Khao Phra Tamnak (Khao Phra Bat), Chonburi Province, Thailand

5Vincent M 5:00 PM Jul 7, 2014

See it while you still can
Khao Phra Tamnak is my personal pick as the single most intriguing attraction in Pattaya, though I am obviously in the minority here: Walking Street easily draws a thousand visitors to Khao Phra Tamnak's 1. The beauty of this very special place is also, unfortunately, being undermined by rapid commercial development on all sides. Catch it while you can. Why go up there? 1. The monument. 2. The viewpoint. 3. The coffee with view. 4. The Wat. 5. The park. I'll take them in reverse order. I will also attach some photos. 5. The Pattaya City Park is on the southern approaches to the top of the hill with the "Pattaya City" sign on it. Nice paved paths and roads through natural areas which vary from flame trees to, unexpectedly, stands of prickly pear cactus. Some interesting Thai sculpture. Like most everything and everyone in Pattaya, the park is a bit past its prime and shows its age in the harsh light of day, but at its best it has some marvelous vistas and delightful surprises, including walkways to some of the letters of the Pattaya sign. (Caveat: the washroom facilities beside the car park below the view are NOT a surprise of the delightful variety; avoid at all costs; due to continual use but lack of maintanance for a year or more, these are the most disgusting WC facilities I have ever seen in Asia, including rural Tibet; pay 5 baht to ones that are maintained, at the top of the hill.) 4. The Wat, Wat Khao Phra Bat, is a relatively small temple but quite old. The golden statues are artistically second-rate. The wall murals are more interesting. Unfortunately the ceiling murals at the main shrine are almost completely obliterated, and in desperate need of major restoration. 3. Very nice little coffee shop just below the viewpoint. Good inexpensive cappuccino or caffe latte. And you can drink it sitting on the edge of the hill with a superb unobstructed view of Pattaya and the bay. (Staff gets special kudos from me because when it began to drizzle they not only rushed me to a different seat, where an eave sheltered me from the rain, but on their own initiative rustled up two plastic bags to protect my camera and phone from the rain.) 2, The viewpoint, which is adjacent to the monument, is really a spectacular vista of the city, bay, gulf, islands, and distant highlands to the east. Day, night, sunset--quite a prospect! Marred, however, by new construction in progress, including, incredibly, one mega-high rise which is immediately south of the hill, but was allowed to be even higher! Once it's completed, occupants will be looking down at the viewpoint and monument. I suggest the developers consider renaming it "Eyesore Tower" and marketing it on the grounds that if you're on the inside looking out, you'll now be the only folks in Pattaya whose view isn't marred by the worst eyesore in town. 1. The monument honors one of the most revered men in Thailand, literally. Abhakara Kiartivong, Prince of Chumphon, son of King Rama V, was born in 1880 and in his teens was sent to England to study naval warfare. On his return, he spearheaded the modernization of the Thai Royal Navy, and this monument honors him in this role: he is shown in the full naval dress of an admiral, the monument is decorated with naval shells, and the garden at the viewpoint is set into the prow of a "warship." He was also of course a royal prince, with the usual other perks (wife and five concubines, etc.) and Thais have the greatest respect for their royals. But there was more to the man than this, which why this site is more than a monument to a militarist. The prince also had other interests, including traditional herbal medicine, and he personally treated anyone who was in need. So to the people, the Prince of Chumphon became "Doctor Phom" and after his early death (at 44) that reverence increased. One source states that due to his wisdom in the supernatural arts, some followers now believe he now is one of the "108 deities in heaven." I can say for sure that this is not just a monument, but a shrine, which is considered a holy place by Thais, who offer incense, and pray for good fortune. Hence the sign to remove your shoes when stepping up to the monument. Foreign visitors should be suitably respectful, and dress and act as they would at a Buddhist Wat. If you're in Pattaya, and want temporary relief from the culture of beer bars, night clubs, and water sports, this is a great place for a daytime break.

5Kiinok 5:00 PM Nov 26, 2019

Great place to stop off, tour the Wat and get a view of the city
Some days this gets swamped with tourists and other days peaceful. It is a nice temple on top of the mountain overlooking Pattaya. I live Khao Phratamnak and have the fortune to listed to the Monks chanting on all the Buddhist holidays. I think there are some good photographic opportunities here. At minimum, a view of the city and surrounding area. Depends on what attracts you are what you like.