Jomtien Beach is one of the symbols of Pattaya, the longest and probably the most famous. The Jomtien area is popular not only with tourists, snowbirds and expats, but Thai people also love coming here on weekends, having big picnics on the sand, on the pavement by the beach or even in the back of pickup trucks parked on Beach Road (the road along the beach). There are especially many Thai people coming to Jomtien at weekends.
At sunset and after dark, in the evenings, it’s crowded and rather noisy here (though the area is still considered quieter than central Pattaya). Music blares from the Night Market and from jeeps parked along the road. During high season there are many Russian tourists on the beach, especially in the centre and south of Jomtien, where hotels and condos popular with fellow countrymen are located.
For swimming, Jomtien isn’t the best place as the water is rather dirty. You’ll also find various kinds of rubbish in the sand on the beach. But it’s very convenient for strolling, sitting by the sea or living nearby. It’s not as noisy as in the centre of Pattaya, there are quiet streets with greenery and all the infrastructure, but at the same time it’s close to everything and public transport runs along the road by the beach.
Beach Overview
The beach is about 3 miles (5 км) long and unlike many others it’s shaped not like an arc but as a straight line. The northern part adjacent to Pratamnak cape is more urban and infrastructure-developed. In the southern part it transitions into Na Jomtien area. Beyond Sigma Resort the beach itself tapers off, turning into a recently built concrete promenade. Not far from the southern end of Jomtien (even further south) a river flows into the sea.
The water at Jomtien is often yellowish and cloudy. You can come across rubbish, both organic and plastic. Currents and wind are directed so that everything is washed ashore, and in a big city people litter quite a lot. Besides, trees growing along the beach drop fruits and leaves onto the sand, which aren’t always cleaned up promptly.
The beach is quite spacious in width, up to 50 feet (15 м). However, numerous rows of sunbeds eat up all the space, at high tide there are at best a few meters left to the water, or even the first row stands practically in the surf.
Swimming
In the peak season, i.e. from November to February, when there are neither big waves nor low tides, entering the water is neither too gradual nor too steep, quite comfortable. However, the water can be cool and even cold. In February-March, strong winds start blowing from the sea. The water is warm, but you can get cold when getting out of the water or even just sitting in the shade. At the same time, from the end of February, the season of strong low tides begins.
The sea recedes several meters, exposing a slightly muddy and dirty bottom, with various marine inhabitants found in places. During low tide, swimming becomes inconvenient – it’s shallow, knee-deep for a long time, it’s far to walk to a normal depth and the water is cloudy. The time of low tide isn’t always the same; in the southern part of the beach, low tides are more noticeable, in the northern part – less so.
Sunbeds and Shade
Along the entire Jomtien there are many paid loungers under umbrellas. These are mostly beach cafes too, food and drinks when ordered are brought to the table by the lounger. In some places, clothes hangers are also offered. Trees providing shade grow along the pavement throughout the beach.
However, during the day you’ll still have to look for a good spot in the natural shade, especially in season, as there are not only many people wanting to lie on their mat, but also stalls with drinks and food, loungers which occupy most of the beach. There are spaces free from loungers, but they are often used by Thai people for picnics, so there is a lot of small rubbish and cigarette butts in the sand.
There are also areas with benches and steps on the pavement along the beach, where you can always sit in the shade during the day. The downside is that it’s always quite crowded and not very clean there. Moreover, large rubbish bins stand along the road right by the pavement, which smell strongly.
Beach Photos
Amenities
Along the beach and in the sois (lanes) there are many small Thai shops, cafes, fruit stalls, street laundries, etc. Everything needed for both short and long stays. This area is generally loved for its convenience not only by tourists but also by snowbirds and expats.
Roughly in the centre of the beach there’s a Night Market, although it’s more geared towards tourists. Around there are also shops with tourist merchandise, many 7-Eleven and Family Mart chain stores, massage parlours and travel agencies. There are no large shopping centres in Jomtien, but getting to them on public transport (either to central Pattaya or to Sukhumvit) isn’t difficult.
