FUN AND FROLIC IN PATTAYA. Review on Pattaya

FUN AND FROLIC IN PATTAYA

By

Vinay Singh

Pattaya is a beach resort, about 150 Km from Bangkok. It developed in the seventies when it was an R & R station for the US troops in Vietnam and subsequently for the US Seventh Fleet. The entire city is along the strip of beach, and all activity is tourist related. There are hundreds of hotels and nightspots, most of the latter concentrated in a hundred-metre stretch of the beach road in the southern end of the town. Known as the walking street, it is lined on both sides with go-go bars and discos. You can walk into anyone without an entry fee, and ogle at the strippers and dirty dancers from touching distance. Of course, you will have to order a drink for yourself as well as your companion, of whom there is no dearth. The routine in almost all bars is similar, with girls using their genitals to perform the most bizarre antics, including smoking a cigarette, shooting darts with a blow-pipe and breaking eggs for making an omelette. After visiting half a dozen one has had enough, and if he has not found a girl to his liking, heads for a ‘live show’.

Pattaya has many interesting shows, including the famous transvestite cabaret. The shows are modeled on the well-known cabarets such as the Moulin Rouge in Paris, but are not of the same class. It is only at the end of the show that one discovers that the performers are not girls! There is a Russian show where the performers are all from Russia or one of the neighbouring countries, such as Ukraine, Kazhakistan, Uzbekistan etc. Another show has live sex on the stage, interspersed with erotic dance routines. The shows have about 15 routines, and there is no break, with people walking in and out whenever they wish. So, if one wishes he can sit through several shows, without paying anything extra. The entry fee for these shows is about 20-25 dollars or 800 – 1000 bahts.

Like in Bangkok, the taxi or tuk-tuk driver will willingly take you to a place where you can review a parade of nubile girls or middle aged women, depending upon your pocket. The rates vary from about 3000 bahts for the younger girls to 2000 bahts for the older ones. Of course, a tuk-tuk or motorcycle driver can find a place where the cost is just 1000 bahts, but the place will be seedy and the occupants well past their prime.

The other places where one can find girls are beer bars, discos and massage parlours. The traditional Thai massage is very popular, and costs about 2000 bahts. Many tourists go in for the foot massage, which costs just 1000 bahts. Many massage parlours also offer other services, about which one can enquire at the reception or with the masseur. Almost every hotel has a massage parlour, and one can get the massage in his room if one wants. Many of the girls are quite willing to perform extra services, for an additional cost, which may range from 1000 bahts for body contact to 3000 bahts for the full service. If the masseur is not willing to give the full service herself, she will gladly send you one that is.

Like in Bangkok, escort services are also available. The telephone numbers are given in the directory kept in each hotel room. One can also ask the reception or the concierge for the telephone numbers. If the escort is not to you liking, you can send her back, after paying her the taxi fare. The hotel will charge you about 500 bahts for permitting a lady guest in your room. A novelty of Pattaya is the transvestites, who are called ‘lady boys’. Most of them can easily pass muster as girls, and it is only their voice that betrays their true sex. Many escort services provide lady boys for prices ranging from 1000 to 2000 bahts. Male escorts are also available, and there are massage parlours where men give ‘four hand’ massages to men.

Pattaya also has facilities for water sports and cruises if one wants a break. One can take a dinner cruise, which lasts about two hours, including a dance performance. There are also all day tours, which include scuba diving, para sailing and visiting neighboring beaches. The food is usually included in the cost of the tour, but one has to pay for the drinks and the souvenirs that the guide will insist that you buy.