First Visit

[Guest mgluyas]

Hey thanks for the great info so far.

Now if coming to Thailand for 2weeks in Feb2007, what would you all suggest to be the best places to visit.

I was thinking 1week Bangcock, 1 week pattaya. Should I stay at the travel agent places or book own accomodation, if so where, and where do you suggest I visit

Michael

michaelgluyas@dodo.com.au

[Bob]

Hmmm......why don't you first tell us what you want to do. Want to see some cultural things, want to go diving, want to go bowling, want to go shopping, just want to get laid as many times as your body can take, like saunas, love to photograph temples, etc., etc. With a few ideas as to your interests, I'm sure many here can suggest more ideas than you have time.

[Guest mgluyas]

Hmmm......why don't you first tell us what you want to do. Want to see some cultural things, want to go diving, want to go bowling, want to go shopping, just want to get laid as many times as your body can take, like saunas, love to photograph temples, etc., etc. With a few ideas as to your interests, I'm sure many here can suggest more ideas than you have time.

a little cultural, some shopping, diving yes.

Getting Laid most deffinetaly

Michael

[Gaybutton]

In Bangkok I highly recommend staying at the Pinnacle Hotel. Make your booking through Jimmy. Jimmy is Thai and has an office right in the Pinnacle, room 1312. Booking through him will save you a lot of money. I advise calling him rather than trying to deal with him via E-mail. He never seems to answer E-mail. The telephone number in Thailand is 081-859-6985. Thailand's country code is 66. The Pinnacle is within walking distance of the Babylon Sauna and it's only a ten minute taxi ride to the gay venues in the Suriwong-Silom-Patpong area. Booking through Jimmy, the room will be about 1100 baht. Booking through another agent or the hotel directly, the same room will be around 1800 baht. Make sure you call Jimmy between 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, Thailand time. Those are his office hours and he will not answer his phone other than during those hours. It's well worth the call.

 

If you decide to stay at the Pinnacle, send an E-mail to me at gaybutton@gmail.com. I can send you back a copy of the Pinnacle's business card. The card has the address of the hotel written in Thai. That will make it a lot easier to get there from the airport when you arrive.

 

In Bangkok, besides the bars and gay venues, there are excellent organized tours, with English speaking tour guides. There is a tour desk in the lobby of the Pinnacle. The one problem with any organizd tour is that they're going to make a stop at a gem store. I would never advise buying gems from such a place. The thing to do is go inside with everyone else, drink the glass of champagne they'll probably give you, and then walk right back out again to the tour bus and wait.

 

Try the legitimate Thai massages too. They're fantastic. Try both the full body massage and the foot massage.

 

In Pattaya, especially if it's your first trip, I suggest staying at eitherThe Ambiance or Le Caf

[Guest wowpow]

There are several good sites with gay Thailand info and listings

 

http://www.boxertravels.com/

http://dragoncastle.net/

http://www.dreadedned.com/

http://gaythailand.startbewijs.nl/

http://www.stickyrice.ws/

http://www.utopia-asia.com/

 

each of these sites has links to more.

 

To decide on that where and when you have to consider your pockets and style hotels 2,4 or 5 star. Do you want a total shagfest or a bit of culture, sport, sightseeing, shopping, jungle trecking, riding elephants as well?

 

February is still high season for Thailand so I would suggest it's best to book hotels ahead especially if you want gay and gay friendly ones. For best value either book direct or through an online hotel agency such as

http://www.asiarooms.com/index.html

http://www.asiatravel.com/thailand.html

http://www.res24.com/?p=hotels.thaivisa.com

 

 

[Bob]

Good advice above and I don't think you'll have trouble getting laid in Thailand...hehe.

 

As concerns diving, several dive shops in the Pattaya area.....I'd suggest having the hotel desk hook you up with an outfit.

 

Culturally...and presuming this is your first trip to LOS....you must see the Grand Palace in Bangkok. A reasonable tour of that is about 3 hours. If you want a guide for that, there's many hanging around the entrance but I'd suggest forgetting that doing your own thing.

 

One of the best things I did during my first trip to Thailand was to take the trip up to Ayutthaya (I probably spelled that wrong) via the tour offered at the Oriental Hotel. It's an all day event, starting at about 7:30AM to 8AM. Bus ride with a guide up to Ayutthaya, a look around the ruins and a few other things, and then a ride on the big boat back to Bangkok. The lower level of the boat has some very good food (western and thai) and the upper deck has a bar and lounge chairs (with a covered area if you want it). A very lazy and slow way to get a glimpse of Thailand....and I found a great way to relax after spending an enternity on an airplane (it doesn't seem so bad now but it sure did back then). I loved this trip and probably will do it again some day.

 

In Bangkok, also fun to take a cruise along the river, visit the floating market, etc. If your hotel has a tour desk, just stop there and pick out what you'd like to do. Not too expensive.

 

In Pattaya, there is no culture (.....just kidding). Check with your hotel there too. My guess, though, is that about as cultural as you'll get in Pattaya is when you yell "oh my buddha" (or the equivalent) when you see your first special show in one of the bars....

[TotallyOz]

In Pattaya, there is no culture

 

Are you kidding? Have you see the show at Throb/Splash? If that ain't culture, I don't know what is.

 

 

There are also several beautiful Wats in Pattaya. Rent a boat for the day, take a fishing trip and have lunch out on one of the islands.

 

A great place for a nice view at night is Cabbages and Condoms.

[Gaybutton]

Those of you who remember my web site may also remember I had published several articles about day trips around the Pattaya area, and cultural venues are included. If you have not visited the Vihanra Sien Chinese Museum, you just don't know what you're missing. By the way, if you do go there, ask for 'Johnny.' He is a guide at the museum and his English is fluent. He'll show you everything and explain the details about what you are seeing. That alone is a must if you can get there.

 

If anyone would like a copy of those articles, simply send me an E-mail at gaybutton@gmail.com and I will be happy to send them to you.

[Guest kenrfc]

If this is your first visit to Thailand you might want to pay for a guide to show you around a bit esp in Bangkok. I would recommend contacting Purple Dragon tours (ex Utopia Tours). I have used them for several years on my first visitis to many Thai areas. They have several package tours but you can also have a 1 day tour guide for about $50 US. There are a few "must see" attractions in Bangkok like Wat Arun, the Royal Palace and Emerald Buddha, Wat Po etc. Trying to get around to them all on your own the first time is rather daunting (I know from expierience!). Remember though, Purple Dragon is not a "sex tour" company.

Bangkok gay (farang) nightlife is centered around Silom Road Sois 2 and 4 for restraunts, bars and Discos and if you are looking for Go-Go bars they are off Surawong road in Soi Duangthawee (Soi Nasty ) There is a cluster of even _more_ sleazy places past Patpong and Tawan Bar. You can get maps of the areas at some of the websites listed previously.

My recomendation for a hotel (since you haven't specified your price range) is Tarntawan which is within easy walking distance of all the major gay places.

Remember, Bangkok is a big place, like London or New York, so its easy to loose your way the first time. The best thing though is you can get a taxi for less than $1 US flagfall.

 

For Pattaya the best guide I can recommend is Gaybutton!

But he's a personal friend