Pattaya Not To Do's

You need to know the main Pattaya not to do's so you can confidently plan your trip while at home and then avoid some of the pitfalls once you're in Pattaya.

You're halfway around the world where things are done much differently than in the west.

Things are different, much more fun, but you do need some caution.

Pattaya Not To Do's - Do Not Wait Until a Friend Can Go With You

I was in my late 50's during my first 5 Pattaya trips.  I'm 61 now.

When I went, my friends at home were all married or in committed relationships.  The ones that weren't tied down were either too broke or in too poor of health to enjoy what Pattaya has to offer.

You have to have enough vitality, both in your ability to move around, and in your bank account.  You need to feel comfortable spending some of YOUR money on YOUR needs. 

You may have to open your mind to a different set of rules and values in Pattaya.  If you do, Pattaya will reward you with some of the best experiences of your life.

Most men just don't have the vitality or the open mind. 

You may have a great lady at home, or a lady who won't allow you to have a good time.  You may have let yourself go for so long, that an adventure in paradise is out of the question.

Or worst of all, you don't have the courage or enough of an open mind to get totally out of your comfort zone and see what Pattaya is like for yourself.

I have totally shed my fears and enjoy going on solo trips.  Both at home and abroad.

And my mind is totally open.

Going alone is better anyway.  You can do what you want, every second of your trip.  You don't have to tend to your drunken buddies and their idiosyncrasy's.

But you do have to keep your wits about you and watch out for yourself.  Especially if you're the drunken buddy your friends have to watch out for.

Pattaya Not To Do's - Do Not Go For the Wrong Amount of Time - Stay Long Enough But Not Too Long

You need to stay long enough to get to know the area and overcome setbacks.  A weekend is not long enough. 

You may need to rest to overcome the flight.  You may get ill or sunburned.  Your feet may get blistered and limit how much you can walk.  You may sprain your ankle on the uneven streets.  You may get severely hung over.  You may be too timid to even talk with a lady your first few days. 

You will, most likely, love it so much you will be wishing you had more time.  I’d recommend 2 weeks for your first trip.  But if you only have a week, that is doable, it will just be difficult to overcome big mistakes or problems.

But do not stay too long.

You are not there to retire; you are there on an adventure trip.  You can think and dream about retiring in Pattaya while on your holiday, like some of my You Tube hero's.  But your first trip or even your first few trips should be about YOU, having the time of your life. 

Everyone recommends you spend some time learning about an overseas retirement location first as part of an exploratory trip anyway.

When you stay too long, partying like a rock-star for days on end you will go broke and wreck your health.  Plus there is nothing special you need to do with your Visa when you stay less than 30 days.  Just show up and go home in a few weeks.

Other Random Pattaya Not To Do's When Preparing At Home

Do Not Get involved with a lady in your home country in the months leading up to your trip

I met a nice lady in September before my first trip in November.  We kind of hit it off, but since I knew what I was really planning in Pattaya, I just let her go.

Do Not Tell anyone at home your plans

People are overly nosy with stupid opinions about how you should live YOUR life.  I told people at home where and when I was going only a few days before I left, and I did not include any of the details about my plans.

Do Not Squander your Vacation Time, Cash or Your Credit

I know when I’ve had bad jobs, I would fritter away my vacation time because I just could not stand to be there one more minute on some days.  An hour here, a half day there, soon my precious vacation time dwindled to nothing. 

You need a full week, at least.  Two full weeks is best for your first trip. 

You need to stockpile dollars.  You need to bring your countries cash.  I'm from the US and bring as new of hundred dollar bills as I can get from my bank.  

And you need credit to pay for your flight, your hotel, travel insurance, travel to and from your home airport and emergencies.

Plenty of cash and credit.  You can't fully enjoy Pattaya without a good amount of cash and enough credit for the flight and a good hotel in the Central Pattaya area.

Do Not wait until you retire for your first trip

Go now to learn and enjoy.  Retirement planning in a foreign country is foolish without visiting first.

Do Not Book a Flight With a Short Layover

I missed my connection on my second trip because of the short layover.  It was a nightmare of inconvenience getting to Thailand.

Do Not Book Excursions from your Home Country

Excursions can be easily planned and booked once you arrive.  I have so much fun in the evening that I keep the daytime excursions to a minimum. 

There are fabulous side trips from Pattaya.  But learn about them over there.

Do Not Delay your Trip too Long

I was planning my first Pattaya trip in 2016 but delayed it 6 years until 2022.  Missing out on 6 years of fun.

Once your age creeps up and your health deteriorates, going to Pattaya will be almost impossible.

You are not getting any younger.  Go now, while you can.

Do Not assume you are too young or too Old

Go now.  Make your plans now while you can and live your life to the fullest.

I've met some younger men in Thailand, I believe 30's was the youngest with the exception of some US navy servicemen one night.  But 40's, 50's and 60's is the more common demographic.  Usually men in their 20's are still too busy at home with limited vacation time.

You will see some very old men tottering around Pattaya.  Chances are they either are ex-Pats or have visited many times and know the City.  In either case, they got through the steep learning curve when they were younger and more with it.

Do Not assume you don’t need ED Medication

You may meet a lady.  The older you are and the less practice, the more this is critical.

Try these out at home to make sure they do not affect you negatively.

More Pattaya Not To Do's When You're There

Do Not Give Out Your Phone Number

Duh.  Once you go home, you do not want anyone from Pattaya bothering you.

Do not Tip More than 10%

Pattaya is not like the US where tipping is totally out of control.  The Thais are quite happy with 10%.  Don't spoil Thailand like the US is spoiled.

Don't Spend Too Much Time on the Back of Motor Bike Taxi's

These are not as safe as other modes of transportation.

I stay in the Central Pattaya party zone and mostly walk and take the baht bus for transportation.  I do take the Motor bike taxis occasionally.  Sometimes there is no choice to get across town or if I'm too exhausted to walk.  Just hang on.

Do Not Rent a Jet Ski

Everyone seems to agree that the potential for scams is too high.

See - Pattaya Jet Ski Scams

Do Not Offend the People

Be nice, kind, friendly, easy-going.  Be willing to walk away from any trouble.  Pay your bill and leave.

Do Not Walk Too Far

I walked way to far on the first day of my first trip and had to deal with painful blisters for the next 2 weeks.

Do Not Drink Too Much

Know your limits.

Do Not Go Out of Your Way to Get Run Down

It's tempting to go-go-go when there is so much to see and so much fun to be had.  But if you're an aging man, you need to stay within your limits.  Push yourself yes, but not over the top.

Do Not Wait to Get Medication

The pharmacies are very helpful.  There is no sense waiting and suffering.

Do Not Get Talked Into Buying What You Do Not Want

This is extremely difficult.  The Thais need us to buy their stuff to earn their living.  To them, we are all rich.  Most of us accumultated a good share of our money by not buying stuff we don't want.

Do Not Eat Food That Does Not Agree With You

I had a horrible experience with Indian food during my first trip.  It just goes right through me, even though I like some of the flavors.

And as much as I love Thai food, I need some western food - steak, burgers and pizza to keep my strength up and my digestive system functioning properly.

Do Not Swim Underwater if Your Ears are Suspect

At least be prepared with treatment and medicaction.

Pattaya Not To Do's Wrap Up

Be aware of the Pattaya not to do's and plan accordingly.

The main thing is to start to make your plans.  Set aside the vacation time.  Accumulate cash.  Keep a healthy amount of available credit.  Determine when to go and book your epic trip!