Life Between Pattaya Trips

Warning...life between Pattaya trips is extremely boring once you've been to Pattaya at least once.  Nothing at home compares to the good times and adventures in Pattaya.

You may have to grit your teeth a bit at home and practice patience for the next trip.

There are many things you could do at home to pass the time but there are a few major ones to focus on.

Major things I do between trips:

  1. Hoard my vacation time and avoid squandering it
  2. Pay down my debt to keep my available credit as high as possible 
  3. Accumulate enough cash for a great time

Why Focus on These Big Things

Pattaya isn't the kind of party city you breeze into for a weekend.  

You need to stay long enough to overcome issues, get past hurdles such as exhaustion and illness, overcome the steep learning curve, and, once you get in the groove, fully immerse yourself in the adventure.

You need enough credit to book your roundtrip flight and hotel and still take care of all the other needs you have living an expensive westernized lifestyle.

And you need to bring plenty of cash to fully enjoy what Pattaya has to offer as Thailand is a cash country.  There are limited places to swipe your card.

The chart below is a summary of my 5 trips giving an idea of how much vacation time I used and how much money I spent.

Logistics of the 5 Trips I've Taken

Trip

1

2

3

4

5

When

Nov 2022

Mar 2023

Aug 2023

Feb 2024

Aug 2024

Vacation

80 Hours

80 Hours

60 Hours

60 Hours

100 Hours

Nights

12

12

10

9

16

Cost

$5,012

$5,840

$5,489

$5,306

$8,119

The costs are all in US dollars and includes everything having to do with the trip for both cash and credit.  As you can see the longer I've stayed the higher the cost.  More nights equal more fun and more cost:)  

Additionally, there is inflation in Thailand, just like in the west and the exchange rate may be poor when you go.

I avoid anxiety around my cash by tracking it day by day on a spreadsheet on my laptop computer. 

If I've spent too much one night, I cut back for a day or 2.  If I didn't spend as much one night, I may splurge the next.

I do hold back enough Thai baht in my hotel safe to pay for the last taxi ride back to the airport.  In addition, I like to bring enough Thai baht home for a good start to the next trip.

Major To Do is Accumulating Cash

Long Wallet from UnsplashYou need to accumulate cash and keep it nice in a wallet like this during your life between Pattaya trips

Once you’ve gone to Pattaya one time, and have the best time you have ever had in your life, you will want to go back. 

I started planning my second trip as soon as I got home from my first trip. 

At this point in my career, with the job have, I have do have quite a bit of vacation time every year along with some vacation from other years that I have saved.

I would be going more except for the cost.  If you have tons of money, there is no reason not to go back frequently.  

You need to bring your countries cash and exchange it for Thai baht when you get there

You will be paying for things with Thai baht in cash all day, every day.  It is old school, like going back in time.  

Here is what you will be spending on day to day:

  • Meals and snacks of any kind and anywhere
  • Anything you buy at any store
  • Drinks of any kind and anywhere
  • Local transportation, buses, baht buses, taxis, Bolt, Grab, motorbike taxis
  • Anything having to do with the ladies
  • Admissions to anything
  • Trinkets you buy from street vendors
  • Massages
  • Barbershop services
  • Products at pharmacies
  • Anything at 7-11 and other small stores like that.

Use Credit for Some of Your Trip

I did not accumulate the entire $5,000 to $8,000 for my trips.  I leaned on my credit cards for a good share of the trips.

  • Roundtrip flight
  • Hotel through a booking app
  • Travel insurance
  • Fuel for my vehicle on the way to and from the airport
  • Meals, snacks and beverages on the way to and from the airport
  • Parking at the airport
  • Meals, snacks, drinks, water and anything else at any airport
  • As backup for getting cash in Pattaya from an ATM or in a bank

What My Life Between Pattaya Trip Looks Like

Even though Pattaya was paradise on earth during all my trips, I don't mind going home and getting back to normal.  I appreciate the downtime knowing that at some point, I will be going back to Pattaya for another epic adventure.

Here is how I pass the time at home:

  • Recover from the trip.  
  • Work my normal 40 hours per week fairly demanding job.  It is my dream job, so I fully intend to keep working for a number of years. 
  • Weight train about 2 days a week.  I use the principles of Starting Strength to build my strength.
  • Take some longer walks each week.  
  • Take care of the normal chores and errands. 
  • Attend a men’s group.
  • Visit my adult kids every month or so.
  • Visit my mom every month or so.
  • Talk to my mom on the phone nearly every day.
  • Go to a coffee shop once a weekend or so for the afternoon.
  • Watch NFL football games.
  • Watch playoff games of other sports.
  • Watch some movies each week.
  • Read books, articles and news reports.
  • Putter around my apartment.
  • Reflect on the fun I had on my Pattaya trips.

Many of these things directly help me for my next Pattaya trip.  Many are just what I like to do no matter what.  And some are just necessary parts of life.

Life Between Pattaya Trips Wrap Up

As good as retiring and staying in Pattaya forever would seem, most of us have to go home and get back to normal.

I find getting back to normal kind of nice after a Pattaya trip.  I go wild in Pattaya, enjoying each day to it's fullest, knowing that when I go home I'll get back to work, try to recover, enjoy a quiet lifestyle and start planning my next Pattaya trip.