Where to stay, eat and unwind in Na Jomtien, Thailand

At dusk, a cool breeze skims across the shore as Casuarina trees sway languorously overhead. Chill lounge music pulses in the background as we sink into tangerine deck chairs and gaze at the setting sun with no more than a dozen people around us.

This tableau is far removed from the image that comes to mind at the mere mention of Pattaya. Often derided as Thailand’s capital of sleaze, Pattaya has, in the last decade, cleaned up its image and streets, confining its sordid activities mostly to hidden back alleys and its infamous Walking Street. Visitors with no intention of partaking in the city’s seedier side can experience a wholly different brand of tourism by heading south towards Na Jomtien, just a little over an hour’s drive from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport.

Here, a world away from Pattaya’s rowdy nightlife, a tranquil stretch of coastline has slowly become home to a new generation of cafes, restaurants and design-led hotels. Among them is the bright white The Standard, Pattaya Na Jomtien, which opened in October 2025. Designed in collaboration with Thai architectural firm Onion and interior designers DIN Studio and Studio Lupine, The Standard, Pattaya Na Jomtien is a collection of four courtyards flanked by captivating buildings faceted with undulating curved walls that cast eye-catching shadows in the shifting sun.

Having spent much of the previous months travelling extensively for work, our goal in Na Jomtien was to do as little as possible. This Pattaya suburb proved to be a fabulous option since it is quieter than other popular island destinations like Phuket or Ko Samui, and an easy hour-long drive along an uncongested highway from Bangkok’s international airport. 

THE ATTRACTIONS, SHOULD YOU CHOOSE TO BE ACTIVE…

Sunsets by the beach were our main priority. To that end, The Standard Pattaya Na Jomtien’s idyllic shorefront offers amazing vistas that include a glimpse of Pattaya town off in the distance, a glinting reminder that much of Bangkok’s city appeal — malls (Terminal 21, Central), popular chain cafes (After You, ChaTraMue), massage shops (that don’t come with happy endings), and night markets — is only a 15-minute Grab car ride away.

If you insist on sightseeing or partaking in more energetic activities, the Columbia Pictures Aquaverse and Ramayana Waterpark— aquatic theme parks replete with drop slides, wave pools, and live performances — are just five minutes away. A little further out (about a 25-minute drive), the fantastical 500-acre Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden and the arresting Khao Chi Chan (or Buddha Mountain) — so named for the colossal gold-etched outline of a seated Buddha on its limestone face — offer more options.

Avid island-hoppers can zip to gorgeous offshore gems like Koh Kram, Koh Phai and Koh Lam on speedboats where they’ll find pristine coral reefs and crystalline waters on which to snorkel, paddleboard or sail. Adrenaline seekers have it easier — Na Jomtien’s winds and open waters make great conditions for kitesurfing, which is widely available through the hotels and vendors fronting the beach.

We chose to enjoy the private pool in our spacious one-bedroom suite at The Standard Pattaya Na Jomtien, basking under the shade of our verandah’s leafy hedge and ducking into the room for a splash of air-conditioning and snacks at respectable intervals. For proper adult spa time, The Standard’s adults-only “social wellness concept”, aptly named Mmmhmmm, offers ice baths and mud lounges, its own secret pool away from the squeals and splashing of little children, and a well-stocked bar where it’s easy to lose track of time.

STAYING IN AT NA JOMTIEN

A former fishing village nestled between Pattaya and the port of Sattahip, Na Jomtien’s unspoiled sprawl made it a natural draw for developers in the luxury residential market. In recent years, upscale condominiums and private pool villas have mushroomed among its rolling hills and across its beguiling beaches. Among them are the verdant 204-room Andaz Pattaya Na Jomtien, the swish Veranda Resort Pattaya – MGallery, and the Pattaya Marriott Resort and Spa. 

SO MUCH TO EAT, SO LITTLE TIME

This being Thailand, there is good eating at every turn, especially if you know where to look. A local friend pointed us to Juk-Jo, a popular eatery along Sukhumvit Road that serves regional Thai food made with local ingredients. Juk-Jo’s calling card is its fiery kaeng pa, a heady consommé swimming with fresh herbs and perfectly simmered fish. If you can handle even more heat, ask for the pad cha, a punchy stir-fry of seabass and fingerroot. 

Panya, on a different stretch of Sukhumvit Road, is also popular with locals for its generous servings of seafood dishes, in particular, the clear tom yam fish soup, fried squid, and glass noodle salad. “Better if you go in a bigger group so you can order more food,” was our friend Fern’s sagely advice.

That said, there was little need for us to make the 20-minute schlep to the city since an alluring clutch of restaurants, cafes and bars sits to the left and right of The Standard Pattaya Na Jomtien. One lazy afternoon, we stroll towards the woodsy The Glasshouse Boho, where we find low-slung armchairs and a menu of cocktails and well-made Thai and contemporary dishes like marinated crabs served with their roe in a spicy fermented anchovy dressing and creamy tom yam hot pot.

For most of our stay, we spent languid days hiding out in The Standard Pattaya Na Jomtien, roaming from our pool villa to the beach club and grill restaurant, and sipping milky Thai iced tea in between. Esme, the resort’s beach club, delighted us with Mexican drinks and dishes with Thai flair that included a Pattaya Paloma, its salt rim spiked with Thai spices; crispy pork rinds for dunking in jade-hued guacamole; and a baby corn salad soused with a creamy edamame-jalapeno dressing that we couldn’t get enough of.

At grill restaurant Sereia, we returned thrice for the smoky spiced fern salad dressed in squid chilli paste and strewn with grilled prawns. Fried cabbage, adorned with only a sprinkling of dried bonito flakes, was packed with satisfying flavour, while the deep-fried local barramundi with a spicy mango slaw led us to inhale more steamed white rice than we had intended. And then it was back to lying around, sipping on ice-cold drinks, and taking in the golden sunsets that punctuated the end of each day.

Though fast emerging from its sleepy roots, Na Jomtien still feels like a secret getaway compared to Thailand’s busier islands, a place to retire for a quiet spell, enjoy the sea breezes and avoid the crowds. It’s the kind of place where that’s plenty to do or to do nothing at all.