Pattaya - Thailand - been there? Too Seedy?

[DavidMc]

Hey everyone!

Love Thailand and have been there 3x before.

I've basically done the whole country and this is roughly what I thought of the regions:

Phuket (Patong) - not for me! Too flashy and touristy
Phuket (Kata) - as above, nothing really special about this area. Quieter but too many guys trying to sell me suits.
Koh Samui - not a bad mix of mod cons / remoteness
Koh Phi Phi - loved it!
Koh Phangan - loved it!
Koh Tao - loved it!
Chang Mai - loved it!
Railay Bay (Krabi area) - loved it!
Bangkok - so-so, too much hussle and bussle, prefer the beach areas.

Has anyone been to Pattaya?

It's another popular spot for tourists and a place my buddy and I haven't been too so we're interested in it. Is it too seedy or is it fun? I have a feeling it might be a bit too 'older fat Western man w/ young Thai girl/boy' type area. Not our thing, even though we are two single mates, late 20's to early 30's.

Thanks

(Would love any other recommendations based on my previous travels and what I thought of the areas).

 

[Terry_w]

Pattaya has been described as a 'brothel with sand'. I went there a few months ago with my wife and we didn't see one bar or bar girl.

There are the sexy areas, mainly near walking street and the breach, but this is only a small part of pattaya.

 

[stephenb465]

Pattaya and Chiang Mai

I agree, Thailand is great, I fly there on my R&R’s as I work on a gold mine in the Philippines. Been travelling there for over three years and have purchase a couple of condo’s, (to assist in my retirement fund, when the time comes) Pattaya is great, I don’t go to the sexy bars and I still have fun, but I always travel up to Chiang mai and really prefer that area as a place to live and travel

Cheap to live, generally nice people and great food. I haven’t cooked for myself for 5 years and plan to keep it that way

 

[b simpson]

Pattaya is just a big red light district, much better beaches elsewhere.

Chiang Mai is nice. I like hiring a motorbike and cruising through the mountains up north.

I'm not really a fan of thailands cities. Seen one, seen them all. Far too crowded but the countryside is great.

Real thai food is amazing, ped mak mak!

 

[MaxwellSmart]

If anyone has Twitter - Tim Sharky is worth following. He is a Pattaya local.
"timsharky"

"Made a few $$ as a Loan Shark. Ended up in Thailand working as a Pimp. I run a small motley crew of girls. I just smile at life. It ain't going to last forever".

 

[Jamie M]

I visited about 10 years ago. Didn't like the place at all. It's a seedier Phuket.

Cheers

Jamie

 

[buster]

went to pattaya 3 years ago, I didn't like it at all either.

 

[cmason]

Hi David
All those places you have mentioned except Chiang Mai and Bangkok are in the South, there is a whole country to explore in Central, Northern and North Eastern Thailand.

Thailand is my favourite country, can't get there enough. I recommend exploring the North and North East which in my opinion gives a better exposure to the Thai people and culture and very few tourists.

On my most recent trip we came down through Laos and entered Thailand from Vientiane into Nong Khai at the top of the North East of Thailand. Then made our way down through the North East through Khon Kaen and Nakon Ratchasima to Poipet where we entered Cambodia.

First trip we ventured up to Chiang Mai then across to Chiang Rai and the Golden Triangle crossing into Burma at Mae Sai, again was a awesome cultural experience especially for the kids.

I have been down South once as well to Koh Lanta which was beautiful and relaxing but for me the South is only for relaxing, but fully understand different people have different travel priorities.

 

[DEC]

I visited about 10 years ago. Didn't like the place at all. It's a seedier Phuket.

Cheers

Jamie

And at least in Phuket the beaches are actually reasonably good and the water seems clear whereas pattaya the beaches are covered in rubbish and soi dog droppings and the water is dirty.

I was in Pattaya last year and that was it for me, never again.
Its a shame because the place I stayed in was fantastic just as long as you didnt go outside to see anything.