Pattaya has several local foreign-language newspapers; most come out weekly. The English newspapers include Pattaya Mail, Pattaya Today, and Pattaya People. Additionally, there are French, Norwegian, German, Russian, and Japanese publications. There are several local English-language cable television programs with news and video reports from Pattaya. 

Due to a large number of foreign residents, and expat retirees Pattaya boast several expat clubs which have regular monthly or weekly meetings. Pattaya has its own masonic lodge, a rotary club, international schools, and boarding schools.

Foreigners from most countries can obtain a visa on arrival which is valid for 30 days.

Foreigners from most countries can apply for a tourist visa in their own country, which is normally valid for 90 days. However on arrival first you get only a stamp for 60 days and after that, you have to contact the immigration office for an extension for the full 90 days. 

There are a lot of companies in Pattaya offering car rental services. Prices are from around 800 Baht up to 2,000 Baht per day. Always ask for a contract and make sure, that it is confirmed in the contract, that the car is covered with full class 1 insurance. This full insurance in Thailand is called "Class 1" insurance.

Banks are open Monday to Friday from 8.30 am to 3.30 pm. Some branches are open even until 10 pm. They change cash money, and traveler cheques and give you cash money on credit cards as well (Passport required)

Pattaya is famous for hosting various festivals and events throughout the year.

It’s hard to know where to start here. There is just about everything you can think of something for everyone, young and old.

Pattaya is renowned worldwide for its entertainment and nightlife. New clubs and bars are opening all the time. There are hundreds of Pubs, Beer bars, Karaoke bars, Sports Bars, Theme bars, night club and discos including Lucifer 2.0, The Mixx, 808 and Insomnia.

Spas of a very high world-standard can be found at the city’s top resorts, hotels and shopping centers.

There is also an abundance of massage shops. The most common types of massage include Thai massage, foot massage, oil massage and reflexology massage.  

Pattaya has many shopping centers including Terminal 21 in North Pattaya, Central Festival Center Pattaya Beach Road, and others like Big C Extra, Lotus, Mike Shopping Mall, Royal Garden Plaza, The Outlet Mall, the Avenue Center. Opening and closing times are normally between 10 or 11 am to around 11 pm daily.

In Pattaya you find a wide range of restaurants, both local and international. A main course starts from a little bit more than 100 Baht in a cheap restaurant up to 600 Baht in a very good restaurant, there are Top Gourmet restaurants as well where a main course is up to 1,500 Baht.

Pattaya boasts excellent international standard hospitals, many foreign tourists have inexpensive medical and dental care here compared to most western countries. Excellent service, well known in Pattaya is the Bangkok Pattaya Hospital at Sukhumvit Road or the Pattaya International Hospital close to Pattaya Beach Road.

Pattaya enjoys a year-round tropical climate and has 3 seasons:

November – February: Hot and Dry Season, Temperature daytime 24 to 30 Degrees Centigrade (77 to 86 Degrees Fahrenheit). Sunny nearly every day, normally no rain

Transfer from Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport cost with a taxi 1,100 to 1,500 Baht, with a Limousine service around 2,000 to 2,500 Baht.

The so called "Baht Buses" (Songthaew) are very popular in Pattaya. They provide transportation on the main roads of Pattaya, Naklua and Jomtien. You can stop them wherever you see them.

Pattaya has an abundant supply and choice of hotels, apartments and guest houses to suit every budget, including luxury hotels with private beaches, bay side hotels and bungalows and inland economy class hotels and guesthouses.

Pattaya Beach is situated alongside the city center, close to shopping, hotels, restaurants and bars. Most sections of the beach are covered by rented deckchairs run by local beverage vendors during daylight hours.

Pattaya's downtown areas are easy to navigate.

Running North-South, a few hundred meters apart, are Pattaya Beach Road (Thanon Hat Pattaya) which borders the beach (Hat Pattaya), Pattaya Second Road and Pattaya Third Road (with the smaller but busy Soi Buakhao in between), and the main Sukhumvit Road coastal highway. Beach Road is one-way southbound, Second Road one way northbound.

Pattaya is located on the East Coast of the Gulf of Thailand (Eastern Seaboard Thailand), around 145 km south of the capital Bangkok, and with in Chonburi Province.