Photo by splifr

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Despite the popularity of weed and hash, most governments in the world have deemed it harmful to the individual and society as a whole.

There are only 11 nations in the world where weed and hash have been decriminalized. A handful of countries impose mandatory prison sentences and other harsh punishments for the possession or sale of any form of weed and hash. Another handful look the other way when dealing with cannabis.

Some places that are easy on weed heads can be broken up by region:

Latin America

In Latin America, cannabis is tolerated and/or decriminalized in most countries, with the exception of Bolivia, Ecuador, Honduras and Guatemala. Marijuana grows well in Central and South America and is a large part of the economy.

Governments tend to have more to worry about than whether someone is smoking a joint. For travelers, this means that smoking in South America is probably okay, but caution should be used.

Only Peru considers cannabis to be a legal drug, provided you are not in possession of another drug. I get the impression that throughout Latin America, the tolerance doesn’t typically extend to tourists, especially if the police can get a bribe out of it, but you should never travel with pot and risk being searched.

I would highly recommend caution throughout Mexico, Panama, Guatemala and even Costa Rica. Although weed is sold to tourists all the time in quantities up to 1/4 pound, those buyers in turn, are often set up for the policia.

In this particular region, weed may be tolerated, decriminalized or even legal up to small amounts (usually about 20 grams), but as always, keep a low profile.

Photo by martin cleary

Here’s a quick break down:

• ARGENTINA: Decriminalized for personal use in small amounts and for consumption only in private locations. Public consumption is generally accepted among the young adults and overlooked by police in the suburbs.
• BOLIVIA: Possession illegal. No move to decriminalize.
• BRAZIL: Possession illegal.
• CHILE: Personal use of marijuana in small quantities on a private place is not against the law. More than one person using it at the same place is considered as a group and thus is considered illegal.
• COLOMBIA: Possession of small quantities of all drugs legal; permitted “personal dose” for marijuana is 20 grams.
• ECUADOR: Possession illegal. No move to decriminalize.
• PARAGUAY: Possession illegal. No move to decriminalize.
• PERU: Possession of up to 8 grams (0.28 oz) of marijuana is legal as long as one isn’t in possession of another drug. However, I’ve read some first hand accounts about the police being fairly strict. Caution is urged.
• URUGUAY: Possession for personal use not penalized; law does not specify quantity for “personal” amount.
• VENEZUELA: Possession of up to 20 grams not punished.
• BELIZE: Illegal, but use by locals is slightly tolerated.

• GUATEMALA: Highly illegal. Possession by Guatemalans in not normally prosecuted for personal use, but tourists are commonly arrested and jailed for several days before being released.

• HONDURAS: Illegal, but use by locals is slightly tolerated.
• PANAMA: Illegal
• COSTA RICA: Illegal, but tolerated. Watch out for being set up.

Europe

Europe is another region where cannabis is generally tolerated, decriminalized or even legal.

We all know about the Netherlands. It is legal to buy and smoke herb in the Netherlands, in amounts up to five grams per person per day. People regularly smoke in public parks and anywhere else they can find a bench and a view.

In the Netherlands, one notices that tourists (especially American tourists) go a little overboard and smoke their way into oblivion. The only caution I would take here is making sure you don’t get duped at the coffee shops or robbed by opportunistic thugs.

• GERMANY and BELGIUM: decriminalized. This means that possessing a small amount is ok, but puffing in public and selling weed is not.

• SPAIN and FRANCE: smoking at home and the possession of a few grams will get you searched and checked out at worst.

• ITALY: possession of more than a gram could result in a search and seizure.
• GREECE: illegal. Really tough on weed.
• DENMARK: illegal. Very uncool towards cannabis ever since authorities bulldozed the Christiana district in Copenhagen.
• MACEDONIA: decriminalized.
• SERBIA: looks away if it looks at all.
• SLOVENIA: has no police (just kidding, but it is a relaxed place).
• BOSNIA: illegal but tolerated.
• CROATIA: illegal and not tolerated.
• SCANDINVIAN COUNTRIES: laws are quite strict concerning weed and it is not advisable to get caught smoking

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Photo by Shira Golding

North Africa

The other region where weed is ok is North Africa. In Egypt, Tunisia, and Morocco, locals smoke hash, a fine alternative to alcohol and accepted in society. However, this societal norm does not necessarily apply to tourists.

