First-Time Solo Traveler (Hard of Hearing) – Bangkok vs. Pattaya for Nightlife & Activities?

[DivineLeopard]

Hi everyone,

I am planning my very first solo trip to Thailand around the end of August or September, and I could really use some advice. I am very hard of hearing. While I am a bit nervous, I am also excited. I use live transcription apps on my phone and rely on taxi apps when traveling.

Since this is my first time traveling alone, I want to make sure I pick the right base. I am trying to decide between Bangkok and Pattaya. Both seem highly recommended, but I would love to know which one might be easier or better suited for someone with my needs and first time.

I have a few specific goals and questions for this trip:

• This will be my first time exploring the nightlife and firs time with a ladyboys. Because of my hearing, I am a bit unsure of how to approach this.
  • Should I visit traditional gogo bars, or is there a better way?
  • How do ladyboys in these venues typically interact or react to someone who is deaf?
• Regarding Pattaya Soi 6/1: This area also has bars and the same system in place as something like Check-In-Bar or Why Not in Bangkok?

I am not just there for nightlife and ladyboys; I want to enjoy some activities and sightseeing around the city too.

Would love to get some help on all of this .

[Rockheart]

Congrats on your first trip. August can tend to be very rainy, so prepare for that. Also it is off season so many of the ladyboys go back to their homes in the country during the rainy season.

Bangkok is likely your better option than Pattaya. Many of the ladies and ladyboys in Pattaya come from the countryside and their reading and english may not be as good as those you will find in Bangkok. Not only might their English reading be substandard but many may only have passed a few grades in elementary school. The majority can at least read Thai.
In Bangkok they will likely be better educated and speak English and possibly read English. Anyone who finishes high school in Thailand.
Pattaya also tends to have more personal crime and scams than Bangkok so that could be a factor for you, although crime overall is very low in Thailand.

Either way you will likely need to use a translation app that can display your English typing in Thai for them. This would be your best option.
I've managed to spend time with many ladyboys who did not speak English, even before phones, so they are used to finding ways to communicate given men from every country are visiting there.
Not sure how your speaking is but a voice to text app might make things easier than typing all the time.

As far as sightseeing, shopping and attractions, Bangkok has far more to see in this regard. They have the Grand Temple and The ancient capital of Attuthaya is just north of the city. Plus many other tour options. There is places to book tours all over so it is not hard to find a good tour. Most of the tours I've been on provide some narratives but mostly they just let you explore on your own. In general Bangkok has far more to see and do besides ladyboys.
Shopping in Bangkok is far superior with many high end malls and many cheaper Thai fashion malls and huge outdoor markets. The Chatuchak weekend market in Bangkok is the best of them. Also the Pratunam market is very good which is open every day and closer to the Nana area and central Bangkok.

The thing Pattaya has over Bangkok is price. There is more ladyboys per capita than Bangkok even though Bangkok has the most ladyboys overall. Prices in Pattaya tend to be a little better for almost everything but Bangkok tends to have the hotter ladyboys overall. Often the ladyboys in Pattaya are new from the country as I said before.

Pattaya also has the world's greatest ladyboy shows such as Tiffany and Alacazar. So if you like these type of shows Pattaya is better.

Pattaya has a huge amount of ladyboy bars and most of them are not Gogo style. Soi 6/1 no longer has any dedicated ladyboy bars.
Most of the ladyboy action is on Soi Buakhao or Soi Chaiyapoon which are both in the same area.
I can't say which bar would be best for your condition but likely a lounge style bar might be best as gogo bars tend to noisy with high pressure. Except in gogo bars you usually do alot of gestures and expressions to get the ladyboy to come sit with you. The noiser atmosphere may make it harder to communicate with the ladyboy once you are seated together perhaps.
This map shows most of the current ladyboy bars in Pattaya. A bar like Sensations is the oldest ladyboy bar in Pattaya and likely more mature ladyboys that would be very experienced and more laid back. Most of the bars in Pattaya are lounge style bars.

