Schools, parks, water parks and safe family fun for expat families.
Quick answer
Yes. The Pattaya area has several international schools, safe residential neighbourhoods in Jomtien and Na Jomtien, and plenty for children to do. School fees are the main cost to plan for and vary widely between schools.
Thailand is a wonderful place to raise a family: warm, safe, affordable, and packed with things to do.
The Eastern Seaboard is packed with things to do with the kids: water parks, gardens, aquariums, an interactive 3D art museum, go-karting and more.
See our family attractions guide →
Our relocation consulting covers schools, family-friendly neighborhoods and healthcare. Learn more.
From the local guide
Water parks, an aquarium tunnel, go-karts, gardens, and dinosaur trails: there is far more for families here than the city's reputation suggests.
Our companion ebook lays it out as a ready-made family week, balanced with the calm beaches and easy dinners that keep everyone happy.
Plan the family weekThey vary enormously by school and year group, and are usually the largest single expense for a family. Request current fee schedules directly, since published figures date quickly.
Jomtien, Na Jomtien and the quieter roads inland from the beach. They are residential, closer to the schools, and calmer than central Pattaya.
Ramayana Water Park and Columbia Pictures Aquaverse for the big days out, Underwater World and Nong Nooch Garden for shorter ones, and the calm beaches at Jomtien and Na Jomtien for everything in between.
Yes. The private hospitals and clinics around Pattaya are well equipped and widely used by expat families. Bills are payable up front, so family health cover matters as much here as the school fees do.
Next step
Every guide on this site is free to read, from real monthly budgets to visas, renting and buying. When you want a hand with the move itself, that is what we do.