Long photo-walk: Towards South...

[Idefix 2,275]

Saturday 15 April 2017

As usual: No bar, agogo or even girls in this report, just different pictures of Pattaya surrounding :)

Woken up early and decided today to make a long walk benefiting of early morning "cool" weather.

No clear goal; Just walking South from Pattaya...

 

Looking South from my condo. Pattaya still asleep (and so was I: blurry pic )

 

Pattaya City Tower from Soi 17 market place

 

Supalai Ville. A nice individual houses village

 

This group of 10 (?) condos is finished for about 1 year but never opened ??

 

Supalai Mare Condo, on Theprasit Rd

 

One more mini(Big)C. Many appear around Pattaya recently.

 

Party Kart : all-terrain kart

 

Party Kart: Pro kart circuit

 

Many quiet roads without traffic :)

 

I thought this restaurant had been destroyed long ago... Happy it isn't!

 

Many individual "rooms" over a big pound. Great with your TG and her friends

 

Some of many "stalled" condo projects, when looking towards West/Jomtien

Edited April 16, 2017 by Idefix

[Idefix 2,275]

Looks like some condo will be built on the big Chang & Chang plantation

 

Pattaya birds :)

 

Cute when small/young

 

Football stadium at the Pattaya Youth Center Sports Center

 

Another nice "village"

 

Still many building porjects all along Jomtien

 

Towers on Jomtien Beach

 

The new parking for boats that used to park in front of the Waterfront Condo

 

Ghetto City...

 

Same

 

Small hidden lake

 

Reflexion towers, from Jomtien Second Rd

[Idefix 2,275]

Fences of the new Espana Condo project...

 

and what's inside.

 

Many horses and ponies in this area

 

New condo (?) near the alread old La Royale condo

 

Nam Taley. First half of the project.

 

Venetian Signature Condo. A big part of it now is an hotel for groups.

 

Kityada Pavillon condo. Another finished project that never opened ??

 

Shortcut through the Wat Na Jomtien

 

Na Jomtien harbour city...

 

New condo project The Whales in the back

 

Nice house with pool and boat garage. I could live here

 

Sad to see so few boats

 

Nice overflowing swimming pool

[Idefix 2,275]

Pinnacle resort

 

And still many very quiet roads :)

 

The Glass House restaurant

 

On the beach, looking North

 

Some nice (?) beach condo towers, looking South

 

The huge Marina Ambassador Hotel

 

Russian invasion, on the beach and in the water. Marina in the back.

 

Part of the Ambassador swimming pool. Nice

 

Mövenpick hotel

 

Inside the marina

 

Same

 

Marina Resort

 

Sea urchin in the marina. Indication of good quality water.

BTW, the water along the beach was crystal clear :)

 

Marina gardens

 

Marina Resort, east side

Edited April 15, 2017 by Idefix

[Idefix 2,275]

Funny thing is that I managed to walk during +2 hours (since the kart circuit to the marina) without seeing any cars on the secondary streets I used! :). Just a few motorbikes.

I was arrived at Sukhumvit, at the level of the Marina and was not interested to continue South along the beach or Sukhumvit. Way to many people and noise. So I looked at GoogleMaps (what a wonderful tool!) and decided to take the opposite Soi and to walk now South-East.

 

Very quickly it was another world :)

 

Caption?

 

Oops. Huge construction for bridge and a new highway?

 

Didn't know this area was big enough for a train station

 

"choo choo"! Shortcut

 

Quiet and shadow

 

Big pond...

 

with nice lotus flowers :)

 

GoogleMaps didn't tell me that would be a track, but fine when out of rain season

 

Looks like rice ??

 

Another track, ~2km, very pleasant for a walk

 

No need to drink alcohol to see pink elephants

 

And I arrive to my next check-point... :)

[Idefix 2,275]

I always liked this lake with these pagodes,

amd the many reeds hiding them have been removed :)

 

1

 

2

 

3

 

The garden has been cleaned too :). (Was fallow 3 years ago)

 

We can see the Buddha curved on the mountain (Khao Chi Chan) behind the other side of the lake.

