Pattaya

[terryboy]

i always fly cathy pacific from toronto to hk its about 16 hrs. they have a great selection of movies current and old plus asian movies. but usually i take a sleep pill after the meal and sleep about 7 hrs. there shiuld be a lot of flights from hk to bkk. ive never gone direct so i cant comment. Qatar airline is pretty good. air asia is shit. they charge you for everything. water even.

i might go back in june or july this year.

 

[CapitalGuy]

Thanks terryboy. I flew through London, overnighted there just for the sake of my sanity, then to BKK (12 more hours in the air). Business and First class give you lay-flat beds/pods, so I too slept for most of the flights. But even with that, I was zonked afterwards, and bored to tears. It may make more sense though to fly direct to HKG or BEK like you did, then do the shorter hop to BKK. On the return trip I travelled for 32 hours all told. Soooo painful and boring!!! Lol. Maybe your routing is better.

Where do you guys stay in Pattaya? I researched all the various boards (ie. pattaya-addicts) plus trip advisor etc. Wound up at the Natural Beach on Soi 11, and the Holiday Inn by Soi 3 for a couple nights when I got tired of the noise at the Soi 11. The Natural Beach was only 1200 baht a night, with no joiner fee, for a normal but OK room, but it had a keyed safe rather than an electronic one, which was a nuisance, and was noisy. The Holiday Inn though was over 5000 baht a night for a great room with a beach view.

 

[terryboy]

I stayed on Billabong (700 bth) Areca Lodge (2000 bth) amd LK Renaissance (25000) 100 CAN = 3,000 bth

Billabong was the cheapest but becasue it has a live band it was also the loudest. i was staying here in the earlier part of my trip so the noise was something of a bother. But had i have stayed here towards the end it prob wouldn't have been a problem as i would have been coming back late and exausted. Pluses were the breakfast $3 can for a full breakfast. no joiners fee. CLose to Devils Den. The rooms are pretty basic and most of the guests are in the 50-60 age group. I think i got sick here due to the AC. i don't think the filters are changed regularly enough so i just got a cough that wouldn't go away. but if your going for a month and budget is a concern it not a bad place. Also the girls don't really care what kind of hotel you stay in.

Areca Lodge was the quietest and looked like a family place. great pools. I never woke up till past 12 so i didn't have breakfast here. no Joiners fee but i hear its like 200 bth for a 2nd girl. nicer rooms then the Billabong.

The Renaissance was the best IMO. It was the most convenient and had a 7/11 type store across the street. so you could get drinks and condoms and toothbrushes for the ladies. The wifi was good and staff were very friendly and helpful. I also liked that the room had a radio with port for ipod or smartphone so you could listen to your own music or use it to drown out the outside noise. It just had a more cleaner feel then the other 2.

oh and the above are prices for high season as i went in december, in June= August price should be about half as much.

outside there are plenty of restaurants and internet cafes and massage parlous. some were it was 100 bth for a foot massage for 1 hr. that's $3 can. But for me i spent most of my time on walking st so i think i will stay in Soi 13 next trip. the Red Balcony Inn has good reviews and its moderately priced. 1200 bth for low season. joiner fee is 200 per day. so consider the place 1400 per day, still cheaper and close to the action. this was if you barfine a gogo girl for short time you wont have to spend 350 bth for a short time room.


next time don't fly first class. buy 2 economy tickets for me and you haha.

 

[luckyjackson]

When I used to go I'd also try and stop a day or two along the way. Hong Kong, Tokyo, Seoul, London, Amsterdam...they all have their charms. KLM used to offer one free night hotel for stop overs, don't know if they still do.

To the OP...for old times sake, how about posting what the current short and long times fees are these days?

 

[CapitalGuy]

lucky, in Bangkok last month the girls I sat with were all asking 2000 short time. They were not interested in negotiating downward, either. At the bars I visited in Soi Cowboy, that was the ask. In Pattaya, I paid 1000 for a gogo girl short time, and 1500 long time from a girl at a different bar. Odd. I also took home a streetwalker off Ocean Street for 500 baht short time - and she was the hottest of all the Pattaya girls I tried out. And thank God she was in fact a woman, lol.

Of note, if you take a side trip to Cambodia to see the temples up north, there is a sex trade in Siem Reap as well. It is not oriented towards Westerners though. Yes there is a beer bar beside the Red Piano restaurant in the tourist part of town, and discrete street walkers at the Beer Garden and near the Old Market, but not many. However there is a thriving sex trade for locals. Ask your tuk tuk driver to take you to a karaoke bar (where some of the girls "go outside") or to the Vietnamese-run brothel, where stunningly beautiful Cambodian women who speak no more than a dozen words of English will bang your brains out all night long for 20 - 40 USD. Stunningly beautiful.

 

[hungry]

Thanks terryboy. I flew through London, overnighted there just for the sake of my sanity, then to BKK (12 more hours in the air). Business and First class give you lay-flat beds/pods, so I too slept for most of the flights. But even with that, I was zonked afterwards, and bored to tears. It may make more sense though to fly direct to HKG or BEK like you did, then do the shorter hop to BKK. On the return trip I travelled for 32 hours all told. Soooo painful and boring!!! Lol. Maybe your routing is better.

Where do you guys stay in Pattaya? I researched all the various boards (ie. pattaya-addicts) plus trip advisor etc. Wound up at the Natural Beach on Soi 11, and the Holiday Inn by Soi 3 for a couple nights when I got tired of the noise at the Soi 11. The Natural Beach was only 1200 baht a night, with no joiner fee, for a normal but OK room, but it had a keyed safe rather than an electronic one, which was a nuisance, and was noisy. The Holiday Inn though was over 5000 baht a night for a great room with a beach view.

I find the best way is Toronto non stop to Tokyo, then direct to Bangkok. Business class is great, plus you get to use the vip lounges at the airports. I am currently staying at a place across the street from Central Plaza, for about 6500 Baht for month including everything. It is great. It is brand new, I was the first person to stay in my room. Free Wifi, fridge, flat screen tv, balcony, air, etc. Plus it is very quiet. The owner is great and she has parties for the guests on occasion.

 

[terryboy]

could you give name of this hotel. or pm if you prefer.

 

[thailover]

i find that the roof garden inn on thapprya rd easy 10 min baht bus to walking street

nice size room for 700 or the big room for 850

 

[hungry]

Here is an email address for a taxi service I have used between Bangkok and Pattaya. It is 1000 baht to Pattaya and 900 Baht return. Includes all tolls, etc. They will pick you up at the airport and take you anywhere you want to stay. Just email them your arrival info and where you are staying. It has always worked great for me.

mr_ttaxi@hotmail.com

 

[mrgreek]

Here is an email address for a taxi service I have used between Bangkok and Pattaya. It is 1000 baht to Pattaya and 900 Baht return. Includes all tolls, etc. They will pick you up at the airport and take you anywhere you want to stay. Just email them your arrival info and where you are staying. It has always worked great for me.

mr_ttaxi@hotmail.com

I've used MrT's service in the past and I whole-heartedly endorse him especially when arriving in BKK