https://ladyboy.reviews/forum/the-total-thailand-scene/pattaya-~-the-bars-ladyboy-stars/997755-map-of-pattaya-ladyboy-bars

In Bangkok Nana Plaza is an atrraction with several gogo bars. These bars are quite high pressure but since they are so noisy there is lots of gesturing, nodding and winking going on.
Soi Cowboy also has mainly gogo bars. Choosing a lounge style bar like Why Not Bar or Check In bar may be desirable as they are more laid back and accepting in most cases.
There is many other bars outside of Nana that are also lounge style bars like Why Not and Check In. I would tend to recommend the lounge style bars and Why Not is very low pressure and accepting in my experience.

Another thing you may want to consider is consulting the Boss or Mamasan in the bar. You can ask for the Mamasan when you get to a bar and and explain your situation to them. This way you don't have to try and communicate to each ladyboy about your hearing issues. She can let them all know your condition in advance. You can also tell them your parameters for what type of ladyboys you like so they can match you with the suitable dates for your visit. This is the map of ladyboy bars in Bangkok:

https://ladyboy.reviews/forum/the-total-thailand-scene/bangkok-bar-ladyboy-scene/998405-map-of-bangkok-ladyboy-bars

You likely want to have a standard document loaded up on your phone that is written in Thai and explains your predicament. Then you can show this everywhere you go. Beyond that you can type on your phone and translate it to Thai as necessary. I've had to communicate with a few ladyboys this way. While most will speak some English not all will read English.

When it gets to transporation, taxi, tuktuk and motorbike drivers are less likely to know speak or read English although they likely will know the basics like hotel names and place names.
Around the tourist areas like Nana there is going to be better but less as you get to other areas of Bangkok. So keep that in mind. In a taxi make sure to force them to put the meter on so you can see it. Sometimes they try to negotiate or just charge you a flat rate which may not be as easy in your situation. They are required to put their meter on by law unless you agree to a flat rate.
In Pattaya they have baht buses which are a flat rate of 10 baht per ride so there is no talking necessary with these and they are very convenient.

As i say if you have some basic documents in Thai on your phone that are easy to bring up that will make things much smooter for you.
Using a translation app may be your next best options. I have not specifically seen deaf customers but these ladyboys are dealing with a lot of seniors who may be hard of hearing.
Likely some ladyboys do know sign language and dealing with hard of hearing so you may luck out but likely your chances of this are far higher in Bangkok.

As I say when you go to the bars, as for the Mamasan and explain to them your situation and desires. They can help your experience in the bar to be smooth.
Check In and Why Not have very good bosses so those are highly recommended.
As far as sightseeing and touring you may want to enlist a ladyboy to help you during the day for this. They can very be very helpful as a guide in where to go and what to do as well as communicatiing.

Hopefully that is help for you.
Any other questions, just ask.

[DivineLeopard]

Wow, thank you for such an insightful and detailed answer. I was not expecting that many details. As you said, Bangkok seems to be the way to go. It also seems easier to navigate around as a first-timer in Thailand. I can speak fine, I'm just not great at hearing.

I like your idea regarding using the Thai translation to explain to the mamasan my predicament and what I’m looking for in a ladyboy. I will definitely try that out. I saw some good hotel recommendations on the forum and I am doing a little research; I will be staying close enough to the metro and within walking distance of the clubs.

I'm not too worried about crime, but it is better to be safe than sorry for a first time, so that is another win for Bangkok. Thanks also for the guidance around taxis. I was also planning to use an app like Grab.

Unfortunately, I can’t get any other time off outside of August into September, so I have got to make the best of that.

Some questions:

• Are the LBs pushy in Why Not or Check-In? While money isn’t too much of a problem, I'd rather not go broke, haha.
• Since it might be quiet in August, do you still recommend going at night or in the evening? Either should be fine?
• Regarding hiring a ladyboy to help with sightseeing, how is this done? Is it the same way, as in going through the bars and asking?
• Any specific Thai phrases to know or have saved?

