First night in Bangkok?

[keeper]

In trip planning for my first visit to the LOS. Fairly seasoned monger with multiple trips to PI, Venezuela, and Rio.

 

Plan is to base out of Pattaya for two weeks. One flight option has me landing BKK at 9:10pm. I read that it is obvious for a first timer to head directly to Nana Plaza on late arrivals such as near midnight or after.. but with 9:10p in, should I just go direct to Pattaya? Is it wise to book Nana hotel ahead of time for a Saturday night?

 

thanks

[LongPlay]

If you are going to Patts anyway, Yeah, go on down direct from the airport.

 

If you want the Bangers experience, a few hours that first night, with jet lag is not going to let you experience Bangkok fairly anyway. If you plan to stay there 2 or 3 days, then yes I recommend it. I like Bangkok personally, so I stay there a lot. But it is 25% more expensive at a minimum and could be even more so now with pricing trying to follow this economic market we are in....

 

Pattaya will still be jumping at midnight when you will arrive, so no worries there. Check in, drop the bags, walk out the door, and find you a partner for the evening... in Pattaya, it is just that easy.

[Gone with the wind]

Ditto.

[keeper]

Thank you for the replies and advice

[ClubInk]

I always spend the first few days in BKK - totally different vibe which needs to be experienced. I always feel with BKK there is a bit more mystery about where you might end up and who you might end up there with. Pattaya is one big orgy (which is a good thing) but BKK seems to be a bit more of an adventure.

[rjames]

Nice advice friends...

[bigbadbaz]

I always start with 2/3 days in bkk and end with 2/3 days in bkk.

 

IMO head for Soi Cowboy and not Nana, maybe its just me but Cowboy much more fun than Nana, though at 2-3 am if no 'wife' for the night Nana car park is the place to be

[philkrenshaw]

It's easy to get a minibus from Bangkok airport to Pattaya. If you are going, instead, from the city what's the best way to get to Pattaya?

Edited September 23, 2009 by philkrenshaw

[Bonkabit]

It's easy to get a minibus from Bangkok airport to Pattaya. If you are going, instead, from the city what's the best way to get to Pattaya?

 

 

Taxi from Bangkok airport right to your hotel in Pattaya will be about 1000 bahts including the toll road fees. From Bangkok itself it will be about 1200 bahts, or, if there are maybe four passengers, 1500 bahts.

 

The driver from Bangkok may not know the way in Pattaya so it’s a good idea to have the hotel brochure with you with a map on it, or to print the map off Google. Taxi drivers often seem to prefer to drive around in hope rather than stop to ask the way!

 

Alternatively you can take the free shuttle bus from the airport terminal to the nearby bus station. Here you can get an air-conditioned bus to Pattaya bus station for about 100 bahts. Journey time from the airport to Pattaya is about 90 minutes.

 

Once there, you take a songthaew to your hotel. This is a pick-up truck with two rows of seats in the back for passengers. It will drive you to your hotel.

 

From the bus terminal at Ekkamai in Bangkok the journey to Pattaya may be up to two hours, depending on traffic. Ekkamai has a SkyTrain station.

 

Many songthaews in Pattaya run regular routes, just ring the bell to get off. The fare is ten bahts fixed, but if you are a newie and enquire, the driver is likely to tell you twenty bahts!

[Kathmandu]

Pattaya is awesome but for the first time in Thailand, nothing beats Bangers. My advice would be to party hard for your first 2 nights in BKK...have fun...Nana and Cowboy both rock and have their own advantages...and then head down to Pats for the sun, sea and ladies...enjoy

[murtle71]

if you are going to stay at bangkok for an overnighter try the hotel call Dawin it is about 3 mins walk up the road of nana in the same street and is a much nicer hotel