In other words, locals may be puffing, but if the laws still consider what you are doing as illegal, a cop can still make money off you. I recommend smoking with friends only in this region.

• EGYPT: Illegal, but not strictly enforced, just don’t smoke in public. Also, don’t carry large quantities unless you’d like to see the inside of an Egyptian jail.
• MOROCCO: Illegal. Not recommended to smoke in public or to carry more than a few grams at a time–whatever you can quickly swallow or throw away. Tourists are usually let off with fines, but technically can be jailed for 4-10 years. Even more if you’re suspected of smuggling.

Having said all that, these are the nations in which cannabis is legal for consumption and where you should be able to smoke in peace:

Photo courtesy of author

• BELGIUM: Up to 5 grams.
• CZECH REPUBLIC: Personal use.
• GERMANY: Up to 5 grams.
• INDIA: All good.
• MACEDONIA: Up to 5 grams.
• NETHERLANDS: Coffee shops and parks, personal use.
• PAKISTAN: Ummm… All good, but as a tourist I would watch my back and smoke with Pakistani friends in their homes.
• PERU: Personal use, up to 5 grams.
• RUSSIA: Personal use, up to 5 grams If you are caught, you will have to pay low fines as possession of small amounts is still illegal
• VENEZUELA: Personal use, up to 5 grams.
• AUSTRALIA: Up to 50grams! (Certain states of Australia have decriminalized marijuana possession. In Tasmania, Victoria and Queensland one can be simply ticketed for up to 50 grams. If found in possession with intent to supply, convictions apply)

I use “up to five grams” because I like to err on the side of caution. I have smoked publicly with fishermen in Thailand, tea merchants in Egypt, farmers in SW China and all my homies throughout Europe and the US. I will continue to do so.

People all over the planet understand the need to just relax and do your thing after a long day. Some do it with alcohol, some with tea, some with weed, and some with a book.

Stick to the nations numbered above and if you need to puff elsewhere, be careful.

Community Connection

Headed to Amsterdam? Check out 7 Coffee Shops in Amsterdam that are Good to Go – and, while you’re at it, 10 Things to do in Amsterdam Besides Smoking Pot. Also be sure to give a read to Tim Patterson’s Tripping Out On The Road: Drugs, Alcohol and Travel.

Photo by Bernt Rostad

Rolling Stone’s article about the death of David Foster Wallace collided in my head during last week’s CMJ Music Marathon, five nights of non-stop newish bands playing at NYC’s best and worst venues.

I kept coming home and wondering what was going on under the hood of these bands; if I had just seen the singer who would come unhinged at 25, or if that same singer’s band might never even make it onto more than forty hard drives.

Predicting the fickle nature of the music business is impossible. Predicting the demise of a person’s life isn’t that easy either. Sitting on my living room floor in my dumb blue gym shorts, surrounded by piles of CD’s and cassettes, I came up with the following list of people who made great music for too short of a time. Please add your additions to the replies.

Elliot Smith “Needle In The Hay”

It wasn’t even subtle. It was right there. The problem.

I’m taking the cure so I can be quiet whenever I want…you ought to be proud that I’m getting good marks.

Elliot Smith photo by PatCastaldo

It was terrible to hear as a fan. You’d learn the words, sing them, maybe finger your guitar on the right frets, then realize what they meant. And what was coming, no matter how much you wished it wouldn’t. If you don’t own XO, please do.

(Steven Paul Smith, 1969-2003) – Needle In The Hay

Metallica “(Anesthesia) Pulling Teeth”

The fifth song on their first album is a bass solo. With no wimpy “Enter Sandman” in the realm of possibility, Cliff Burton whipped his hair and played this in ways that just plain confused me.

