Of Deals, Drinks and Dance

Early in the evening, when vehicles were still allowed in Bangla Walking Street, I noticed a man sporting a T-Shirt with a caption “No, I don’t want a f*?k’n suit, Tuk Tuk or massage. Thank you very much.” Several people returning from Patong beach during daytime prefer to walk the stretch just in order to decide a tentative itinerary for the night. But the real energy of the street starts only in the evening. After 6 PM, the street is closed for vehicles and the acclaimed sybarites’ paradise morphs into its real self.

Right at the very entrance of the famous Soi(Thai for street), one can see a huge billboard bathed in neon light. The huge screen is not only a functional display board but a glamorous precursor to the road ahead. While walking down, one can hear loud music from different pubs melt into one another to create a musical mish mash that almost transforms into reverberation after sometime. You might bump into a spin dancer or two(one of the few things I saw boys doing in Thailand) with people standing around them in large circles cheering their balancing act. Everyone around looks intoxicated and the sea of heads keeps getting larger as the night advances.

Beautiful women smartly pull crowd and try to attract people into ping pong shows. Negotiations start as soon as travelers start looking at the pictures of scantily clad women in the pamphlets they carry. Nothing comes for free and competition to sell is cut throat. Up-selling is a common sight. You agree for a ping pong show and you will be sold a beer(a local beer like Leo, Singha or Tiger may cost from 70 to 100 baht for a 330 ml bottle), you have a beer and you will be sold shots, you have shots and you are offered a lap dance. The list of things to do goes on. Although locals are transparent with the prices of products and services they sell, they know how to talk you into paying more. I remember this lady at Tiger Bar who was extra sweet to me, called me fancy names, and later asked for a tip on account of the service.

If you go to Bangla Walking Street you might end up going to a GoGo bar which is a closed and air conditioned pub full of decked up local women running the show. If you ever decide to watch a ping pong show, you must be sure you are not a judgmental person. Right when you start thinking your eyes are witnessing the most extravagant show ever, the next level of visual surprise shows up. It is a series of wild things happening in quick succession. After watching a ping ping show, you might be able to figure out why do they say it has to be seen to be believed. Goes without saying that it’s a paradise for men and women looking for an inexperienced territory of sensual encounters… that is not all of it. It is years of experience and practice that goes into each one of these shows. Apart from the erotic appeal these acts are famous for, you might find some form of elegance and art hidden behind each scene. I can never forget the graceful dance moves of the Japanese girl whose nude body was painted with neon flowers by a colleague of hers, all within a minute on stage… every petal glittered several times as she moved, the motion of her eyes complimenting every step of hers.

If you keep walking towards Patong Beach, you will see bar after bar with unique specialty of their own. Aussie Bar, for example, is for people who like sports and good food. Ladyboys wearing dramatic costumes posing for pictures is a predominant sight in this part of the street. They often try to woo people into cabaret shows. You would have already seen the most vibrant part of the Soi by the time you reach here. Even if you decide not to spend too much of money at Soi Bangla, merely taking a walk from end to the other is quite an experience and may be that is why the pedestrial feature of this place is flaunted in the name itself.

The infamous tuk tuks are always ready at both the ends of Bangla Street whenever you decide to leave.  Even the tuk tuk owners seem to believe in the concept of loud music to attract business. They often quote hefty amount, the closer they are to the main street the worse. A lot of people can be seen walking further to their hotels not only in order to save money but to live the ‘walking’ feel of the place to its maximum.

Here are some recommendations that might come in handy while visiting the place:

When to go: If seeing the nightlife is on top of your priority list, then November and December are considered the best months to visit Phuket, especially Soi Bangla. The weather is pleasant compared to the other months of the year and the streets are crowded. If one wants to avoid rush, off season can be considered but with the risk of extreme heat.

What to buy: At the end of Bangla Walking Street towards Patong beach, there are several shops that sell clothes and local souvenirs like hand made lamps, bags, bottle holders, fridge magnets, wooden utensils and bamboo chimes. Jungceylon mall at the other end of Soi Bangla also offers a wide variety of local things, especially Thai handicraft.

Availability of daily items: There are several 7/11 stores in the Bangla Street area and if you are staying close to the street, you will find it easy to stay well fed and hydrated. If you want to try the local varieties of noodles, there are several packed options available which can be cooked quickly by adding hot water.

Local food: There are several street vendors available wide awake till the time there is crowd on the street. Local delicacies like dried sea food and stick food are not something to be missed.

A common site: Street food vendors and women from massage parlors can be seen coaxing travelers to try their services. The area is dominated by female locals from restaurants to pubs to parlors. Driving tuks tuks and taxis are one of the few occupations men own here.

If you are a nocturnal being travelling to Phuket, you might want to head out to Soi Bangla to witness the exuberance and zeal the place offers.