Soi Cowboy

Soi Cowboy is a single neon-lit lane on Sukhumvit, running between Soi 21 and Soi 23 in the Sukhumvit district. It is close to Asok, which makes it easy to pair with Nana Plaza, a short ride away. The lane is straight, short and well lit, so you can walk the whole length in a few minutes.

The lane has around 40 gogo bars, and the best known include Baccara, Crazy House and Tilac. It is not only gogos either: the soi also has nightclubs such as Glow, Narcissus and Pegasus, several massage shops and a scattering of ordinary bars. The result is a small area with a lot of variety packed into one street.

Yes, it is my pick for a first night. The street is one straight lane with open doors, so you can see inside a bar before committing, and the general mood is easier-going than Nana Plaza. Walk it end to end, pick the bar that looks right and stay for one drink. Nobody expects you to stay or buy anything beyond that.

Soi Cowboy is a single outdoor lane with about 40 gogo bars and a more relaxed feel. Nana Plaza stacks three floors of gogo bars around a courtyard and is the biggest nightlife complex in Bangkok, with a rowdier crowd and more choice. Many people visit both in one evening, starting with whichever suits their mood.

There are nightclubs (Glow, Narcissus and Pegasus), massage shops (Aya Massage Bangkok, Hatthasart 23, JasminePLUS, Lemongrass, Siambreeze and Tony Thai) and ordinary bars including Scruffy Murphy's Irish Pub, Country Road, Craft and The Clubhouse. There is also Lemon Club Japanese Karaoke. You can drink without going into a gogo bar at all.

Check the tab before you leave a bar, count lady drinks against the chits and question anything you did not order straight away. Do not ring the bell behind a bar, because it buys a drink for the whole room. Keep your phone in a front pocket, carry only the night's cash and apologize and walk away if anyone gets stroppy.

Late evening is when the lane fills and the shows are fullest, while earlier on it is quieter and a good time to look around at an easy pace. Weekend nights are the busiest. Because hours and happy hours change from bar to bar, check on the night, and the venue listings show VIP members current opening hours.

Dun Dee, Sam's, Cactus Club, cowboy 2, AfterSkool and Spice Girl are all close, so you do not have to go far. If you want a change of scene, the Sukhumvit nightclubs around Soi 11 are a ride away, and Nana Plaza is a few minutes along Sukhumvit if you fancy comparing the two.