It certainly wasn’t the metal that I had been hearing – there was no lipstick clogging the distortion. Seeing Cliff live made me realize that it was probably going to be the puzzling things in life that might be the most indelible.

(Clifford Lee Burton, 1962-1986) – (Anesthesia)-Pulling Teeth (LP Version)

Jeff Buckley “Halleluja (live at Sin-e)”

A cover, “Halleluja” has somehow become Jeff’s hallowed moment on tape. His version has been bastardized to the point where it’s almost become damaged, were it not for this recording.

At 9:15 and full of tuning issues, this reminds me why his take was better than anyone’s will ever be. For those of us sitting at Sine-E, his performances were a triumph for the cute little guy who washed clothes in the machine next to ours. “Let’s go drink and sleep!” he says at the end.

We were going wherever he went.

(Jeffrey Scott Buckley, 1966-1997) – Hallelujah

Photo by pinkbelt

Nirvana “Drain You (live in Seattle, WA, October 31, 1991)”

What a fucking mess. Missed words, chords almost disregarded, the bridge never quite filling out. It’s gorgeous.

This was the real Nirvana, the one that decked us. This wasn’t the song about deodorant that made fratboys scream and woot. Their stage presence was a turbulent ride between apathetic and aggressive, in a way I hadn’t seen since the Ramones.

(Kurt Donald Cobain, 1967-1994) – Drain You

Buddy Holly “Everyday”

Impossible to replicate, no matter how many have ripped him off. This was a guy who was supposed to write songs for the rest of a very long life.

It has been sad to see musicians like Roy Orbison or George Harrison pass away, but at least we were allowed to watch their genius progress. Holly had so much more in him.

(Charles Hardin Holly, 1936-1959) – Everyday/Peggy Sue

Photo by 90p

Chris Bell “I Am The Cosmos”

Chris Bell’s original band (Big Star) had something that so many musicians have chased since. His posthumous collection was the stuff of whispered legend, sitting unreleased for almost 15 years after his death.

This song, however, found its way into the public just before his tragic car crash and is the kind of song that bigtime musicians play alone, backstage, with nobody watching. And oh, Sweet Jesus. This song.

(Chris Bell, 1951-1978) – I Am the Cosmos

Matthew Jay “Please Don’t Send Me Away”

Most people don’t know Matthew – I had to dig through boxes to find this disc. For me, he represents all of the kids who take a shot at making it every year, yet watch as much less talented artists lap them.

Jay fell out of a building in 2002, leaving behind a hatful of magic that is being rediscovered by younger artists. An October 10th show in London saw members of Starsailor and Squeeze (among others) playing Matthew’s songs at Shepard’s Empire Bush. I wish I’d been there.

(Matthew Jay, 1978-2003) – Please Don’t Send Me Away

AC/DC “Let There Be Rock (Live)”

Bon Scott died about half-way through the rock/roll process, only to be brilliantly replicated by Brian Johnson in this same band. As AC/DC scrapped, scratched, and clawed their way to success, he passed away just before it all paid off with Back In Black.

This recording shows a man who had learned to turn each member of the crowd into a fan, building a base that still sells more records per year than almost any other rock band, dead or alive.

(Ronald Belford Scott, 1946-1980) – Black Ice

Joy Division “Love Will Tear Us Apart”

Ian Curtis went to hell and back, before finally hanging himself in 1980. Anton Corbin’s biopic Control does a fantastic job of covering his brief, difficult life.

Joy Division, a band which almost defines the term “seminal,” would only release one album while Curtis was living. He would kill himself on the eve of the band’s first American tour.

(Ian Kevin Curtis, 1956-1980) – Love Will Tear Us Apart

Robert Johnson “Sweet Home Chicago”

The legend and lore of Robert Johnson sometimes overshadows his talent and influence. Did he sell his soul to the devil? Was he killed by a bottle of whiskey laced with strychnine?

