My First Trip to Pattaya

[tiger70]

I spent 10 days in early June in Pattaya, asked Mr Toom to pick me up at BKK Airport and take me to the Areca Lodge Hotel. The driver was there to meet me when I went through arrivals, the price was 1200 bhts all in, this was a very good service in my opinion, would definitely use Mr Toom again.

The Areca Lodge is guest friendly no charge for one guest but if you decide to take 2 girls back to your room you have to pay 300bhts and either way breakfast is free for everyone in the morning. The hotel is in an ideal position just behind Mike's Shopping Centre about 15 min walk to Walking Street.

As this was my first trip to Pattaya I did my research before I went, I spent most of my evevnings in the beer bars, spending 300-400 bhts on bar fines and 1000-1500bhts LT. IMO this was money well spent some of the girls were gorgeous and they weren't pushy at all, felt like a little kid in a sweet shop with all those girls to choose from!!!
I will be definitely going back to Pattaya very soon if I could get a flight back tomorrow I would.

The flight with Etihad Airways cost me £480 and the hotel booked through AsiaRooms was £28 per night for 10 nights=£280.

The weather in June was very hot which i like, it only rained twice and then only at night for an hour or so.

I am thinking of going back in September I was wondering what is the weather like then, to tell you the truth I dont really care, I will be definitely going back to the LAND OF SMILES for my second helping!!

[2muchthai]

tiger70

Always good to hear reports like this. Glad you had a great time.
And I've got terrific news for you...Thai Airways,British Airways & Quantas all have daily non-stops from London so you CAN get a flight tomorrow.

See you in a few days!

[trevorxx]

I spent 10 days in early June in Pattaya, asked Mr Toom to pick me up at BKK Airport and take me to the Areca Lodge Hotel. The driver was there to meet me when I went through arrivals, the price was 1200 bhts all in, this was a very good service in my opinion, would definitely use Mr Toom again.

The Areca Lodge is guest friendly no charge for one guest but if you decide to take 2 girls back to your room you have to pay 300bhts and either way breakfast is free for everyone in the morning. The hotel is in an ideal position just behind Mike's Shopping Centre about 15 min walk to Walking Street.

As this was my first trip to Pattaya I did my research before I went, I spent most of my evevnings in the beer bars, spending 300-400 bhts on bar fines and 1000-1500bhts LT. IMO this was money well spent some of the girls were gorgeous and they weren't pushy at all, felt like a little kid in a sweet shop with all those girls to choose from!!!
I will be definitely going back to Pattaya very soon if I could get a flight back tomorrow I would.

The flight with Etihad Airways cost me £480 and the hotel booked through AsiaRooms was £28 per night for 10 nights=£280.

The weather in June was very hot which i like, it only rained twice and then only at night for an hour or so.

I am thinking of going back in September I was wondering what is the weather like then, to tell you the truth I dont really care, I will be definitely going back to the LAND OF SMILES for my second helping!!

next time you book the areca use www.sawadee.com you will save some money,

[jaybird]

I am thinking of going back in September I was wondering what is the weather like

September is the rainiest month of the year and Pattaya often floods
http://www.pattayamail.com/686/pictu...-flooded-1.jpg

Be careful about walking through flooded areas. Downed power lines can kill you instantly
http://enews.mcot.net/view.php?id=4830

Pattaya annual rainfall chart - 30 inches in September!
http://thailandforvisitors.com/east/...t-weather.html

That being said, don't let it stop you. Just be safe.

[Jimmy Red Cab]

tiger, I am pleased you enjoyed your first visit to Pattaya, it is amazing how newbies always seem to find "gorgeous" girls but veterans such as Rocky, SirMarjalot, myself and Keen Punter find it hard work.

[Montydog]

Tiger, glad you had a good time and took the time to report back.

Don’t take any notice of the “sniping” from certain quarters as he wouldn’t know a good looker if he fell over one.

