Non-sexual Pleasures in Pattaya

[thaibeachlovers]

On ‎2‎/‎26‎/‎2019 at 12:25 AM, balo said:

Pattaya is not the sex capital of the world , that's just a reputation from 20 years ago.  

 

Today it's a city like any other city in Thailand, except there are better western food choices here. 

If you play golf there are some outstanding golf courses just outside the city.  Plenty of sport activities like tennis and gyms every where if you want to stay fit.  

I prefer Pratumnak hills and the running track there for my weekly exercise. 

 

The point is Pattaya is anything but the sex capital of the world if you walk away from Soi 6 and WS .  And the few bars in central Pattaya.

 

Take that away and we still have a bustling city . 

 

 

Yes. Unfortunately, the most vocal critics arrived, stayed in the heart of the sex zone and never went anywhere else in their short stay, then assume that that is "Pattaya", and go around slagging it off.

It's entirely possible to stay in Pattaya, never go near Beach or Second, and never see a single prostitute for their entire visit.

[AlexRich]

12 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Yes. Unfortunately, the most vocal critics arrived, stayed in the heart of the sex zone and never went anywhere else in their short stay, then assume that that is "Pattaya", and go around slagging it off.

It's entirely possible to stay in Pattaya, never go near Beach or Second, and never see a single prostitute for their entire visit.

C'mon ... never see a single prostitute? Only if you are flying over Pattaya in a jet at 30,000 feet ... and even then, if the sky is clear, you might see a few.

 

 

 

[Justin Side]

On 2/21/2019 at 9:32 AM, randy723 said:

Pattaya is the sex capital of the world. Pattaya is nothing but sex. stay in your room

No it is not.

It is a very respectable family resort with nice clean beaches and crystal clear sea. ????

Take the kids. ????

 

[jacko45k]

2 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

It's entirely possible to stay in Pattaya, never go near Beach or Second, and never see a single prostitute for their entire visit.

What, people with a white stick you mean?

Reality is, Pattaya has far more to offer than places like Hua Hin outside of the girlie scene. I would like to hear of any examples were HH has something extra because I can't think of any. 

Then there is the nightlife......

Edited February 27, 2019 by jacko45k

[Metapod]

6 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I'm happy to say that IMO none of your suggestions will ever come to pass. If people don't like Pattaya as it is, they can move to Hua Hin or any of the dozens of other beach side towns in LOS.

Seems to me that many that come on here criticizing the sex industry either don't know ( noobs ) or don't care that Pattaya as it is wouldn't even exist without those ladies of the night. Pattaya was built on the backs of prostitutes, and all those that like living in Pattaya should be eternally grateful for their service.

No place is perfect but I like the changes that Pattaya has been making and want to see it continue.

 

Hua Hin is too spread out. I like how dense Pattaya is and how easy it is to get around with the baht bus system. Hua Hin just runs along a very long highway, so you really need your own car or motorbike when staying there. Pattaya also has a good mix of activities and restaurants and is located fairly close to the airport in BKK. 

 

I wish it had more green space and a chilled out cafe area, though I do enjoy the Sky Gallery on the hill.

 

The beach improvements are a step in the right direction, but they need to do something serious about the raw sewage pumping into the water. If they can clear up the water quality, it will greatly improve the beach area.

 

I don't mind nightlife or bars, but Pattaya wouldbe a much better place if it was cleaned up a bit. Soi7/8 are essentially dead anyway and a lot of the beach has already been redeveloped. If they cleaned up beach road to second road, you could have the best of both worlds. a more chilled out beach town, along with the full on craziness of soi 6, ws, lk metro, etc

[Neeranam]

5 hours ago, jacko45k said:

What, people with a white stick you mean?

Reality is, Pattaya has far more to offer than places like Hua Hin outside of the girlie scene. I would like to hear of any examples were HH has something extra because I can't think of any. 

Then there is the nightlife......

People go to HH as there are less lecherous old foreign men. I'd rather take my teenage girls to HH than Pattaya.

 

 

[Metapod]

27 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

People go to HH as there are less lecherous old foreign men. I'd rather take my teenage girls to HH than Pattaya.

 

 

 

I think Pattaya has more to offer, but as you mentioned, the seedy bar shit is just way too prevalent. If they clean up the beach and second road areas, you could have a really nice town/city that has the best of both worlds. 

 

I wish Pattaya had some quiet city sois with greenary and cafes like Chiang Mai, but I'd settle for a beachfront area void of crusty old men and nasty hookers.