He also seems to have originated the “27 Club”, a term that’s become widely used for musicians who have moved on at that exact age (Check it out. It’s fascinating). Listening to this track, it’s obvious that he has influenced some of the most influential singers and guitar players of the last century.

(Robert Leroy Johnson, 1911-1938) – Sweet Home Chicago

Feature photo by Garton / Above photo by mrido

There are many places on earth where this search ends up in some greasy fast food joint with a sleepy chef and sticky tables. The food tastes like last week’s leftovers and your only companions are a pack of mangy mutts eyeing your plate.

This does not have to be the end to a great night. Here are 9 cities where finding late night food can be more fun than the partying, as well as some tips on what constitutes a fine wee hours food joint.

Bangkok

Infamous Khao san Road in Bangkok’s tourist district is a veritable smörgåsbord. After the restaurants close at around 2 AM, the stalls take over and serve fried and roast chicken with sticky rice, fried noodles with veggies and pork, sweet pancakes and spicy omelettes, plus a wide variety of crunchy, deep fried critters.

This is the food that coats your belly before you flop out in some two-bit hostel after the proverbial “one night in Bangkok.”

But Khaosan is just a microcosm of Bangkok’s universe of excellent street food. There are night markets throughout the city–near the train station, around temples, and clinging to the famous river market on the other side of town. The good thing about Bangkok is that tuk-tuks can take you anywhere.

The best strategy is to let yourself get taken on some tour during the day and keep feeding your tuk-tuk driver smokes. At night, find this guy again and let him know you need the special meal that only he knows about. He’ll take you to his buddy’s place and make sure you eat well.

Now obviously, tuk-tuks rip people off now and then, but the rumors are worse than reality. Most problems arise when trashed Westerners try and skip out of a tuk-tuk and not pay the fare.

Hong Kong and Canton

Both of these places have great late night food, but the true treat here is the fresh seafood BBQ that can be had near the docks and around the fish markets.

In China, fish markets close down around 6 or 7 PM and begin to BBQ whatever wasn’t sold that day. Choose from a thousand different types of mussels, clams, oysters, shrimp, calamari and other weird and exciting grill-ables.

Canton is cheaper thanHong Kong, but Canton has the raucous after-market, after-club crowds and the chaotic feel of Mainland China. Depends on what you like: In Hong Kong, Two streets down from Nathan Road in any direction will likely lead to a late night dive or a night market. Follow the clothes racks and CD boxes down until you start smelling hot oil.

Hong Kong / Photo by GluehweinEffects

The same recipe works for Canton: these are cities that thrive off the export business. Pick a product, find its corresponding black market, and wander there during the night to find out where the locals get their midnight snacks. Docks and ferries are always a good spot to check out.

Again, it is best to do your research before you get drunk and lust after beef noodles. Walk around during the day and check out your neighborhood. Visit the fish market and snap some pictures. When the time comes and your vision is too blurry to see the landmarks you noticed during the day, leave trust to autopilot and the gods who watch over wayward travelers.

Asian cities have a different view of time and food than most American cities. In the US, you might be able to find a late night diner or even a hot dog and burrito stand, but there will not be a whole block of them filled with wandering drunkards and couples, gathering around stalls serving up full meals amid an orchestra of hissing woks and screaming cooks.

Similarly, assorted European cities have a clear understanding of the pleasures of the night

Madrid

In Madrid, dinner often starts at 10 PM, and espresso after dinner ensures that people will be up and about all night. Breakfast joints serve fried snacks just before dawn and offer some more espresso for those who have to go to work, and warm milk with honey for the lucky few who can sleep in.

Paris / Photo by balachandar

Hamburg

Hamburg has the Reeperbahn, which employs several waves of revelry — starting at 10 PM, 1 AM, and again around 4 AM– and dumps music, sausages and a lot of beer onto the streets for locals and tourists to gobble up and enjoy.

