Pattaya Impressions After Years Away

[gk10002000]

Just arrived back in Pats after a 4 year absence.  Taking a 3 week break from work to scope things out a bit as I coast into semi retirement and mulling over how much time I want to spend in the LOS.  So far foot massages, oil massages are still great.  Hotel pool in the hot afternoon is great.  Ladies in shops, 7-11s, restaurants have all been very pleasant.  Disappointed on the Domicile restaurant now closed.  Same Thai manager that used to work there and speaks German is now at the Brauhaus next door.  Tons of Indian restaurants all over now.  Road traffic not too bad and can walk across Pattaya Klang or Second Road without getting run down.  Beer prices up noticeably in the gogos, Tiger bottle costing 155 baht and more.  Pleasantly surprised at the amount of clothes not worn by many of the girls in many of the places.  I didn't get a soapy yet, but that is on the agenda.   Terminal 21 was pleasant.  I don't come here for malls, and I don't buy or shop while here much, but  I have to admit that if one were here for a long time, a visit to a big Air conditioned mall could be an OK thing.  I noticed the Keene walking shoes on sale were reasonably priced relative to what I have seen in the States.   Movie selection at Big C (Dolphin) and T 21 were limited.   I didn't like the changes to the Big C Now marina I guess.  The Thai barbecue place that used to be on the left side is not there.  Boy I loved that bbq sauce.   Anybody know where the equivalent Thai bbq place indooors may be now?  I haven't wandered into Festival yet.    Found some banana roti road side carts.  Damn those are great tasting snacks. 

 

Walking street... well the obvious ethnic majority walking around there is groups of middle easterners.  I mean walking 3 or 4 across and in groups.  I stopped into half a dozen gogos to check things out, have a beer, etc.  Didn't see any of those nationalities there.  Just an observation.  Saw what appeared to be the usual group rate discussions with some ladies and ladyboys. To each their own.  I don't know if the group thing is a cultural thing with them or they really are just trying to do things cheaply.   At BKK while waiting for the bus saw the chinese tour groups being led by a lady holding up a flag with the color or number of their group.  Each group about 10 or 12.  they took most of the chairs away from the area right across where you buy the ticket for the bus to Pattaya.  The Magic food court was still a great buy and a pleasant and cheap way to eat and kill the hour waiting for the Pattaya Bus. 

 

  Robin's Nest is still a fine littler eatery.  LK Metro area about the same as before with a few more places open. 

 

  So far sleeping, catching up with some movies, eating, swimming, massaging, etc. Pats is still a great little getaway.  Short time prices seem about the same as I remember.   Not a wild party man.  Amazingly my flip top 3g phone, just voice and text from the USA works here.  So I didn't have to get Thai any sim card.  I had to pay ATT my provider a fee to  use it but that's OK for the 3 weeks I am here.  I may be an engineer but I am way behind the times on smart phones, and wifi, etc.  Will upgrade later this year probably.  Hotel has free internet and some computers in the lobby so I am using that to write this.  That's all the connectivity I need at the moment. 

 

  Paying 1200 baht a night for a nice clean quiet place with rooftop pool up off of Soi Bukhao.  I'm OK with that for now.  Still marvel that I would spend less if I stayed one month then if I stayed 3 weeks!  But that will be for the next longer trip. 

 

Money exchange.  Arriving at BKK all the places had USD 30.12.  I walked down stairs to the super rich places and changed $1,000 USD for 30.72.  OK, that is a measurable difference.  When I got to Pattaya I have seen a few places giving 30.82.  Lesson is of course do not change money right off the airplane. At the very least if you have time go down to the rail link level.  If no time, change minimum amount money at airport for convenience and then change more at Pattaya.

 

Breakfast buffet at LK royal residence was poor.  Price too much, no pancakes or french toast, no potatoes!  At least they did make eggs omelettes to order and had some bacon.  I tried it for convenience.  Mistake.  I am sure Apex or Lek hotel are a much better deal. 

 

Bed is still too hard, but folding up the comforter and sleeping on that make sit OK.  Next time I think I will bring my cheap mattress topping I buy at wal mart for like $20 USD.  The stuff at Big C would be of no help.

 

Well off to waste some more time.  Sunday Carvery at the Robin's nest may be on tap for tomorrow.  Butcher's Arm pub on Soi Bukhao seems to be gone.  I used to enjoy that place.  Decent roast beef and potatoes and gravy comfort food.

 

  

 

 

[Halfaboy]

Nice summary, thanks....

Enjoy your stay !

[johnnybgood]

Refreshing viewpoint ????

[madmen]

Much nicer than reading bitter posts about the place from jaded jungle dwellers. I think you nailed it, great post

[bkk6060]

Good for you for being positive and finding ways to enjoy the place.

Probably will not get many responses as it is not filled with hate.

I think Lek for breakfast may be a better choice.

Enjoy the rest of your stay!

 

[marcusarelus]

I seem to remember LK Metropole beds were soft.  I lived on the South end of Buakhow for a while when the GF kicked me out of our house.  Not bad for a month or so reasonable rates.  

[newnative]

   Yes, thanks for your report--nice to read a post with some balance in it.  You're right that long-term residents here appreciate having the nice air-conditioned malls--at least this one does.  Central Marina is actually a favorite of my partner and me now that it has been remodeled--it's not as busy as Festival or T21 and it's our shopping center of choice on weekends when the other two malls can be mobbed.  

[champers]

Good and positive post. Apparently, if other posters, on different threads, are to be believed, people like you don't come here anymore.

