What to See in Pattaya in 1 Day: A Route Through Wat Yansangwararam, Khao Chi Chan and Nong Nooch

If you have already explored central Pattaya and want to get out of the city, this route is one of the best options. In just one day, you will visit three completely different attractions: a beautiful temple complex, the famous Buddha Mountain and Thailand’s largest botanical garden.

The main advantage of this route is that all the locations are very close to each other. You will not have to spend half the day on the road, and the drive itself becomes part of the trip.

This route is perfect for those traveling independently by motorbike or car.

If you do not ride a motorbike, you can follow this route by taxi. Download the Bolt or Grab app for easy booking. In Bolt, you can pay in cash; in Grab, you will need to add a bank card from a foreign bank.

The Full Route on the Map

📍Link to the full route on Google Maps

Replace the first and last points of the route with your own location. I chose an approximate starting point in central Pattaya as an example.

General Route Information

Duration: 4–6 hours
Best departure time: 09:00
Transport: motorbike, car or taxi
Total distance: about 70 km
Number of stops: 3

The route follows this order:

Wat Yansangwararam – https://maps.app.goo.gl/UTP3cpmEasioR8af7
Khao Chi Chan – https://maps.app.goo.gl/yEikSRoxdC8YUdwGA
Nong Nooch Tropical Garden – https://maps.app.goo.gl/Ni8MwBtGnzFSXhw87

After the walk, you can return to Pattaya and finish the day in the city. At the end of the article, I will also share a few ideas for what to do in the evening.

First Stop — Wat Yansangwararam

📍 https://maps.app.goo.gl/UTP3cpmEasioR8af7

🎟 Cost: free

🕒 Time needed: 30–40 minutes

The first stop is only about 20 minutes from Pattaya by motorbike if you start from the Jomtien area. If you are staying in the northern part of the city, the road will take about 30 minutes longer.

The road itself is already part of the journey. The farther you get from the city, the calmer everything becomes. Instead of high-rise buildings, you start seeing small villages, palm groves, green fields and traditional Thai houses. The atmosphere here is completely different. It is hard to believe that just half an hour earlier you were in noisy, touristy Pattaya.

That is why I recommend going here in the morning. Before the heat sets in, the ride is very comfortable, and the road brings almost as much pleasure as the attractions themselves.

What the Temple Complex Is Like

Wat Yansangwararam is not just one temple, but a huge temple complex built in honor of the Supreme Patriarch of Thailand. The grounds cover several dozen hectares.

Here you will find:

several temples
beautiful pagodas
artificial lakes
walking paths
gardens
meditation areas

We visited in June 2026, and during our visit the main building of the complex was under renovation. It was completely covered with scaffolding. But this is not something to worry about. The complex is large, and there is plenty to do here even without the central temple.

What to See Inside the Complex

During your walk, I definitely recommend looking at the other buildings of the complex. They are very different in architecture and do not look alike. Also make sure to walk around the large lake. Here you can see huge catfish, which visitors are allowed to feed. If you are as lucky as we were, you may also spot a large monitor lizard. During our walk, one of them calmly came out toward the water.

Phra Maha Chedi Phiphat Mongkhon

One of the most beautiful places in the complex is the snow-white pagoda Phra Maha Chedi Phiphat Mongkhon. It is clearly visible from almost anywhere on the grounds. The white color looks especially beautiful against the surrounding greenery, so photos here turn out great.

Second Stop — Khao Chi Chan

📍 https://maps.app.goo.gl/yEikSRoxdC8YUdwGA

🎟 Cost: free

🕒 Time needed: 20–30 minutes

From the temple complex to the next stop, it is literally just a few minutes by road. The route passes through small villages and green fields, and then a huge cliff starts appearing ahead of you. You can see it long before you arrive, so it is impossible to miss this place.

This is where one of Pattaya’s most famous attractions is located — Khao Chi Chan, often called Buddha Mountain.

The History of This Place

The cliff is about 130 meters high. In 1996, to mark the 50th anniversary of the reign of King Rama IX of Thailand, a huge image of a seated Buddha was carved into the rock using a laser. Later, the outline of the image was filled with gold leaf. Today, it is one of the most recognizable places near Pattaya and one of the most popular attractions in Chonburi Province.

What to See Here

Although many people come here for literally 10 minutes, the place is actually very pleasant for a short walk. There is a beautiful park in front of the cliff. If you arrive in the morning, there are very few tourists, and you can calmly take photos with almost no people in the frame.

Best Photo Spots

The most beautiful photos are taken:

directly opposite the Buddha image;
near the small lake;
from the paths leading toward the cliff.

