Bangkok Go-Go Bars

Bangkok Hot Spots

Bikini-clad dancing girls, over-the-top ladyboys and lewd, eye-popping shows... Yes, the Go-Go bars that earned Bangkok its worldwide notoriety are still alive and letting it all hang out. For better or worse, Bangkok's illustrious 'After Dark' reputation owes much to these spots.


The first area that springs to mind is Patpong. Nowadays, having become part of a wider entertainment scene that includes the popular Patpong Night Market, bars, nightclubs and a gay back street, it isn't the aggressive red-light district it once was.

Open-minded visitors, lured in by hard-selling touts and their curiosity, treat the infamous upstairs shows like a circus show, coming in for a quick look at the inventive performances, a giggle and a couple of overpriced drinks before heading off to continue their shopping or hit a nearby club (these performances are also dubbed 'ping-pong shows', and a lot of imagination isn't needed to guess the origins of this phrase.)

These are found predominantly at Nana Plaza and Soi Cowboy, red light districts both situated on lower Sukhumvit Road. Depending on the current level of police interference, both offer explicit shows featuring girls in various stages of undress; usually uniforms, bikinis or pretty much nothing bar a coy smile and a dash of Burberry Weekend. Nana even has its own on-site 'guesthouse' for clients.

blog: Thaifood, Series, Inter Music