Soi Buakow

[Darrel]

I personally think that the Soi Buakow area is far and away the best part of Pattaya today: it still retains a little bit of character and hasnt become a middle-class shopping mall for families like the rest of town.

Walking street is an expensive and boring joke. I've been 3 times in as many months, and each time was only to walk through to get to the pier area. Soi 6 is just plain nasty: been once in 3 months and dont intend going back ever. Everywhere else is just too dull or too full of Russians or has too much traffic and noise and condos and real estate brokers.

Soi Buakow (with the Sois off it, and including the extension across South Rd to the old DayNight area) has a good selection of cheap restaurants of all types and styles, decent rooms, every other service one could reasonably expect to find, plenty of street food and a fair bit of street entertainment. They should restrict the traffic along it though; it would be much nicer pedestrianised.

When Soi Buakow becomes a dull and boring shopping centre like the rest of Pattaya (which it probably will before long) then it will certainly be time to go and live somewhere else. Just 20 years ago most of the town was like Soi Buakow is today, and it was a lot more fun then.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

I personally think that the Soi Buakow area is far and away the best part of Pattaya today: it still retains a little bit of character and hasnt become a middle-class shopping mall for families like the rest of town.

Walking street is an expensive and boring joke. I've been 3 times in as many months, and each time was only to walk through to get to the pier area. Soi 6 is just plain nasty: been once in 3 months and dont intend going back ever. Everywhere else is just too dull or too full of Russians or has too much traffic and noise and condos and real estate brokers.

Soi Buakow (with the Sois off it, and including the extension across South Rd to the old DayNight area) has a good selection of cheap restaurants of all types and styles, decent rooms, every other service one could reasonably expect to find, plenty of street food and a fair bit of street entertainment. They should restrict the traffic along it though; it would be much nicer pedestrianised.

When Soi Buakow becomes a dull and boring shopping centre like the rest of Pattaya (which it probably will before long) then it will certainly be time to go and live somewhere else. Just 20 years ago most of the town was like Soi Buakow is today, and it was a lot more fun then.

Great post; well noted. Which sub-sois in particular would you recommend, and where is the DayNight area? Is that just when you cross South Pattaya Road at the southern end of SBK? (Isn't that a T intersection near Tuk Com or am I now hopelessly lost? (Speaking of lost, Soi Bua Khao is not a bad place to be lost in. ) )

[bazmlb]

I personally think that the Soi Buakow area is far and away the best part of Pattaya today: it still retains a little bit of character and hasnt become a middle-class shopping mall for families like the rest of town.

Walking street is an expensive and boring joke. I've been 3 times in as many months, and each time was only to walk through to get to the pier area. Soi 6 is just plain nasty: been once in 3 months and dont intend going back ever. Everywhere else is just too dull or too full of Russians or has too much traffic and noise and condos and real estate brokers.

Soi Buakow (with the Sois off it, and including the extension across South Rd to the old DayNight area) has a good selection of cheap restaurants of all types and styles, decent rooms, every other service one could reasonably expect to find, plenty of street food and a fair bit of street entertainment. They should restrict the traffic along it though; it would be much nicer pedestrianised.

When Soi Buakow becomes a dull and boring shopping centre like the rest of Pattaya (which it probably will before long) then it will certainly be time to go and live somewhere else. Just 20 years ago most of the town was like Soi Buakow is today, and it was a lot more fun then.

Great Post, its a interesting Soi

[Siam Simon]

I personally think that the Soi Buakow area is far and away the best part of Pattaya today: it still retains a little bit of character and hasnt become a middle-class shopping mall for families like the rest of town.

Walking street is an expensive and boring joke. I've been 3 times in as many months, and each time was only to walk through to get to the pier area. Soi 6 is just plain nasty: been once in 3 months and dont intend going back ever. Everywhere else is just too dull or too full of Russians or has too much traffic and noise and condos and real estate brokers.

Soi Buakow (with the Sois off it, and including the extension across South Rd to the old DayNight area) has a good selection of cheap restaurants of all types and styles, decent rooms, every other service one could reasonably expect to find, plenty of street food and a fair bit of street entertainment. They should restrict the traffic along it though; it would be much nicer pedestrianised.

When Soi Buakow becomes a dull and boring shopping centre like the rest of Pattaya (which it probably will before long) then it will certainly be time to go and live somewhere else. Just 20 years ago most of the town was like Soi Buakow is today, and it was a lot more fun then.

Good post, Darrel. And Buakhao's not just about the tourist traps: There's a lot developing in the sois up to Third Road too.

