Padel is the easiest racket sport you'll ever pick up — doubles only, played inside glass walls, with a chunky little racket and a tennis-style ball. If you can hold a frying pan, you can rally on day one. Here's everything a first-timer needs to know.
You've probably seen the courts going up around Pattaya: bright glass boxes with people laughing inside and balls pinging off the walls. That's padel. It looks like tennis met squash and they decided to have more fun. This guide covers what padel actually is, how it differs from tennis, and how to try it without buying a thing.
See where to play padel in Pattaya — six courts, five roofed.
Padel, in one paragraph
Padel is a racket sport played two-against-two on an enclosed court roughly a third the size of a tennis court. You hit a stringless, solid racket and a ball that feels like a slightly softer tennis ball. The court is wrapped in glass and mesh, and those walls are part of the game — the ball can come off them and stay in play, the way it does in squash. The scoring is borrowed straight from tennis: 15, 30, 40, game.
The serve is underarm, below waist height, which removes the single hardest thing about tennis. That one rule is why complete beginners are rallying within minutes instead of weeks. Add a partner who covers the other half of a small court, and the game does a lot of the work for you.
A small box with walls in play
A padel court is 20 metres by 10, split by a net, and fully enclosed. The back and parts of the sides are tempered glass; the rest is metal mesh. Because the court is small and walled, the ball stays alive far longer than in tennis — you'll chase a ball into the back glass, let it rebound, and flick it back over. Points turn into proper rallies, even between newcomers.
At Chilli Padel in Jomtien we have six courts, five of them roofed, so a rain shower or the midday sun doesn't end your game. Open 07:00 to 24:00, every day.
Padel vs tennis: the honest comparison
People always ask whether padel is just "easy tennis." It isn't — it's its own game. But the differences are exactly why beginners take to it so fast.
Padel | Tennis | |
|---|---|---|
| Format | Always doubles (2 v 2) | Singles or doubles |
| Court size | About a third of a tennis court | Full size, open sides |
| Racket | Solid, stringless, perforated | Strung, with a long handle |
| Serve | Underarm, below the waist | Overhead, often powerful |
| Walls | In play — ball rebounds | None |
| Time to first rally | Minutes | Weeks |
If you already play tennis, you'll feel at home in ten minutes — and then spend a few sessions unlearning your big swing, because in padel, placement and patience beat power almost every time.
Why the glass walls change everything
In tennis, a ball past you is a lost point. In padel, it's an opportunity. The ball comes off the back glass and you get a second chance to play it — so defence becomes a skill, not a panic. This is the part that hooks people: rallies don't just end, they keep finding ways to continue, and the team that stays calm under the net usually wins.
Don't rush to hit the ball before it touches the glass. Let it bounce off the wall, wait for it to drop back into a comfortable spot, then play it. Patience off the glass is the first thing that separates a beginner from someone who's played a few times.
Why padel is taking over Pattaya
Padel is the fastest-growing racket sport in the world right now, and Pattaya has caught it hard. It's social by design — you can't play alone, so every game is four people, a chat, and usually a drink afterwards. It suits the city: easy for newcomers, friendly across languages, and just as fun whether you're a holidaymaker or you've lived in Jomtien for years.
It also fits the weather. Sun, sudden rain, or a hot afternoon — with five roofed courts, the game goes ahead anyway. That reliability is a big part of why the local scene keeps growing.
How to try padel (you need nothing)
Here's the genuinely lovely part: you don't need gear, a partner, or any experience. Just turn up in trainers.
Book or message
Book a court online, or message reception on WhatsApp and we'll sort the rest — including finding you people to play with if you're solo.
We provide the kit
Rackets and balls are here waiting. Wear comfortable clothes and court shoes, and you're set.
Play your first game
Our EN, TH and RU coaches run beginner sessions and a 90-minute Intro to Padel. You'll be rallying before you know it.
Padel questions, answered
Ready to actually play?
Reading about padel is fine. Playing it is the whole point. Bring a friend or come solo — we'll fit you into a game.