When you travel to Thailand for the first time, you'll ask yourself: where exactly should it go?
With so many different cities, islands, beach resorts and laid-back provinces in the far north and deep south, it can be quite overwhelming if you have never been here before. And unlike most families or couples who find more than enough info on the best romantic destinations in every travel guide and blog on the internet, it's different if you're a single man:
It's not easy to decide where to go when the priority is nightlife, party and women dating. Sure, you might think Bangkok, Pattaya and Phuket - what else? But what if you only have one or two weeks for your trip and you do not want to visit all these 3 places?
In this case, it is quite helpful to know how the "Big 3" party capitals of Thailand are different from each other, and maybe you are looking for something in between - beautiful nature and fun activities during the day, but still a hip nightlife scene in the evening ,
So then - the 5 best places for nightlife in Thailand, with something for every taste:
1. Bangkok
If you ask most of the people who have just returned from their first trip to Thailand how they liked Bangkok - they usually say it's awful, too many people, too chaotic, too hot, too much.
Well, that really is not a big surprise, because when you travel to Thailand, you hardly have a megacity in your head, but paradise beaches, sandstone rocks and coconuts. It is different if you come from the beginning to celebrate - then you will find your paradise here:
Bangkok is of course the nightlife capital of Thailand, nowhere else can you find more beer bars, night clubs, massage parlors (and salons), go go bars and everything else you can dream of. Just spend two nights in Nana, maybe even a trip to Khaosan Road and Thonglor, and you'll experience a nightlife like nowhere else in the world.
2. Pattaya
I do not need to tell you much about Pattaya - it is the most popular destination in Thailand with single men from all over the world. Many even take the bus directly from Suvarnabhumi Airport to this beach town and spend their entire vacation here.
The great thing about Pattaya is that it offers not only an exciting nightlife, but also a huge recreational offer during the day - especially a trip to the beautiful Koh Larn or the Ramayana Waterpark is now a must for most tourists.
The best parts of Pattaya's nightlife are, of course, the world-famous Walking Street with all the go-go bars and clubs, Soi 6, 7 & 8 with heaps of beer bars and Soi Buakhao, all of which plus countless massage salons.
3. Phuket
Many people are undecided between Pattaya and Phuket. This has to do mainly with the fact that you constantly see pictures and videos from the Bangla Road in Patong, which looks amazingly similar to the Walking Street in Pattaya - a 400 meter long strip full of bars, clubs, girls and ladyboys.
But what is the main difference between Bangkok and Pattaya?
Well, Phuket is much bigger, and much more than "just" Patong, the island's nightlife capital. There are many other beach towns like Karon and Kata that are not nearly as loud and crazy as Patong, but still have more than enough restaurants, bars and hotels. And besides, one of the best experiences in Thailand is renting a motorbike in Phuket (just 300 baht a day) and cruising the scenic coastal roads through the various beach resorts, viewpoints and up to the Big Buddha in the center of the city Island.
4. Chiang Mai
When you talk to long-time tourists in Thailand about what's their favorite place, you always hear "Chiang Mai".
The largest city in northern Thailand has arguably the best climate in the country, a beautiful location surrounded by hills, and in my opinion the best cuisine - not just delicious Thai food, but also countless foreign-owned expatriate restaurants.
The main areas of tourist nightlife in Chiang Mai are Loi Kroh Road (beer bars and massages) and Zoe in Yellow in the old town.
5. Koh Samui
If you are looking for the island with the best nightlife in Thailand - this is Koh Samui.
Nowhere else will you find more hip and modern beach bars like Chaweng Beach, plus designated nightlife areas full of bars and clubs - Soi Green Mango and Soi Reggae.
Lamai Beach is a more relaxed alternative to Chaweng Beach - where you'll find romantic seafood restaurants and massage huts right on the beach, instead of noisy bars. But still you will not complain about a lack of nightlife (and women) - there are also many beer bars in the streets behind the beach.
Sources: Bangkok.com, hotelsawasdee.com, thetravelintern.com, chiangmaithailand.com, holidaycheck