[thailandbluegrass]

Soi Buakow is a great place to visit if you want to see fat old expats in their cut-off t-shirts drinking gallons of cheap bear chang draft. ewwwwww

[taff33]

Soi Buakow is a great place to visit if you want to see fat old expats in their cut-off t-shirts drinking gallons of cheap bear chang draft. ewwwwww

How cheap is 'bear' in the soi.

[Soi Sauce]

Never seen bears on mookow, only beavers.

[moo9]

I haven't read the whole topic, but the Soi Bauckow area is great. Particularly, the Sois Diana, LK Metro, Lengkee, Chayapoom & Honey pentangle. Think Walking Street lite (on the wallet).

Also a big shout out to Soi New Plaza.

Cheap food, beer & great company. What more can a man ask for?

Plenty of aged and not so attractive girls too. However most of the clientele manage to compensate this by a few bears more...

SB is smelly sometimes, I do not like it anymore to be honest.

[Darrel]

Great post; well noted. Which sub-sois in particular would you recommend, and where is the DayNight area? Is that just when you cross South Pattaya Road at the southern end of SBK? (Isn't that a T intersection near Tuk Com or am I now hopelessly lost? (Speaking of lost, Soi Bua Khao is not a bad place to be lost in. ) )

Sorry, I'm an old-timer! Tuk Com is just the new name for the DayNight department store which is what it used to be called. At the time it was the biggest or second biggest department store in town (Mike was the other one: cant remember which came first though I remember both of them opening) and as such gave its name to the area. The name was shared with the hotel of course.

So yes, cross South Road at the end of Soi Buakow after the Tuesday/Friday market and then you have a half-dozen sois at the back of Tuk Com that are also full of atmosphere. What's now the covered market area on Soi Buakow opposite the Tuesday/Friday market used to be a giant disco for Thais called Grand Hall.

As for the Sois off Buakow, most of them are interesting to walk down. Soi Diana, Soi Honey, Soi Chayapoon, Soi Lengkee are the obvious ones. The market near the back of Made in Thailand, opposite Diana Estate, is also good.

Edited March 2, 2011 by Darrel

[Darrel]

Soi Buakow is a great place to visit if you want to see fat old expats in their cut-off t-shirts drinking gallons of cheap bear chang draft. ewwwwww

Possibly so, but in the "posher" parts of town you just find fat tourists drinking somewhat more expensive beer.

And of course in other parts of town its just pale russians negotiating the price of a 20B banana pancake with a vendor, mostly with a beer can in one hand, a cigarette in the other and a carrier bag under each arm.

[Danlo]

Soi Buakow is a great place to visit if you want to see fat old expats in their cut-off t-shirts drinking gallons of cheap bear chang draft. ewwwwww

Cant drink a bear..........

Edited March 12, 2011 by metisdead
Removed offensive photo.

[nakotic]

I spend most of my time in this area, so many bars, some good some poor but is all down to choice, I am an avid reader too so most mornings I have breakfast at Canterbury Tales Cafe and am probably one of their best book customers, they have such a huge collection and the exchange scheme is something Asia books dont offer.

Well said dave ! but asia books don't sell copies do they ?

[Danlo]

Ah I see its the anyone who appreciates Canterbury Tales Cafe and says good things about the place must be the owner pretending to be someone else, maybe the fact that the rooms are always full the cafe is very busy and the bookshop has a steady flow all day says it all.

Good service all round and the proof is in the success of Canterbury Tales breeds jealousy in the few failed businesses in the vicinity.

You really should try harder on your life than stabbing other people in the back, it may just come back and bite you in your ass one day.

[WISteve]

Great post; well noted. Which sub-sois in particular would you recommend, and where is the DayNight area? Is that just when you cross South Pattaya Road at the southern end of SBK? (Isn't that a T intersection near Tuk Com or am I now hopelessly lost? (Speaking of lost, Soi Bua Khao is not a bad place to be lost in. ) )

Sorry, I'm an old-timer! Tuk Com is just the new name for the DayNight department store which is what it used to be called. At the time it was the biggest or second biggest department store in town (Mike was the other one: cant remember which came first though I remember both of them opening) and as such gave its name to the area. The name was shared with the hotel of course.

So yes, cross South Road at the end of Soi Buakow after the Tuesday/Friday market and then you have a half-dozen sois at the back of Tuk Com that are also full of atmosphere. What's now the covered market area on Soi Buakow opposite the Tuesday/Friday market used to be a giant disco for Thais called Grand Hall.

