Bangkok to Pattaya
Day Trip or Overnight

🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026

The appeal of Pattaya for Bangkok folks is that you can leave home late in the morning and still hit the beach before noon — the distance from Bangkok to Pattaya is only about 150 kilometres on Motorway 7, an hour and a half to two hours by car if traffic is light. The question to settle first is whether a day trip is enough, or whether you'd rather stay a night and see Pattaya after dark too.

How to get to Pattaya — van, bus or your own car

Three main options from Bangkok, each suited to a different style. Without your own car, the van is the most nimble; if you're travelling in a group or want to stop at several spots, driving yourself works out better.

• Van — board at Ekkamai or Mo Chit bus terminal. Fares run around 130–170 THB, the run is direct and takes about 2 hours, with frequent departures all day. Good for solo travellers or couples.
• Bus — tickets start around 130–160 THB. More comfortable seating but it stops at several points, so figure on about 2.5–3 hours.
• Driving yourself — Motorway 7, around 150 km. Tolls for a sedan total somewhere from tens to just over a hundred THB depending on the gates, and it's 1.5–2 hours behind the wheel. This is the most flexible option if you want to stop at Khao Chi Chan or Nong Nooch along the way.

Plan A — Day trip (done in a day)

To make a single day in Pattaya worthwhile you have to pick a focus. Two ways work: head straight out to swim at Koh Larn, or stay on the mainland side and tick off photo spots and seafood. The plan below is the Koh Larn beach route, which Bangkok folks like best.

Plan B — Overnight, 2 days 1 night (more relaxed)

Staying overnight is the answer if you want to see Pattaya by both day and night — the Koh Larn beach, the mainland sights, and the beachfront atmosphere after dark. Make the first day a culture-and-photo-spots day and save the beach for the second morning, when it's still fresh.

Rough budget per person

The figures below assume a comfortable trip, nothing extravagant. Hotel rates and boat fares swing with the season and holidays — over high season and long weekends rooms cost more and are harder to book, so be straight with yourself and pad the budget.

• Day trip — transport/fuel 150–400 THB + return boat 60–600 THB + meals 300–600 THB + chair and umbrella 100–200 THB, roughly 700–1,500 THB per person.
• Overnight 2 days 1 night — add roughly 500–1,500 THB per person per night for accommodation (split between you) + attraction admissions 200–700 THB, for a whole-trip total of about 1,800–4,000 THB per person.
• Admission to the Sanctuary of Truth and Nong Nooch runs from a hundred to several hundred THB per ticket. Check the latest price on site, or buy tickets ahead online, which is usually cheaper.

Things worth knowing before you go

• Check the weather before heading to the island — during the monsoon the swell is strong and small boats may stop running. Don't push it onto a boat if staff have called it off.
• Ask the per-kilo price for seafood before ordering — especially prawns, crab and shellfish, so the bill doesn't surprise you.
• Pattaya has a nightlife district — if you go out at night, do it with your wits about you and keep a close eye on your valuables, bag and phone in busy spots.
• Book accommodation ahead over long weekends — prices rise and rooms fill up fast.