Best bar guide to Pattaya
By Katie Walsh
The Queen Vic in Pattaya is a big hit
The bar scene in Pattaya is home to an eclectic mix of styles and choices; from the infamous go-go bars to the laid-back Irish bars, there is something to suit everyone in the bustling city of Pattaya. With the air filled with laughter and music until the early hours of the morning and the roads brightly lit with garish and dazzling lights, Pattaya is well known for its party scene.
Types of bars
The main attractions are the hundreds of open-air hostess bars that line the streets and are better known as ‘beer bars’. These bars are accompanied by a scattering of family-suitable bars which are often referred to as ‘couple bars’, making this thriving place a paradise for those who want to experience all types of venues. Go-go bars do not have a cover charge, making the beer slightly pricier than at a beer bar, which completes the three choices of bar venues in Pattaya.
Walking Street
The main street is called Walking Street, which later turns into the Beach Road, and this is where the majority of the action can be found. However, there are hundreds of bars branching out from this road which are growing in notoriety in their own right. V20 is Pattaya’s only ice bar and can be found in the heart of Walking Street, off Soi Happy. It has been described as ‘a special place for the beautiful and hip that are looking for serious cocktails and ice bar vodka to fuel their fun!’ and is well known for being one of the trendiest places to visit.
Molly Malones is located on the beach side of Walking Street, just down from the girlie FLB Bar. The famous Irish bar serves ice cold beers from 10:00 to 02:00 and just like all its predecessors in Phuket and Bangkok, it serves hearty portions of delicious food. It is a stone’s throw from the renowned Carousel Bar, which is the perfect place to start your night. Made up of two moving bars, you can sit and enjoy your panoramic view of Soi Diamond and all the mischief that goes on in the various surrounding bars, giving you a great opportunity to choose where to visit next. Take care when mounting the moving stage to your seats and it is recommended that this is a bar to begin your evening rather than visit when you may have had one too many!
Pattayaland and Boyztown
Moving down the street you will find the next strip of bars called Soi Pattayaland, which plays host to a couple bar named Cheers Bar, as well as various go-go bars. The notorious Blue Lagoon Bar is well known for its large bubbling Jacuzzi and girls who happily splash about with you in the soapy water and The Kennel Bar, which is frequented by expats and returning tourists.
The lanes off beach road are packed with options
Boyztown is also found in Soi Pattayaland and as its name suggests, it is predominately aimed at the gay scene. There are many cabaret shows to watch here and this stretch is regarded as a well-established and upmarket area that is seen as less sleazy than other ‘gay’ areas, like Sunee Plaza. Wild West Boys is a fun venue with some fantastic shows as is The Copa Show Bar, which has men flocking to see the unique underwater show as well as the more traditional cabarets they have on offer.
The Avenue
Just behind Boyztown you can find The Avenue, which is filled with activities from bowling and shopping to a cinema and gymnasium. This is also where you can find Shenanigans Irish Bar, which is a superb spot to wine and dine on the terrace while you watch the world go by. BehindShenanigans is one of the better beer bars in this vicinity called The Buffalo Bar, which is tastefully set out in its pleasant location just outside the main area making this a popular night spot for the expat crowd.
Back over on Beach Road you will find some outdoor hut style bars with cheap drinks and lots of girls who wait on your every need and music and dancing to see you through the night. Nestled among the go-go bars and down Soi 7, off to the right of the main Beach Road, is the traditional English pub, The Pig and Whistle. Serving English fare from 08:30, this perfect oasis is a great place to quench your tropical thirst in the cool of the air-conditioned bar.
After crossing over Central Pattaya Road and following Beach Road you will find a group of no hassle couple bars dotted between 20 or so hostess bars, down a road on the right called Soi 6.The Hard Rock Café provides some spectacular sea and mountain views from its fantastically situated position and just opposite is The Queen Vic, Sportsman and The Jack Tar, all of which provide friendly atmospheres minus the screaming bar girls.
Naklua Road
If it is bar girls and go-go bars that you are looking for but you wish to venture out of the touristy area of Walking Street, then venture on down to Soi 2 and Soi 3, opposite Big C, where you can find a large selection of beautiful girls working in the bars in this area. Further out of town in the predominantly German area of Naklua Road, you can find over 30 hostess bars all filled with girls looking to make your holiday a memorable one.
Jomtien
Further out of the main part of Pattaya is the beautifully scenic area of Jomtien, which also plays host to many bars and has a lively nightlife all of its own, if somewhat less intrusive than the main area of Pattaya. The Ace Cafe Thailand is situated at Hanuman Corner in the centre of Jomtien Beach. This is a good venue for watching live sport on the large, flat screen TV’s and free ‘Som Tam Sunday’ is a great way to impress your Thai girl by creating your own spicy papaya salad.
There are plenty of gay bars in Jomtien including the aptly named Dicks Café and the livelier lady boy Star Treff transvestite cabaret show. Strewn among the restaurants and guesthouses are an array of go-go and beer bars with attractive Thai girls serving drinks and making your night a fun one. The bars in Jomtien are an ideal place to befriend a Thai girl, drink beer, get beaten at pool and swap life stories with the expat and tourist crowd with slightly less shock and awe that you can find in central Pattaya.
Whether you are looking for a quiet place to enjoy a meal or a full blown holiday packed with action and Thai girls, alcohol and late nights, there is enough choice crammed into this city to please everyone. Pattaya is no longer solely aimed at the sex tourist trade and is growing in popularity with all different kinds of people from all walks of life.
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