As for the Sois off Buakow, most of them are interesting to walk down. Soi Diana, Soi Honey, Soi Chayapoon, Soi Lengkee are the obvious ones. The market near the back of Made in Thailand, opposite Diana Estate, is also good.

It's not really opposite Diana Estate, but the Soi Bhuakow Night Market has some good Thai food on offer in the afternoon and evening along with all the predictable knock-offs sold to the ladies.

The area is really quite diverse and posters who are stereotyping all of the people there as low budget expats slurping beer in Chang vests are showing their own ignorance of the neighborhood.

Edited March 11, 2011 by WISteve

[Darrel]

It's not really opposite Diana Estate,

You are absolutely correct. It's nearer to Chaba Hut. Diana Estate is a hundred yards or so further south.

Not easy to describe the actual location as the market is the most memorable thing around there.

Edited March 12, 2011 by Darrel

[timekeeper]

Ah I see its the anyone who appreciates Canterbury Tales Cafe and says good things about the place must be the owner pretending to be someone else, maybe the fact that the rooms are always full the cafe is very busy and the bookshop has a steady flow all day says it all.

Good service all round and the proof is in the success of Canterbury Tales breeds jealousy in the few failed businesses in the vicinity.

You really should try harder on your life than stabbing other people in the back, it may just come back and bite you in your ass one day.

frankly, as you seem to weave a mention of Canterbury Tales into almost every post you make , its hardly surprising that you will be accused of being involved in the business.......

[nakotic]

I personally think that the Soi Buakow area is far and away the best part of Pattaya today: it still retains a little bit of character and hasnt become a middle-class shopping mall for families like the rest of town.

Walking street is an expensive and boring joke. I've been 3 times in as many months, and each time was only to walk through to get to the pier area. Soi 6 is just plain nasty: been once in 3 months and dont intend going back ever. Everywhere else is just too dull or too full of Russians or has too much traffic and noise and condos and real estate brokers.

Soi Buakow (with the Sois off it, and including the extension across South Rd to the old DayNight area) has a good selection of cheap restaurants of all types and styles, decent rooms, every other service one could reasonably expect to find, plenty of street food and a fair bit of street entertainment. They should restrict the traffic along it though; it would be much nicer pedestrianised.

When Soi Buakow becomes a dull and boring shopping centre like the rest of Pattaya (which it probably will before long) then it will certainly be time to go and live somewhere else. Just 20 years ago most of the town was like Soi Buakow is today, and it was a lot more fun then.

Agree with you here,Soi Honey's good for happy massage,Soi Diana's got some good bars,LK Metro has a lot of good places to stay and drink,Soi Lenkee has some good restaurants and Buakhow itself has some good of everything.

Don't agree about banning the traffic though,I think that would be a step too far but I would make Soi Honey and Soi Diana into one way streets for traffic.

[Rimmer]

Inflammatory reply deleted,

It would be nice if we can get away from book shops and explore the other delights of Soi Buakow please, even if the thread is a bit old there is still much to discuss

[Phil Conners]

What's now the covered market area on Soi Buakow opposite the Tuesday/Friday market used to be a giant disco for Thais called Grand Hall.

I remember that very well. At the time we had an condo in Pattaya Center Condo on 10th floor with a view over the area. At night our windows would ring to the beat of the disco. That must have created some serious hearing problems for the customers.

[WISteve]

It's not really opposite Diana Estate,

You are absolutely correct. It's nearer to Chaba Hut. Diana Estate is a hundred yards or so further south.

Not easy to describe the actual location as the market is the most memorable thing around there.

R-CON Residence, Seven-Eleven and Soi 19 would be opposite the Night Market.

Chaba Hut is 100m south opposite Jollys. Diana Estate is another 100m south opposite the Isaan night time restaurant and the old real estate office. I've stayed at R-CON and Jollys (used to be called Robins Nest North or something like that when Steve & his former partner owned it together) and I live in the area now. I'm over on the Third Road side but I still enjoy Soi Bhuakow very much. It's a good neighborhood to live in with much to offer the tourist or the expat.

I have countless pictures of the market area and Soi Bhuakow if I could ever figure out how to attach them.

Edited March 12, 2011 by WISteve

[WISteve]

Directly opposite the Night Market:

(R-CON Residence is behind the bank facilities)

[dananderson]

Nice pics of the market. My apartment is on soi-13 and I buy fresh carrot juice there from a very nice lady almost daily. The fried chicken pictured is some of the worst in town. Half the time it comes out of the frier with a weird reddish look. The buffet stalls start setting up around 2pm. I prefer Numchai sit down restraunt across the street. A few more baht, but large portions and decent quality.

