11 hours ago, orchis said:

neither.

So they’re exactly the same? Would it help if the question was ‘which one is worse’? That’s easy, it begins with a P. ????

 

Seriously, at least in Phuket you don’t have to go far to get away from the sh*te and see a nice beach or get up in the hills. Pattaya is just one ugly M F for miles!

Talk about Hobson's choice ????

Both pretty grim. Phuket has some nice quiet areas, as does areas around Pattaya. However Patong and central Pattaya are absolutely cess pits- full of the dregs of society from assorted countries.

Everybody is different, I would choose Phuket every time over Patts. But thats me.

Pattaya is more accessible for us, it's an easy drive to get there. And there are some nice quiet and beautiful beaches if you know where they are (forgive me but I'm certainly not going to share that information). Pattaya is twice a year getaway for us, Phuket is likely to be an every two years trip, because it's more difficult to get to plus it's more expensive. Which is why I prefer Hua Hin and the surrounding area because it's a good middle ground choice in every respect.

As stated, depends when & what you are going for.   "Beach" holiday, Phuket, at least part of the year the water is clean enough to swim in ... maybe.

 

Choose your beach wisely though, for swimming, and not the big 3;

Patong

Karon

Kata

If just chillin' surfside, then doesn't matter, they all look lovely, most of the time.  

 

Can't think of any reason for me to visit Pattaya.

Pattaya is the place for Cheap Charlies, booze and sex tourists. Phuket the place for all other tourists. And then the nice sunsets in Patong. What I did not like were the "taxis" in Patong. At least they motivate you to walk more... The Baht busses in Pattaya are unbeatable. 

10 hours ago, London Lowf said:

A few years ago I asked a bar manager from Pattaya why she moved to Phuket - "Because it's beautiful".

 

A few weeks ago I asked a Pattaya go-go girl why she came to Phuket to FL - "Because the customers treat me better".

 

I've never been to Pattaya and never will - it just doesn't tempt me. Having said that, I have never been to Bangkok apart from as a transit passenger for the same reason.

 

If you've never been to Pattaya or Bangkok you're missing out on a whole bunch of must see/must do experiences and limiting yourself unnecessarily. Just because Pattaya has an excess of streetwalkers and beer bars, doesn't mean to say the whole place is the same. There are some excellent hotels, restaurants, shopping and beaches in and around Pattaya, you're missing out if you don't experience them. Even more so in Bangkok which is truly a unique city, why anyone would avoid visiting, just because of its reputation in a very small number of areas, is beyond me. I lived in Phuket for four years and I don't think think Phuket is representative of Thailand, only of the South and only in some ways. If you think that Phuket is representative of Thailand, you will have a very distorted and inaccurate view of the country. 

12 hours ago, MrJ2U said:

Unfortunately I never looked good in gay speedos or ladies briefs. 

I stopped wearing mine when the letter s fell off then ..

I spent a month in Phuket and will never return. It's an OK place to visit, but to live there? HELL no! And Pattaya? ALSO HELL no.

 

Jomtien is the best place to me. It's not everyone's cup of tea, but I like it.

Phuket is definitely more expensive, and its across the board, if a coke is 20 baht in 7/11 in Pattaya, it will be 22 baht in Phuket.

"Better" is very personal and subjective, better for hookers, better for transport, better for swimming, better for pricing. 

Both places can have a multitude of lifestyles, choices etc. You can live above a bar, in quiet suburbia, beachside, semi rural, and still have access to infrastructure/services.

Both places have the red light areas, but its easy to live a life in both places that doesn't involve the sexpat/sex tourism universe. 

4 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

Phuket is definitely more expensive, and its across the board, if a coke is 20 baht in 7/11 in Pattaya, it will be 22 baht in Phuket.

"Better" is very personal and subjective, better for hookers, better for transport, better for swimming, better for pricing. 

Both places can have a multitude of lifestyles, choices etc. You can live above a bar, in quiet suburbia, beachside, semi rural, and still have access to infrastructure/services.

Both places have the red light areas, but its easy to live a life in both places that doesn't involve the sexpat/sex tourism universe. 

From Phuket you can do Island hopping with boat to Koh Lipe and back! Better kayaking and dive sites as well fishing.

2 hours ago, CANSIAM said:

I loudly asked him twice if he had a work visa he looked up and smirked and continued with his bbq. Come on Thai's don't put up with that BS...........   

 

i'd guess  you were lucky the Russian didn't decide to put you on the barbie.

 

Just sayin...

 

16 minutes ago, Hummin said:

From Phuket you can do Island hopping with boat to Koh Lipe and back! Better kayaking and dive sites as well fishing.

There are 10 islands just off and around Pattaya, Koh Larn, Koh Sak, Koh Krok, Koh Phai, Koh Rin, Koh Si Chang , Koh Samet, Koh Khram, Koh Chang.

 

https://www.hotels.com/go/thailand/best-islands-near-pattaya

2 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

There are 10 islands just off and around Pattaya, Koh Larn, Koh Sak, Koh Krok, Koh Phai, Koh Rin, Koh Si Chang , Koh Samet, Koh Khram, Koh Chang.

 

https://www.hotels.com/go/thailand/best-islands-near-pattaya

Can you do Island hopping with boath? Dived all over Thailand and west coast water is the best, same goes for Island experiences.

Super death hooker aids, Pattaya

Super death ladyboy aids, Phuket

The world will laugh at you:  Pattaya

You no speak no Russian, leave!:  Phuket

broke:  Pattaya

rich:  Phuket

ugly city:  Pat

nice island:  Phu

sexpat:  both

degenerate:  both

face tattoo:  both

 

me:  Laos border, you won't catch me dead in either of those places.  but ask for Phaphatnoon in Pattaya at Soi 7 and tell her "big spender" sent you.   

