FiveStarVagabond favourite photos taken over many years by me, David Herd. To many people they will be nothing special, however they are very special indeed to me. Sometimes it’s the image itself that appeals & other times it’s the memory of where I was at the time.
Where else but New York City, it was a cold February night on the corner of 8th & W 48th st, I was about to have dinner in a terrific French Brasserie called Pigalle.
My number one Songkran photo taken in Pattaya. Each year a massive water fight is held to commemorate the new year. The downside is the hundreds of lives that are lost on the roads during the Seven days of madness.
I was in HCMC aka Saigonwhen approached by this little girl begging for money. I knew she would give it to her mother waiting nearby, & possibly the mother would have to hand it over to local gangsters. Consequently I filled a plate of food which she devoured rather quickly.
Building Terminal 21 Pattaya started in November 2015 when they started demolishing the shopping complex. That seemed to take the best part of a year before actual building commenced. Now they are really making progress as you will see from this photo blog.
It’s a huge site adjacent to the Dolphin roundabout as you can see from the above photo.
A popular cafe
I used to often have breakfast at this popular little Thai restaurant beside the Dolphin roundabout.
Above you see it, below you don’t. 🙂
November 2015 and they start demolishing.
The wrecking ball at work.
It’s a huge job pulling down this large building, it is taking months & months.
Slowly everything is coming apart
Escalators & elevators have already gone.
Here comes the heavy machinery
Now they are getting serious. 🙂
Workplace health & safety
Does not really exist in Thailand. 🙂
Looking like a bomb site December 24 2015
You could be mistaken thinking this is a war zone.
Bye bye Hong Club
Not sure what went on here but it’s all over now folks.
All this has to be removed
Knocking it down seems like the easy part, now somebody has to remove the rubble.
OK, we are getting somewhere May 21st 2016
In the top left hand corner you can see the Dolphin roundabout.
Building Terminal 21 Pattaya
You may recognise 2nd Rd North Pattaya.
Pile drivers are here.
June 28th 2016 8 months after the start.
Phoenix rising
February 6th 2017 and we see the start of the building.
March 27 2017
They are working at a frantic pace, 7 or 8 cranes are in operation.
April 2nd 2017
At this rate I think they will finish by mid 2018.
This shows the progress
Taken from the 26th flor of Markland Condo.
An exciting project.
This is only the shopping mall section, the 25 story hotel is going up at the back of the shops.
July 18 2017
The work never stops.
October 21 2017
The mall is really taking shape.
November 6 2017
These guys work 24/7.
Sky Bar perhaps
Looks like there will be a sky bat at Terminal 21.
Waiting for take off. 🙂
No, it’s not Pattaya’s new airport. 🙂
We have lift off.
July 29 and we can see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Almost finished on the outside.
August 25th & the end is in sight.
Centrepoint Hotel
The entrance to the 400 room hotel.
Outside area almost finished.
Normally you would see 100 workers here. 🙂
September 22nd 2018
Due to open October 19.
An impression of the final product
Thanks for visiting my Building Terminal 21 Pattaya photo blog.
The big opening day has arrived October 19 2018.
People are lining up 3 hours before opening hoping to receive some prizes.
Please check out some of the most popular below, and thank you for visiting.
Fabulous views, excellent restaurants & a very good room rate if you book through THIS LINK.
The building in the middle is the Holiday Inn, on the left is the Amari Hotel which is another very good five star hotel. Use THIS LINK to book for a very good room rate.
Sutus Court is a great budget hotel right i the heart of one of Pattaya’s main bar areas, just use THIS LINK for a terrific room rate. 420/100 Moo 9 Soi Buakhao.
This is the view from Horizons the amazing rooftop bar. A great five star hotel located opposte the beach & above the Central Festival shopping mall. Just book through THIS LINK for an excellent room rate.
Pastry Addiction Pattaya is located at the Mera Mare Hotel on Beach Rd next to the Hard Rock hotel. I have been walking past every morning since it opened early 2015 & never realised what a hidden gem it was.
Beautiful decor
Overlooking Beach Rd & Pattaya bay the decor is as good as anything in Pattaya.
Coffee & pastry at the front
The room is made up of two adjoining sections, coffee shop at the front & the more formal restaurant & kitchen at the rear.
Looking towards the rear
Here is a modern version of Bugs bunny with one blue eye & one red. 🙂
The main restaurant section
The door at the far end connects to the Mera Mare Hotel. For an excellent room rate just book through THIS LINK.
Excellent food
This dish, Pork Belly & Prawns was quite different and perfectly cooked.
