If you’re a single man making your first visit to Pattaya you better be prepared. Sure, you’re first time in Pattaya is going to be fantastic, you are going to have the time of your life. But if you don’t know what to expect in Pattaya, or what Pattaya is all about, you might well be tempted to make your first time in Pattaya your last.
The best piece of advice for any single male in Pattaya for the first time is just to use good old commonsense, and don’t rush in to things. A little prior knowledge of what to expect – what to do – and how to deal with situations will make your first vacation in Pattaya memorable for all the right reasons.
So, if you’re a single man planning your very first trip to Pattaya here’s some great tips and guidance just for single men in Pattaya for the first time.
Before You Go To Pattaya
Planning and preparing for a trip to Pattaya as a single guy is easy and straight forward. But there are some things you should consider arranging before leaving home.
Best Hotels For Single Guys in Pattaya
Choosing a hotel is just a matter of finding a hotel with the required facilities and services within your budget in your preferred neighborhood. If you plan on taking girls back to your hotel room you should book a guest/joiner friendly hotel, otherwise the hotel may charge you a joining fee every time you invite a guest back to stay overnight. For obvious reasons it would be preferable if the hotel has in-room safety deposit boxes. Read more about booking guest friendly hotels in Pattaya
Where to Stay in Pattaya
Most single guys like to be close to the nightlife spots, and for that purpose anywhere between North Pattaya Road and South Pattaya Road, and between Pattaya Beach Road and 3rd Road is great. This area is also great for dining, shopping, activities, and cheap and easy to get around. If you prefer somewhere a little more tranquil but with easy access to the nightlife spots of downtown Pattaya you should consider Wongamat & Naklua, Pratumank, or Jomtien.
Travel Vaccinations
As a single male visiting Pattaya there is a good chance you will be having casual sex, in which case you should consider vaccinations for hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and HPV.
Bring Your Own Condoms
You can buy condoms from 7-11 and Family Mart any time of the day in Pattaya, and they are also available at pharmacies and supermarkets. The problem is, condoms are generally smaller in Thailand, so finding your size right when you need it could be a problem. I would definitely bring a good supply of your favorite size and brand with you, at least until you can source a condom size and brand that suits you here in Pattaya.
Nightlife in Pattaya
There are not many places in the world which have a nightlife scene quite like Pattaya. If it’s not your first time in Thailand you probably have a good idea what to expect. Otherwise, Your first night out on the town in Pattaya will probably affect you in one of 2 different ways – you’re going to be like a rabbit in headlights – or like a kid in a candy shop.
Before You go out for The First Time in Pattaya
It’s all too easy to get carried away in Pattaya. You go out on a little recce, visit a couple of bars, then a couple more bars. Then you jump on a baht bus and get off at a lively looking beer bar complex, and one thing leads to another, or at least that’s how you explain it away, but you don’t really remember. The outcome is you’ve just woken up in a strange room, lying next to a strange woman (at least you hope it’s a woman) and you have no idea how you got there, or even where you are. Believe me, it happens.
There’s a few commonsense things you can do before venturing out to enjoy Pattaya’s nightlife for the first time, or any time in fact. They are – keep a hotel address card in your wallet – keep a condom in your wallet – take anything you don’t need out your wallet and lock it in the safe. It’s a good idea to have a map app on your phone, and save your hotel as a location so you can easily navigate back.
Bar Opening and Closing Times in Pattaya
Bars open at various times throughout the day in Pattaya, and you will find some bar/restaurants open as early as 0600. By mid day or late afternoon the majority of bars and go-go clubs are open, but a few go-go’s and the nightclubs will only open around 6 or 7PM.
Ordering and Paying for Drinks at Bars in Pattaya
You might find it strange at first, but in most cases you don’t have to queue at the bar to order drinks in Pattaya. At beer bar complexes you will probably find yourself seated at the bar anyway, but no matter where you sit, the staff will come and take your order. Along with your drink you will get a bin with your bill inside it. Every time you order a drink a new bill will be placed in your bin.
The usual practice is to pay your total bill only when you leave. When you ask to pay the bill they take away the bin and return your change in a folder. You don’t have to leave a tip, but if you do, just leave it in the folder and hand it back.
What is a Bar Girl?