[tiger70]

I was in Pattaya the same time as the British Tourist who got electricuted, it rained heavily on the Tues and Wed nights, I was always right careful where I walked after that.... I'm not saying all the girls were 'gorgeous', 2 or 3 in each bar were but you had to get there early to snap them up!!

[sexxadct]

I spent most of my evevnings in the beer bars, spending 300-400 bhts on bar fines and 1000-1500bhts LT.

Glad you enjoyed your 1st visit to Pattaya. I just got back from LOS after spending 7 days in Pattaya & 4 days in Bangkok. In Pattaya, Soi 6 was a pussy chasers dream. I highly recommend Betty Boup Bar near Beach Road which has some beautiful go-go dancers. Other bars worth checking are Kiss Cool and Red Point. The going prices are 300st/500lt bf & 700st/1500lt for the girl(s). A 3-way at Hole in 1 Bar was 2000bt with a couple of everything girls (anal, lesbian, salad tossing, etc). One word of advice, always ask the girls ahead of time if the short time rooms have air-cond unless you like fucking in sauna like conditions. I also found some really cute freelancers along Beach Rd during my stay...

[2muchthai]

I should probably have started my own thread for this but I believe that it will get read plenty right here so here goes...

TRAVEL INSURANCE...DO NOT EVER LEAVE HOME WITHOUT IT!!!

I have surfed in South Africa,Equador,Hawaii,Tonga,The Philippines,Indonesia,Mexico,Costa Rica,El Salvador,The Bahamas,Barbados and a handful more locations. I've been deep sea fishing in many of the above as well as Trinidad,Venuzuela,Honduras & Nicaragua. Flown to Europe a dozen or more times and basically just flat out done lots of traveling since I turned 18 years old as that was...and still is my dream.

Since I learned of it years ago I have never left home internationally without TRAVEL INSURANCE...never!
Whether it was 19 hours to Aussieland or just a 45 minute hop to Nassau for the weekend,I have always purchased TRAVEL INSURANCE...until now.

Before I go any further let me just say that I believe that I have already given you all the best advice that you'll EVER get on this site at the beginning of this post so the rest of this may bore you,but read on if you wish.

A few weeks ago I was having dinner at the home of the lovliest woman that I have ever known. Before dinner and over wine she informed me that her restless spirit was stirring,she wanted to go somewhere.
After dinner,and more wine,this well traveled lady told me that she would like to visit SE Asia with Thailand as one of her stops.
She would like for me to accompany her there and she would ask her best friend to go then to meet her in Vietnam.

I was not going to turn this offer down and spent the following day on the phone with the airline,pulling my miles together and was able to arrainge 2 business class tickets from Miami to BKK,with the only catch being that one of us would have to travel two days early. No problem,I'll be there waiting for her.

I arrived in Bangkok about a week and a half ago. Called ahead to get together with girl that I met from my first trip ever,as I usually do,and we had a great 2nd evening,after going straight to my hotel and sleeping the first night alone.
My travel partner arrived the following evening and we had a terrific next day & night together. Watched her swim in the pool,took a river boat ride,played tennis. Next day the regular shopping and sightseeing and we even had dinner one night with my origional BKK lady and they loved one another.
The next day we were headed to Chang Mai and here is where things fell apart.

I fell so ill that I had to be taken to the hospital by hotel staff. Dizzyness,throbbing headache,nausea,high fever,aches and cramps all over. 2nights in Baumrungrad with meds,fluids and then...gingerly & very weakly back to our hotel.

With part of her trip ruined(Chang Mai portion) we spent 4 more nights in our B'kok hotel. I never left the room and she barely left my side. Running & fetching for me,wiping me with cool cloth and fanning me,bringing what I could eat which was limited. So glad that she was there.
She was even a day late leaving for Saigon and her female friend had to wait for a day alone in a strange,bustling Asian city but she's gone and they're now together.

This cost me $$ out of the yingyang! Hospital stay,meds,extra nights in 5* hotel. AND couldn't make my return flight...a freebie in business class...so I'll have to buy a return out of my own pocket.

All of which would have been covered if I had puchased TRAVEL INSURANCE,which I've always done in the past and NEVER had to cash in on!

