Top world sex trip
Whether spoken of openly or in hushed tones, there are corners of almost every major city where the sex trade flourishes. From Nevada to Amsterdam, Paris and Bangkok, red light districts have occupied a place in the minds of artists, writers, bohemians, moralists, ethicists and travelers for centuries.
Find world’s most infamous neighborhoods, ranging from sexual freedom for all to sanitized tolerance zones and violent neighborhoods where tourists should never be seen. Consider yourself warned!
Patpong brothel, Bangkok, Thailand
With its high temperatures and fast pace of life, Bangkok is essentially primed for all things raunchy and sleazy. It’s no surprise, then, that the city’s notoriously laid-back attitudes toward sex work-it’s not exactly legal, but it’s not illegal either-have made Bangkok a hub for the trade in Southeast Asia. And while these facts certainly mean you’ll experience the streets around Patpong Market, Soi Nana and Soi Cowboy, it can seem more than a little insidious, and concerns about human trafficking should not be underestimated.
A visit to Patpong market, past the tantalizing street food stalls and tables full of cheap T-shirts, is an assault on the senses and sensibilities. You’ll hear hawkers selling everything from ping-pong shows to live sex, and most – if not all – attendees can get their money’s worth. However, if you talk to most people who have witnessed these escapades, the effect is far from exciting. For those who choose to enter the bars and clubs in these parts of the city – especially in Patpong – expect strictly enforced (and exorbitant) drink minimums, aggressive management and high-pressure sales tactics.
DeWallen brothel, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Amsterdam can conjure up many images in the minds of travelers: charming canals, bright orange speed skating suits, quaint row houses, the smell of grass and Dutch pancakes come to mind. Of course, it also has one of the most famous red light districts in the world – and that’s a major attraction on the city’s tourist circuit. In Amsterdam brothel , sex workers occupy window booths along the streets of De Wallen, a gentrifying part of the city that houses students, tourists and sex workers. Laws in effect since 2000 have cleaned up what was once a socially ill part of the city.
These days, pimping is illegal, brothels must be licensed, and everyone involved – from client to worker – pays taxes. The city even has a union for sex workers. In addition, organizations like the Prostitution Information Center offer pro-sex and pro-legalization platforms for sex workers in the city (as well as tours of De Wallen with former sex workers).
Goal is to de-stigmatize the industry’s players while empowering workers who choose to engage in it. Even so, this is not to say that all is rosy in Amsterdam’s sex trade – despite the blurry pink glow cast over De Wallen from its iconic red lights. While the form of sex work is heavily regulated, ethical concerns continue to flourish about other forms of street sex work, and despite numerous arrests and crackdowns, human trafficking continues to be present in the city.
Pigalle brothel, Paris, France
Paris in France is city of romance and love. All around, couples of deer gaze at the Eiffel Tower, the gilded halls of Versailles and the collection of the Louvre. Perhaps it makes sense that the sexier side of life can be found here too – and even though sex work and brothel in Paris are illegal, authorities generally turn a blind eye to the industry. In fact, if you go to the impressive Sacré-Coeur Basilica, or take a selfie with the Moulin Rouge, you’ll be walking through the busiest red light district in Paris.
Sex shops, pornography stores, strip clubs and peep shows are plentiful in Pigalle, and street workers also operate the busiest areas. Petty crime is not unknown in this part of the city and soliciting by sex workers is illegal in France.
Pigalle is also home to many bars and nightclubs, and when belligerence and alcohol are added to the mix, the atmosphere can quickly degenerate. However, like any good metropolis worth its weight in capitalist salt, the neighborhood is quickly gentrifying, especially in what is known as Pigalle Sud – a haven for the hipster elite who spend their money on custom cocktails, unique hoodies and small plates of food.
Kabukicho brothels, Tokyo, Japan
Kabukicho’s host and hostess clubs are legendary. Right in the middle of one of Tokyo’s busiest tourist areas – the Shinjuku district – is this sex-filled part of the city. Here, the bars cater exclusively to pretty young men and women, and the prices coincide with the reputation of the club. In most of these establishments, men and women are paid to please the customers, but the services remain quite tame (conversation and flirting). However, bars where sex is for sale are certainly on almost every block in this part of Tokyo .