Mango Cheesecake
Desert is one of my many weaknesses and this mango cheesecake was to die for. 🙂
Many more varieties here
Plus a variety of ice cream flavours as well.
I’m coming back for the mango
Pastry Addiction Mera Mare Hotel Pattaya is a great choice for afternoon tea, lunch or dinner. It’s a touch on the expensive side & a glass of house wine is priced way over the top at B260.
Wine is too expensive.
Sadly B260 for a glass of house wine will probably stop me & many of my friends coming for dinner, hopefully management with see the light and offer house wine at around B150.
Ultra modern kitchen
A fabulous looking kitchen which matches the rest of the decor.
This is the view from Horizons the amazing rooftop bar. A great five star hotel located opposite the beach & above the Central Festival shopping mall. Just book through THIS LINK for an excellent room rate.
Pattaya Hilton Buffet Edge Restaurant is a wonderful dining experience particularly on Sunday. It is in direct competition with the fabulous Mantra at the Amari hotel. Further on in this review I will endeavour to make comparisons between the two.
Fresh seafood
Fresh seafood is of course the star of the show, however there are many more special offerings guaranteed to delight you.
An impressive choice of Oysters
There are 4 or 5 variety to choose, mainly from France.
My first course
Oysters, crab, prawns, caviar & fresh white bread, I always find it difficult to get past the seafood counter. 🙂
Did I mention caviar?
Certainly one of my favourite delicacies, salmon Roe.
Lots of sushi & sashimi
As I said before, it’s hard to get past the fresh seafood. 🙂
Sushi
Too much sushi is never enough. 🙂
I travel to Japan every year and the Hilton sushi is certainly high quality.
Outside seating
Catering for smokers & those who want to get closer to the view.
Funnily enough the six baskets contain 6 different variety of Chinese buns, a little bit of overkill I feel. I would much prefer to see some Shumei & prawn dumplings similar to what’s on the menu at the Mantra.
BBQ seafood station
You really need a big appetite to cope with this fabulous buffet.
Hardworking chefs
This is one of my favourite photos from Pattaya Hilton Buffet Edge Restaurant.
Pizza
No matter what you fancy it is all here. 🙂
The Bakery
The bread here is excellent.
An excellent cheese selection
Pattaya Hilton Buffet Edge Restaurant I was at Pattaya Hilton Buffet Edge Restaurant on Sunday February 19, & sadly I overindulged & could not fit in any cheese. 🙂
An amazing choice of deserts to finish.
Put this great buffet on your list, & many thanks for visiting my Pattaya Hilton Edge Restaurant photo blog.
I have given a lot of thought to which is the best buffet, the Hilton (with the salmon caviar) or the Mantra (with the Alaskan crab), & the verdict is Mantra by a short 1/2 crab claw. 🙂
However I have noticed they now serve the clawless variety of Alaskan crab, please Mantra bring back the claws. 🙂
Pattaya Arts Festival Beach Rd 2017 is another of the “never ending” promotions designed to attract tourists to this popular beach side resort. The city council are to be congratulated for their efforts in providing entertainment all through the year.
Big bright colourful paintings
A fun collection painted by Pattaya’s freelance artists.
Beach Babe
The festival theme is “New Sense”, The Sense of Art, which is the sense beyond our five natural senses of sight, hearing, taste, touch and smell.
Happy faces on the beach
The beachfront exhibition is more than a kilometre long from North Pattaya to Central Pattaya.
Skateboarding
I’m guessing some of these people may have started out as graffiti artists. 🙂
Beach sculptures
Not just paintings some nice sculptures as well.
I rather like this one
Part turtle, part dog & pat bug I think. 🙂
This one is nice as well
There certainly is some talent here.
A banana I think
Or perhaps a banana bout that takes people screaming around the bay. 🙂
Introducing Snake Lek, whoever that is?
Street artists invited to take part in the festival are Alex face (Thailand), Mue BON (Thailand), Gong (Thailand), A.m.p. (Thailand), Bonus (Thailand), GohM (Thailand), The Yok and Sheryo (Australia), Beejoir (U.K.), The London police (Netherlands), Ben Eine (U.K.), Ox-Alien and Edo Rath (Netherlands), Emmanuel Jarus (U.K.), Jace (France), Dotmasters (U.K.) and Shinny and Himbad and Code (U.K.).
Interesting shapes
They really look like American Indian tepees without the canvass. I not too sure what the bales of hay signify.
OK, now I know…
They hay bales are obviously for people to sit on. 🙂
Baby Boy
I’m guessing the painter may have just become a father. 🙂
Tribute
A Tribute to His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
An excellent weekend art show & tribute to the late King.