 

Bonus: The big water-jet is working today. Wat Yansangwararam on the left

 

Many things changed in a few years: this bicycle track,

 

these electric "bus" to travel groups between the different must-see points, and to the new tourists shops & restaurants

 

These small build seems nothing special...

 

but inside is a very long frieze about some important history points

 

same

 

same. etc.

 

Another big pond...

 

with again some beautiful flowers

[TheFiend 1,181]

Excellent photo report again.... cheers for posting!!!

[Idefix 2,275]

The statues at the entrance of the park, with Wat Yansangwararam in the back

 

I do like the big trees in the park, like this one

 

Wat Yansangwararam. Sure nice, and not a frequent architecture in Thailand

 

The Chinese temple, Viharnra Sien, on the south of the lake

 

Zoom on the left wall of the entrance

 

And here is the fun part...

 

People throwing food (20 baht) to the many big catfishes waiting for it!

 

Hard to photograph them, but they really climb on each other to catch the food

 

Also spotted this one; the kind of fish we put in our aquarium "to clean the inside glass".

In such a place, without predators, they become huge! This one probably +60cm (+2ft)

 

South of it, I spotted this big board. Something new to me...

 

so I made a detour to have a look. A huge parking area, and many different buildings...

but not one person in view! even at there information desk.

 

I managed to make sign to someone. Apparently they only (mainly?) work with big tours (several busses) and 11am was way too early. She had no idea about prices, because the group operator pay for all!

 

After some time I manage to see an English document, and took this pic.

 

Unsure on what is really available/ready now. Many buildings new that seem empty. The "market area" is still in construction. They want build different types of traditional Thai houses, but only these 2 have been built. So maybe better to wait before visiting this place.

Edited April 15, 2017 by Idefix

[Jack Scagnetti 502]

nice pics, thanks for posting

[Idefix 2,275]

The Wonder Farm was also on my way

 

but seemed very quiet dispite this long week-end.

 

Along the road, thousands of mangoes :)

 

No idea what they are doing there, but it will be huge!

 

Not far now :)

 

Lot of people and an heavy traffic around the place

 

More traditional Songkran, with people pouring a little water on the arm or shoulder of this Buddha figure.

 

The image in full

 

Many small Thai restaurants. I stopped for a well earned meal :)

 

Ramayana water park is about 3 km from here. I hesitated, but too far for today walk.

 

So bye-bye Buddha, and direction Sukhumvit now, and then Pattaya.

[tallguy 1,475]

Thanks for the pics. That's an impressive walk. How much distance did you cover?

[Evil Penevil 7,628]

Great pics and excellent report. That was one hell of a walk.

 

Evil

[teelack 9,640]

As usual, your walks spoil us. Some really good stuff. Thanks for the time and effort.

[Idefix 2,275]

Thanks for the pics. That's an impressive walk. How much distance did you cover?

Up to this point (Buddha Mountain) I estimate I walked about 27km (16.8mi) and it took me 6 hours to come here.

 

That makes a rather low average speed (4.5km/h / 2.8mi/h) but keep in mind I stopped many times (for breakfast in Chaiyaphruek, for water, to enjoy the scene, watching the pagodes, or playing at feeding fishes )

Also a photo-walk is always slower than a normal walk. I took more than 200 pictures that day. Let's say 10 seconds average per picture: it's more than half an hour total! So without photos speed already would be 5.0km/h

I walk at nearly 6km/h for my short walks in Pattaya, but for such long walks, probably 10% lower only. I must save my battery

 

Now I must sort and publish some more pics, because the walk didn't stop there !

[Chang_paarp 253]

That is an impressive walk at any speed. Thanks for the pictures.

 

Do you track where you go with something like "Sports Tracker"? I would be interested in following some parts of your walks as you go through some interesting part of the Pattaya area that many of us don't dare venture into. Not sure I would retrace all of this walk in one go.

[Idefix 2,275]

The rest of the walk.

So I was at Khao Chi Chan, at about 20+ km from Pattaya, and now going North-West towards Sukhumvit

 

After about 1 km... Upside Down attraction :)

 

http://upsidedownpattaya.com/

 

You can see some chairs inside on the floor-at-the-top...

 

or the car in the garage.

