Soi Buakhao Pattaya – A Brief Guide & What to Expect

Pretty Thai girls in beer bars, Scandinavian bars, sports bars, gentlemen’s clubs, massage shops, and gogo bars are some of the delightful features you’ll find along and around Soi Buakhao –and more.

A big attraction to Soi Buakhao, apart from boozing, ladies and English breakfasts, is it’s the most affordable place for all these delights in Pattaya.

While Soi Buakhao is over 1.5 km long the most central location or busiest area is near Soi Pattayasaisong 9 (Tree Town Night Market), which leads to the main Pattaya Sai Song.

It’s best to think of Soi Buakhao as one big area with many Sois and alleys running off it, with the central part of this being Soi Buakhao.

Soi Buakhao Nightlife

Only a few places in Thailand are quite so populated with bars within one area, like Buakhao. Yes, some have a heck of a lot of bars like in Bangkok, Phuket and other places, but Soi Buakhao area is on another level.

Buakhao is one of the most affordable areas in many ways, especially the beer prices.

Beer Bars

Buakhao has a wide range of beer bars available, including many quiet places where guys can down their beers without needing to give or have attention from the hostess girls. 

There are many of these bars spread out, and you’ll find your usual English, Scandinavian, Aussie and other types of bars if you need some connection with your home country. 

The area is also not short of sports bars to watch the footie and live bands playing popular western cover music and a mix of Thai – Isan!

Hostess Type Bars

There are plenty of hostess bars where the girls call or even shout WELCOME to invite you inside to buy yourself and them a drink. Buying a drink for the ladies gives them a small commission for each drink. Most of these bars have ladies willing to leave the bar with customers if they choose to as long as they pay a bar fine of 500 – 800 THB to cover taking the night off work.

Soi LK Metro Bars

Soi LK has a lot of life going on after 5pm with a smaller but still full-on version of Pattaya Walking St –the famous Gogo Bar street. There’s a selection of gogo bars, hostess bars and other bars around this area.

Tree Town Bars

Tree town, which is right in the centre of the action and leads from Soi Buakhao to Pattaya 2nd Rd (Pattaya Sai Song Rd). It’s a large area with many bars that offer seating outside. It’s one of those central spots for sitting and watching the numerous foreigners entering and leaving the wonderful world of Soi Buakhao.

Gentlemen Clubs

Pattaya and the Soi Buakhao area have a good selection of gentlemen club/bars with a more upmarket appearance and service and offer privacy. Soi Chalermphrakiat 25 –off 3rd Street, and Soi Boomerang is the closest gentlemen’s clubs near the Soi Buakhao area.

Which Bars Do You Recommend?

I wouldn’t recommend one or another as what one person likes — another may not like the place; it’s subjective. The best place to start and find bars is to walk along Soi Buakhao near the Tree Town Market area and then along any side roads (Sois).

Visiting the Pattaya facebook groups like the one for Soi Buakhao can help you to stay up to date with what’s going on and special events at bars.

Popular Soi’s Include

These are the most popular sois you will find bars, restaurants, guesthouses, massage shops and adult entertainment venues. 

• Soi Diana
• Soi Lengkee
• Soi Chaiyapoon
• Soi Chalermphrakiat 
• Soi Xzyte
• Soi LK Metro
• Soi Honey
• Soi Skaw Beach
• Soi New Plaza
• Soi Made In Thailand
• Soi Boomerang

Restaurants –Places to eat

The Soi Buakhao area is full of places to eat Thai and western food. It’s big on burgers, pizzas and old-fashioned comfort western food.

The British have plenty of full English breakfast choices after a night of debauchery to cleanse their stomachs, and the Scandinavians have an abundance of comfort food stations to get fed.

Soi Buakhao is much about small eateries serving Thai and western dishes rather than large stylish restaurants. However, the area does also have steakhouse establishments.

Street food and mom n pop Thai food is better here than anywhere in main Pattaya, which includes the Tree Town stalls. 

Hotels and Staying Near Soi Buakhao

Remember that if you desire to stay around Soi Buakhao, it’s very lively at night, so if you require a peaceful setting, search well and stay outside the busy sois.

The area is big on guesthouses, and a lot of them –at affordable prices. So it’s where you can arrive in a traditional style, look at a guesthouse you like, and see if they have rooms available. 

For better upmarket hotel options you have to check out the surrounding areas of Soi Buakhao near 2nd road and beach road to remain fairly close to the Buakhao area.

Many guesthouses are small bars and restaurants where some travellers enjoy staying.

Anything else about Soi Buakhao?

As well as boozing, eyeing up the numerous Thai ladies, eating burgers and everything else –you can also find yourself plenty of massage shops, including what is known as a soapy massage and then venture into any of the local cannabis shops for some legal spliff smoking.

Local amenities like phramacies, barbers, money exchange and convenience stores like 7-11 and Family Mart are all available within walking distance.

Songthaews (two-sided trucks) also known as baht buses in Pattaya run along Soi Buakhao.

Final Thoughts

Soi Buakhao is not going tickle everybody’s fancy –and some may even turn their noses up in true hi-so fashion. However, it has a certain vibe about it that keeps many returning annually for their dose of down-to-earth boozing, eating cheaply and being entertained by the ladies.

If you are budgeting, then walking straight past Walking Street and onto Soi Buakhao will reduce your ATM card usage.

Soi Buakhao, the number 1 spot in Pattaya for single guys on a budget!