Gay Patong - General information (and Gay Map) about Gay Patong Beach gay scene.

Updated 23/9/01

This page is partly available also in:
Deutsch | Français | Norsk | Español | Dutch Russian New

General information about Phuket Island in Thailand

Royal Paradise Hotel - Paradise Complex area

What's on this page?

Gay Patong offers a very exciting and interesting gay scene. We hope that you will take your time and read this small piece of advice before entering the gay scene. We do think that this information is helpful understanding what's going on here. Without some information on hand the gay scene might appear confusing and very odd. Everything you are used to (and think is normal) is better forgotten while you are here. What's normal in a western country might be very wrong here. Remember that the Thai culture is much older than in most western societies and has its own way of dealing with things.

About Paradise Complex

About the gay scene

Beaches and swimming

About Paradise Complex.

Patong Beach on Phuket Island in Thailand is the most popular and well-developed beach on Phuket Island in Thailand. Long recognized as one of the world's Top 10 diving sites, Phuket is now Thailand's most important tourist destination, offering a variety of beaches, attractions and exciting nightlife.

If you have visited Patong Beach and Paradise Complex before we think you will be pleased by the changes happening here now. Owners of the Royal Paradise Hotel have been redeveloping parts of the Paradise Complex to increase the number and variety of shops and businesses here. The popular but noisy outdoor bars have been closed and the most popular ones have relocated indoors here at the complex. The outdoor bar areas are being demolished and re-landscaped as pedestrian areas. These improvements should be finished by October of '98.

If you haven't been here before you will find a blossoming gay community only 8 minutes walk from the beach. Should you choose to stay at one of the gay accommodations in and around paradise complex, you will find everything you need is just around the corner. In addition to several gay guesthouses there are now over 20 gay bars and clubs, a disco with 2 shows nightly, 4 restaurants, coffee shops, hair salons, laundry services, phone/fax and Internet services, tourist information and travel agents. The gay community in Patong is strong and continues to grow, with more variety than ever here at Paradise Complex.

If you are planning to visit Patong Beach during the high season (Oct-April) it is strongly advised that you make room reservations in advance as the most popular hotels are often booked 3-4 months in advance.

Through its "AMAZING THAILAND 1998-1999" campaign, the Tourism Authority of Thailand is making a major effort to increase tourism in Thailand. Over 4 million people are expected to visit Phuket in the next year and we hope you will be one of them.

About the gay scene.

We wish and intend to make your visit to our gay community as happy as possible. Many guests are familiar with gay life in Phuket, but for those new explorers, we have some thoughts we would like to share. [These thoughts are also valid if you are straight and are looking for a friend of the opposite sex.]

Start to think with an open mind about the fact that your references and experiences are most likely very different from those of most of the Thai-men you will meet in the gay-community here. Also most of the Thai-men you will meet are not like you here for vacation, they have their daily life here including good times, bad times, joy, love, happiness, sorrow as well as to make their living. Even if your background is very different your feelings may not be that different! Treat anyone with the same kind of respect you yourself would appreciate.

Please remember that the Thai-men you will meet in the bars are working men and your satisfaction and happiness is their income. If you talk with a man for a while in the bar, buy him a drink, leave him a tip, or both.

You will as everywhere find many kinds of (Thai-) men: masculine men, feminine men, masculine boys, feminine boys and lady-boys. And do not be surprised that some of the Thai-men who go with a gay-tourist are straight.

Patong has bars with cabaret shows, go-go boys, sexy shows, bars and restaurants, and almost all have Thai-men who would go with a guest. If a Thai- man appeals to you, find out through the captain or owner if he speaks English. It is always best to be straightforward with the Thai-man and the owner of the bar. Find out what the Thai-man likes and does not like. Also find out if he will spend the night, or just spend a shorter time together with you. If you do not find out about this in advance you may be confused and disappointed later. There is always a fee to the bar that is not negotiable if you want to take away a Thai-man working in that bar. There may be some flexibility with your payment to the Thai-man. It may involve only sex, staying the night, or perhaps you will have company for your entire holiday. Please remember, he has friends or family, and will need some time for his daily life too. Payment can be at the end of your adventure, but it is more thoughtful to consider payment as you both go along.

You can of course meet all kinds of Thai-men here in Patong, also gay men that you can meet under the same conditions and circumstances as in every other country.

Different Thai-men you will meet here have as well as all other men different intentions with seeking contact with you. Making contact to find: love, the pleasure of sex, money for their living or a combination of all.

We as western-gay are normally very used to seek sexual contacts just for the pleasure of sex or as a part of seeking love but we are not very prepared that that may involve money. Here that is a reality. And regardless if you want to be a part of that or not it probably make your stay here in the gay community easier if you are mentally aware already when you enter.

This does not mean that you can not really enjoy and have a fantastic time meeting new friends in the gay-community without taking a Thai-man and pay for that. But since you will get suggestions it would probably save yourself and your surroundings from a lot of confusion if you are straightforward with your intentions. Pay a drink for the Thai-man, give him a tip and explain with a friendly smile that you are not looking for someone to go with if that is the case.

Remember that even if you get into a really confusing situation here you are always better of with a smile here than any kind of confrontation.

We hope you will have a really nice time here and that our thoughts will help you to make it even better.

Beaches and swimming.

The best beaches on Phuket Island are on the west coast. The most developed beach is Patong followed by Karon and Kata.