 

Entrance sign

 

Magic barrel. Big size. But it's just water

 

Leaning castle

 

Business working well. Parking full yesterday.

BTW they added many smaller attractions (see http://upsidedownpattaya.com/attractions/ )

Price 300 for tourist, 180 for Thai or if you have a Thai Driving License

 

Strange road markings on this road ??

 

Do they look like a sheep to you ??

[Idefix 2,275]

Swiss Sheep Farm

 

A huge place with lot of parking for big busses...

 

Not a sheep...

 

Not sheeps either...

 

Hi

 

Main roundabout

 

Halloween seems to be a main theme there ?

 

Inside the park

 

Dual pricing (180 tourist, 90 Thai), as at nearly every attraction

 

Here is a site with many pics: http://www.pattayadays.com/2015/12/swiss-sheep-farm-pattaya/

This place may worth a visit :)

[Idefix 2,275]

On the other side of the street...

 

Jungle Buggy Cross : https://www.facebook.com/Jungle-buggy-cross-1689935664599503/

 

Rent: 1'600 baht for 20 minutes

 

They also have a "crazy cart" area. 250 B for 10 min. See facebook for photos.

 

Flying elephants...

 

at a small fair attraction.

 

"Bon voyage"... "Merci" :)

 

Sukhumvit! And now only 17km from home... :)

 

but already walked ~34km and decided it was enoughfor this day

So I jumped in a 20 baht white bahtbus towards Pattaya Tai :)

 

The back of the buildings I saw from the beach...

 

...

 

Sometimes I wondered if it would not be faster to walk.

 

That's All Folks :)

[Idefix 2,275]

Here is the map of the walk, for those interested in doing it too

 

Total walked distance about 34km and ~8 hours from start to Sukhumvit bus stop.

 

 

1- The walk to go South towards the marina.

GoogleMaps limitations at Na Jomtien city harbour (so had to draw around it)

and it doesn't accept that I walk on the beach

A rather easy trajectory: South, south, south... :)

 

 

2- Nearly the direct access to Yansangwararam and Khao Chi Chan,

except that I took the secondary roads and tracks along the main road.

Edited April 16, 2017 by Idefix

[biggles 509]

Loved the photos mate, jesus I went to nong nooch and the wat Yana on a bike and that was a tiring day, you deserve a medal for that effort.

[Regyai 415]

[forcebwithu 4,854]

Here is the map of the walk, for those interested in doing it too

 

Total walked distance about 34km and ~8 hours from start to Sukhumvit bus stop.

 

 

Well done sir. Good example to others on what can be seen and done around Pattaya besides the usual.

[Idefix 2,275]

Hi. I have been asked several times how "safe" was this walk. So I post here the reply I just made on another forum:

 

Unsure in which way you think about unsafe here, but no, a perfectly safe walk

 

That is true for all my past walks:

 

- About people: I never met aggressive people or people I though could be a problem. Most people do not react in any way, they just continue to do what they where doing. Some of them may look at me, so sometime I cam make a sign, a nod, or even say hello, and usually they return it. Most of contacts are with children, as they often play on the street in these quiet areas. Many are intrigued to see a farang here, and even more a walking one . Some of them will test they English knowledge: "Hello"

 

- About dogs: That could be a problem for some people, as sure they are many of them, and very few are attached. Most will make a lot of noise to inform you it's "their" house, but will stay a few meters of you. My advice: don't change your trajectory, don't change your speed, ignore them just keeping an eye on the most daring one. They are far more loud than brave

 

- About cars: That would be the real risk IMHO, and one more reason why I prefer secondary roads or tracks. I always walk facing the traffic, but the main danger is, in rural areas, speeding cars cutting the curve on street where - as a pedestrian - you don't have much place on the side. Just be careful.

 

- Other: As the question was about "dirt tracks", I would say they may be the safest places . The only risk I think about is snakes... Sure they are many in Thailand, but I mainly saw them dead, along streets, killed by cars. Very low chance to meet one; they detect you way before you see them and will take a refuge. They fear you even more than you fear them! They like to stay on stones in full sun, so just watch your steps in rocks areas. But seriously, a very low risk.

 

Have some nice walks