I have heard a couple of negative comments about Pattaya, and never having gone to the place I would like to hear some comments from those who have. I won't be going there in November, but this is what I have heard. The statements are paraphrased and not precise wording

'Bad beach, a guy I know wanted to leave the very next day' - non-TF Thai friend who happens to be a travel agent

'People go to Pattaya for one thing' (hinting it is a giant brothel) - my travel agent

Yet Pattaya is still very popular, and is a place I personally would like to visit some stage, but I somehow think it will not be with my current travel agent

Hookers hunting farangs, Farangs looking for cheap sex....that's what I see in Pattaya!!!

The beach is not as nice as the beaches in the south. Yes, there are many bar girls in Pattaya, but the government is in the process of giving Pattaya a face lift. The bar girls will never go away but Pattaya is looking nicer and nicer with each visit. Contrary to popular belief there are many things to do in Pattaya other than frequent the beer bars and go go bars.

If you want sex at night (or ANY time) and activities during the day (jet skiing, go-carting, bowling, movies, shopping, cabaret shows, etc) then Pattaya is the place to go. It's a very busy town, not quiet in any sense of the word.

The beaches are not really clean enough for swimming. The water is cleaner than it was 10 years ago. But even if it won't give you hep as easily as it did back then, you still gotta worry about all of the broken glass in the sand. The beaches further south (after Jomtien) are very nice.

Another thing that turns people off is that many of the fellow tourists there act like slobs. It's not uncommon to see stinky farangs without shirts or shoes in places like McDonalds, RGP (Royal Garden Plaza) or Foodland. It's OK attire for a taco stand in Southern California, but I still can't get used to it in Pattaya.

As for the sex, someone coined the term, "Bangkok on Steriods". I think this is a good discription. Many, many girls you'll see walking around are in the sex industry. So many that I feel sorry for those who are not and who are just working or living there. I'm sure that most of the sex tourists look at EVERY woman in Pattaya with that "I wonder how must YOU cost" look in their eyes.

And being such a tourist magnet, there are just as many scammers there. From baht buses over charging to touts pushing you into their bars to katoeys ganging up on you at 3am along the beach front (just what WERE you doing there at that time of night? 555), you've gotta keep a hightened sense about you.

But if you're prepared for that and are comfortable around Nana, Cowboy, Patpong, MBK and in Friday's 5pm traffic, then you should be just fine in Pattaya.

"The Biggest Brothel In The World"

it's so true as above if u want to have paradise holiday I suggest u to southern beach but if u want cheap sex bad beach..just straight to pattaya anyway pattaya also have good place to visit as the tiger garden ,elephant farm u can have driving at koh Lan it's 15 minutes by speed boat but the marine is not beautiful much as in southern

bad beach, good *****. Hahaha.. yes its a terrible place for me.

I agree with BillyZ. I dunno why but Pattaya seems like a place where falangs allow themselves bad behavior. Like: being almost naked, whistling to and touching local girls. Hahah, you know I saw a falang with no shirt take the air bus 79 the other day. As he enter the bus everyone stop talking, so embarrased, exept the ticket vendor who could not stop laughing. Noone looked at him but stared at his thai girlfriend, who was frozen with a fake smile. I felt bad for her...

just there have lot of bar girls haha... but hey LUCIGER pub there really cool hehe

sorry.....i have never been to pattaya....i'm not allowed to go

I guess Pattaya is everything which it is cracked up to be in every sense, but thanks to sugarpants for putting a positive spin on the place and May85 and Thaitay_girl for pointing out its good points too. It depends on how you define touching. When I was last in BKK, I certainly touched my tour guide, and we ended up dating for my journey. No boom-boom though and we met in public places. I miss Som. Moo_noy, I think the place is safe enough for you to go to

Ultimately u r right Sazzy

Well it dont only depends on you. If you don't want to do "walking and be harrassed by dozens of bargirls", you cannot avoid it in Pattaya! If you are a sensible person, its hard not to pay attention and continue enjoying yourself. I recommend you go Hua Hin, or Cha-am for more quiet.

Pattaya sounds way too ruined in this journal that it actutally is in reality. There still some beauty left about it... just whether u see it or not.

Breakofdawning, perhaps its because for a farang the negative side is too in your face. I'm sure there is a lot of beauty in Pattaya

great journal.......farang corrupted town......sad.....