Explanations

 
Bangkok Nightlife

DESPITE its countless other attractions, Bangkok is undoubtedly best known for its nightlife. Famous (or perhaps more appropriately, infamous) for its liberal attitude towards 'adult entertainment', it is an unrivalled destination for holidaymakers in search of the kind of fun they'll find in only a handful of other places around the world.That said, Bangkok is far from being simply a haven for sex tourists. While there can be no denying the wide variety of entertainment it has to offer to the over 18's, the vast majority of it is restricted to specific areas, just as London has Soho and Paris has Piggalle and Rue St Dennis.

Contrary to popular opinion, girls do not lurk on every street corner, nor is every shop or cafe a front for a bordello. And you can pretty much guarantee you will not be molested by a rampant ladyboy as you shop for designer labels in a trendy department store - unless, of course, you're into that kind of thing!

So, now we've established the facts, where exactly do you go if you're a consenting adult on the lookout for a little excitement? Well, basically you have three main choices: Patpong, in the south of the of the city; Nana Plaza (and the surrounding area on Sukhumvit Soi 4) in the central part of town; or Soi Cowboy (aka Sukhumvit Soi 23). In addition Sukhumvit road, and it associated sois (side streets) are scattered with little bars and big bars, not to mention massage parlours, go-gos and other pleasure palaces.

Each area offers a fairly typical selection of beer and go-go bars plus, in Patpong, at least, a good handful of massage parlours. Patpong is Bangkok's most famous red light area, with dozens of lively bars spanning the two streets that make up the area. Coincidentally, it's also home to one of the city's best night markets so don't be surprised to see lots of families and couples milling around the place, too. If you've never been to Patpong before your best bet is to have a good look around first. Places like this should be savoured and enjoyed, so don't be in too much of a rush. Find a place you like, step inside and take a seat.

The down side of Patpong is the touts and the hustle you get in the gogos. You have to be prepared to stand your ground and say "no." Bill padding is not unknown, signing your bills as they arrive is a good deterrent.

Beer bars in Bangkok are, for the most part, the same as those you'll find anywhere in the world. The key difference being that all the girls you'll find in them are of what you might call the 'working' variety.

If you decide you want to take a girl from a bar, you'll have to pay a bar fine to the owner for taking one of his or her staff away from work. What you then get up to with the girl, and how much it costs you, is a matter for negotiation. Of course, you don't have to leave the bar with a girl. Punters are more than welcome to simply sit, drink and people-watch and can do so with or without a female companion. If you do decide you want a girl to sit with you, however, she'll almost certainly expect you to buy her a drink. Lady drinks, as these are called, cost much the same as a standard drink, but some of the money goes to the girl. So consider them as a form of tipping. In addition to its beer bars, Patpong has a plethora of go-gos where you'll get a whole lot more than just chat for your money. But be warned, above ground floor level some of the shows can be extreme (to say the least), so if you're not into that sort of thing, make sure you check before you go in.

There are plenty of go-gos, however, which feature nothing more daring than a dozen or so girls dressed in bikinis (seldom naked these days) dancing provocatively around poles. Drinks in the go-go bars cost more than they do in the beer bars, but then one must expect to pay for one's entertainment.

Moving on from Patpong, the next best known nightlife area in Bangkok is Nana Plaza, a multi-level entertainment complex at the top of Soi 4, Sukhumvit Road. Soi 4 itself boasts a couple of dozen beer bars - all much of a muchness - but for those who know what they want Nana Plaza is the place to head. Spanning three floors, the plaza is second to none when it comes to girls per square inch! Short, tall, fat, thin, old and young (over 18) - whoever you're looking for you'll find her here.
Until the recent crackdowns the higher up the plaza you got, the raunchier the shows, but now all the dancing is much the same.That said, some places are much better than others.

The third of the main adult entertainment areas in Bangkok is Soi Cowboy, located just off Sukhumvit Soi 23. In recent months Cowboy has been eclipsing Nana Plaza as an entertainment area. It is less frenetic than Patpong, and far less intense than Nana Plaza, The single street boasts a good selection of go-go bars and is as good a place as any to enjoy a night of fun. There is also a selection of beer bars in the area behind Cowboy, but these tend to be fairly quiet and better can be found elsewhere.

To get the real inside scoop on Bangkok nightlife look at our sister site: http://www.baronbonk.com/bangkok.shtml

Back to the top
  Search this site only

 
  • Published by asiabugle.com, Milton Keynes, UK
  • All rights reserved. No unauthorized copying, or use.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

    •