Jomtien offers probably the richest selection of beach activities in Pattaya. Jet skis, banana boat rides, parasailing behind a boat, waterskiing, windsurfing rental, regular boards, etc. You can even fly a hang glider. Jomtien is conveniently located, close to almost all of Pattaya’s attractions.
Nearby there’s the Pattaya Park water park with a tower from which you can descend by cable car. Also nearby is Buddha Hill with an observation deck. There are many different activities: paid fishing, Bungy Jump tower jumps and much more. In street travel agencies, you can buy a budget tour to any attraction not only in Pattaya but also to neighbouring countries.
Accommodation
A huge variety of accommodation has been built along the beach, from bungalows and villages with expensive villas to multi-storey condos and hotels of different levels and price categories. In the north, closer to central Pattaya, Thappraya Street and Dongtan Beach, there are many tourists from Europe (Scandinavians, Germans, Italians), and accordingly, there’s accommodation and cafes tailored specifically for them, with the flags of the respective countries on the facade. Along the entire beach there are multi-storey large hotels.
- Jomtien Palm Beach Hotel & Resort Pattaya
- Grand Jomtien Palace Pattaya
- D Varee Jomtien Beach
- Villa Navin Resort
And of course there are many condos along the beach and deeper into the area.
- On the first line, the multi-storey Jomtien Beach Condominium
- popular Lumpini Jomtien Condo
There are also old but affordable condominiums that are popular with both Russians and Europeans. In the area of Bun Kanchana (Soi Wat Bun) and Chaapryk streets, there’s a large selection of budget guesthouses and hotels.
At the very south, the beach ends with Sigma Resort Hotel, beyond which begins the administrative district of Na Jomtien.
How to find the beach
Finding Jomtien isn’t difficult, it’s one of the main areas of the city. A road (Beach Rd) runs along the entire beach. At a distance of approximately 1,300 feet (400 м) from the first beach road is the second (Second Beach Rd), connected to the first by numerous lanes, sois (soi) which are numbered from 1 to 19 from north to south. Sukhumvit Highway runs parallel to the shoreline at a distance of 0.9 to 2.2 miles (1.5 to 3.5 км) from the beach and connects to Beach road through several large streets: Thepprasit in the north, Bun Kanchana (or Soi Wat Bun) and Chaiyapruek in the centre and south.
The closest station to Jomtien where buses arrive from Bangkok and Suvarnabhumi Airport is on Thappraya, near its intersection with Thepprasit Street. From there to the northern part of Jomtien it’s only 3,000 feet (900 м), you can easily walk or take a scheduled tuk-tuk. However, Jomtien itself is 3 miles (5 км) long, but tuk-tuks run along the entire beach in both directions. If you arrived at the Northern Station or got off at Sukhumvit, you can get to Jomtien by tuk-tuk through the city centre with a transfer or take a taxi.
Thus, it’s easy to get to Jomtien by your own transport and by taxi from anywhere in the city. Since the beach is very long, you should know in advance which part of Jomtien you need to go to. Taxi drivers, of course, know the city centre quite well, if you’re looking for a popular hotel or condo, there should be no problems.
Tuk-tuks shuttle back and forth along the entire Jomtien beach on the beach road. They work both as a minibus and as a taxi, you have to ask. From central Pattaya to Jomtien there are also scheduled tuk-tuks, departing from the intersection of South and Second Beach streets, at the corner by the school. This place is 500 feet (150 м) from Walking Street, so it’s not difficult to find. In addition, tuk-tuks run along Thepprasit to Sukhumvit and back. In the mornings on weekdays, you can go to Jomtien on tuk-tuks that stand at the intersection of Second Beach Road with Sukhumvit.
I spent two days on Jomtien beach with my wife just recently. Walking along the waters’ edge for over one kilometer there was a continuous line of garbage brought in by the water. What an absolute disgrace. All that money spent widening the beach only to let it turn into a filthy dump. We won’t be coming back soon.
Pattaya is not for swimming and not for beach ((