[Neeranam]

9 minutes ago, Metapod said:

but I'd settle for a beachfront area void of crusty old men and nasty hookers.

I was shocked at the increase in crusty old hookers. I was much younger the last time I went there and thought there were some nice ones.

Must be equal opportunities and Thailand developing as a nation. 

And the foot massages are crap, compared to other places.

I wonder if retired hookers move on to this profession.

 

 

Edited February 27, 2019 by Neeranam

[balo]

8 hours ago, AlexRich said:

C'mon ... never see a single prostitute? Only if you are flying over Pattaya in a jet at 30,000 feet ... and even then, if the sky is clear, you might see a few.

Well if you consider all Thai women as prostitutes I see your point.

 

But I do not think of them that way.

 

I only see prostitutes late at night on beach rd, soi 6 and the sleezy bars. 

 

 

Edited February 27, 2019 by balo

[Vacuum]

On 2/20/2019 at 9:52 AM, newnative said:

     'Doing something away from the sex area is difficult...most of Pattaya can be considered a sex area...'   What a crock.  The opposite is true; most of Pattaya and the surrounding areas are not focused on sex.  I've lived here 9 years and I am out and about every day--in Pattaya, Jomtien, Pratamnak, Cosy Beach, Naklua, Wong Amat, and other areas.  Do I feel I am in one gigantic 'sex area'?  No.  Does Pattaya have sex areas?  Yes, you just avoid them if that's not your interest--very easy to do.  

     The OP could spend an enjoyable evening watching the live Kaan theatrical show, or even the Colosseum or Tiffany's shows.  During the day he could tour the wonderful Sanctuary of Truth and then have a great seafood meal at one of the oceanfront restaurants.  Nong Nooch has beautiful, interesting gardens and several enjoyable shows.  Perhaps a drive out into the county with a visit to Silver Lake.  Or maybe the aquarium or Tiger Park.  Floating Market and Terminal 21 are fun.  Golfing, wind surfing, island trips.  Plenty to do away from the 'sex areas'.

Don't forget a good bridge game.

Edited February 27, 2019 by Vacuum

[Neeranam]

8 minutes ago, balo said:

sleezy bars

Of which I saw about 500 in half an hour walk to soI buakaow

[balo]

28 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

Of which I saw about 500 in half an hour walk to soI buakaow

Well maybe not 500 , I walk through this area often. 

I would think more like 100. And many of the bars are not really sleezy , unless you think all the staff working are for sale. 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 27, 2019 by balo

[Metapod]

1 hour ago, balo said:

Well maybe not 500 , I walk through this area often. 

I would think more like 100. And many of the bars are not really sleezy , unless you think all the staff working are for sale. 

 

 

 

 

Nah, they are all pretty much sleezy. Let's be real here lol.

[androokery]

On 2/25/2019 at 12:25 PM, balo said:

I prefer Pratumnak hills and the running track there for my weekly exercise. 

 

What running track? When I run across Pratumnak Hill I always get challenged by feral dogs, both by PEACH and along Thappraya Rd (if at night). Is there another path?

[FarangDoingHisThing69]

Going to Pattaya and avoiding sex is like going to Las Vegas to avoid gambling. You have the wrong destination for what you want to partake.

 

Yes, there *are* things to do outside of WS and bar hopping. But you’ll find yourself wondering “why am I here to avoid the best parts of this city?” The night life of Pattaya is without a doubt the best part for any properly thinking man.

 

But, if you want a synopsis of what to do outside of gogo bars, pussy shows, and the other “bars” of the area, here’s what I can say.

 

1. There are many tour services littering the town. Beach street, Russian street and some elsewhere. At these spots you can setup and schedule a trip to many areas.

1.b. Zoos! Zoos galore. You can go to the Gator park, watch an insane Thai guy put his head in croc mouths. Feed elephants, crocs, and giraffes. Feeding giraffes is much more personal. I personally wish the elephants were not chained up, but I suppose that’s best for safety. Alternatively, you have Tiger park, where you can get a photo op with a huge tiger (they are drugged to remain docile, for all you bleeding hearts out there). Pretty fun spots. You can also find a variety of other zoos available at the tour guides, such as the Elephant Sanctuary (these elephants are treated in a relatively humane way, once they have been broken as calves).