The late night food here ranges from huge doener kebabs to Thai noodles, pizza and calzones, and, of course, fine German fare of broetchen and sausages. It is drinking food and demands a beer as accompaniment.

But it’s not just Hamburg: in other German cities like Frankfurt, Cologne, Berlin, and Munich, the bars do not close until the clientèle has left. What’s more, the police will not swoop down on a public gathering on the Rhine, Main or Potsdamer Platz.

Paris

Paris is a city that does not sleep and therefore naturally provides the fare for such a lifestyle. Brassieres and cafes are open late into the night and many of them 24 hours to accommodate lovers who slide into booths at all hours of the night, searching for dessert and hot chocolate.

Crepes, the quintessential French snack, do not care what time they are served up. Around the many monuments, along the Seine and down any alleyway or small side street, there will be a nook with a light on waiting for you to sit and shake off the 3 AM doldrums with a shot of brandy and a buttered up croissant. It’s the way all cities should be.

Istanbul

Some people may overlook Istanbul, but it is without question one of the most beautiful and vibrant cities in the world.

Kebabs in Germany pale in comparison to kebabs in Turkey. Coffee in Madrid is shamed by the sweet blackness served up in small cafes in Istanbul, and breakfast takes on new meaning after swallowing soft, hot pastries served before sunrise in plazas overlooking the Bosporus.

“Late night food” is a weak phrase for the life to be had in Istanbul after the sun goes down. Go to a club on the European side then munch candied peanuts on a ferry across to the Asian side and get ready for a crowd of Turks to grab you up and take you to where “the real food” is.

Mexico City / Photo by nathangibbs

Mexico City

Nothing says “after party” like Mexican food. There is no need to search for the late night spot in Mexico; they pop up on every street, wait for you at the end of alleys and light up plazas with white Christmas lights. Follow the music.

There are towns other than Mexico City where the late night food is easier to find and less dangerous to consume, like any place in Oaxaca, Cancun, and Acapulco. Mexico City also holds the secret of Chino-Latino cuisine: a mixture of Chinese street food and Mexican ingredients and methods that are irresistible to the starving night-owl traveler.

New York City

And last but not least, I have to leave you with New York City. The Apple is one of the two or three cities in the USA that has its very own excellent, late night food 24/7 at good prices.

You can’t beat spots like Tom’s, The Carnegie and the Empire Diner. These are the famous diners that serve that greasy luvin’ that Americans like to stuff their bellies with after a night on the town.

There are also mobile hot dog dispensing units and grilled cheese hideouts at the edge of Manhattan and all around Brooklyn. On both sides of the Brooklyn Bridge are fine Chinese joints and there are even a few high-class options like the Mai House. Enjoy.

Community Connection:

Looking for a good party to stoke those late night cravings?

How about the Best Nightlife in Bangkok? Or maybe head to one of the world’s 10 best rooftop bars, check out the top dive bars in Vegas, or hit up one of the top 10 nightlife spots in Mexico City.

Photo by Szymon Kochanski

With a population of 12 million crowding the streets and thousands of tourists coming in daily, Bangkok is raw, unbridled, and, simply put, nuts.

Whatever you are looking for, Bangkok has it at one of these places:

Khao San Road

The heart of the backpacker scene, Khao San is lined with bars, vendors, stores, and internet cafes. When the sun goes down, neon lights start flashing, music fills the streets, and pretty Thai girls usher you into clubs. Every night, the streets pack with revelers looking to break last night’s drinking record.

Big Bars:

Gulliver’s: Gulliver’s is famous for its dancing, A/C, pool tables, and Thai girls. Lots and lots of Thai girls. All eager to come home with you for a price.

Silk Bar: An outdoor bar that’s a great place to start your night as it’s an ideal people watching
location.

Khao San Center: Khao San Center is just a big hall filled with lots of tables of drunken foreigners drinking from beer towers. A great place to meet people.

Shamrock: Above Khao San Center, this Thai version of an Irish pub features good live music on the weekends and is usually populated with expats.