Congratulations to the organisers & many thank for visiting my Pattaya Arts Festival Beach Rd 2017 photo blog.
Fabulous views, excellent restaurants & a very good room rate if you book through THIS LINK.
The building in the middle is the Holiday Inn, on the left is the Amari Hotel which is another very good five star hotel. Use THIS LINK to book for a very good room rate.
This is the view from Horizons the amazing rooftop bar. A great five star hotel located opposte the beach & above the Central Festival shopping mall. Just book through THIS LINK for an excellent room rate.
Good food Wongamat Beach Pattaya, here are four restaurants that are worth visiting. The first one is Rim Talay located at the southern end of Wongamat, this is a great location for a cold beer on a hot day. Fresh prawns come straight out of huge tanks behind the restaurant.
Ice cold Leo at Rim Talay
Without a doubt the beach here is much cleaner than Pattaya.
Surf & Turf Pattaya Thailand beach side food wine
On the beach at Wongamat & part of the Longbeach Hotel this nice restaurant has a huge menu and reasonable prices. For a great room rate just book using THIS LINK.
No air conditioning but thankfully plenty of fans.
Xmas Day 2016
A great spot for lunch with friends.
Tasty clams at Surf & Turf
They have a huge selection on the menu, food prices are good but wine is a little expensive.
Silver Lining
This rather spectacular restaurant is located in Zire Condominium right on the beach. At 9 pm the huge section of roof & walls slide out and cover the outdoor section of the restaurant.
Spectacular Pattaya restaurant
A unique experience
Apart from the food it is worth going just to see the roof slide into place. 🙂
Dinner with friends
Everyone agreed the food was excellent.
My pasta dish was fine however I must return to try some other dishes before I pass judgement on the food.
Beach Club at the Pullman Hotel
If there is a better place in Pattaya to watch the sunset I have not found it, apart from the Hilton of course which is exceptional as well.
Tapas at the Beach Club
One of the attractions here is you can swim in the two pools as well as the ocean.
You can also hire these sun lounges.
Luxury. 🙂
For a great room rate at the Pullman hotel just book using THIS LINK.
Good food Wongamat Beach Pattaya
As you can see all these restaurants a very near each other, forget the dotted line just walk along the beach. Thanks for visiting my Good food Wongamat Beach Pattaya photo blog.
Fabulous views, excellent restaurants & a very good room rate if you book through THIS LINK.
The building in the middle is the Holiday Inn, on the left is the Amari Hotel which is another very good five star hotel. Use THIS LINK to book for a very good room rate.
This is the view from Horizons the amazing rooftop bar. A great five star hotel located opposte the beach & above the Central Festival shopping mall. Just book through THIS LINK for an excellent room rate.
Bangkok Koh Samui Wine Bistro chain of restaurants has quickly become one of my favourite places to eat in Thailand. Excellent food and a great selection of wine at reasonable prices.
Beside Sala Daeng Sky Train station
Located in the basement of the Silom Complex right below Starbucks.
We only spent 4 nights in Koh Samui and chose to eat here twice.
Low cost wine
They offer a wonderful selection of wine from all over the world at liquor store prices. Our red wine from Chile was a bargain B650.
The chain I’m told is owned by a French group, I only wish they would open a branch in Pattaya. Hallelujah on November 28 2018 they opened at Royal Gardens in Beach Rd Pattaya. See for yourself on THIS LINK.
Lamb shank at the Wine Connection.
The food choices are extensive, lots of terrines a a big range of pasta.
Bangkok Koh Samui Wine Bistro
Thanks for visiting my Bangkok Koh Samui Wine Bistro photo blog, there are also branches in Phuket& Chiang Mai.
Check out the fabulous new Pattaya branch on THIS LINK.
When I’m in Bangkok I like to stay in Sukhumvit Soi 11, here is an excellent budget hotel, if you USE THIS LINKyou will get a great rate of around B1100 per night, or $30 USD around B1100 pn.
Pattaya Parasailing every day except for the few occasions the weather is so bad they have to cancel. Most of these tourists are from China, they pay for their holiday before leaving so a fair bit of the money never makes it to Thailand.
Organised chaos
They buzz around like mosquitoes, personally I would not do this because I just don’t trust the Thai boat drivers.
Coming in to land
There are 4 or 5 of these barges located on the bay, non-parasailers can also come out to the pontoon to watch the fun for a small cost.
One of the overpowered speed boats.
About 750 HP is a ridiculous waste of money, I’m guessing they are just showing off to their competitors. When I lived in Australia I had one Yamaha 200 HP powering my boat, that used to cost me about $25 aud per hour in fuel. So these guys are obviously making plenty to be able to justify these three huge engines.
