THAILAND - PATTAYA
- E. McPhillips
- Jan 11, 2017
- 6 min read
If I could give one travel tip, it would be to book accomodation through Airbnb. Always. I find it the easiest, most affordable way to organise accomodation as well as giving extra benefits you may not appreciate until you have them. Airbnb, for those who are unaware, is an organisation/website that allows people to rent out their own properties either completely or room by room. It's world wide which means you have the opportunity to rent a local home, in a local area, overseas. There is a feedback system which not only reviews the property and hosts, but also allows hosts to review visitors to ensure the correct people are staying in your property; and minimise any exposure to damage. I find Airbnb properties to be much better value than hotels or accomodation you would find on Booking.com for example. Additionally, you automatically have a contact in the foreign country or town - the host. Communication is made easy, so you can always contact the host for insider tips on where to eat, what to see or anything that may make your stay easier. Most hosts usually stock their homes with different amenities you may not receive through a regular rental property such as food and goodies, maps and recommendations, bathroom items, washing machines etc.
For our trip to Pattaya we booked a self contained apartment at Unixx in South Pattaya. For 2 weeks, for 2 people, it cost a total of $512 AUD. Cheap. As. Chips. I cannot recommend this place enough. It is a secure building with 24/7 security, not something we were looking for but it certainly wasn't unappreciated. They have two pools, one with a rock climbing wall and slide, as well as two roof top gardens. The building has only recently been built so it is very modern, clean and functional. Click 'Here' for the Airbnb listing.
I barely remember our first few days in Pattaya as it seems so long ago now. We arrived in the evening and headed down to Walking Street to meet our trainer Moon along with some other travellers for some drinks. Walking Street is interesting to say the least. The street is bordered with Thai and Russian showgirls, or prostitutes - whatever you wish to call them. As you make you way through the crowd you don't get at least three steps without someone shoving a menu for the Ping Pong Show in your face asking you to go and watch. The neon signs light up each Go Go bar, every bar more aggressive to get patronage than the last. Each bar has about 4-5 girls standing out front waving at the men and shaking their barely covered body. This is life in Pattaya, it's known as the Sin City of Thailand.
For me it was hard not to feel sorry for the girls, that their life and lack of opportunities has pushed them in the sex trade industry but I had to remind myself that this really is just life here. Some choose this lifestyle because they enjoy it, others don't attach the same negative stigma to the work as we do in the western world; it's a stable, well paying job. That's it. It makes me wonder whether that has an impact on the abundance of transgendered people over in Thailand. I posed the question while I was there; "Why are there so many transgenders or 'ladyboys' in Thailand? Why is it such a prominent practice in Thailand? Is it that there are more people who believe they are born in the wrong body, or is it for survival, an easier way to make money?" I still can't quite wrap my head around that. I'm not sure why it's so prominent in Thailand. In any case, these girls are hustlers. They make the most out of their situation and I guarantee you a lot are not going without. It's hard not to respect that. The fact each one seems to make the best out of a situation. Walking Street is tame in comparison to the little alleys that run off the main streets though.
We drove down one alley that was tiny, yet absolutely packed with bars and hookers. It was a bit more sad than the other areas, it had a different vibe for me. Maybe it was just the old, fat single men noticeably being creepy as fuck to the ladies. Maybe it was the fact the ladies were covered in scars. It seemed a bit more desperate to me. I probably felt sad knowing 'those men' were the type of customer base they girls were dealing with. Whether you're a prostitute or not, you're a person and should be treated as such. I don't appreciate the disrespect and treating them as if they're lesser. Everyone's happy to treat them as subhumans yet pay for their services. In saying that, they don't have to do anything they don't want but God, looking and hearing some of the men; I cannot understand how they bring themselves to do it. Even I was getting stared at and yelled at. It makes you feel uncomfortable being stared at like an object for personal use. Those Thai girls are tough. I had some little dick men ask me how much I cost walking on my own one day. I'd heard them being disrespectful to the Thai girls prior to cat calling me. I don't think they realised the Thai girls choose that line of work and want their money so accept the smart arse remarks; the guys paying are the real suckers. But I do not choose that. Their faces dropped when I stopped and dared them to ask me again. I've never seen loud mouth men exercise silence so quick.
There is definitely more Ladyboys in Pattaya than I had notice elsewhere in Thailand. Some honestly seem like they aren't trying, men who literally just put a dress on. You can't knock their confidence either, they still had a crack at my old ball and chain aha.
After our first night which was quite large, we took it easy. Woke up whenever we did, lazed around and took things slowly. We explored the different areas, streets and shops and spent most of our time eating and getting massages before all reconvening at the Boxing Bar each night.
I was ecstatic to be back drinking watermelon juices as big as my head and riding in tuk tuk's and on scooters. Besides the fact everything is so cheap, my favourite part about Thailand is the laid back lifestyle and cause for no concern about anything. Spending our days literally wandering the streets only to stop and get some food from a street vendor or peak in and out of shops. Just living over there; only at 1/8th of the price.
We zipped around on our scooter and found some little eateries and massage parlours to relax in. I packed more bikinis than clothes and underwear combined only to realise I wouldn't be using them. Pattaya isn't very nice for the beach, so I avoided it. I spent one day getting a foot massage down there only because I felt I had to go at least once; but the sand was dirty and the water was extremely choppy. Again I felt slightly uncomfortable being stared at by the single, old, fat men on the beach. I wasn't overly eager to strip down into my bikini. We stuck to wandering by foot and scooter rather than laying on the beach. Came across a snake whisperer of sorts one night, ended up with one of the slithering guys around our neck. We also found a slow Loris which I was overly excited about. I got to hold him and take photos, it was definitely a highlight. I can still feel his little hands on my fingers.
We caught up with our trainers too who introduced us to some people from England and showed us around the different restaurants and bars. It's always great to get a local experience and one I'm really grateful for. It was nice to see my partner in crime relax, enjoy and treat himself this holiday too. He worked so hard last year, it means a lot to me to see him happy and doing things for himself. He diva'd up and got himself suit made. Very flash.
He also got another Sak Yant on his ribs. His first one he got when he was living in Koh Samui. He paid for it with his first professional fight purse over there. After winning the Super Light Weight WKBF Title, he decided to get his other ribs done and pay for it the same way. Very special. It looks great, I'm glad he is happy with it.
We were invited down to Udon Thani in the North of Thailand to meet a friends family. Approximately a 9 hour drive to the countryside; an amazing experience and definitely contrasted the high pace of Pattaya.
Read about our Udon Thani adventures
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