Ayutthaya or Pattaya, Which is better?

Ayutthaya and Pattaya are popular day trips from Bangkok. Ayutthaya is the ancient capital city of Thailand, full of beautiful temples and ruins. Pattaya is a beach city that has a vibrant nightlife scene and a great number of shopping malls.

In this article, I will compare Ayutthaya and Pattaya, focusing on their locations, accommodations, beaches, temples, nightlife, and shoppings. Having visited both places, I’ll share some recommendations from my personal experience.

If you’re searching for whether to visit Ayutthaya or Pattaya, keep reading.

Is it better to visit Ayutthaya or Pattaya?

Generally speaking, Pattaya is a better place to go if you want a beach holiday and party. It also offers a wide range of tourist amenities, activities, and numerous shopping malls, making it ideal for those who want the convenience of a modern city life.

Ayutthaya is better than Pattaya if you want to explore ancient temples and ruins. If you’re into history and culture, Ayutthaya is the place to go. It’s a smaller city with a more local atmosphere, and fewer high-rise buildings and shopping malls.

Ayutthaya is a bit closer to Bangkok and has more frequent trains, making it a more popular day-trip destination. Ayutthaya is 77km north of Bangkok, and Pattaya is around 150km southeast of Bangkok.

In Ayutthaya, I enjoyed renting a bicycle to explore temples within the historical park and take a sunset boat tour to visit the riverside temples. Some of my favorite temples are Wat Mahathat, Wat Lokaya Sutha, and Wat Chaiwatthanaram. Boat noodle is also a must try local dish in Ayutthaya.

In Pattaya, I enjoyed exploring different beaches such as Pattaya Beach, Jomtien, and Wong Amat. These beaches are great for swimming, sunbathing, and watching the sunset. There are lots of watersports such as jet skiing and paragliding. For more pristine beaches, you can take boat trips to Koh Larn.

I also like to have food at Terminal 21 and Jomtien Night Market. There is great fresh seafood at the seafood market in Wong Amat. Additionally, the city has many night markets for street food, performances, and souvenirs.

My recommended hotels in Ayutthaya:

My top pick accommodations in Pattaya:

Location & How to Get There

Both Ayutthaya and Pattaya are located in Central Thailand. Ayutthaya is located around a 1 hour train ride from Bangkok. Pattaya is located around a 1.5-2 hour drive from Bangkok. To travel between Ayutthaya and Pattaya by bus or train, you’re likely to stop over in Bangkok.

You can easily reach Ayutthaya and Pattaya by trains and buses. The train is a popular mode of transport for getting from Bangkok to Ayutthaya. Taking a minivan is a popular way to reach Pattaya from Bangkok.

There is an international airport located 30 minutes drive south of Pattaya, but most travelers choose to arrive at Bangkok airport, then take a bus/ taxi to Pattaya.

Beaches

Pattaya is a better place to go for beaches as it’s a coaster city. Ayutthaya is surrounded by rivers but there are no famous beaches near Ayutthaya.

Pattaya is home to three long beaches, including Pattaya Beach, Jomtien, and Wong Amat Beach. These beaches are lined with high rise resorts and apartments. There are plenty of beach facilities on the sand such as umbrellas, bedchairs, and restaurants, and bars.

If you want more beautiful beaches and less commercialism, you can take the 30-minutes boat ride to nearby Koh Larn island. Some of my favorite beaches on Koh Larn are Tawaen, Tien Beach, Samae Beach, and Nual Beach.

Accommodations

Both cities have a wide range of accommodations for all preferences. As a bigger and more developed city, there are more luxury and high rise resorts in Pattaya than in Ayutthaya. So, if you want luxury, Pattaya has better choices.

Ayutthaya has many cozy family-run boutique guest houses, so you can experience friendly local hospitality within your hotel.

Both cities are extremely popular in the high season (November to May), so make sure to book in advance to secure your stay. I made a last-minute hotel booking in Pattaya, and it wasn’t great. It was just an average place to sleep, and the price was also very high for a last-minute booking.