If you are shooting video, I recommend starting with a wide shot and then slowly moving closer to the Buddha image. It creates a very impressive frame.

Is It Worth Visiting?

Definitely yes.

Of course, this is not a place where you will spend several hours, but as part of this route, it is perfect.

First, it is located very close to the temple complex.

Second, visiting it takes very little time.

And third, it is one of those attractions that are genuinely hard to see anywhere else.

In half an hour, you get beautiful views, great photos and a chance to see one of the most famous places near Pattaya.

Third Stop — Nong Nooch Tropical Garden

📍 https://maps.app.goo.gl/Ni8MwBtGnzFSXhw87

🎟 Cost: from ฿336 on trip.com

🕒 Time needed: at least 3 hours

🚗 Parking: free

After Khao Chi Chan, the next stop is only about 10 minutes away.

This is the place many tourists come to this part of Pattaya for.

Nong Nooch Tropical Garden is considered the largest botanical garden in Southeast Asia and is regularly included in lists of the most beautiful gardens in the world. The park covers more than 240 hectares, so it is practically impossible to see all of it in one day.

Buy Tickets Cheaper

It is better to buy tickets through trip.com, where they are 20–30% cheaper than at the park’s ticket office. You can even buy them after arriving at the entrance and pay in Thai baht.

There are several ticket options available. I recommend choosing a ticket that includes the sightseeing bus. Even if you enjoy walking a lot, it is genuinely useful here.

Why It Is Worth Taking the Sightseeing Bus

Many visitors underestimate the size of the park. It may seem like just a botanical garden, but in reality, the territory is enormous. The sightseeing bus follows a circular route through almost the entire park and stops near the main attractions.

This allows you to:

see much more during one visit
avoid getting tired from long walks
understand which areas you want to explore in more detail
take beautiful photos from the upper level of the bus

We first rode the full circle and then returned on foot to the places we liked the most. It turned out to be much more convenient.

What to See in Nong Nooch

The main feature of the park is the huge number of completely different themed zones. It feels as if you are visiting several countries at once. During your walk, you will see:

French Garden
Cactus Garden and greenhouses
Palm collection
Orchid gardens
Buddhist gardens and pagodas
Car museum
Dinosaur zone
Elephants

Where to Eat

Do not worry if you get hungry. There are cafés and a large Big C grocery store on the grounds. So you can easily spend several hours here without worrying about having to look for lunch outside the park.

How Much Time to Plan

At least 2 hours. If you want to walk calmly, ride the sightseeing bus, take photos, see the main gardens and not rush, it is better to set aside 4–5 hours.

If you love botanical gardens and photography, you can easily spend almost the whole day here.

How to Finish the Day

By this point, it will most likely be around 16:00–17:00. If you still have energy left, do not rush back to your hotel. On the way back, you can end the day nicely in Pattaya itself. There are several options.

Option No. 1 — Terminal 21 Pattaya

📍 https://maps.app.goo.gl/wUxkEPhQJo2xFaDa9

If you want to have a relaxed dinner and walk around the shops a little, go to Terminal 21. It has one of the best food courts in Pattaya with very affordable prices. You can try Thai food, have coffee or simply walk around the shopping mall.

Option No. 2 — Walking Street Pattaya

📍 https://maps.app.goo.gl/ySMcdfzBKj9gWrVr6

If you want to see evening Pattaya, head to Walking Street. After a calm day among temples and nature, the contrast feels especially strong. You do not need to stay here long — simply walking down the street is enough to feel the atmosphere.

Option No. 3 — Pattaya Night Bazaar

📍 https://maps.app.goo.gl/ZFwwTuCCoHm53nTJ9

If you want more of a local atmosphere, go to the night market. Here you can try Thai street food, buy fruit, fresh juices, desserts and souvenirs. It is a great way to finish the route with a tasty dinner.

Route Summary

In one day, you will see a completely different side of Pattaya.

First, the peaceful temple complex Wat Yansangwararam, then one of Thailand’s most famous attractions, Khao Chi Chan, and after that, several hours in the incredible Nong Nooch Tropical Garden.

This route is perfect for those who have already explored Pattaya’s beaches and city center and want to see a calmer, greener and more atmospheric side of the region.

For us personally, this is one of the best one-day routes near Pattaya. There are no long transfers, each location is different from the previous one, and the day feels full without the sense of constantly rushing.

If you decide to repeat this route, make sure to leave in the morning. This way, you will avoid the heat, calmly visit all three places and return to Pattaya just in time for the beautiful evening hours.