So guys...in this post I hope that I've helped someone,am sure that I've bored many,but it's the first time that I've really had energy in a while to vent.

But how about helping me a bit.

What's a guy to do that's stuck in Thailand for about 15 days? About $3,700 poorer,7 kilos lighter & about 40-50% weaker than when he arrived?

Well before you tell me to head out to Pattaya where things are much less pricey and I can regain my strength,let me tell you that I've already arrived. Safe & sound in my regualr hotel with staff looking after me nicely.

Would love to take a couple of my favorite WSG members out to dinner in a day or two when I can function a bit better,but I would settle for one of them having a little sympathy for the devil and buying me a 15 baht cup of street cart noodle soup!

Mr.Shagmeister???

Let me close by revealing that my female travel companion was none other than my lovely 77 year old mother who I just got off of the phone with and is having a ball now in Hanoi!

What would I do without her?

[BKKkeemao]

Great story 2much Thai..

I admit i do not ever buy travel insurance.. I'm not even sure most travel insurance would cover the costs that you describe. Most probably require you to go to a normal hospital and it would be doubtful you would recover your hotel money. In fact it would likely not be returned until months after your trip if even at all. Now travel insurance within your country would likely be different.. but can you imagine being reimbursed for all of this in Thailand. The insurance company would require proof of everything you did and why.. They will claim you could have stayed in Nana Hotel for 1,200 per night and not in a 5 star room. Anyway you get my point.. Lastly i would be surprised if out of 20 trips that you might need the use of the insurance. So your out 4k bucks one time... that might be a better deal than paying 250 bucks each time and never actually needing the insurance.

Does your medical insurance not cover you internationally? Some policies do and would provide better coverage than what travel agents would offer.

Anyway i got sick like you in BKK and went to Bumrumgrad.. It was the best money i ever spent.. Somewhere around 2k for my visit with the doctor, shot, and 2 weeks worth of meds. No hospital stay.

Why did you want to spend time with your Mom in BKK? Sounds like a very weird experience and the last place i would want to be with family.

[mustardman]

I have debated the whole travel medical insurance thing with various people and travel agents and my conclusion is that, for Thailand, you don't need it!

The cost will often be covered by your existing medical insurance because in Thailand it is almost guaranteed to be cheaper. Travel insurance is only mean't to cover costs over and above what your insurance would pay back home. Now in the US their medical insurance system is pretty fucked up so it probably depends on whatever private provider you have and what the fine print says.

The one thing I think may be worthwhile is medical evacuation insurance. I know of someone who had a problem and this could have saved his life. He died waiting to get together enough money to fly his broken ass back home for long term critical care. It's a very expensive ticket because not only do you need a special 1st class seat, you are also required to have a nurse fly with you. That is if they even have room for you on the plane.

[Jimmy Red Cab]

I have debated the whole travel medical insurance thing with various people and travel agents and my conclusion is that, for Thailand, you don't need it!

The cost will often be covered by your existing medical insurance

Many Brits do not have medical insurance because we have a National Health System -----not taking out travel insurance is false economy, imagine suffering a heart attack or being involved in a motoring accident while in Thailand.
A yearly policy is the best bet if you take more than one holiday each year.

[hedonist75]

Ive never taken travel insurance and never will. They (insurance companies)always find a way not to pay you and I never travel with valuables

[Keen_Punter]

Ive never taken travel insurance and never will. They (insurance companies)always find a way not to pay you and I never travel with valuables

Any evidence to back that claim up ?

It is lunacy not to travel to Thailand without insurance.

[mustardman]

Any evidence to back that claim up ?

It is lunacy not to travel to Thailand without insurance.

Why? Any evidence to back that claim?

I don't know about your country or the UK but in Canada we are covered by our national public medical system for costs equal to what it would cost here. In Thailand it is cheaper so we would be fully re-imbursed.

Now when we go to the US most Canadians would agree that "it is lunacy not to travel without medical insurance" because the costs are much higher there.