For us, traveling is all about connecting to people. It is a completely different experience when you hangout with a local or simply have a piece of travel advice from somebody that understands the local culture in a deeper level. It will save you a lot of time and open up your eyes to appreciate the true colors of a place that many times are hidden in between tourist traps. For this reason we interviewed Matthew, he is a pole dancer passionate about dance and travel living in Bangkok.
Pole dancing has actually opened me up to this international community of loving, dedicated and extra people all across the globe. Now I meet new friends passing by Bangkok and in every city, I visit, I try to take a class at the local pole studio. Everyone should try it once in their life.
He shared some of his favorite things to do in Bangkok and has a lot of recommendations to share with us. Here is what he has to say:
WHERE TO PARTY
Silom tends to be the main “gayborhood”. I tend to go to the same places a lot such as Stanger Bar, DJ Station and then G.O.D. on a Friday or Saturday night. Kika also hosts a fun Sunday afternoon gay event. I love it and always have fun.
The gay scene is very vibrant and in some ways, Bangkok feels like the unofficial gay capitol of Asia with all the gay locals and tourists. It also feels like many of the gays from surrounding countries like Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia are always coming back to Bangkok. I love it and feel that Thai people in Bangkok can be very accepting of gays.
WHEN TO GO
I’d say the weather is best to come between December – April, but Bangkok has their new year celebration in April every year. “Songkran” seems to be an unofficial gay celebration with people from around the world coming to Thailand in April to enjoy the water celebration. Songkran is definitely something to experience at least once in your life.
THINGS TO DO
I actually love to go to Bang Kachao, which is this green oasis park in Bangkok that makes you feel like you’re 100kms away from the city centre, but it’s actually in Bangkok and you can get there by a short ferry ride. Rent bikes with friends and check out some great food and the Botanical Gardens. Bangkok’s best-kept secret.
day trips from bangkok
Ayutthaya is a great day trip to see the old capital and some ruined temples and get a history lesson about Thailand. It’s a really pretty and relaxing getaway just 2 hours outside of Bangkok.
Another day trip is the “Ancient City”. A little less than an hour outside of Bangkok, the Ancient City is an open-air museum with life-sized and scared-down replicas of all of Thailand’s biggest monuments. It’s actually quite a spectacular sight and great for pictures and learning about the diversity within the country.
WHERE TO EAT
I love to grab street food in most areas and you can find it all over Bangkok, but seems to be less and less common these days. Silom tends to have a lot of places for street food. I love to get Som Tom Thai, which is a papaya salad dish you can find most places.
Som tum, Tum Yum soup and some sort of curry dish is definitely a must try. Don’t’ forget to get sticky rice.
WHERE TO SHOP
I love to buy local paintings and random Thai souvenirs from places like Chatuchak Weekend Market. Chatuchak is huge, but they have about everything so you can spend all day Saturday or Sunday there. Remember, if you see something you like here, buy it ! You might have a hard time getting back to that same store again. Going in the morning can help beat the crowds and the heat.
WHERE TO STAY
Silom/Sathorn is the best gay neighborhood to stay in. A lot of visitors and locals go to this area to hangout at the bars and restaurants filled with gay patrons.
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
Bangkok is very safe place for LGBTIQ+ travellers. Most areas are safe for foreigners and gay friendly. Just make sure not to wear shorts to the temple, no Buddha tattoos, and make sure the taxi drivers use the meter.
