Pattaya is best known as a party town and a top beach getaway for visitors from all over the world. It’s also one of Thailand’s most accessible destinations for travelers with disabilities.
Many hotels, guesthouses, resorts and other accommodations in Pattaya have ramps and lifts to help you reach your room.
This guide will teach you everything you need to know about traveling in Pattaya as an individual with a disability or as part of a larger group. We’ll tell you about the best wheelchair accessible hotels, restaurants, shopping malls and other accommodations in town that welcome travelers with special needs.
We’ll also give you some insider tips that travelers with disabilities should know before they book their trip to Thailand’s most popular beach city.
Explore Pattaya As A Wheelchair User
If you arrive in Pattaya in a wheelchair, there are a number of things you’ll want to know before you get there. First, Pattaya is a tropical city and can get very hot so if you’re traveling with someone who has a medical condition or disability that’s sensitive to heat, you might want to consider visiting during the cooler season.
If you want to explore the city in a wheelchair you’ll have to be very careful when navigating the crowded streets of Pattaya. While the city is a lot less busy than Bangkok, it’s a pretty big city with a lot of cars and motorbikes on the road.
You’ll also have to watch out for uneven pavements and cracks in the road as the Pattaya council don’t tend to do a great job of repairing potholes and broken paving stones.
Things To Do In Pattaya For Visitors With Disabilities
No matter where you go in Pattaya, one of the best things to do as a wheelchair user is to explore the beaches. The best beaches in and around Pattaya are generally wheelchair friendly especially Jomtien beach which has had major renovation work done over the last few years and is now so much better and unrecognisable to what it was pre 2020.
If you have the opportunity, pick a beach near to where you are staying in the city, that way, you have more options for exploring without having to worry about getting around the busy streets and roads. Once you’ve picked a beach that’s wheelchair friendly, you can also hire chairs and sunbeds if you just want a relaxing time watching the world go by.
Pattaya Hill (Khao Phra Tamnak / Khao Phra Bat) is a great place to visit and explore Thai culture and is wheelchair accessible.
Where To Eat In Pattaya For Travelers With Disabilities
The following restaurants are among the best wheelchair friendly restaurants in Pattaya. This list is by no means exhaustive, so if you have a disability or you want to explore a new restaurant, pick another one.
Ristorante Dolce Vita – This Italian restaurant is among the best restaurants in Pattaya for both Italian food and great views of the city.
Thai Cuisine – This restaurant serves authentic Thai cuisine and is a good place for both vegetarian and non-vegetarian visitors.
Roti – This restaurant serves roti (Indian flatbread) and other Indian dishes, making it a good option for vegetarians and non-vegetarians who want to explore Indian culture.
Tips For Travelers With Disabilities Visiting Pattaya
If you’re traveling to Pattaya as a wheelchair user, you’ll want to pick an area in the city that’s wheelchair friendly overall and if you want to stay close to the city center, consider staying in one of the hotels near the main attractions.
Most of the shopping malls in Pattaya are wheelchair friendly with lifts covering all floors and wide entrance areas. There are usually guards on the doors as you enter in case you have any trouble getting in.