goteed1

I'm planning my first trip to Thailand and need some advice. I'll probably spend 5 or 6 days in Bangkok and then I'd like to spend 3 or 4 days in either Phuket or Pattaya. Problem is I cannot make up my mind which to go to. I'd like a nice beach area to chill out during the day and some nightlife as well. I understand Pattaya has lousy beaches but better nightlife. Does anyone have any preferences? Care to share your perspective?

Appreciate your feedback!

peteropny

Well I've never been to Phuket so bear this in mind for my comments:

Pattaya is a car ride from Bangkok while Phuket requires a flight. Actually BKK is in between Bangkok and Pattaya.

Not sure about the nightlife in Pattaya but my impressions are that its mostly the straight "bar girl" scene.

Some of the hotels in South Pattaya - Sheraton & neighboring Royal Cliff (disclosure - members of my family own/run this place) do have pretty nice private beaches. But the hotels in the city proper do not have much in terms of beach.

Phuket probably has better beaches on average.

DaveInSFV

My first visit to Thailand I went to Phuket. Was not as beautiful as the photo's I had seen. While it was nice, the gay scene was very limited.

For Pattaya, you simply take a car for about 1200 BHT, stay in Pattaya OR Jomtiem, from cheap to expensive. LOTS of nightlife, and a buys gay beach in Jomtiem. E-mail me if you need hotel information in Pattaya and I can give you options.

studio76

Pattaya IMO is a bit of a dump. If you do go - stay at the Sheraton which is surprisingly nice (for a Sheraton) and about 10 minutes taxi away from the main strip - which I think is very very seedy and dirty. Beaches not great - but the sheraton has a nice pool and decent spa. Main advantage to pattaya is that it is only a car ride away from Bangkok.

Phuket has some nice beaches - I think the main town is also a dump but if you want night life that is where it is. Phuket also gives you the chance for several day trips to the islands, kayaking, or diving, etc.

I would not bother to go back to Pattaya, but would go to Phuket again. I would stay at a nice hotel away from town on a beach and if you want night life take a taxi into town at night.

dmf_singapore

In my opinion, Phuket clearly wins. I had been to Pattaya several times over the years before I bought a condo in Phuket a couple of years ago. Pattaya has more money-boy clubs, massage places, and bars if that's what you're seeking; but the beaches aren't nice at all.

While the Patong beach can be crowded, it's 100 times better than the Pattaya beaches. The Paradise complex in Phuket has two gay discos, several gay pubs, and four bars where boys are dancing in their underwear and you can "take them off" if you'd like. There should be enough of a choice if that's something which interests you. Rent a scooter for about $7 per day and you can get to some beautiful beaches in Phuket.

While Phuket is a flight instead of a drive from Bangkok, it's well worth it in my opinion. Air Asia sometimes has some cheap fares.

yyzAAguy

Haven't been to Pattaya, so this isn't responsive to your question comparing the two. Also, I'm reporting after visiting the area as a couple, not as a single. The two approaches to exploring Thailand couldn't be more different. So, for what it's worth...

In Phuket, there are many areas and beaches, the principal one being Patong. Patong is a central town for the district and there is a lively downtown and a beach which is less sumptuous, but more um uh "popular" than those farther away.

We stayed at a delightful hotel called "Tropical Resort" on Kata beach, after being shifted from the Tripadvisor-celebrated place we had booked. I was very sceptical at the sideways shift, but it turned out that the hotel company had just built a palace, had no guests there and wanted to populate it, so they overbooked their 2.5 star and pumped the overflow into the 4-star, no extra charge. Possibly the most dramatic free upgrade I've experienced in my travel career.

Anyway, the beaches: Kata is odd but nice. Odd, because back in the day, Club Med bought all the land fronting it, so the only public access is at the very end of it. The beach is public. Sadly, it suffers from a common problem: there is a moment, early in the day, when all the vacant beach chairs are suddenly claimed by invading hordes from the resorts. How they coordinate this I've never underestood. But you can look at the beach at 8am, see it empty, return an hour later and find no vacant chairs. Without an umbrella you are doomed to a short visit or a day in the water. The water is exquisite.

Kata beach has so-so, unremarkable food options, unless you walk up the back road and buy grilled offerings from the street carts (great) or Tom Kha Gai (splendid) from the little family-run restaurant farther up, where the tables are served by the trans girl while the mother works in the kitchen. Food great and criminally cheap.

Bus to Patong is fun and makes a good day outing. (Not that kind of outing!)

