Jomtien
Thailand · Asia
About Jomtien
Jomtien (จอมเทียน) is immediately south of Pattaya and is a part of the municipality. Jomtien, like Pattaya, is popular with tourists, but has a significant population of permanent expat retirees and some workers, making it a more sedate alternative.
As with most Thai place and street names written using Latin characters, Jomtien is spelled in a number of ways: road signs usually read Chom Tien or Chom Thian while shops and businesses use Jomtien.
Jomtien travel guide
Understand
Jomtien is a quieter suburb of Pattaya where you can find accommodation with an ocean view for less and without constant attention from countless bar girls. It is 10 minutes from South Pattaya on a motorbike taxi over the hill along Thappraya Rd. Thepprasit Rd branches east to merge with Sukhumvit Rd while Thappraya Rd ends at Jomtien Beach where a police box is a local landmark. North of it is Dongtan Beach while Jomtien Beach stretches about 5 km (3 mi) to the southeast. The beaches in Jomtien are lined with a rather pleasant beach walk shaded by trees in the same style as at Pattaya Beach; there are no beachfront hotels. Unlike at Pattaya Beach the water has not been declared to be hazardous to health. The beaches have sections reserved for swimmers by strings of buoys to keep motorized water sports away. Parasols and beach chairs continue to be a common sight. The beach is lined mostly with accommodation, shops and restaurants. There is cluster of beer bars near the police box. However, there is a large beer bar complex at Rompho market on Jomtien 2nd Rd which runs parallel with the beach road. The rather humdrum Wat Mai Hat Krathingthong (วัดใหม่หาดกระทิงทอง) serves the locals' religious needs between Soi 11 and Soi 12 at the beach road. South of Jomtien beach is the Na Jomtien area which is actually already part of Sattahip and has poorer connections with Pattaya. Many hotels located there confusingly suffix Jomtien to their names. Na Jomtien area has its own beaches and the Ocean Marina Pattaya. Jomtien beach road (officially Jomtien Saineung Rd, i.e. Jomtien First Rd) extends to the north edge of Na Jomtien but public transportation to the area goes via Sukhumvit Rd (Hwy 3). Jomtien has still many undeveloped plots of land and few tourist attractions while Pattaya and Sattahip have much more. As a result the level of traffic and tour bus numbers are much lower.
Getting there
Most buses from Bangkok serve the main Pattaya bus terminal on North Pattaya Rd. Taxis are the easiest option for the onward trip to Jomtien. Songthaews (aka "baht buses", converted pick up trucks with two longitudinal benches in the back) also depart from the bus station and will drop travellers throughout Pattaya and Jomtien for between 20-150 baht depending on the distance travelled. If taking a baht bus it's advisable to know roughly where your intended stop is, as passengers have to push the buzzer to signal the driver to stop. There used to be two bus terminals in Jomtien. The Soi Chaiyapruek terminal has closed, but the ticket office is still there. The current terminal in Jomtien (near Beach Rd) is the car-park of a small shopping precinct, and a Foodmart Supermarket, opposite Pan-Pan Restaurant. It is a busy junction, arrivals going to Pattaya travel north, and Jomtien to the south. The 1 389 government bus. 07:00-21:00. runs on the hour between Suvarnabhumi airport and the Jomtien terminal. Bookings open 3 days prior and can be done online. In high season it is a good idea to book your ticket at least 1 day prior to the date you are returning to the airport. 143 baht. (updated Jan 2024) If you have very little or no luggage (and don't mind risking your life) motorcycle taxis are plentiful and should cost between 20-100 baht to any destination within Pattaya or Jomtien.
Getting around
Jomtien is covered by the Pattaya baht bus network. The baht bus route running in both directions on the beach road is the backbone of Jomtien transportation. In the north the buses turn to Theppraya Road and run to South Pattaya to the intersection of South Pattaya Rd and Pattaya 2nd Rd. Going south some buses loop back at the whim of the driver: some turn back at Chaiyapruek Rd while others push on almost to the end of the 5 km of Jomtien Beach. The fare is 10 baht/person regardless of distance; don't say anything, pay even money and the driver will not complain. If you are going to Jomtien 2nd Road the best solution may be riding the beach road baht bus to the appropriate soi and then walking the 400 m to the 2nd Rd. Going elsewhere you would need to charter a baht bus with prices starting at 150 baht depending on distance. Motorbike taxis are available. You can expect to pay 100 baht for a ride to Pattaya. From Beach Road up the soi to 2nd Road a reasonable fare would be 10 baht.
See
1 Underwater World (อันเดอร์วอเตอร์ เวิลด์), 22/22 Moo 11, Sukhumvit Rd, ☏ +66 38 756879. Daily, 09:00–18:00, feeding times 10:00, 10:30, 11:00, 14:00, 14:30, 15:00. This is an aquarium where there is a collection of marine species from the Gulf of Thailand. Visitors can walk through the acrylic pedestrian tunnel and witness various kinds of fish swimming all around. The tunnel is 105 m long divided into 4 zones. The first zone holds beautiful and rare fish such as angel fish, cleaning wrasse, and butterfly fish. The second zone displays soft-boned creatures such as sharks, stingrays. The third zone stars Napoleon fish, groupers, pomfrets, hawksbill turtles and green turtles which reside around a replica of shipwreck. The fourth zone is a special one where fish from the Amazon River are on display. There are marine life feeding shows, both on the surface of the water and underwater in each zone. 400 baht/adults, 200 baht/children.
Do
1 Colosseum Show Pattaya, 168/9 Moo 12 Thepprasit Rd (Between Thepprasit Soi 13 and 15), ☏ +66 38 906530(-3). 18:00,19:30,21:00. This ladyboy cabaret show has operated since 2014. 600-1,000 baht. Dongtan Beach (Runs north to the right of the police box at the very end of Thappraya Rd). While this area is frequented by mostly straight families, it also boasts perhaps the largest concentration of LGBT community beach-goers in Southeast Asia as a 265 m section of this beach, from Tui's Place up to Rabbit Resort, represents Pattaya's only gay beach. The beach is divided into sections, each run by a separate vendor. You can relax and share your experiences with fellow gay travellers from around the world or with local expats, get a foot massage (about 300 baht for an hour), purchase all manner of DVDs and other paraphernalia from roving vendors, people watch, eat & drink. (updated Jan 2017) Hardbody Fitness Gym, 401/17 Moo 12, Thappraya Rd. Daily, 08:30-21:00. Small non-air-con free weights-oriented gym. 75 baht/day, 300 baht/week, 500 baht/fortnight, 750 baht/month, 2,000 baht/3 months, 3,500 baht/6 months, 6,000 baht/year. Jomtien Bowl (Royal Jomtien Resort, Jomtien Beach Rd). Daily, 10:00-02:00. 8 lanes. Jomtien Fishing Park (Jomtien Beach Rd Soi 14). Guides are available, as is food (including your catch) and drink. Competitions on Saturday and Sunday 15:00-17:00 (100 baht/rod). 100 baht/own rod, 200 baht to rent house rods. Jungle Bungy Jump, ☏ +66 78 336655. 09:00-18:00. Beautiful tropical setting, 50 m (165 ft) over a jungle lagoon. Will pickup/return anywhere in Pattaya. Paintball World (Jomtien Beach Rd), ☏ +66 38 232796. 2 Pattaya Park and Tower (สวนสนุกพัทยาปาร์ค) (Ride Jomtien Beach baht bus to Thappraya So
Overview adapted from Wikipedia, travel guide fromWikivoyage (CC BY-SA)。Photography via Wikimedia Commons.