Pattaya is primarily known for its pristine beaches and its nightlife entertainment, but the city also offers a broad array of pastimes such as golf, horseback riding, bungee jumping, and shooting. Pattaya's bay area is divided into two primary beachfronts, the Pattaya Beach and the Jomtien Beach.

Pattaya Beach is the main destination for bathers and loungers, those that simply want to enjoy the sand and water, while Jomtien Beach is mainly a residential area that features beachside hotels, high-scale developments, bungalow complexes, condominiums, and restaurants.

While each of the beachfronts offer a slightly different feel, both offer a wide variety of activities including banana-boat rides, jet-skiing, water-skiing, parasailing, windsurfing, and the like. Of course, visitors are always welcome to enjoy a simple swim or the joy of building a sandcastle.

If spending time on the beach isn't for you, there's no reason to worry. Pattaya has a host of other activities and locales to explore. Golf is a popular pastime of the region and Pattaya features more than 20 courses within an hour's drive with many of the courses designed by some of golf's most famous players and icons. There are also an abundance of massage shops, which typically provided a variety of massages including Thai massage, foot massage, oil massage, and reflexology massage. Video games are quite popular in Thailand, so PlayStation and computer game shops can be found throughout the area. For the shoppers, there are multitudes of shops featuring local and international fashions and brands.

For those more interested in a cultural experience, Pattaya has a plethora of temples, museums, and landmarks to visit. Some of the most popular cultural attractions include The Million Years Stone Park, the Thai Alangkarn Theater Pattaya, Khao Phra Tam Nak or Khao Phra Bat (a small hill that provides a panoramic view of the city of Pattaya and its bay), Wat Khao Phra Bat (a temple), the Sanctuary of Truth (a wooden sculpture), and Mini Siam (a miniature model village).