Stuck on the sand.
Speedboat stuck on sandbar
Every which way but loose
This was the name of the 1978 Clint Eastwood movie, the phrase reminds me of the speed boats in this photo, it seems to be total chaos. 🙂
Check out the crowd on the barge
All waiting for their turn to fly.
Flying high
The most popular attraction for tourists.
Chaotic & crazy Parasailing in Pattaya
Chaotic & crazy Parasailing in Pattaya
A storm is looming
The black clouds are coming across the bay but the tourists don’t seem to care.
More boats stuck on the sand.
Pattaya boats stuck on the sand
Here it comes
There is no better sight than watching a storm roll in over Pattaya bay.
A beautiful rainbow over the bay
After the rain in Pattaya there a beautiful day always follows.
Pattaya Parasailing every day
Quite a walk for the tourists to get to the boats when the tide is out.
Finally another busy day on the bay
Triathlon coming to Pattaya Thailand
Thanks for visiting my Pattaya Parasailing every day photo blog. Bookmark THIS LINK to access my webcam and check out Pattaya bay any time you wish.
Thanks for visiting my Pattaya Parasailing every day photo blog.
This is the view from Horizons the amazing rooftop bar. A great five star hotel located opposte the beach & above the Central Festival shopping mall. Just book through THIS LINK for an excellent room rate.
Many wonderful boats Pattaya Bay, lets start with the old clunkers, funnily enough some of these boats from 1980 are still being used today.
Here is a perfect example in 2016
I guarantee this classic has been working in the bay for 60 or more years. I would definitely recommend a life jacket. 🙂
Protection from the burning sun?
No way José , just sit there & fry.
At least the captain has shade in this one.
Forget the passengers the captain is ok. 🙂
This old bucket has just had a paint job.
Looks pretty good with the new paint job.
One extreme to another
Here is one of the hundreds of speed boats that take tourists, mainly Chinese, to Koh Larn & Para-sailing. This one is grossly overpowered with almost 700 HP to push it along.
Even all that power doesn’t always do the job.
Speedboat stuck on sandbar
These Thai drivers are not very skillful I’m afraid.
Every morning in Pattaya
The boats start gathering on Pattaya beach from 6.30 every morning.
Here come the Chinese tourists
Every day thousands flock to Pattaya to board the boats.
And now for something different
A nice catamaran pulls into the beach.
Koh Larn ferry
The 40 minute ferry ride to Koh Larn will set you back B30, or 86 U.S. cents.
Needs a little work
One owner, & open to all reasonable offers.
Here is one being done up
Still a little work to be done but starting to look good.
There are some luxury boats here as well.
Just wander around some of the marinas along the coast and you will finds some very nice boats. However please don’t expect the “French Riviera”. 🙂
Fabulous views, excellent restaurants & a very good room rate if you book through THIS LINK.
The building in the middle is the Holiday Inn, on the left is the Amari Hotel which is another very good five star hotel. Use THIS LINK to book for a very good room rate.
This is the view from Horizons the amazing rooftop bar. A great five star hotel located opposte the beach & above the Central Festival shopping mall. Just book through THIS LINK for an excellent room rate.
This is not a travel blog just my personal photo collection from the 2nd half of 2016.
Another birthday rolls around July 7.
Loving Pattaya life 2016
Loving Pattaya life 2016 has seen me spend all year here, the quietest travel year I have had this century. I over spent in the last 2 or 3 years so I thought I should pull my horns in. 🙂
I spent 5 days in Koh Samui in June, 2 weeks in Australia in August and a great trip to Japan in October.
Some of the usual suspects
Greg, Hamish & John helped me celebrate at the Mantra.
A year living in Pattaya seems like about 6 months, time just seems to fly.
Great beach shot August 4th at 7am
All the boats are waiting for the hordes of Chinese tourists.
And here they come in their thousands
The buses roll into Beach Road of a morning and the tourists flock to the boats.
Tony & Nikki Murphy at Signature Steak & Seafood.
The Murphy’s spent a week in Pattaya then 3 nights in Mae Pim before flying back to Australia.
Visitors from San Diego
It was great to catch up with Paul, Eileen, Parker & Elle in Pattaya as part of their 9 week Asian holiday with included Chiang Mai, Bangkok, Koh Samui, Koh Samet & Danang.
Seagulls in Pattaya?
Here is a sculpture on Beach Rd showing a flock of seagulls, yet to this day I have never seen a seagull in Pattaya. 🙂
Here comes the rain
I love seeing the black clouds roll in over Pattaya.