Try the Swan for brekky on Soi Yamoto (13/1), 2nd Road end. Not a buffet but plentiful, costs 189 Baht.

Enjoy the rest of your stay.

[sunnyboy2018]

Good review....check out the new places, Around Soi Buakao,  Fairground racer bar, scooters bar, Kink go go. Fish n  chips and chowmein on corner of soi LKM and Soi Buakao. The meat factory in ...soi lenkee, the comfort soi Cozy beach. Cherries 3rd road remains unchanged. Good luck.

[AbeSurd]

3 hours ago, sunnyboy2018 said:

Good review....check out the new places, Around Soi Buakao,  Fairground racer bar, scooters bar, Kink go go. Fish n  chips and chowmein on corner of soi LKM and Soi Buakao. The meat factory in ...soi lenkee, the comfort soi Cozy beach. Cherries 3rd road remains unchanged. Good luck.

Cherry's on Third Road? I believe that closed a month ago.

http://www.cherrys-restaurant-pattaya.com/

[KittenKong]

15 hours ago, gk10002000 said:

Breakfast buffet at LK royal residence was poor.  Price too much, no pancakes or french toast, no potatoes!  At least they did make eggs omelettes to order and had some bacon.  I tried it for convenience.  Mistake.  I am sure Apex or Lek hotel are a much better deal. 

Give all of those a miss and go to Casa Pascal.

[grifbel]

19 hours ago, gk10002000 said:

I may be an engineer but I am way behind the times on smart phones, and wifi, etc. 

Suggest you get with the times and use twitter for short and pithy observations.  War and Peace length essays are so passe.

[newnative]

No, no, no, no, no.  Please don't 'get with the times'.  Please don't 'use twitter'.   Some of us have longer attention spans and enjoy a bit more detail than Twitter allows. Nothing wrong with short stories but I've always preferred novels.  Write on, gk10002000.

[Rick1812]

Domicile over near Memorial hospital. 

[Captain 776]

The longer I stay away........the better I like it.

Gets worse every year and they wonder why tourism is dow.n

[NCC1701A]

21 hours ago, madmen said:

Much nicer than reading bitter posts about the place from jaded jungle dwellers. I think you nailed it, great post

yes I agree but I heard there is a angry mob of Pattaya expats looking for this guy right now.

[NCC1701A]

22 hours ago, gk10002000 said:

LK Metro area about the same as before with a few more places open. 

Really great post Op. thanks. could you stop by Devils Den and ask if Gem is still working there? Thanks.

[NCC1701A]

2 hours ago, grifbel said:

Suggest you get with the times and use twitter for short and pithy observations.  War and Peace length essays are so passe.

wow that is really rude. the op takes the time to write this and that is all you got?

[rwill]

22 hours ago, gk10002000 said:

Still marvel that I would spend less if I stayed one month then if I stayed 3 weeks!  But that will be for the next longer trip. 

If that is true why not just pay for the month and leave early?

 

[PingRoundTheWorld]

My impressions from Pattaya last month after 3 years away were very similar. The real big difference is of course less westerners - but I actually found that nice - I didn't go there to meet guys, lol. I did see some Chinese/Korean/Japanese in some of the gogos, but no Indians. Gogos were really hit or miss with some full of girls and clients, others completely dead.

 

Out of curiosity - in some of the gogo's like Skyfall the uglier girls were VERY pushy and aggressive in trying to get you to talk to them and buy them drinks - even if you indicated you weren't interested they kept insisting. Has it always been like that? Or is this due to the lack of customers/slow season?

 

[White Christmas13]

https://www.domicilpattaya.com/locations2.html

 

I am not sure if that is the old one because it says No.2

[White Christmas13]

2 hours ago, Rick1812 said:

Domicile over near Memorial hospital. 

yes between soi 7 and 8

 

https://www.domicilpattaya.com/locations2.html

[jimn]

2 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

Really great post Op. thanks. could you stop by Devils Den and ask if Gem is still working there? Thanks.

Off topic I know, but check on the DD website they they have up to date profiles of all the girls

[Nemises]

Why TF would you bring a mattress topper from the USA for a 3 or 4 week holiday in Thailand???

[kevin612]

Many Indian restaurants and most of them without a customer all day long.

[NCC1701A]

4 hours ago, jimn said:

Off topic I know, but check on the DD website they they have up to date profiles of all the girls

I know, thanks. I was just trying to make a bad joke. I have Gem's LINE.

[NanLaew]

2 hours ago, Nemises said:

Why TF would you bring a mattress topper from the USA for a 3 or 4 week holiday in Thailand???

Not to be confused with a mattress thrasher.

[NanLaew]

11 minutes ago, NCC1701A said:

I know, thanks. I was just trying to make a bad joke. I have Gem's LINE.

Oh... that's handy. Can you share?

[Traubert]

7 hours ago, Captain 776 said:

The longer I stay away........the better I like it.

Gets worse every year and they wonder why tourism is dow.n

And the longer you and your ilk stay away, the better it is.

 

Breakfast buffet at LK royal residence was poor. 

 

Not five minutes walk from there, directly opposite the entrance to Memorial Hospital is a fabulous coffee shop with excellent food at great prices. It's called Malamoute Cafe. I used it daily on my last trip. A great place for breakfast. You can look it up on Trip Advisor to see the menu etc.

 

Enjoy the rest of your stay.

[grifbel]

21 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

wow that is really rude. the op takes the time to write this and that is all you got?

Thanks for keeping it short and pithy!