The sights and sounds of Walking Street are quite unlike anything else in Thailand. Other towns and cities try to claim to have their own version, but nothing comes close to matching the 500 metres of fun which is found at the end of Pattaya’s Beach Road. Taking its name from the fact that it is closed to vehicle traffic after 18:00, almost every building on both sides of the road – as well as many in the side streets around it – is a nightclub, beer bar, restaurant or go-go bar to the extent that the road is almost completely deserted during daylight hours as virtually everything is shut. At night, however, the road comes alive with neon lights, thumping music from different genres, food vendors, street performances and party animals from around the world

The 2.4sq.kms of Nong Nooch are full to bursting with some of the most remarkable flowers, displays and landscaped gardens in Thailand, if not the world. The team behind them have repeatedly won international awards for their designs, which include 17th-century-French-style gardens, a recreation of Stonehenge, creative topiary displays and gardens created exclusively with cacti, bonsais and tropical palms. It is also the home of over 670 native and hybrid species of orchid, an excellent elephant talent show and regular displays of classic Thai dancing, boxing and drumming.

Sanctuary of Truth is a temple construction in Pattaya, Thailand. The sanctuary is an all-wood building filled with sculptures based on traditional Buddhist and Hindu motifs.

The largest stone engraving of Buddha in the world looking down on you from the side of limestone hill is a very humbling experience. Etched with a laser into the side of what used to be a resource for the construction industry, the 109-metre-high image was then marked out in gold. It was completed in 1996 to mark the 50th anniversary of His Majesty the King of Thailand’s accession to the throne and has since become a popular attraction for Thais and foreign visitors alike.

Wat Phra Khao Yai also-called “Big Buddha” or sometimes Golden Buddha certainly deserves its name, being the biggest in the region at 18 metres in height. Positioned nearly 100 metres above sea level, it watches over Pattaya and Jomtien Beaches. The temple complex around the highly detailed golden seated Buddha creates a reflective mood in its many visitors thanks to its many bells, burning incense, numerous smaller statues and impressive views over the area. The staircase leading up to the temple is quite striking as there are golden dragons running along the entire handrails, and at the foot of the stairs, seven-headed mythical snakes called Nagas emerge from the dragon’s mouths.