There are smaller bars along the street but revelers tend to flock to these places. For a Thai experience, head to Brick Bar (located behind the McDonalds) where Thai bands play each night and few foreigners dare to venture.

Clubs: Lava, The Club, and Immortal. All three charge an entrance fee and, except for The Club, are quite small. But if you want to get your groove on to dance music, these places are where it’s at.

Practical Advice: Khao San Road closes at 2am but the surrounding streets stay open all night. Thieves and scammers are rampant. All those tourist dollars bring in a seedy crowd. Keep track of your stuff, watch your pockets, and be aware who serves your drinks. Moreover, watch the Thai women you meet- some of them might not be women.

Khao San Road / Photo by Szymon Kochanski

Sukhumvit Soi 11

Soi 11 contains many of the high end nightclubs and is a favorite spot for Bangkok’s expats, including me. On this street there is a mix of cheap bars to start your night and clubs to finish it.

Cheap Charlie’s: A Bangkok institution, this place is nothing more than a little bar and a few tables on a small side street. It’s a favorite among all expats for cheap drinks (60 baht). The friendly environment makes it easy to meet anyone.

The place is filled every night but the weekend it bursts at the seams. Buy two drinks at once to avoid the queue since the owner is the only bartender.

Bed Supper Club: Bangkok’s top end club. This place has two giant rooms (one for house, one for R&B), each with a top level filled with beds to relax on. The place is wall to wall people on the weekends, with the best of Bangkok’s locals and expats partying here. Entrance is 600 baht, and you will need ID and proper dress.

Q Bar: Dark, sleek, and fashionable, this club attracts a trendy crowd and is a favorite with locals and expats. It has 50 brands of vodka, Cuban cigars, absinthe, and 20 types of tequila. The doormen are kind of rude, but there usually isn’t a cover.

Twisted Republic: This new club opened at the end of 2006, setting out to give Bed a run for its money. The place got off to a rocky start (broken lights, weak drinks, bad sound system) but has since turned itself around.

The music here tilts heavily towards drum and bass. Not as packed as Bed, this place is good if you are looking for something different or if Bed is too crowded.

Practical Advice: This area also closes at 2 AM and is pretty safe. The biggest problem here is drunk Westerners and the temptation to spend all your money at Bed. The street is pretty safe and it’s unusual for bad things to happen here.

Photo by robonline

Patpong

Patpong is one of the many sex spots in Bangkok. Here, everyone tries to take you to sex shows, prostitutes and ladyboys walk the streets, and sex tourists look for the youngest thing they can find. It is neon lights, loud music, and sex. All night, every night.

Ping Pong Shows: A ping pong show is so disgusting that I won’t even mention it here. You can Google it. But I’ll say that seeing one will steal your innocence and there are tons of places gladly willing to do that. You’ll never look at a woman the same way again.

Sex Shows: For those looking for a little live action, there is an ever changing array of clubs offering sex shows. Just look for neon lights and a sign, usually saying “Live Sex Show.”

Go-Go Bars: If you’re into this thing, Patpong has plenty of options for you. Soi 1 and Soi 2 have the most. Reputable establishments are operated by the King Group and have either “King” or “Queen” in their name. They pride themselves on having clean girls. Apart from that, the names change too often to keep up. The girls are all pretty much the same though.

Bondage: The place to go to get your kink on.

Practical Information

For those looking for something different, a few bars like Tapas and Twilo offer a respite from the sex and sleaze of Patpong. But there is not much more here than hedonistic debauchery and if you want something else, Patpong isn’t really the place to go.

This area is also very dangerous. The biggest problem is the hassle and, if you are a white male, people will constantly be bothering you. Pickpockets and thieves are rampant here. Watch out for your drinks- sometimes they get spiked.

Other sex areas include Nana Plaza and Soi Cowboy, and all the same rules apply.

Photo by EyalNow

Thong Lor

Thong Lor is a very “Thai” night spot. Most of the bars and clubs here are dominated by Thais and non-westerners. Tourists hardly ever go here. That means the Thai pop is blasting from the speakers and everyone is drinking Thai whiskey and coke.

