Planning a birthday or bachelor party in Pattaya

Pattaya is made for celebrations. Birthdays, bachelor weekends, reunions and friends' trips all work brilliantly here: the nightlife is famous, days can be as busy or lazy as you like, and everything is close together. Here is how to plan it well.

Start with the right base

For a group, location matters more than anything. Pick a hotel within walking distance of Walking Street, so nobody gets stranded waiting for a ride at 3 am, and with a pool for the recovery day.

Party at Suroor

Suroor is the party club and bar inside Silvertone Hotel, with a neon bar, lounge booths, billiards and theme nights. For birthdays we can put your name on the big screens and set up a table for the crew, and for bigger groups you can take over a section for a private party.

Tell us the date, group size and what you have in mind, and we'll put options together. See Suroor.

Then hit Walking Street

After Suroor, walk over to Walking Street. Clubs like Insomnia, Leela, JALWA and RAAS take table bookings and bottle service. Book tables in advance for Fridays, Saturdays and event weekends.

Daytime ideas for groups

• Speedboat to Koh Larn: charter a private speedboat (roughly 1,500 to 2,500 baht) and spend the day on clear-water beaches. See our Koh Larn guide.
• Go-karting or a water park: good for getting the group's energy out.
• Cabaret show: Tiffany's or Alcazar make a fun early evening before dinner.
• Muay Thai: watch a live fight night together.
• Pool day: order food, put on a playlist and recover.

A sample weekend

• Friday: arrive, check in, dinner on Second Road, birthday table at Suroor, then Walking Street.
• Saturday: late breakfast, pool, speedboat to Koh Larn, sunset drinks, big night out.
• Sunday: slow brunch, massage, shopping at Terminal 21, last dinner together.

Budgeting tips

• Agree a shared kitty for tables and drinks, and decide who handles the bill.
• Ask clubs for a package price for your group before the night.
• Use Bolt or Grab for transport so prices are fixed.
• Book event weekends early; fireworks weekend and New Year are the most expensive.

Keep it safe and fun

• The legal drinking age in Thailand is 20. Bring ID.
• Agree prices before ordering, and check every bill.
• Keep phones and wallets secure in crowds, and agree a meeting point.
• Vaping and drugs are illegal in Thailand, with heavy penalties.
• Look after each other and walk home together.