29 minutes ago, In Full Agreement said:

 

i'd guess  you were lucky the Russian didn't decide to put you on the barbie.

 

Just sayin...

 

The unruly behaviour warranted the question........

I lived in Phuket for about 10 years, and a total of a couple of years living in Pattaya.  Remember that Phuket refers to the whole island, and that ranges from Patong through to quiet villages in north-east Phuket >> totally different from each other.

 

I like Pattaya for the wide range of foods, shops and other facilities within walking or baht-bus distance.  It has a nice promenade to walk and jog along.  You can even sit (for a while) and have a coconut drink (!!).

 

During all the time that I lived in Pattaya, I never once visited a gogo bar or propositioned a bar girl/boy.  I had a very enjoyable time, and Pattaya is where I usually stay when I'm not teaching in Myanmar.  (I am living in Phangan now, but that's another subject!).

 

I liked living in Phuket, but wasn't so happy on a recent trip.  Overpriced and overbuilt, even in previous rural areas.  I don't plan to return.

Pattaya is pretty gross overall,  horrible beaches with the dregs of most countries residing there. However if decadent bebauchery is your thing then you'll have a whale of a time.

 

There's a good reason its cheaper is because its a <deleted> hole.

9 hours ago, HappyExpat57 said:

I spent a month in Phuket and will never return. It's an OK place to visit, but to live there? HELL no! And Pattaya? ALSO HELL no.

 

Jomtien is the best place to me. It's not everyone's cup of tea, but I like it.

Jomtien is part of the Pattaya metro area.

5 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Jomtien is part of the Pattaya metro area.

But a different entity altogether when on the ground.  City Hall jurisdiction also covers Naklua but again, everyone here knows it's a different place from Pattaya.

20 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Jomtien is part of the Pattaya metro area.

Maybe technically, but the two are worlds apart. I've lived in both, they're like yin and yang.

I call BS.

People say Phuket they mean the entire large island.

Pattaya similarly refers to a large metro area.

The borders may be less defined than Phuket but certainly include central Pattaya, Naklua, Dark Side, and Jomtien.

In my view the Pattaya metro area has developed into a mini Bangkok but has the advantage of sea views and sea access.

 Pattaya (Thai: เมืองพัทยา, RTGS: Mueang Phatthaya) is a self-governing municipal area which covers Tambon's Nong Prue and Na Klua and parts of Huai Yai and Nong Pla Lai. 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pattaya

22 hours ago, proton said:

Surely you can do a bit better defending the sex industry than that, Thailand should not be for sex tourists, perverts or low life drunks and losers.

maybe one defense of the sex industry is over-population.

if 15% of people stop having a traditional life and getting married with 2.4 children, then maybe the planet will more likely be able to sustain everyone.

11 hours ago, nigelforbes said:

If you think that Phuket is representative of Thailand, you will have a very distorted and inaccurate view of the country. 

I don't think that Phuket is representative of Thailand - I spent a few days on Buriram a couple of years ago and can happily live without the "real Thailand".

 

I know that Phuket is in essence a tourist colony, but it has everything that I am looking for (warmth, beaches, bars) and many parts of it are beautiful - in my eyes. I am at a comfortable stage in my life where I no longer have a bucket list of places to go or things to do.

 

Also, having grown up in London, I now have zero interest in big cities (shopping, temples, architecture, cultural entertainment) and so there is nothing in Bangkok to attract me apart from the airport.

18 hours ago, HuskerDo2 said:

Reminds me of a time I was on vacation and sitting on a beach in Florida just staring out at the ocean. Just staring straight ahead. A woman stepped into my view wearing a G-string bikini with the most incredible backside you can imagine. Then another woman in a G-string joined her. An incredible sight until a 3rd joined them who had a fat hairy butt. I looked up and it was a guy. Yes, wearing a G-string as well. Ruined the entire experience.   

sorry you had to experience that.

check your health insurance policy to see if you are covered for 'post tramautic stress'.

as traumatizing as that incident may have been, it's still way better than sitting in a cafe in chiang mai with those annoying digital nomad youtubers.

No place in Pattaya is as nice an area to eat in as Phuket Old Town. It's like a cleaner Penang.

 

But all in, for food choice, quality, and price, Pattaya wins. You can find a great Indian, Italian, and Norwegian restaurant next to each other with a chicken and rice vendor out front.

On 12/31/2022 at 8:23 AM, Mickeymaus said:

Pattaya is the place for Cheap Charlies, booze and sex tourists.

 

Is there no Northshore, Garden Cliff, Centara Grand Mirage Beach Resort Pattaya? No Nong Nooch or Wat Yarn? No Aquaverse? No Terminal 21?

 

Pattaya is a very large and diverse area. All lifestyles are possible, even small town Thailand in Naklua. Its dystopian aspects also lend it welcome character; history must be respected and cherished, even if one lives in a penthouse.

 

And SO convenient. Yeah, Pattaya wins ???? No reason I'll ever go back to Phuket and hassle around. 

20 hours ago, LaosLover said:

No place in Pattaya is as nice an area to eat in as Phuket Old Town. It's like a cleaner Penang.

 

But all in, for food choice, quality, and price, Pattaya wins. You can find a great Indian, Italian, and Norwegian restaurant next to each other with a chicken and rice vendor out front.

One point  for Phuket.

There is some nice modern architecture in Pattaya but it boomed from a fishing village so old stuff is ugly.