This area includes restaurants, pubs, karaoke lounges and even a traditional Chinese tea house. If you want to see how the locals do it, this where you want to go.

Popular Places:

Witch’s Tavern: An English pub featuring live music and Bangkok’s only big band. The bar is mostly popular with expats and their families, but a lot of older Thais go here. The atmosphere is relaxed and it’s a place to start, not finish, your night.

Y50: A modern bar, this place is popular with trendsetters and the young. It’s got a great atmosphere and décor that would fit in well in New York or London. Drinks here are pretty expensive but, if you want to look cool, Y50 is a good place for that.

Barbaska: A restaurant turned bar at night, Barbaska is a good place to catch a few drinks and hang out with large groups of Thais out for a wild night. People eat, drink, then stumble to the bigger places.

Santika: A massive complex, this is one of the biggest clubs in Thong Lor. It is packed on the weekends and features a host of live Thai bands and a big dance floor. Waitresses bring your drinks, avoiding queues at the bar. Everyone is moving and grooving in this place. They’re very strict about IDs so don’t forget yours.

No. 53: A trendy bar/restaurant popular with young Thais, this place is where people lounge for a relaxing night with friends and to socialize with new ones. The music varies but is mostly house or Thai.

Photo by Frederic della Faille

RCA

Royal City Avenue, commonly referred to as RCA, is a long strip of clubs and one of a few government-designated “nightlife zones.” This means that the clubs found here have the honor of being allowed to stay open as long as everyone else in the city.

That doesn’t stop the places here from being busy, even midweek. On weekends, they’re overrun with impeccably dressed locals in their early 20s, a handful of tourists, and a lot of expats.

Popular Clubs

Route 66: Vast, sleek interiors, booming sounds systems, funky furniture, soft mood lighting and dazzling lasers identify this place. On the weekend, Route 66 gets so packed that those already inside are pushed up against the wall and new people aren’t really let in. There are a few tables where people can sit and have space but they fill up quickly.

JazzIt: This bar is a good alternative for those looking to escape the house music that permeates most of the areas establishments. JazzIt hosts a lot of live bands and is usually playing hip-hop.

Zeta: A girls-only bar catering to the city’s vibrant lesbian theme.

808: This new club opened a year ago and is now one of the hottest places in Bangkok. It hosts world famous DJs and bands, has a huge dance floor and is known for its beautiful people. Locals and expats love it here.

General Advice: If you get into trouble, the Thai police are NOT there to help you. They don’t care about you, the stupid tourist. Thailand has very little “law,” and police will usually side with the locals unless it’s a big and clear offense. Get in a fight? You go to jail. Get in an argument over the bill? The police make you pay. Got robbed? Fill out the police report and watch it sit on the pile.

Unless your case will bring a lot of media or governmental attention, it’s not a priority. Corruption and bribery are rampant here and sometimes the easiest way to get things moving is to find out what the “fee” is. Avoid acting out because your recourse is limited and Thai jail is worse than listening to the Macarena on repeat.

There are countless places to party in Bangkok. Everywhere you go there is a new club opening, another bar closing, and locals drinking. The scene in Bangkok is in constant flux, unsurprising in a city that moves so quickly.

An article like this can’t name all the places in Bangkok, but it can tell you the areas that attract the most attention. No matter where you go in Bangkok you will find a place to throw the drinks down, but if you are looking to join the swarming masses of revelers every weekend, head to these areas for unforgettable nights.

Need to know more about Bangkok? Check out these books:

The Hedonist: World Travel Guide

Bangkok City Guide

Bangkok Babylon: The Real-Life Exploits of Bangkok’s Legendary Expatriates are often Stranger than Fiction

Community Connection

Headed to Thailand? Talk to Matador’s own Bangkok expert, asian insights, check out our Green Guide to Bangkok or follow up on editor Tim Patterson’s recommendation for a cheap guesthouse in the city.