Some of the formal gardens.
The Nong Nooch Tropical Garden is among the oldest of the sights in Pattaya, and perhaps one of the most incongruous. The formal gardens were first opened to the public in 1980. Although the gardens are very much in a European plan, there are Thai touches everywhere, including pavilions, statues and Thai cultural performances. Of special interest, to some at least, is the largest collection of orchids in Thailand, with something like 670 varieties on display.
The gardens are open every day from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm. Admission is 400 Baht (10.39 USD) to see the gardens and cultural shows. The shows, which include an elephant circus in addition to Thai traditional dances, attract big busloads of tour groups. My advice would be to go early in the morning, when it's cooler, and skip the shows. Nong Nooch is located on Sukhunvit Roat at the far end of Jomtien, about 14 kilometers south of Pattaya. For more information, see the Nong Nooch Tropical Garden web site.