A walk down Pattaya Walking Street can be an incredible experience. The neon lights and colour, music and noise, performers and people, food and odours, and everything else about this kilometre long road will dazzle you.
Some find it bliss, others numbing. But even if you are not into partying and prefer quiet places, you should consider visiting Thailand’s wildest walking street – at least once.
Pattaya Walking Street: Timings & Getting There
The street is closed to vehicles from 19.00 – 06:00. By 20:00 most places are open, but there isn’t much action before 22:00. Walking Street Pattaya comes alive around midnight.
The distance from Central Pattaya to Walking Street is about 1.2 miles (2 km). To get here, you can either walk along the beach or take a shared open-air Baht bus (songthaew) that takes rounds of the city.
Pattaya Walking Street: Pattaya nightlife
Walking Street Pattaya – the city’s favourite nightlife area. Open mindedness and a good sense of humour are a prerequisite to enjoying yourself here.
Things To Do In Walking Street Pattaya
Watch a Band Perform
The live bands performing in Walking Street Pattaya are amazing. On any night there should be 5-10 bands playing. You can walk along the street, find a band you like (you’ll be able to see and hear bands play from the road), and enjoy drinks while tapping your feet or dancing to popular songs.
Sipping on a 100 Baht beer in a bar while watching a live performance is our favourite thing to do in Thailand’s Walking Streets. Performers in the area are exceptionally talented – so whichever bar you select, you’ll get to enjoy a great performance.
Enjoy a Sumptuous Meal
The Walking Street in Pattaya has excellent food options. In addition to open air food stalls, the street also has well-established restaurants that specialise in sea food. Some of these have dining areas that look out across Pattaya Bay, making them a great place to enjoy a meal while taking a break from the hustle and bustle.
You can also sample delicious street food and try exotic Thai fruits. The Turkish ice cream shop here is famous all over Pattaya.
Experience Pattaya’s Nightlife
When it comes to nightlife, Pattaya Walking Street is king. The street has venues, bars, nightclubs, and go-go bars to suit every taste. You’ll see flashy neon signs advertising bars everywhere. Women holding placards, displaying the rates of beer, will invite you to their nightclubs.
Some clubs like the Moulin Rouge have scantily clad women appearing behind windows – and so, you’ll see plenty of “window shopping” in the area. In all, there are over 100 night clubs and go-go bars in Walking Street Pattaya.
Keep in mind: If you visit gentlemen’s clubs and go-go bars, you’ll end up paying a lot more than the advertised rate.
Watch The World Go By (People Watching)
You’ll see hundreds of people from all over the world, trying to make sense of their surroundings. Some are seeing a walking street in Thailand for the first time and the culture shock on their faces show. (This can be quite amusing to watch). Some come to have a good time and enjoy drinks, others for the women.
Sitting in a bar with a good view of the street and enjoying a beer, while watching the world go by can also be a fun thing to do here.
Watch a Muay Thai Show
You’ll also get to see Muay Thai boxing shows on Pattaya Walking Street. The most popular one is about halfway down the street, opposite the entrance to Marine Plaza.
Though the matches are partly staged and not as vicious as the real thing, they are still fun to watch. You can even step in the ring to test your boxing skills and get photographed with the boxers (a tip will be expected).
Visit the Bal Hai Pier (Pattaya Pier)
On one end of the street is the Pattaya Pier – a central feature of the city. Ferries to Koh Larn Island leave from here.
If the noise and commotion of the road gets too much for you, Pattaya Pier is a good place to take a break. The pier is pretty and quiet at night. It’s a great place to enjoy a beer in silence before you head back.
What Not to do in Walking Street Pattaya
As long as you behave responsibly and act reasonably, you should have lots of fun exploring the street. However, keep the following points in mind:
Remember Prostitution is Illegal in Thailand and the legal age for sex with a Thai is 21 years old.
Don’t go for Sex Shows
Whether you visit with your partner or alone, touts will approach you and ask if you would like to watch a sex show. They will be carrying a menu with women on it. Even if you are curious, going for a sex show is a bad idea. You will most likely be ripped off. People fall into this trap and regret it and they are illegal.
Don’t Display Your Money
In general, Thailand’s walking streets have a few pickpockets. Be careful whenever you pull out your wallet to make payments, and always count the change you get back. Avoid carrying valuables.
Don’t do Drugs
You might be approached by someone offering or selling drugs. Stay away. It could be a setup. Drugs in Thailand are illegal and the consequences of being in possession are very serious.
Don’t Forget to Stay in Your Senses
Don’t get carried away by the ambiance and festive mood of this wild nightlife area in Pattaya. We have seen people get so drunk that they do not even remember where their hotel is. This can be a disaster. Drink responsibly.
Also, the chances of getting mugged are far greater when you are drunk. So stay alert.
Don’t Disrespect Women
Unwanted touching, sexual harassment on Thai women will have a heavy impact on your budget.
Please don’t disrespect the women that work in Thailand’s walking streets and other such areas. Most of them have a tough life and they have no other option than to do what they do to support their families.
Don’t use vaping – electronic cigarettes, they are illegal with a max fine of 100,000 baht and upto 5 years in prison.
Please respect Thai culture and wear a shirt. Outside of the beach or pool there is a Thai indecency law regarding showing male or female nipples in public. In Walking Street Thai Tourist Police will politely ask you to put your shirt on. If you don’t have one they will request you purchase and prove it.
All Thais have ID cards and equally everyone visiting Thailand should have some sort of ID with them, either your passport of a copy just incase you need to provide it to the various authorities working on walking street.
The Future of Pattaya’s Walking Street
In July 2018, the Thai government decided to beautify the street to give it a more ‘family-orientated feel’. By the end of 2019, Pattaya Walking Street will get a makeover to make it more appealing to families.
As a foreigner in Pattaya and in need of assistant you can always find a Tourist Mobile Police Station at the main entrance to walking street. Thai Tourist Police and Foreign Tourist Police Assistants are on hand to help from 21.00 until approx 05.00. Otherwise you can call 1155 which will connect you to the Head office of the Thai Tourist Police.
Enjoy walking street but equally stay safe.
