Central Pattaya

Central Pattaya stands on Beach Road in the middle of Pattaya, facing the sea across the road. It was opened in 2009 by the Thai retail group Central as CentralFestival Pattaya Beach and later took its current name. It is often described as the largest beachfront shopping centre in Southeast Asia.

The mall is joined to the Hilton Pattaya, which rises from the same building, so hotel guests can walk straight into the shopping floors. Its sea-facing position made it a landmark of central Pattaya and a common meeting point between the beach and the nightlife streets nearby.

Inside are a Central department store, a supermarket, international fashion and sports brands, Thai labels, electronics and phone shops, and a multiplex cinema. A food court and a wide choice of restaurants sit on the upper floors, and several have terraces with views over Pattaya Bay, which are busy around sunset. Events and seasonal fairs are held in the main atrium and on the forecourt facing Beach Road.

The mall is a short walk from Walking Street to the south and from Pattaya Beach across the road. Songthaew pick-up trucks running along Beach Road stop nearby.

Entry is free and the mall opens daily from late morning until late evening. Tourists can ask about VAT refund forms in the department store for purchases above the minimum amount.

A 200,000 square metre podium from Beach Road to Second Road

The shopping podium covers about 200,000 square metres over several floors, with the cinema and entertainment zone at the top. Because the building runs almost the full length of the block between Beach Road and Second Road, it also works as a shaded shortcut between the two, which many visitors use on hot afternoons.

Hilton Pattaya restaurants above the mall

The Hilton Pattaya rises above the mall, and its lobby and restaurants on the upper floors are open to non-guests. Edge, the hotel's all-day restaurant on the 14th floor, has indoor and outdoor seating looking over Pattaya Bay and is a popular choice for a buffet with a view. The rooftop bar above it fills up at sunset, so arrive early for a table on the terrace.

Within the mall, the restaurant floor facing the sea has terraces where a sit-down meal costs less than at the hotel. The food court suits a quick, cheap lunch, with Thai rice and noodle dishes alongside Japanese and Korean counters. During the year the forecourt on Beach Road hosts countdown parties at New Year, Songkran events in April and seasonal markets.