THE THAILAND SERIES, DAY 12
PATTAYA
Buddha Mountain Floating Market, Golden Buddha Ear Spa & an Imperial Massage. At first, there doesn’t appear to be a lot to do in Pattaya, but dig a little and you will find a ton of options you have probably never heard of.
WALKING INTO A ROOM FULL OF GUYS GETTING AN ABSOLUTE PAMPERING
I didn’t want to come here and just be a slave to the Chang, but I wanted to do as many things as possible. But before experiencing the weird, it was time to tick the usual tourist boxes on offer.
Read A MAKE OVER ON PATTAYA BEACH to get surprised.
WHERE IS BUDDHA MOUNTAIN?
Buddha Mountain
BUDDHA MOUNTAIN
Khao Chi Chan is a large Buddha engraved with 18 tons of 24k gold into the side of a mountain just 30 minutes south of Pattaya. 18 tons of gold, there is just no need 🤣. This was a gift to King Bhumibol during his golden jubilee.
Buddha Mountain Floating Market Golden Buddha Ear Spa & an Imperial Massage
Major Highlights….
- HOTEL – Acqua Hotel 6.5/10
- ATTRACTIONS – Buddha Mountain, Floating Market, Golden Buddha, Ear Spa & Imperial Massage
- STEPS – 13,600
FLOATING MARKET
Built in 2004, Pattaya floating market is predominantly for tourists, I suppose similar to the others in Bangkok, but you will see very few locals shopping here, if any.
Expect the usual souvenir shops and a few restaurants, but it’s certainly not like Damnoen in Bangkok, and it’s worth visiting as it is literally on the road from the Buddha Mountain.
To know more wonders of Bangkok, read: GETTING SCAMMED IN BANGKOK.
Buddha Mountain Floating Market Golden Buddha Ear Spa & an Imperial Massage
EAR SPA
Walking around The Big C shopping mall, I came across a spa booth selling everything from men’s and womens bikini waxing to something called an ear spa, I had to try.
Little did I know it was as far from an ear spa as a bikini wax. It was the old, mythical candle-burning technique to clean one’s ears. I knew nothing crazy was going to come from it, considering I had mine cleaned by the legend himself just a few days earlier, but after the woman showed me what is alleged to have come out, pure b*llocks if you ask me, but I was the one who signed up.
Buddha Mountain Floating Market Golden Buddha Ear Spa & an Imperial Massage
IMPERIAL MASSAGE
To finish this absolute spa day off, I went for an Imperial massage. On the outside, it read;
From head to foot.
Give you an imperial enjoyment;
Shave, Ear, Facial Cleansing, Nail Removal, Massage, Shampoo & Hair Treatment. 90-minute package. Total care.
Who wouldn’t want to try this, especially for the grand total of around £12! I’m not sure what I was expecting, but a room full of men getting the same treatment wasn’t it, but I was all for it. How bad could it be?
Buddha Mountain Floating Market Golden Buddha Ear Spa & an Imperial Massage
THE TREATMENT
After a quick wash of the feet on some exotic-looking stones, my place of rest for the next 60 minutes would be a leather recliner where the lady would go to town on my hands, feet, legs, and nothing more so than my face with the most painful shave I have ever had. Now my facial hair isn’t the wildest; in fact, I say a few girls have more growth, but she certainly made sure I wasn’t falling asleep.
SUMMED UP….
- HIGHLIGHT – The imperial massage was pretty dope
- LOWLIGHT – Ear Spa a waste of time and money
WASH
After a face massage (the rubbing of the head and eyes was unreal), she laid what I think was wet paper strips on my face that made me look more like a burn victim than someone enjoying a refreshing massage before giving a quick body massage. I was then taken to a room downstairs for the final prep, a head massage, and shampoo. I could have stayed asleep for the entire show quite easily, shave aside!
TODAY’S YOUTUBE VIDEOS
If you want to see today from a different perspective, and catch a few different stories from the front row, then check out today’s YouTube videos below.
Suggestions For Fellow Travelers
- Take the time to find the offbeat stuff – Pattaya isn’t just bars and beaches, trust me, the Buddha Mountain absolutely stuns.
- Don’t expect authenticity at the floating market; it’s built for tourists, but it does make a decent stop on the way back from Buddha Mountain.
- Float past the standard temples – Wat PhraYai’s views are money, just be prepared to climb a few stairs for the best panoramic shot.
- Ear spa? Skip it! The mythical wax candle technique is more entertainment than hygiene.
- Imperial massage is legit – shave, scrub, shampoo, all in one for a steal, just brace yourself for a wild facial.
FINAL THOUGHTS
This phase of the trip is turning into quite the time of treatments, feeling like a million Bhat though!
NEXT UP
Getting a fine and The Sanctuary of Truth!! Click to read.
SAFE TRAVELS, DS x
152/229
This post was part of The Thailand Series. To view the full YouTube series from the trip click here or for my Instagram highlights you can go here.
If you would rather read the rest of the series from the blog just click here.
Question Time
- Do you enjoy a bit of beauty therapy 👀
- Have you been to Pattaya?
- What did you do?
Let me know in the comments below . . .