Steve is a great mate of Larry’s from the Gold Coast. Terrific news for movie goers which vastly overshadows the recent Brangelina bullshit, the “odd couple” Larry Krausz & Steven Reade have been signed by BangBros, the largest porn studio in the world, to star in a remake of the 1988 movie Twins, which stared Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito. See if you can pick who will play DeVito. 🙂
The more thigs change the more they stay the same
After many years the Cherry bar on Soi 3 & 2nd Rd has been sold and is now Billabong 2.
When can we have some fun?
Every night you go out in Pattaya the fun starts.
For a discounted hotel rate with free WiFi in Pattaya or anywhere in the world, just book through THIS LINK
Starbucks
Opened in September at the “Bay” which is between Soi 5 & 6 on Beach Rd.
Good coffee & happy staff
They are the first to open at the Bay, next will be McDonalds.
Stunning November sunset
So many great sunsets from my balcony.
My new home
On November 1st after 4.5 years I moved from the 17th floor in Markland to the 20th, does that mean I coming up in the world?
The usual suspects
Jim’s Burgers is a great place for a casual dinner with friends, I’m with Hamish, Jonathon & Matt.
Delicious
Lots of varieties & you can order small or large.
One of my massage girls
Used to be a waitress in Chamiko in Soi 3, now she works at a massage parlour in Soi 3 & sometimes gives me a reasonable foot massage.
Spectacular clouds over Koh Larn
These days I seem to be obsessed with taking photos of clouds & sunsets. 🙂
October in Japan
I m with my friend Kayo in a Spanish restaurant in Tokyo. I purchased a two week ticket on the Shinkansen or bullet train, then after 3 nights in Tokyo I travelled to 6 interesting Japanese cities, includung Kanazawa, Hiroshima, Kumamoto, Kagoshima, Nagasaki & Fukuoka.
I arrived back in Pattaya on Ocober 28th & the following day my good friend Larry Krausz was rushed to Bangkok Pattaya hospital after suffering a major stroke, now 5 weeks later on December 5th he is still in a serious condition in the intensive care ward.
Ross & Bryce arrive from Australia
The boys came over for a few days to visit Larry.
Centara Grand
After a couple of cold beers at Centara Grand and a Pattaya cop working security wanted to throw us out. I lay the blame 100% on Pothole aka John David Martin who was dressed like a local bum & showing off his silly tattoos. 🙂
Pothole & sons + Kayo.
Tate is Pothole’s eldest son, he arrived in Thailand from Australia to celebrate Xmas & to meet his 2 half brothers Tyrone & Tiger. Notice for some strange reason known only to Pothole, all his children including daughter Tamara have to have a first name starting with the letter T. Just another one of his many offbeat strange quirks. 🙂 The lovely Japanese girl in the photo is my friend Kayo from Tokyo.
Shopping for a dress in Soi 6
Even though Soi 6 is one of the wildest streets in Pattaya there is still time for some quiet shopping. 🙂
Soi Diana redhead.
A very sweet girl from Area 51, no wonder I’m Loving Pattaya life 2016′
On the subject of Soi 6
Here is Geoff from Australia, a fanatical Soi 6 supporter. We are at Leckerle in Soi 33 Naklua with his ex fiance Nana for a terrific meal & lots of wine.
Xmas Day with Geoff & Nana
We started with a bottle of French Champagne on my balcony.
Lunch at Surf & Turf & Loving Pattaya life 2016
A great location on the beach at Wongamat. Kayo flew from Tokyo to spend 10 days in Thailand before heading to Australia.
Two nights in Bangkok
December 29th took Pothole & Yogurt to Cheap Charles before checking out Brewski a new sky bar at the Radisson Blu.
New Years Eve in Pattaya
Steve “Jumbo” Reade having a ball at the Atlantic Bar & Loving Pattaya life 2016.
Atlantic girls
They all looked terrific, dressed to kill. 🙂
Meet the gorgeous Katie.
A very happy lady from Billabong 2.
Here’s Pothole dressed in his Jaffa outfit.
Anything to attract attention. 🙂
Farewell to an old friend
Larry Krausz, a friend for around 30 years suffered a major stroke on October 28. After 2 months in the Bangkok Pattaya hospital on life support he was transported to Australia by a hospital Leer jet, thanks to his Medibank travel insurance. After a month his life support was removed & he passed away peacefully.
It’s now 2017 and here is Glenn Frey to tell you exactly how I feel today.
For a discounted hotel rate with free WiFi in Pattaya or anywhere in the world, just book through THIS LINK