Central Pattaya, Pattaya

Central Pattaya is the middle of the city between Beach Road and Second Road, running from the north end of town down towards Walking Street. Soi 6, the beer bars on Soi 7 and Soi 8 and the Pattaya Night Bazaar all sit here. It is the most convenient base for first-timers because most things are a short walk or songthaew ride apart.

Open-air and unhurried. Soi 6 is lined with small bars with rooms upstairs, the beer bars on neighboring sois spill onto the pavement, and Beach Road has freelancers and street food after dark. It is more direct and less glitzy than Walking Street. Many bars here start early in the afternoon and carry on late.

Soi 6 is the main one, a short soi between Beach Road and Second Road lined with small bars that have rooms upstairs. The district's page also lists the Soi 7 and Soi 8 beer bar sois and Soi Diana nearby. Walking Street and LK Metro sit in neighboring districts, so they have their own pages.

Mostly bars and beer bars. Of 393 places, 296 are bars, 46 are massage shops, 37 are beer bars, 4 are malls, 3 are nightclubs and 2 are gogo bars, with 1 each of freelancer spot, rooftop, market and attraction. Soi 6 is also listed as a district.

Central Pattaya has far more going on, with 393 listings against 176 in Jomtien, and the red-light streets are within easy reach. Jomtien is quieter, spread out and better for long stays and a beach feel. Staying in the center puts you near the bars, while Jomtien needs a ride into town.

Near Soi 6, Second Road or the Soi Buakhao end gives you the best all-round base, with LK Metro and Tree Town a short walk away. Start with a beer on Soi 7 or Soi 8 to see how the bars work, then pick your soi. Hotel guest rules vary, so check them before you book.

By songthaew, the shared pickup trucks that loop one way along Beach Road and Second Road for a small flat fare. Press the buzzer to stop and pay through the window. For anything off the loop, agree the fare first, and use Grab or Bolt late at night. Most of the bars are walkable.

Money tricks rather than violence. On Beach Road, agree terms with a freelancer before you walk anywhere and keep your phone out of your back pocket. Never leave your passport as a deposit for a scooter or jet ski, and photograph anything you hire. Check the bill in each bar, and keep to lit streets late at night.