Cleo's Hideout Speakeasy

If your idea of a good night in Pattaya involves conversation rather than a sound system winning an argument with you, this is the sort of place worth hunting down. It's a speakeasy in the proper sense, small, dim, built around cocktails and the people you came with. That's the whole appeal, and it's a genuine change of pace from the beer bars and the strip.

The crowd tends to be a mix of expats, travelers and locals who've had enough of the louder end of town. Doors open at 20:00 and it runs through to 04:00 every day of the week, which makes it useful in two very different ways. Early evening, you'll have space and the bartender's attention. After midnight it becomes a landing spot when everything else has stopped being fun. I'd go early if the seat matters to you, because rooms like this fill and don't expand.

Skip it if you want dancing, sport on a screen or a big group night out. It isn't built for any of those.