Fritz

I'm also a Bangkok fan; the gay scene is better but more than that, the city itself has a lot more going for it than SIN in terms of sights and sounds and has lots more character. Also Ayutthaya (the old capital) is an easy day trip and well worth doing.
Nothing wrong with Singapore; it's just rather bland IMHO and very much "beginners Asia" (although that's not necessarily a downside and the food is excellent). And as Mr Megatop says, it would be a bigger contrast to Bali. I'd also second the recomendation to try and squeeze in Siem Reap if you can though, even if it means you're a tadge rushed. Have fun anyway

kyushuman

I must counter some of the opinions here!
If you want chaotic, dirty, wild, unpredictable, pick BKK. It's also fun, friendly, with great food and shopping. It's often time-consuming to get around, either because traffic can get snarled, or because it's not easy to find places if you don't know where you're going. English speakers are fairly easy to find, but there's no guarantee.
Yet it's also a place with more money boys; In fact, SIN has very few, since it's a well-off country. People you meet in SIN you can generally know they actually want to be in
If you want efficient, easy, with shopping and eating as your focus, SIN wins.
Before or after a trip to Bali (more like BKK in the sense that it's inefficient, chaotic, and unpredictable unless you just stay by the beach), I would prefer a stop in SIN.
And as for "night life in BKK is much better than SIN"?
While BKK has more places to go (though many are Thai-only and not easy to find/maneuver in), and is cheaper, EVERYTHING closes by about 1-2AM. SIN is open 'till dawn, there are about as many saunas and sexclubs as in BKK.
Things in SIN are much easier to find too, and people speak English, so if you're on a short trip, you won't waste precious time getting lost (which is a fun way to experience things if you've got plenty of time!)
A few important questions to the OP:
1) How many days will you spend in your transit city? 2 days or less, I'd say SIN is the easy choice. With 3-7 days, then BKK might be better.
2) Have you travelled much in SE Asia? Or have any plans to travel in the future? Compared to BKK and SIN, ANgkor is really amazing. But it really is not feasible in 2 days to do it. If you have 5-7 days, you could do 3 days in BKK and 2+ in Angkor.
Either way I'm sure you'll have fun!

wingless

I love BKK...SIN is just ok

splatnz

... and asians who like asians are 'sticky rice'

wingless

You guys are funny!


Back to the OP..come on now of course Bang-kok is the favored choice.

djjaguar64

So Thai asians who like Thai asians are referred to as 'mango sticky rice'

DBCme

Having visited BKK nearly a dozen times now, and SIN twice, I must add my .02

They are very different from each other.
BKK has what IndyDavid mentions. The pressure for "oil massage" "lady massage" or "boy massage" particularly at night is ________ (insert emotion here). The culture is quite different than the U.S for example, and will take many new folks by surprise. That said, this is not a big part of Bangkok. In general, it's in concentrated areas that you normally wouldn't be in if you were not looking for entertainment (sexual or otherwise). I personally find it fascinating, saddening, and sometimes funny watching it all go down. And lets face it, anybody who can travel by air over the ocean to go to BKK probably has more money (or available credit line) than many locals. Hence that makes you a "target" if you will.

Don't not go because of this. You would miss out on wonderful Thai culture and hospitality.

Off topic: Plug for Hotel S31 (Sukhumvit 31) which recently opened. Found great introductory prices on Expedia. Great staff & stay. Post trip report later.

KeepDiscovering

Thanks guys for the language lesson - I know the 'possible scenarios' today @:-)

JumboJetLA

I would definitely recommend Bangkok (providing the current situation improves) for the nightlife.. Patpon night market.. Silom and all are very lively at night and this 'rice queen' has very hmm err mmm "memories" of the massage palors and being seen as fresh meat at several clubs (ie being groped/fondled by many hot Thai boys) ..mind you the Silom nightlife does not start till 1130pm at the earliest..

Singapore is also fun but it is far more conservative of course.. however Singapore boys sure do know how to party till all hours.. I think i was out till past 530 am ..

either way what others have posted is true about days of the week etc..

have fun!!

keep in mind the gay area of Bangkok is about 1 hour from the airport..it shoud be a cheap 250-300 baht cab ride though

BenjaminNicholas

For me, Singapore is much more interesting: Bangkok is just another seedy spot for quickie, pay-for-play sex/sex shows and, yes, while it's got a definite flavor, it's not MY kind of flavor.

Singapore takes pride in their appearance. Sure, it's a little bland, but the upcoming construction is fascinating, the food excellent, amazing shopping and stellar hotels.

I suppose it all depends on what kind of trip you're wanting... If you have to be 'in the bubble' at all hours, I'd say stick to Bangkok.




BN

ironmanjt

As usual, I think Megatop nailed it. Both are awesome for a first time visitor, but with just a few days, it's easier to feel like you've "seen" Singapore.

izzik

not sure I see the contrast here.. Bangkok has excellent food, amazing shopping, and stellar hotels.. don't know about the upcoming "construction scene" but that isn't usually why people are visiting.

of course, one can have a seedy experience in bangkok.... as well as amsterdam, tokyo, NYC, SF, paris, .... You can also accomplish that in singapore, albeit with less variety.

bottom line: you can have an amazing, non-sexual tourist experience in bangkok.

NYCWahoo

Why not stop by both cities? I usually start my SE Asia journey in BKK and end in SIN. Actually, I am doing that again this coming July.

I agree with what everyone said so far about BKK so for the sake of argument I will defend for SIN Unlike BKK, it's a hassle free city. A taxi driver isn't trying to screw you over every single time(Of course, it's 3X more expensive than BKK) English is one of the official languages so it's easy to get around. Also, if you get to fly SQ Biz/First class and staying at St Regis Singapore...

MegatopLover

I think the time available to the OP doesn't permit a stop in both SIN and BKK.

I forget whether it was mentioned upthread, but new SIN-DPS service by KLM and Qatar Airways is enhancing competition and making some lower Business Class fares available on that route.

On the other hand, the situation in Bangkok recently has decimated the tourism industry. The newspapers were recently reporting hotel occupancy rates as low as 10% across all sectors. It's definitely a buyer's market for accommodations in Bangkok right now, as long as you can deal with the risk of further disruptions in the future. Comparing the same kinds of hotel rooms in both cities, you're going to get a much better rate in Bangkok right now than in SIN.

I was in Bangkok last weekend. Except for the shock at the destruction of property by the rioters and certain malls still closed (Gaysorn is set to reopen this Friday), things were back to normal by all appearances to a tourist.