Why should you go there and how do you do it right?

This is the viewpoint on Pratumnak Hill, the headland between South Pattaya and Jomtien, right next to the small temple Wat Khao Phra Bat. From the platform, you can look north across the entire crescent of Pattaya Bay, where the beach winds its way beneath the city's towers – a classic Pattaya panorama. The monument to the Prince of Chumphon, considered the father of the Royal Thai Navy, is about 100 meters away, next to a naval radio station on the hill.

Come at sunset or after dark. Visitors who arrived around 6:30 or 7:00 p.m. praised the nighttime view with the lights along the beach as much as the daytime view. There's a café opposite the main platform, and a recent reviewer recommended a slightly higher viewpoint, which is a short walk away. It's hot and exposed up here at midday, so I'd avoid that day.

Entry is free. According to Thailand's tourism directory, the hill is open daily from 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM, and Google Maps lists Wat Khao Phra Bat as being open from 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Therefore, be mindful of your shoulders and knees when entering the temple. The roads leading up are steep, so taking a taxi, Grab, or motorbike is recommended.

Pratumnak offers several viewpoints that can easily be confused. The viewpoint above the letters "PATTAYA CITY," the Phra Tamnak Mountain Viewpoint, is located about 500 meters north at the top of the hill, overlooking Bali Hai Pier and right next to City Coffee. The Khao Phra Tamnak Viewpoint is about 1 kilometer north and slightly lower down, near the lighthouse at Cape Bali Hai. The 18-meter-high golden Buddha of Wat Phra Yai is less than 1 kilometer south along the ridge. All three viewpoints can be reached by hiking up the hill.