1.c. You can take a discounted ticket to Ramayana or the Amazone park from these guides. Usually cheaper than buying at the door. You can spend all day at Ramayana and have a hell of a time. Warning; some rides are NOT designed for out of shape or weak hearted people. Thai maintenance standards apply to places like this. Don’t be surprised if you hurt yourself if you do a ride improperly. But, that adds to some of the excitement.

1.d. There are many other options available at the guides. It depends on what they have offered. Most should offer other things such as: trips to islands, trips to little-known nature spots, skydiving, traditional diving, hang gliding, balloon rides. These are relatively safe, but still exercise your best judgement. I personally recommend using the PADI diving outlets, specifically the one at the foot of Buddha Hill coming off Thep Praya road. Diving excursions booked from here will generally be much more quality than elsewhere. I personally prefer PADI scuba diving over all the alternatives. But do remember to become familiar with good diving practices before you dive in. Never count on a Thai instructor to save you if SHTF, unless you’re Chinese.

 

2. Try the Rocket Ball ride, on the Bali Hai pier. You should know this immediately looking at it. Big glowing ball, loud music, lots of people come every day. An extremely exciting ride, and pretty safe. I can’t recall anyone ever being hurt doing this. But don’t ride it if you have a weak heart. It feels like you’re going to the moon. Personally, my favorite thing before a night on WS. (note: no drunk people are allowed to use it)

 

3. Food. Food! FOOD! You can eat nearly any variety of food in Pattaya, as long as you know where to look. If you want fine dining, there are many venues such as Horizon Rooftop bar or Edge restaurant located in the Hilton, Sky Gallery in the Pratumnak area, and Cafe Del Mar located south of Jomtien. Cheaper food is at Beer Garden, Robinhood, and the multitude of restaurants around town. You can find farang, Japanese, Chinese, Indian, Middle eastern, Thai, French, all kinds of food. Some good restaurants are also near the beach street, but have very inflated prices even compared to the Hilton or Mar. Sky Gallery is a good balance of luxury and price, with a great view. Be warned, Sky Gallery is usually full of Chinese tourists depending on the time of day you arrive, so make a reservation ahead of time.

 

4. Islands. I would never, ever ride a Thai-operated boat, but people enjoy the islands that are easy to access if you do take the gamble on Thai naval prowess. Samui is far enough away to warrant a flight. You can scuba dive, drink, party (on certain islands), feed monkeys, stare at naked girls sunbathing, all depending on what island you visit. A jack of all trades solution to boredom. I personally get my kicks in nightlife, so they didn’t appeal to me as much. If you like clean water and nature and a different atmosphere, these could be an option and kill plenty of time.

 

5. The beaches. Do not swim near Pattaya. The water is full of raw sewage, especially Pattaya beach. The further from central Pattaya you go south, the cleaner the water, but still always be aware for soi dogs and glass in the beach. A place to sit and think and try to wait out a hangover. Unsafe for small children, especially if you’re not a helicopter parent. Be warned for people trying to “sell you a spot” on the beach. Ignore them and say “ne ponemayu” (“I do not understand”, in Russian) because this makes them think you’re Russian and have no money to swindle.

 

6. Shopping. This is one of the more mystical parts of Pattaya. You can go to a stall on one side of the street, find a shirt you like, and be charged 500 baht. You then cross the street, find the exact same shirt, and be charged 200 baht. I find it hilarious. Especially if you go to Big C and find similar items being sold cheaper than the vendors! Sometimes. Other times, vendors have great deals and are willing to negotiate further. But.. back to the subject. You can shop at a few modern areas like Terminal 21, Central Festival, Tesco, Big C, TukCom... but who needs that? You can instead go to places like the Night Market, Thepprasit Night Market, Pattaya Park Market (Russian market), and the back alley market located near Tukcom. All goods are the same. I swear vendors at the markets get their goods from the mall, who couldn’t sell them, and just dump it to whoever. What difference does it make if it’s real Gucci, when you saved 5000 baht? [emoji41]

 

7. Massages. Just say no boom boom. Stay away from beach road masseuse parlors, if you don’t want the seedy styles. Be warned, some masseuses are simply awful at doing their job. If you find a good one, keep coming back. I went to most and was hardly ever impressed. 7 spa is probably the best of all parlors, and includes a sauna and saltwater bathing treatment.

 

8. Big Buddha hill. One of the most iconic spots of Pattaya. I recommend it just to see what it’s like. Trust me, it’s interesting. Watch out for soi dogs if you have small children or dogs.

