If you thought that Bangkok could be a crazy place at times, then you probably haven’t seen anything like the infamous Pattaya. Located close to Bangkok on the coast, Pattaya is a beach city with a nightlife scene to rival any city in the world. From large nightclubs to risqué bars, beach parties to cabarets, there’s something for everyone in Pattaya, so here’s our guide to nightlife in this vibrant city.

Walking Street

Walking Street Pattaya is the biggest and busiest party hotspot in the whole of Thailand, with only a couple of the top places in Bangkok beating it for sheer volume and variety. A full kilometre from its high-tech gateway at the Beach Road end to the Bali Hai Plaza end, almost every building along its length is a nightclub, go-go bar, beer bar or restaurant. Each of the side streets – which span from Soi 14 to Soi 16, with a couple of uniquely-named streets in between – is more of the same, making the whole southern end of the city into a warren of nightlife entertainments, with something for practically every taste. The remarkable thing about Pattaya Walking Street is that there is so much to see and do, and it is so densely packed that you could spend every night for a whole week there and, aside from having the mother of all hangovers, you would still be finding new places each and every evening. We have endeavoured to survey the main points of interest and even here we are just scratching the surface of the hundreds of venues on and around the neon-drenched strip.

Katoey or Ladyboy

These are transvestites or transsexuals and you will find that there are lots in Pattaya especially in certain sois such as Soi 6/1 or Soi 13/1. Generally, the ones in bars are quite friendly but can be quite pushy especially if they think you are nervous.

Pattaya Beach

There’s no better place to start than the most popular and most lively beach in the city – Pattaya beach. At four kilometers long, this crescent-shaped beach has plenty of space for visitors and it needs it too, with plenty of people descending upon it to take advantage of the blazing sun and warm weather. There’s more than sunbathing on offer though. Parasailing, jet skiing and the classic banana boat are all available for you to enjoy, as well as beachside shacks that can prepare your favourite Thai dish should you get peckish. It’s also home to some great parties at night, if that’s your cup of tea.