Walking Street in Pattaya, Thailand

Walking Street Pattaya: At a Glance

Everything a first-timer needs before heading down, in one glance. Thai prices are in baht (THB); the rupee figures are a rough guide at about 1 THB to Rs 2.9.

What Is Walking Street and What Is There To Do

Walking Street starts where Pattaya Beach Road meets the sea at the southern end of town and runs about 500 metres down to the Bali Hai Pier area. Through the day it is an ordinary, quiet road. After roughly 18:00 the barriers go up, cars are turned away, and the whole strip fills with lights, music and crowds until the early hours. You walk the full length on foot, which is where the name comes from.

The mix is broader than its red-light reputation suggests, and it is easy to enjoy an evening here without stepping into the adult venues at all. Along the strip you will pass:

 • Beer bars that run open-front, with pool tables, sports on the screens, and cheap bottled beer. This is where most first-timers settle in for a drink and to        watch the street go by.

 • Live-music bars and nightclubs with cover bands playing rock, pop and Thai hits. 808 Club is the best-known of the larger dance clubs at the pier end.

 • Cabaret-style bars and adult go-go bars, which the street is historically known for. They are clearly signed, so they are easy to seek out or to skip,                whichever you prefer.

 • Seafood restaurants near the Bali Hai end, where you point at the fresh catch on ice and it is grilled to order. Gulliver's is a long-running food-and-drink        stop toward the Beach Road end.

 • Street-food and market stalls selling grilled skewers, fresh fruit, ice cream and souvenirs, plus roaming photographers with pythons and parrots (agree          any price first).

For a show rather than a bar, the famous Alcazar and Tiffany's cabaret theatres are a short baht-bus ride away in North Pattaya, and are family-friendly. If you want the street without the late-night crowds, walk it once in the early evening around 19:00, when the lights are on but it is calmer.

Walking Street Timings and the Best Time To Visit

Walking Street turns pedestrian-only from about 18:00 and stays lively until roughly 03:00. The strip is slow and half-shuttered before then, so there is little point arriving in daylight. It builds through the evening and the peak is from about 22:00 to 02:00, when every bar has its music up and the crowd is thickest. First-timers often like to arrive around 21:30, walk the whole length once to get their bearings, then double back to whichever spot looked best.

Season matters too. November to February is Pattaya's cool, dry stretch and the most comfortable time to be out at night, which is also when most Indian travellers visit. The March-to-May hot season is sticky after dark, and the mid-year months bring the odd heavy shower, though the street carries on rain or shine.

How To Reach Walking Street

The easiest way to get to Walking Street is the baht bus, the blue shared songthaew pick-ups that run up and down Beach Road and Second Road. Flag one down, ride toward the southern end, press the buzzer near the Walking Street entrance, and pay a flat few baht (about 10 to 20 THB per hop) as you step off. Do not negotiate for a shared ride; just hand over the standard fare. A private tuk-tuk will take you door to door for more, so agree the price before you get in.

If you are staying in Central or North Pattaya, it is a pleasant 15 to 30 minute walk south along the beachfront. Coming from Bangkok, Walking Street is about a two-hour drive, and it is an easy evening out on any Bangkok and Pattaya tour that includes a Pattaya night. For the wider picture of getting around, see our Pattaya travel guide.

Safety and First-Timer Tips

Walking Street is busy and generally safe to walk, with a visible police presence, but it is a party zone, so a little street sense goes a long way. Keep these in mind:

 • Check drink prices before you sit down. Walk the full 500 metres once first so you know what is on offer and are not pulled into the first place that calls        you over.

 • Stick to clearly priced menus in the open beer bars, where a bottle is cheap. Be wary of anyone offering to lead you to a special bar or show, and always      confirm what a drink or a photo with an animal will cost before you say yes.

 • Mind your valuables as pickpocketing can happen in the crush after midnight. Carry a little cash rather than a fat wallet, and keep your phone secure.

 • It is fine for a look by day and in the early evening, when it is just a normal street with restaurants and stalls. The adult venues only open later and are easy to walk past, so families can still take an early stroll and an ice cream.

See Walking Street On a Bookable Pattaya Trip

A Walking Street evening slots neatly into a wider Bangkok and Pattaya holiday, and that is the simplest way to do it. Rather than piecing together hotels, transfers and a Coral Island day yourself, you can pick a ready itinerary that already builds in a free Pattaya night to spend on the street. Popular options start from around Rs 15,000 per person and can be customised.

Compare all three side by side: the 3N/4D Bangkok and Pattaya holiday, the 4N/5D Bangkok and Pattaya tour, and the 6N/7D Bangkok and Pattaya tour. Couples can also look at our Bangkok and Pattaya honeymoon packages, or browse the full range of Thailand tour packages. Every trip is customisable, so you can add or drop a Walking Street night as you like.

What Else To See Near Walking Street

Walking Street is a night out, so build your days around the rest of Pattaya and cross to the beach or islands while the street sleeps.

Spend a day on Coral Island (Koh Larn) for clear water and watersports, laze on the quieter sands of Jomtien Beach, take in the all-teak Sanctuary of Truth in the morning light, or haggle for a bargain at the Pattaya Floating Market. See the full list on our Pattaya places to visit page.