This will be my 7th trip to Thailand, and apart from my very first visit, I’ve pretty much always skipped Bangkok and gone straight from Swampy to Pattaya.

This time, though, I’m going to be there for a little over two weeks, and I’m seriously considering spending 2–3 days in Bangkok before heading down to Pattaya.

On my first trip I spent three days in Bangkok and did the usual tourist stuff — Grand Palace, Khao San Road, etc. I also got my first taste of the nightlife around Beer Garden and Hillary. Since then, Pattaya has become much more familiar territory for me, whereas Bangkok is still something of an unknown.

That’s where I’m torn.

Part of me thinks I should just stick with what I know and maximise my time in Pattaya. But spending more than two weeks there also makes me wonder whether I’ll eventually get bored and regret not giving Bangkok another chance.

There are a few Bangkok experiences I’ve never tried and would particularly like to check out, including Thermae and nuru massage. I’ve also heard that Beer Garden has closed, so I’m wondering what the current alternatives are.

For those of you who know Bangkok well, I’d really appreciate some mongering recommendations and, more importantly, your personal experiences:

• Is 2–3 days in Bangkok worthwhile if I’m already spending a couple of weeks in Pattaya?

• What are the current must-visit places around Nana and Soi Cowboy?

• What are some good massage places, including good nuru options?

• With Beer Garden apparently gone, what would you recommend as an alternative?

• Are there any other nightlife areas or places I should put on the list?

• If you were in my position, would you spend the 2–3 days in Bangkok or just head straight to Pattaya?

Pattaya is the easy choice for me because I know my way around and already have a routine there. Bangkok is tempting precisely because it’s less familiar, but I don’t want to spend three days there only to realise I would have been better off in Pattaya.

So, experienced Bangkok/Pattaya veterans — what would you do?

Any recommendations, recent experiences or even “don’t waste your time with X, go to Y instead” advice would be very welcome.

As someone who prefers Bangkok over Pattaya anyway, my recommendation would be to spend some time in Bangkok.

Soi Cowboi and NEP are a 15-20 walk along Sukhumvit, with the club/bar zone on Soi 11 and Thermae in between. Can easily spend a night or two exploring this area.

Patpong has seen a resurgence and worth a night as well … accesible via BTS at Sala Daeng.

For touristy stuff … Erawan Museum (the large three headed elephant one sees on the way to Pattaya) is also easily accessible via BTS and a short 10 min walk … fun for an early morning excursion. Same same with the wish huge Buddha over looking the Chao Phraya.

If you like cycling around, Koh Kret, an island in the Chao Phraya inhabited mostly by Mon, is a fun afternoon with several good eateries, a decent brewery and lots of Mon style pottery.

Bangkok is also situated for some excellent day trips … Ayutthaya and River Kwai/Hells Pass/Kanchanabur are a couple of easily accessible ones … there are lots of others.

Edited August 20Aug 20 by momo5