pattaya will appeal to those who want to spend their holidays in peace and quiet. You should definitely not go here for the purpose of having fun and doing extreme sports. Young and active people are likely to be bored here, but married couples and families with children will find this place suitable.