If a girl works in a bar in Pattaya, she is known as a bar girl, and in Pattaya “bar girl” usually refers to a sex worker. But the truth is not all girls working in bars are sex workers. Some girls choose to work only as a waitress, a cashier, or another position not involving sex work, so technically not all girls working the bars in Pattaya are bar girls.
Girls come to Pattaya to work as bar girls of their own free will. Contrary to claims by popular tabloid news papers, bar girls in Pattaya are not sex slaves or victims of human trafficking. The majority of bar girls are employed by the bar and earn a monthly salary plus what they earn from customers who take them out the bar.
What do Bar Girls do?
In Pattaya, bar girls are employed to entertain and serve customers. If they wish, they are free to accompany the customer outside the bar after the customer has paid a bar fine. Bar girls also make money for the bar when a customer buys them a drink, which is commonly in Pattaya as a lady drink.
Read more about bar girls in Pattaya.
What is a Bar Fine?
When a customer wishes to spend some time with a bar girl, mainly to take her out the bar for a period of time he must pay compensation to the bar, This compensation is known as a bar fine.
Read more about about bar fines and taking bar girls from bars in Pattaya.
Do Bar Girls in Pattaya Scam You?
It’s rare, but yes – guys do get scammed by girls in Pattaya, and the victims are usually naive first time visitors to Pattaya. Fortunately it’s not a common scenario, but single guys have taken girls back to their hotel room – the girl has knocked him out with drugs – and then stolen his belongings.
Are there Lady-boys in Pattaya?
Yes, there are many lady-boys in Pattaya. They can be found in beer bars and clubs alongside girls, and can also be found in bars which predominantly employ lady-boys. Some lady-boys are easy to identify – their appearance is more like that of a man in drag. But by contrast – some lady-boys are so femininely beautiful they are last person you would expect to be a lady-boy.
How to Get a Girlfriend Any Time in Pattaya
Need a part time girlfriend, or just a friend for company, someone to show you round Pattaya?. You will most likely have to give a cash gift, but maybe not. There are dozens of girls in Pattaya who would love to keep you company, show you round, or be your part time girlfriend. Read this post.
Do’s and Don’ts for Single Guys in Pattaya
There’s a few things you should and should not do as a single guy in Pattaya, at least not without knowing the outcome or cost.
Don’t Fall in Love With a Pattaya Bar Girl
That’s advice you hear all too often, and it’s actually very stereotypical of bar girls. I would more appropriately advise you to be careful about falling in love with a bar girl. Here’s a good article I recommend you read, it’s called Can You Take The Bar Out The Girl.
Do not ring the bell in a bar
Almost all bars in Pattaya have a bell, usually hanging above the counter. It’s not their to get the attention of the staff. When you ring the bell at a bar it means the drinks are on you, and you are buying a drink not just for friends, you are buying for everybody in the bar.
Do not have unprotected sex in Pattaya
You are more likely to pick a sexually transmitted disease in Pattaya than most other places, please read this article about carelessly transmitted diseases and find out why.
Don’t get Pick-pocketed by Lady-boys
On Pattaya’s Soi 6 and Soi 6/1 ladyboys in groups of 3 or 4 crowd round you – at the same as asking if you want sex they have their hands all over you – completely distracting you while one of them picks your wallet out your pocket.
Late night or early morning on Pattaya Beach Road they might employ the same tactics, but they have also been known to be much forceful or even violent.
If you find yourself being mobbed or harassed by lady-boys just keep walking, politely decline their offers, remain calm, and keep your hand on your wallet
Do dress appropriately
Shorts – T-shirts and sandals are the norm all year round. You might want to fetch a pair of jeans or trousers and a shirt to comply with dress code at some of the more up-market restaurants in Pattaya or visits to official/government establishments. And you should always wear your shirt inside restaurants, shops, bars and shopping malls etc.
Do try and choose a hotel with a in-room safe
You have no way of knowing if your overnight guest is light fingered, so an in-room safe is a convenient place to hide your valuables.
Do learn how to identify a lady-boy
There’s a few tell tale signs that a Thai girl is not really a girl. Sometimes you might have to go to the extreme lengths of asking what they have down there, and how long have they had it. Here’s a few tips on spotting lady-boys in Pattaya.
This guide is for single men making their first trip to Pattaya, you should also read these general tips for first timers in Pattaya.
Enjoy your first time in Pattaya, have fun, use commonsense, and don’t forget your condoms.