How to Spot a Ladyboy in Phuket?
Ladyboys in Phuket are often so pretty you would be unable to tell. Is that lady you are chatting with on Bangla Walking Street, not a bit too good to be true? Tall, slim, pretty and very sexy: indeed, she’s a ladyboy!
10 Tips to Spot a Ladyboy:
Even for people living in Phuket for a long time, it is still fun to look at them and wonder: do you think one of them would fool you? Wouldn’t we be able to tell she is not a lady? In 99% of the cases, we are confident that these would help you spot any ladyboy.
Taller than most girls
Most girls are small in Thailand.
Flamboyant
Ladyboys love over-acting, speaking loud, and always seem to be on the catwalk.
Very feminine
Ladyboys pay a lot of attention to every detail of makeup and outfit.
Body proportions and broad shoulders
Too sexy outfit
When in the street, they wear flashing dresses, sometimes very long with cabaret-style and even feathers, or reduced to the smallest possible size.
Too big breast
We won’t elaborate on this topic, but they do enjoy flashing them on any occasion.
No bra
Even the most free-thinking Thai ladies would wear a bra in Thailand.
Adam’s apple
Adam’s apple can be a hint, but even this can be fixed nowadays.
The voice
Their voice tone is unusually low or unnatural. It can be worked out, but this often gives them away.
The elbows
Supposedly, their elbows are more square than women’s, but to be honest, that one is still not obvious.
What is a ladyboy?
A ladyboy is a transvestite considered by others as a ‘woman’. They often look very feminine and get a lot of attention, look at some of the places where they perform their little act of ‘look at me, I’m more feminine than your wife’.
Crowds of tourists gather on Bangla road every night to take photos, and everyone asks the same question: what about this one? Do you think that’s, in fact, a guy? So, at their best in the evening, with make-up on and using the stage lights to their advantage, ladyboys range from ‘feminine-looking guys’ to ‘put miss universe to shame’.
The ladyboy phenomenon is very well accepted in Thailand and well-integrated into social and daily life. Probably your gardener, home designer or working colleague could be a ladyboy, and you wouldn’t change your attitude. That seems a personal choice, and they are often fun to be around. It was known that some fitness centres even had three changing rooms: male, female and ladyboy.
Ladyboys making a living from their features are exuberant and flamboyant, speaking high and loud, permanently overacting, and well known for their burst of moods. They very often speak good English. Since their revenue depends on how pretty they are, they will financially invest a lot more in their features, breast augmentation being the most obvious, and some will seriously increase to big sizes. Then plastic and facial cosmetic surgery will be next on the list, and many of them tend to have very similar nose shapes. Even Adam’s apple, often giving them away, can be corrected. And, of course, few will go through the ultimate surgical procedure and become a woman.
Where to meet Ladyboys in Phuket
The best-known place is in the middle of Bangla Road in Patong. Just walk down the street, and you can’t miss them; the crowd around is pointing all cameras in this direction.
Phuket Simon Cabaret
Simon Cabaret is an excellent professional show, as seen in some of the photos, but of course, there is a fee. Unfortunately, taking pictures is not allowed anymore during the show, but you’ll have plenty of opportunities outside after the show. Note that they will ask for a tip, usually 100 baht.
Location: Patong Beach
Address: 8 Sirirat Rd, Tambon Patong, Amphoe Kathu, Chang Wat Phuket 83150
Open: 6 pm – 10.30 pm
Phone: 076 342 011
Price: 800 baht for a VIP seat and 700 for a regular seat
Paradise Complex
Paradise Complex, the gay area of Patong, has several small cabarets with humble but decent shows that won’t cost you more than a beer. ‘My Way’ used to be the best one.
Useful Tips (you are in luck with tips today): In Soi Bangla and Simon Cabaret, ladyboys will encourage you to take their photo, with you or without you on it. Just know that it is not free. It usually costs a 100 baht, and if you chose to run, remember: they are still guys 😀
Things to Do at Night in Phuket
More places to visit
Phuket 101 Blog shares 30 years of Phuket exploration and thousands of photos, tips and secrets for those who love Phuket as much as we do. This blog is written from our real experiences: we tried and visited every place, and we paid for almost everything, which allows us to keep our honest opinions, and we are pretty strict about this. Phuket 101 was born on January 15, 2011.