 

9. Kaan show. Highly recommend if you have children. Family friendly, slightly expensive, but an experience you won’t forget. I enjoyed it as an adult (and child at heart). Tiffany cabaret has been mentioned, but it’s a drag show. I think that hits your line of “sexual pleasure”.

 

10. Temples, Holy Sanctuary. Another religious spot, something you may be interested in. Be warned, releasing doves is a scam. Don’t do it. Just enjoy the atmosphere and get a prayer in and take in the local culture. Family friendly.

 

That’s honestly about all I can think of outside of sex stuff. But I will go on, to things that skirt the line.

 

11. Bars. A bar in Pattaya (and Thailand in general) has some particular quirks. For one, most have girls who sit around begging you to buy them drinks. A simple no thank you worked in my case, especially since bar girls look pretty rough. You can eat, drink, and do a variety of things at many of these bars. My personal favorite is the Beer Garden right before WS on Beach Street. Good service and good, relatively cheap beer. You can find a legion of bars, most located on beach street or the adjoining sois. If getting drunk is your idea of entertainment, you won’t be at wont for a cold beer in Pattaya. You can easily separate the sex bars from the normal ones. Sex bars have lecherous and seedy guys trying to f*** every girl inside. Normal bars tend to have groups of old white expats sitting talking together. I consider bars a good place to meet expats and unwind after a night with other company.

 

12. Clubs. Again, clubs do not mean sex tourism always. Yes, in all clubs you can find a girl who will “come home with you” for a price. But, as a normal visitor doing normal things you won’t have this happen. I personally prefer Lucifer, Insomnia, Mixx, and Russo Touristo. Drinking and music is always a good way to enjoy the night. Nobody says you have to try to f*** girls.

 

13. Other clubs/bars, shisha and other. If you become familiar with Thailand’s nuances, you’ll realize most people want to smoke something. To that end, there are various establishments which offer hookah/shisha for a nominal price. Ask around, do a google search, and you’ll find them. I personally prefer these haunts of mine because the service is always amazing and courteous. If you need to smoke something, these are great places. Can also drink, but usually much more expensive than all other spots. Best for hookah enjoyment, that’s it.

 

14. I have forgotten many things, but there’s a lot to do in Pattaya that isn’t just sex and bar girls. I lived there the last few months and did quite literally everything you could imagine. I originally thought it was only sex and working girls, but expanded and saw there was more to do. But, still, going to Pattaya and avoiding sex is pretty much impossible. If you’re out late enough, you will run across aggressive ladyboys. For me, no so much of an issue, as I have a very large build and can hold my own physically and mentally. For the small, weak, alone and old farang be very aware you will be a target if you are out late enough and look vulnerable.

 

Please yell at me about my list. I feel like I have forgotten many things.

 

-FDHT

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

 

 

[balo]

8 hours ago, androokery said:

What running track? When I run across Pratumnak Hill I always get challenged by feral dogs,

So you are not aware of the running track ?  It goes around Buddha hill . 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 27, 2019 by balo

[thaibeachlovers]

19 hours ago, Neeranam said:

People go to HH as there are less lecherous old foreign men. I'd rather take my teenage girls to HH than Pattaya.

 

 

I wish all the moaners that hate Pattaya as it is would also go to H H instead of trying to change Pattaya.

 

[thaibeachlovers]

18 hours ago, Neeranam said:

Of which I saw about 500 in half an hour walk to soI buakaow

Walking from where? I could probably see way more than that, depending where I walked. I could also get to Buakao seeing way less.

It's pointless walking along 2nd Rd and then complaining about all the bars, as that is where most of them are. That'd be like living next to an airport and complaining about the planes.

[mike787]

Why come to Pattaya if NO sex is the objective?  Go to a monk monastery in the mountains where there is no temptation.  Good luck!

Edited February 28, 2019 by mike787

[Beatriz]

On 2/21/2019 at 10:32 AM, randy723 said:

Pattaya is the sex capital of the world. Pattaya is nothing but sex. stay in your room

Just remember "Sodom and Gomorrah" so be the good man that God wants to save. God will send tsunami , remember also not to look back when leave or you will turn into a pillar of stone.

Be prepared to leave once the three men in black suit come and ask you to leave town. They are the angels send by God himself.

[Metapod]

3 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I wish all the moaners that hate Pattaya as it is would also go to H H instead of trying to change Pattaya.