[Danlo]

Ah I see its the anyone who appreciates Canterbury Tales Cafe and says good things about the place must be the owner pretending to be someone else, maybe the fact that the rooms are always full the cafe is very busy and the bookshop has a steady flow all day says it all.

Good service all round and the proof is in the success of Canterbury Tales breeds jealousy in the few failed businesses in the vicinity.

You really should try harder on your life than stabbing other people in the back, it may just come back and bite you in your ass one day.

frankly, as you seem to weave a mention of Canterbury Tales into almost every post you make , its hardly surprising that you will be accused of being involved in the business.......

I have stayed there, I like the place, I chat with the owner, I have opinions, that's ok isn't it.

[Rimmer]

One post removed from view.

30) Do not modify someone else's post in your quoted reply, either with font or color changes, added emoticons, or altered wording.

[m3dave]

I always have a fun time at Pook Bar...some of the girls there are really hot

Dont you mean chicks with dicks?

[londoedan]

Soi Buakow is a great place to visit if you want to see fat old expats in their cut-off t-shirts drinking gallons of cheap bear chang draft. ewwwwww

Possibly so, but in the "posher" parts of town you just find fat tourists drinking somewhat more expensive beer.

And of course in other parts of town its just pale russians negotiating the price of a 20B banana pancake with a vendor, mostly with a beer can in one hand, a cigarette in the other and a carrier bag under each arm.

I agree with all that you say above re Soi Bukhao (even though I'm not an old timer) . I don't live there anymore but when I fancy a beer or something to eat I still go there a lot, or one of the nearby Soi's. Still, just about, my favourite part of Pattaya.

What I fail to understand is why you tend to have a bit of a dig at Russians ? I've got into conversations with several Russian visitors over the last year, whilst having a beer or sitting on a baht bus and, without exception, have found them charming to talk to. I have noticed that some of the guys do not speak English very well and are rather reticent to talk, but the wives and girlfriends are more than willing to have a wee chat on their impressions of Thailand, where they come from etc. In fact one of the best nights out I've had in Pattaya, was with 2 Russian guys I met on Beach Rd at about 7 in the evening.

I also like eating in the Numchai restaurant opposite the market - particularly the dishes with salted duck eggs.

Witherspoons is a great place to watch sports events, some of the bars opposite and bit further N are cheap and cheerful (Kate Siree for e.g.).

And I also like a few beers in Pooks every now and then for . .. . . . . . . . . err its great for people watching .

I do wish they would put some pavements in though. Particulalry around the new hospital stretch.

Simon

[Darrel]

What I fail to understand is why you tend to have a bit of a dig at Russians ?

Because there aren't enough French people here to have a go at.

The Russians do have a tendency to block the pavement, which I find annoying, and there are lots of them around (in high season) which makes them an easy target. Of course Indians and Arabs do exactly the same thing, and that annoys me also.

All that aside, one of my best friends is Russian.

[kevkev1888]

The Buakow - New Plaza area is my favorite part of town for years now.

Generally quite busy with a bit of a buzz..

Plenty of choice, friendly girls, good atmosphere, cheap drinks, free Pool.

Good and cheap food around both Thai and Farang.

Even some decent go go's now in the LK area. (occasionally, not really my thing)

Just don't go down soi 7 8 Walking Street EVER now.

[londoedan]

Just don't go down soi 7 8 Walking Street EVER now.

I know what you mean but I think the areas you mention still have some decent places to drink and chill-out (in addition to Soi Bukhao),

On soi 7 I still drink in the UK bar (one-eyed cat's home) occaisionally and at the bottom of soi 8 on the LHS I like the first bar that fronts Beach Rd. The draft beer there is down to 40 baht a glass now which I think is good value - plus this is a great bar to watch the world go by.

On WS there are fewer options and certainly not many cheap one but I still go Frog bar in the 1st beer bar complex now and then plus the dancing girls in places like Baccara are pretty stunning,

Simon

[Danlo]

Mookow and the surrounding area is the best place in Patts.

Unbeleivable value for rooms, a massive selection of restaurants, sensibly priced bars, and a friendly vibe.

Those who think they are superior because they pay much more for the same, or less, in the up-market (Ha ha ha) parts of Patts are regarded as just as stupid here as they are in their home countries.

What he said, here here.