Which One is Right for You?
What’s up, brothers? Today, we’re breaking down the three main nightlife hotspots for adult entertainment in Bangkok: Nana Plaza, Soi Cowboy, and Patpong. While there are plenty of other places to party, like RCA, various clubs and Sky Bars around the city, these three areas are the backbone of the gogo bar scene. Each has its own vibe, strengths, and weaknesses, and if you’re new to the game (or just looking for a refresher), this guide will help you understand what to expect.
Nana Plaza: The King of Variety
Let’s start with Nana Plaza, located right in the heart of Sukhumvit. Nana is the biggest of the three, featuring around 36 bars packed into a multi-story complex. If you can’t find something (or someone) to enjoy here, you’re doing something wrong, because Nana offers the most variety in terms of bar styles, entertainment, and women.
You’ve got everything from small, intimate lounges to massive, high-energy bars like Billboard, which is always busy and packed with entertainers. If you prefer a more relaxed experience, there are high-quality venues like Tycoon or Lace Lounge, while spots like Red Dragon and Bunny 2 bring a more party-style energy. Whether you’re into big productions or chill settings, Nana has something for you.
Another major advantage? Nana is straightforward and hassle-free. Unlike some other areas, you won’t find hand tickets (those infamous bar scams where they overcharge unsuspecting tourists), bill padding, or aggressive mamasans (usually) forcing drinks and women on you. In all my time here, I’ve only seen one incident where a “woman” from a bar interfered in a customer’s business, and even that was a rare case. Because of this, Nana has become the go to spot for most of us. The combination of variety, transparency and high quality venues makes it an easy choice.
Soi Cowboy: What Happened?
Moving down Sukhumvit, next up is Soi Cowboy, once a strong competitor to Nana Plaza, but over the past several months things have changed. This spot is still a cool place to start the night, and it’s undeniably flashy, with neon lights and signs lining the entire street, but a few issues have caused it to fall out of favor for many experienced guys.
A big problem: Pricing scams and bad attitudes. About a year ago, some bars started charging a two drink minimum just to have a girl sit with you. That’s typically expected when pulling a girl off the stage, but now they’re charging it even if she’s just walking around the bar. Even worse, some places charge for two drinks but only give the girl one, meaning you’re literally paying double for nothing.
Then there’s bill padding and over the top bar fines. We’ve heard too many stories of guys walking into a Cowboy bar, buying two drinks, two lady drinks, and suddenly getting slapped with a 4,000-baht tab. And when barfines were involved, the bars were asking for $1,500 – 2,000 baht for very average entertainers, demanding the entire payment upfront for the woman’s time, and then pushing for 4,000 baht short time rates. That’s insane! The worst part? Some places force you to pay the full amount before even leaving. Never Pay Before You Play!! That’s a major red flag, and frankly, it’s not worth the hassle.
That said, Cowboy still has some solid spots. If you’re with a date or just want a different experience, Country Road has live music and a chill vibe. Penny Black is another great choice with a great live band and they recently reopened their nightclub upstairs, which is worth checking out after midnight. There are some good places to eat nearby as well, so Cowboy isn’t bad, it just doesn’t offer the same variety, quality, or fairness that Nana does.
Patpong: Bangkok’s Original Red-Light District
Last but not least, let’s talk about Patpong, located in Silom. This is Bangkok’s original red-light district, and while it took a big hit during the pandemic, it has bounced back strong. Patpong offers a completely different experience compared to Nana or Cowboy because it mixes traditional nightlife with a night market, restaurants, live music bars, gogo bars, and KTV clubs.
One of the best things about Patpong is the variety. If you want to sit back and enjoy a live band, there are great spots for that. If you’re looking for good quality gogo bars, they’ve got those too, with attractive and engaging entertainers. And if you’re part of the rainbow crowd (or just into different scenes), there are places catering to that as well.
Another huge bonus? The shopping. Patpong’s night market is famous for a reason, and you can grab souvenirs, clothes, bags and all sorts of random finds in between bar hopping. There’s also a ton of great food options, making it an easy place to hang out for an entire night without feeling stuck in one kind of scene.
But the real wildcard here are the KTV bars. If you don’t know what KTV is, go check out my video on it, but to keep it short, KTV clubs offer a VIP style experience where you get private rooms, drinks, and your own personal hostess or two or three, depending on how you want to party. It’s a completely different level of nightlife and definitely not for the cheap. You don’t go KTV bar hopping on a budget, but if you want a more relaxed, girlfriend-style experience, KTV is a great option. You can drink, play games, sing karaoke, and just have fun in a private setting.
Final Thoughts: Which One is Best?
At the end of the day, it depends on what you’re looking for. If you want the biggest selection of bars, the best variety of entertainers, and a largely hassle free experience, Nana Plaza wins. If you want a flashy, quick stop before heading somewhere else, Soi Cowboy is still fun, but you need to be aware of the pricing games. And if you want something different, with a mix of entertainment, shopping, live music, and KTVs, then Patpong is definitely worth checking out.
For me and my crew, Nana Plaza is still the top choice because of its variety, fairness, and overall quality. We still hit up Patpong when we want a change of pace, but Cowboy? Not so much anymore. The way things are going over there, it’s just usually not worth it.
That’s all I got for today. If you liked the post, consider watching the video and commenting there.
If you want real talk and behind the scenes insight, join the Private Telegram Group.
Stay smart. Stay sharp. And most of all, stay real.
It’s your boy JC. Peace out.