 

 

Sorry Grandpa. We are going to keep changing Pattaya regardless. Soon you will need to court your teenage hookers away from the beach and center of town, outside the eye of the normal functioning public of the world.

 

 

[thaibeachlovers]

3 hours ago, mike787 said:

Why come to Pattaya if NO sex is the objective?  Go to a monk monastery in the mountains where there is no temptation.  Good luck!

????? Thousands of people visit Pattaya that have nothing to do with the "nightlife". There are many attractions for them, but they probably don't stay on Beach or Second.

[Pravda]

Come hang around with me. I promise you the most boring time ever

[thaibeachlovers]

5 minutes ago, Metapod said:

 

Sorry Grandpa. We are going to keep changing Pattaya regardless. Soon you will need to court your teenage hookers away from the beach and center of town, outside the eye of the normal functioning public of the world.

 

 

LOL, no you are not going to get rid of the "girls", and there probably haven't been any "teenage" hookers on the beach for years. Seems there are loads of "mature" women on the game along the beach now though.

Those that think Pattaya is the only place with bars and nightlife obviously know little about Thailand. Even Lamphun has a large "scene" if one knows where to look. 

No one is going to get rid of an industry that makes millions of baht for the "right" people.

BTW, there is no "center" of town in Pattaya.

[Metapod]

2 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

LOL, no you are not going to get rid of the "girls", and there probably haven't been any "teenage" hookers on the beach for years. Seems there are loads of "mature" women on the game along the beach now though.

Those that think Pattaya is the only place with bars and nightlife obviously know little about Thailand. Even Lamphun has a large "scene" if one knows where to look. 

No one is going to get rid of an industry that makes millions of baht for the "right" people.

BTW, there is no "center" of town in Pattaya.

There will still be bars and hookers, but it will be greatly reduced to specific areas, ie 'red light districts'. 

 

Pattaya has the potential to be a pretty cool place in 5-10 years if it stays on the right track.

[brokenbone]

11 hours ago, mike787 said:

Why come to Pattaya if NO sex is the objective?  Go to a monk monastery in the mountains where there is no temptation.  Good luck!

i'm not tempted in the slightest of sex,

on contrary i decline hiso & loso alike,

but pattaya is only rivaled by bkk in terms of food/other for sale, but bkk is too hot and too big, so pattaya it is.

nice try though

Edited February 28, 2019 by brokenbone

[jacko45k]

On 2/27/2019 at 2:31 PM, Metapod said:

I wish Pattaya had some quiet city sois with greenary and cafes like Chiang Mai, but I'd settle for a beachfront area void of crusty old men and nasty hookers.

A short trip to Bang Saray. 

[jacko45k]

On 2/27/2019 at 2:55 PM, Neeranam said:

Of which I saw about 500 in half an hour walk to soI buakaow

You must have been looking for them to choose that area to walk around! 

 

[thaibeachlovers]

14 hours ago, Metapod said:

There will still be bars and hookers, but it will be greatly reduced to specific areas, ie 'red light districts'. 

 

Pattaya has the potential to be a pretty cool place in 5-10 years if it stays on the right track.

If Pattaya stays on the track it's on now, ALL the roads will flood after a 15 minute rainfall, the roads will be completely impossible to cross due to the traffic, they will build automated carparks that don't work on every block, and the entire beach will be lined with decaying marinas, while Beach Rd will be lined with huge skyscrapers that can't be used because they were built illegally. Meanwhile the walkway will have completely collapsed as the beach will have vanished and the waves will wash out the foundations, and it will be unusable anyway as the speedboats will be using it for parking.

 

Pattaya was really cool, back in the 90s, and then the council decided they could cash in large by catering to the super rich and we have the present day situation 555555555555555555555555

[JaiLai]

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

If Pattaya stays on the track it's on now, ALL the roads will flood after a 15 minute rainfall, the roads will be completely impossible to cross due to the traffic, they will build automated carparks that don't work on every block, and the entire beach will be lined with decaying marinas, while Beach Rd will be lined with huge skyscrapers that can't be used because they were built illegally. Meanwhile the walkway will have completely collapsed as the beach will have vanished and the waves will wash out the foundations, and it will be unusable anyway as the speedboats will be using it for parking.

 

Pattaya was really cool, back in the 90s, and then the council decided they could cash in large by catering to the super rich and we have the present day situation 555555555555555555555555

'super rich' do not go to Pattaya, one would suspect Monte Carlo and the likes.

 

Who are the 'super rich' in Pattaya you speak of?