I'm very fond of Hua Hin, although the gay scene there has been quietly withering away for years.

Socially though it's a lovely place, where you can make genuine friends in the bars, both Thai and Farang. The brash nasty element that pervades Pattaya is absent, it's a lot cheaper than Bangkok, and unlike Chiang Mai the air is always clean.

Do be very careful if you venture into the sea - there are rip tides, eddies and submerged rocks covered in razor sharp barnacles. There are casualties daily.. If you want to go swimming, take a baht bus up to Khao Takiab, which is much safer, and the water cleaner.

And if you fancy getting a little exercise stomping through the jungle for an hour or so, check out the Hash House Harriers https://h2h3-cah3.weebly.com/ - it's essentially a club for 'drinkers who have a running problem' who really welcome newbies and will happily organise a lift for you to the meeting point. 90% of those who take part walk rather than run, so don't worry if you're none too fit. They meet every Saturday.

As for sex, well, there's only about one and half gay bars at the moment, although it's not hard to find a ladyboy if they float your boat..