Out For a Beer
When you have been living here as long as the OFAB crew or for those of you that have been coming out here every year for years, you know that it is always fun finding those places off the beaten path. There may not always be the same kind of level of action that the big city provides but field trips can be quite special.
Presently, there is quite a bit of movement in terms of development on the other side of Sukhumvit to cater to the many people who have bought homes in the area. Many people who may be familiar with the bars in Pattaya in the old days will remember how much fun it was to explore new territory, to go where only a few men have gone before.
Many of these locations will require that you have some kind of transportation available but for the most part the ride will be a fun one. Going down Siam Country Club Road there are two bars worth noting. To find Country Club Road, you would go down Central Road, make a left on Sukhumvit and then make your first U-Turn to come back down. Keep your eyes open for Maela Seafood Restaurant and make the left. If you've never been down this road before and are riding a motorcycle, I would advise starting before the sun goes down. Although the city has seemed to fix most of the holes that used to make for dangerous riding on this road it still can be a bit tricky. About 3 or 4 Kilometers down the road you will see on the right a sign that has a picture of a butterfly.
Appropriately named The Butterfly Bar, this is a bar that has been around for many years and has always been popular with the Golfing Enthusiast. Far enough away from Pattaya to keep the Ms. at bay many guys find refuge here. In my opinion and the general opinion of our crew, Butterfly always seems to change. Some days the Butterfly Staff seem happy, other days, not. I have been the only customer in the bar on a rainy day and barely got a hello from the staff. The day we went was a good day. Decent music with cool air cond. made it a good experience and the girls we were with were all smiles. Clean rooms are available. This is definitely a bar that would do well to advertise a bit but you get the feeling the Owner really doesn't care whether or not he is breaking any records for business. They open around 12 and close around 6 or 7 depending on customers.
"Farther on up the road" as Eric Clapton so eloquently sang it, you'll find the Black Pearl Bar. This is a very large bar operated by people who know how to have fun. Girls always seem to be friendly here. Black Pearl is open early to very late as well. The Owner told me that it is not uncommon to have a customer come in at 10 AM and create activity as most of the girls are only a short stay away. It seems to be always hard leaving this place but we had more reporting to do so we did a few hours before hitting the trail again. Coming back out to Sukhumvit make a left and go past South Pattaya Road.
The first Signal after South Pattaya Road is Soi Khao Talo. You will make that left and pass The Grand Eastern Palace Hotel. There are several bars and restaurants along the way including Play Bar, a local hangout close to the market. If you bring your wife or girlfriend, they can do some shopping while you have a few cold ones. The Village on the right is operated by Barry a genuinely friendly guy. A few nice girls can be found here but it's not a pushy scene like you would find in some of the Pattaya City bars. A Pool table and some excellent music can be found here.
Continuing up the street and on your left is a Restaurant Bar called La Détente. Phillip and Jong, a very friendly and humorous couple, run this very interesting bar. A very large swimming pool is available to anyone wanting to cool off before, after or while having a few drinks. Good music and pool table. There are only a few nice girls here so it may be the kind of place you either bring a girl or just hang out for dinner and drinks before playing the field. Looking for excellent pizza? Directly across the street is Pizzas R Us. Steve the Owner is a great guy has created several of these popular eateries throughout Pattaya and has really developed a reputation of making a one of a kind pizza.
New Inn on the same side of the road as La Detente is a lovely air conditioned bar but when we stopped in, it was quite quiet. I think there may be more action earlier in the night. I ended my journey at the Oosha Bar which is located further down the road on the same side of the street as Pizzas Are Us. (right side) This roomy open aired bar is a great place for couples and singles. Again, not a pushy atmosphere but some very lovely girls here, great music and rumour has it some excellent food including great burgers and even lasagna. Live music on Friday nights and Tues and Thursday golf Tours for everyone. Free breakfast and free dinner for those who come along.
So, there you have an OFAB off the beaten track. In my opinion it's always a lot of fun to check the other side of town out and in the near future you will see more and more bars opening on the other side of Sukhumvit making these destinations a great place to go Out For A Beer.
|
