An update on Paradise Complex in Patong. I was there a month ago for a week. It was generally fairly quiet, but then it was the rainy season. Although the rain wasn’t bad. Heavy rain only one day for a couple of hours.
Currently operating in the main street in Paradise are, down the left hand side looking towards the Paradise Hotel:
James Dean and Friends is always a good place to sit, comfortable chairs, and have a drink outside, and people watch. Friendly and good people there, and some hosts, gay and straight available.
OK Karaoke, has some very sexy southern straight/available hosts, it can also stay open as late as you like.
Zag is a great success, very busy some nights. It has a drag show with male dancers, a mix of feathers and leather. The guys also perform as coyotes in between shows when most of the customers are also dancing. Customers are a mix of freelance off guys, groups of western gay guys who don’t mix much with thais, and groups of middle class thais from elsewhere on the island.
Sundowner next door is a chilled “lounge bar” next door under the same ownership.
Down the right hand side first is Passport, a small gogo bar that has seen better days, followed my MO2 run by the ex owners of Tangmo. An average selection of guys, maybe 15, and they do a couple of advertising shows in the street with all the guys in their underwear(a good view from James Dean and Friends!)
Next is the Connect Restaurant and Guesthouse, followed by James Dean which is an open air host bar, with a few hosts and regular customers.
Next is Time which is a smaller host bar, usually quiet. This is followed by My Way which has now dispensed with the ladyboy shows, and has got back to it’s core. Guys! It’s the biggest venue on the strip, and is now back to completely gogo and has a good selection of guys. Also has a regular big cock show whose participants wouldn’t be shamed in similar shows in Bangkok. The compere is a slim young guy with fluent English and hung like the proverbial horse. Tips are solicited after the special shows.
Finally the Boat Bar a showbar which, with My Way, is one of the originators of the gay move into Paradise. The show, drag with male backing dancers, is not as good as it has been, but it still has the drag star of the street in Turk. Gay freelancers, thai middle class and gay tourists are the clientele.
I’d recommend My Way, Zag, Boat Bar and James Dean and Friends.
On Patong Beach, deckchairs are still forbidden, but cunningly circumvented by digging armchairs made out of sand.
Best “street food”, chicken/pork and rice, still comes from Briley Restaurant, Andaman Plaza, Ratuthit Road side. 50 Baht per plate.
For a treat and European Cuisine enjoy Joe’s Café, with it’s fabulous position overlooking the floodlit sea on the road between Patong and Kalim. Very romantic for a special evening. Great cocktails and staff.
Phuket/Patong is still a good place to visit.