[Rockheart]

Bangkok has all the comforts of a modern city wheras Pattaya is modern but it is basically a big red light district. Pattaya I would say is probably better with some experience under your belt. Pattaya is only 2 hour drive from Bangkok and transportation is dirt cheap so depending how long you are staying a side trip is alway possible. Hotels can be especially cheap there.

The majority of ladyboys in Bangkok will understand some Engish. If you can learn to say you are deaf in Thai that could be a time saver I guess.
Most of the basic phrases in English will be understood by the ladyboys. If you were to code "Sexy Man" in Thai, they could find it funny.
Other than that just something explaining your condition is likely good.

Mamasans in most bars will be happy to help you out for the price of a drink or two usually. Obsessions bar in Nana the boss almost always comes and sits with new customers. This is a high pressure bar however but some of the hottest ladyboys in Bangkok are here.
Sometimes the mamasan is the owner and other times they are just a hired manager but both will know the ladyboys and their specific talents.

If you don't mind riding on the back of a motorbike, that is your cheapest transporation usually starting at 40 baht. Not sure how much grab costs but likely taxis are cheaper. Tuk Tuks are fun and fairly cheap but not that comforatable.

For hotels I always recommend "The Dynasty Grande" hotel for first timers. This is a great hotel that has been there a long time and always has great rooms, prices and service.
The front desk staff is excellent at screening ladyboys and it is just an all around good hotel. Also one of the biggest pools in the area. The Park Royal suites across the street from the Dynasty Grande is quite good.
If you like something cheaper Hotel Solo and Lohas residences are very good. I've heard Heaven@4 is a good cheap option also.
Most of the reviews in the past 10 years should be relevant as most of the hotels don't change that much.

It may rain quite a bit in August but usually into the evening it stops. Usually the rain comes in the afternoon then subsizes by dark.
There is going to be less tourists and hotel prices should be a little better. Ladyboys may be more willing to make a deal but there will also be less ladyboys this time of year but still plenty.
The highest pressure bars with the highest prices are going to be in Nana Plaza. There the drinks and bar fines are higher and they even have a minimum that the ladyboy can charge you. Other bars in Bangkok do not have as high of prices or any minimum fee for the ladyboys.
Check In, Why Not are low pressure in comparison. Most of the other lounge bars tend to be this way but these two bars are quite good.
You just have to be wary as all the ladyboys will try and get a free drink from you if they can as they get a commission plus a free drink. Don't get roped into buying drinks for everyone in the bar. If the number of drinks they want you to buy is getting crazy, just tell them. Try just to buy drinks for those ladyboys you are interested in and for the Boss.

To take a ladyboy out of the bar or to take them to a short time room in the bar you need to pay a bar fine. Lounge style bars have cheaper bar fines than the gogo bars in Nana.
The bar fine means you can keep the ladyboy out of the bar for up to 24 hours. If you stay longer with the ladyboy they still want you to pay the daily bar fine.
The fee the ladyboys charge you is up to them other than in Nana. So there may be a little variation in what they charge but often they just take what you give them if it is reasonable but you are still best to negotiate that in advance. Times when I have decided to stay with a ladyboy for a week or more I make some kind of deal that they go on vacation at the bar and pay the bar a few days of bar fine. You can meet ladyboys other ways but at the bar you can meet the ladyboys and choose one you particularily like so the extra fees are usually worth it plus it is more fun. You can also check out what they have in their panties before you even agree to go with any.

I just suggest using a ladyboy as a guide as it may be helpful to navigate and they can take you to good shopping and attractions more easily and you have some company that can help you talk with shop owners etc. Often if you take a ladyboy you like from the bar and hit it off, they will be hoping to spend more time with you. So many times if you are buying them food and the odd gift they will be happy to stay long with you and show you around. Many ladyboys their goal is to land you for longer than one night. However some don't want that as they like to stay single and available. In my experience they more often than not want a longer relationship. You can also negotiate a daily price for longer engagements.
A good tour in Bangkok is visitng the Grand Temple then checking out the fun on Khao San Road which is nearby.
If you get along with a ladyboy then they probably will be a good guide if they agree.