Thailand forum

You can also take a side trip to Pattaya. VIP bus from Ekamai bus station is less than 120 baht. Hotels in Pattaya are cheaper too. Interesting night life of all sorts.

Soi Cowboy is the smaller and more laid-back of the three major girlie bar areas in Bangkok that cater to western tourists, the other two being Pat Pong and Nana Plaza. Soi Cowboy is fairly easy to find, located right near the intersection of Sukhumvit Road and Soi Asoke, as well as being on both the Skytrain and Subway lines.

The bars and restaurants there range from low-key and friendly pool halls to a few of the higher-pressure and potentially clip joints that plague places like Pat Pong.

Because it is a big more friendly and less crowded (with a wide pedestrian street running between the two rows of bars on either side), it is often more frequented by an older crowd as well as couples who are more curious (which I assume includes you) than hard-core punters.

Most folks simply wander up and down the street until they find a bar that appeals to them for whatever reason. One place that was often popular with first time visitors was Tilak, rumored to be owned or at least operated by former employees of the US Embassy. However, I can't say if that particular place is still there (or all of Soi Cowboy for that matter), since my info is approx 18 months dated at this point and names, ownership, and entire staffs of bars tend to turn over every six months or so.

These places aren't for everyone, and if you don't feel comfortable, don't go in. There are lots of other low-key outdoor-style beer bars and other fun places to hang out that don't necessarily dip into the seedier side of the city. Cheers.

Agree with ChangFai - there are a couple of 'norma' pubs on Cowboy which appeal to the ex=pat crowd. There is a few bars around the area where you won't feel uncomfortable.