If I were doing it again, I'd stay in Kata or somewhere like it for the beach, hunt and eat in Patong.

s1c3r1a1b3b3l1e1

I have been to both places, and I greatly prefer Phuket. I found Pattaya to be very seedy, and not very beautiful at all. Phuket was very beautiful, and if you go there, I highly recommend taking a boat tour of the islands surrounding the area. Pattaya does have more nightlife, but there was also plenty to do in Phuket after dark as well. Finally, I thought the dining was better in Phuket as well.

EWRTravelers

Would it be advisable to stay in Patong or are the nearby beach areas close enough? We have been looking at either the Hilton or Le Meridien Karon Beach.

dmf_singapore

I think it depends if you're planning to go to the gay area (Paradise Complex) several nights while you're there. It's probably a 20 minute drive and a $15 to $20 tuk-tuk ride back to Karon beach. The tuk-tuk mafia is exceedingly annoying and will gouge you to sit in the back of their open air trucks.

If you're more of a "I want to stay at the resort and the quieter beach to read my book" then Karon will be great for you. If you think you might want to go to the gay beach in Patong and then go out at night in Patong the distance/commute will be annoying.

Maayan

We were in Phuket in February for the first time. Since we didn't know the place, we didn't want to lock outselves into a hotel for the five nights, so we only booked the first night before arriving. We picked the gay Club One Seven hotel, including a very attractive rate (USD $20) for a pick-up from the airport.

We didn't enjoy this hotel, so booked a hotel in Karon for the next two nights. That hotel was pleasant but far from anything. Travel in tuk-tuk back and forth between Patong and Karon is about $10 per direction, more for taxi, which could quickly add up to a substantial expense. So we rented two scooters! They were only about $5/day in Karon. We also saw scooters rented out for just about $3.50/day in Patong at Sagol Phuket (a tiny travel agency). So once we dared drive here (on the left), getting from Karon to Patong was a breeze, and we scooted all over the island too.

For the last two nights, we got a fantastic deal on wotif.com for the Millennium hotel in Patong. Awesome rooms, pool and breakfast, and very close to the Paradise complex, with its ugly but very-happening bathhouse.

By the way, we didn't care much for Thailand (Bangkok/Phuket): crowded, filthy, infested with massage girls and drunk tourists. In contrast, we LOVED Malaysia next door!

NargisAnsari

Hi there! I have been to Phuket only. I loved the island beauty of the destination and it's relaxed, chilled out vibe. The food happens to be awesome too. However, friends of mine who have been to Pattaya, swear by it's nightlife and adventure activities. So which destination you pick should depend on the kind of experience you are looking for. Hey you can check out this blog for a neat step by step comparison between the two destinations: http://goo.gl/whXCuk

abhisheksingh

I would suggest choosing Phuket over Pattaya anyday! You are right, the beaches in Pattaya are pretty lousy. Since, chilling at the beach is a major part of your plan, you should defiantly not compromise about it.

If you are worried about the Nightlife, Phuket actually has a really amazing night life as well (Almost as comparable to Pattaya). You can head to Bangala Road, which is the nightlife hub in Phuket.

I have been to both the cities, there's nothing you are going to miss out if you choose Phuket over Pattaya.

If you have more doubts, I have written a detailed answer on Quora about this, you can check it out - Phuket or Pattaya - Which is Better?

TominLazybrook

Wow...Not even close. Phuket, Phuket, Phuket! I don't get Pattaya's charms.

Beaches: Phuket
Nightlife: Phuket
Hassle Factor: Much lower in Phuket
Restaurants: Phuket
Shopping: Phuket
Sexy over Sleazy: Phuket
Sleazy over Sexy: Pattaya

JVPhoto

I don't think you need that many days in BKK. In 8-10 days you could go to Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Phuket (which I would pick over Pattaya). However, I would rather go to Krabi, Samui and then Phuket in terms of the places I like the most. But, I don't go to the beach cities for (gay or otherwise) crazy nightlife. There's plenty of that in Bangkok.

MikeFromTokyo

For a holiday in Thailand, Phuket without a shred of doubt! It's a far nicer place to be, and whether you are looking for seclusion, nightlife, shopping, active travel, or a luxury resort; you'll find it in Phuket.

However, there is something to be said for a short trip to Pattaya if you have a chance someday. The Intercontinental (formerly Sheraton) is a nice place to spend a few days and enjoy the local attractions.

Pattaya pairs well with a road trip to Samed Island as well, where there are hotels ranging from high end to backpackers' bungalows. This island is known for nightlife, but it is also a nice place to relax if you stay at the more secluded resorts.