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Nightlife

Pattaya is a better place to go for wild nightlife. It has many nightlife areas in Pattaya Beach and Jomtien Beach. Pattaya Walking Street is the key nightlife area of Pattaya, packed with neon lights, go-go bars, and adult entertainment venues.

Additionally, there are a range of night markets and lady boy shows for you to spend the evening out. Alcazar Cabaret Show and Tiffany’s Show are some of the most famous shows to watch in Thailand.

The highlight of Ayutthaya is the ancient temples, but it has a bit of nightlife with a night market and several chilled bars scattered around the old town. You can find a good place to eat, have a good massage, sleep early and then go sightseeing the next day.

Shopping

Pattaya is a better place to go shopping. It’s packed with shopping malls and night markets. You can easily find luxury products, and cheap souvenirs.

Popular malls in Pattaya are Terminal 21, Central Marina, and Central Pattaya. And there are many night markets scattered around the city such as Pattaya Night Bazaar, Jomtien Night Market, or Runway Market.

Ayutthaya has a small shopping scene, with a small Ong Gaan Tolasap Night Market in the old town, and a daily Chao Phrom Market near the pier to the train station. You can find daily necessary goods and typical Thai souvenirs in Ayutthaya.

Food

Pattaya has a wider range of food, including both local Thai food and international dishes. You can eat at the street food stalls at the night market, a foot court at the shopping malls, and in a beachside restaurant. There are also many seafood restaurants in Pattaya.

Ayutthaya is a small city with majority restaurants serving local Thai food. The city has some famous dishes such as the boat noodles, Roti Saimai (thai cotton candy crepes), and Ayutthaya grilled river prawns. You’ll often find food at small, family-owned restaurants and night markets.

Cultural attractions

Ayutthaya is the ancient capital city of Thailand, so it’s packed with ancient temples and ruins dating back to its foundation in the 14th century. If you’re into history and culture, Ayutthaya is the place to go.

You’ll find some of the most iconic ruins of the city in the vast Ayutthaya Historical Park. Key temples are Wat Phra Si Sanphet with three large chedis, Wat Mahathat with the Buddha head entwined in tree roots, and Wat Ratchaburana with its impressive prang.

Ayutthaya sits on an island surrounded by the Chao Phraya River, and you can take a sunset boat tour to see the ruins from the water. Major sights on the banks of the river are Wat Chaiwatthanaram, Choeng Worawihan, and Wat Phutthaisawan.

The highlight of Pattaya is the beach resorts, nightlife, and entertainment. But it has some cultural attractions such as the Sanctuary of Truth and the Big Buddha Hill.

Day trips

A popular day trip from Pattaya is the boat trip to Koh Larn (Coral island). This island is located around a 30-minute boat ride away and offers more white sandy beaches. Other day trips from Pattaya are to Nongnooch Garden, and Wat Khao Chichan.

In Ayutthaya, you can take a day trip to Bang Pa-In Palace. You can use a taxi or take the train. There are just a couple of trains running a day between these two places, so you need to organise in advance.

Getting Around

Popular ways to get around Ayutthaya are on foot, bicycle, scooter, or hire a private tuk tuk driver for a few hours to see famous temples. I explored the city by walking, cycling, and taking boat tours. I used a Grab taxi to get to Ayutthaya Train station to travel to Khao Yai National Park.

With a bicycle, I can explore temples in the Historical Park of Ayutthaya Island easily. I visited Wat Mahathat, Wat Phra Ram, Wat Phra Si Sanphet, and Wat Lokaya Sutha.

With a boat ride, I visited the iconic temple along the riverside. They are Wat Phanan Choeng Worawihan, Wat Phutthaisawan, and Wat Chaiwatthanaram. These are best to visit at sunset.

In Pattaya, I get around the city on foot, Grab Bike, and take the public ferry to Koh Larn island. I walked most around the Pattaya Beach area and Wong Amat. I used a Grab Bike to get to Jomtien.