It is also worth noting that the management can become extremely aggressive about what the customer has to pay for drinks during a visit – and this sometimes does not match the price quoted when entering the establishment. It is also important to note that foreigners are sometimes excluded from these places.
And in case you thought that well-bred Japan would have an amazing sex trade, think again. Sex work is technically illegal (although there are ways to get around these laws), and organized crime plays a major role in the day-to-day activities in Kabukicho.
Patong brothels, Phuket, Thaïlande
Many travelers land in Phuket with visions of palm-fringed beaches, the turquoise Andaman Sea and pristine beaches. And all of this can certainly be found throughout this tropical island. However, there are pockets where anything but sunbathing is on the mind – especially in Patong. The town is Phuket’s main party hub, with nightclubs and rowdy bars with live music late into the night.
Just like Bangkok’s red light districts, you’ll also find all kinds of paid sex, sex shows and everything else you can imagine with it. The heart of the action is clustered along Bangla Road, where some of the most notorious bars and clubs are located, as well as sex workers on every sidewalk.
Keep your wits about you, as you would in Bangkok, as even getting into one of the go-go bars can come with some pretty steep fees for drinks, often aggressive management, and more than a few insistent requests.
Dominican Republic brothels
To be fair, it’s not a hot spot – you won’t see sex shows and porn stores lined up side by side. Instead, for visitors to Sosua , Pedro Clisante is the center of the city’s nightlife. Restaurants and bars line the street, with customers spilling out all around.
In the mix, of course, are the sex workers who are a staple in many Dominican Republic beach towns. Some travelers find them aggressive, others simply part of the local scene, and others take little notice. But they are ubiquitous, especially in the areas around the larger nightclubs.
Like many sunbelt countries, problems persist with exploitation, organized crime, and the vast network of social ills that have allowed sex work to flourish legally. It certainly doesn’t help that many Canadians, Americans and Europeans flock to Sosua with disposable cash and a disregard for the consequences.
Schipperskwartier brothels, Anvers, Belgium
Zones of tolerance have flourished in northern European cities as attitudes toward everything from drug abuse to sex work have become more progressive. In turn, the involvement of organized crime, disease rates, and other once-dangerous elements of the formerly illicit corners of society have been folded into the urban fabric.
In Antwerp’s Schipperskwartier, this translates into an almost impeccably clean red light district that mixes the legalized approach of Amsterdam with something like a mini sex trade center.
With Villa Tinto at its center, this three-block stretch of the city attracts those seeking sex and those just looking to watch the scene. This part of the city is also a prime destination for clubs and nightlife.
Nevada brothels, United States
Mention Nevada and the bright lights, easy money, and unbridled hedonism of Las Vegas probably comes to mind. Some Americans might also think of the oft-repeated claim that prostitution is legalized. This is not entirely true, and laws governing sex work vary from county to county. In fact, Clark County (home to Las Vegas) does not allow legalized sex work within its borders.
As such, Nevada’s red light status is a bit more diffuse. In fact, most legal brothels in Nevada are quite far from its major urban centers (under Nevada law, the industry is only legal in counties with populations of less than 700,000). The government also requires regular STD testing and mandatory condom use.
Copacabana brothels, Rio de Janeiro, Brésil
Like Sosua in the Dominican Republic, the lack of restrictions on sex work in Brazil means that, while the business thrives, it is somewhat more integrated into the daily fabric of the city as a whole. As such, there are no parts of Rio de Janeiro that are crammed with sex shops and porn theaters. Instead, massive brothels can be found in many of the main seaside neighborhoods, including Copacabana and Ipanema.
Copacabana, with its faded glamour, has a nursery-like atmosphere, and just to the south is one of the most infamous brothels in Latin America, Centaurus. This mega brothel is built for the big boys and has attracted many celebrities, although there are other brothels in Ipanema, like Monte Carlo. If you feel like taking your security for a risky ride, Vila Mimosa is the real red light district of the city, where the storefronts serve as cover businesses for a vast network of prostitutes, pimps and sympathizers in this industry.
However, you should definitely not try to visit this neighborhood on a casual getaway – it’s dangerous to anyone but seasoned locals and has a violent reputation. In any case, as in most areas where income gaps and inequality persist, the agency of the players in the trade is not always clear, and many sites charge exorbitant rental rates to their workers. offering the veneer of quick money.
Reeperbahn brothels, Hambourg, Allemagne
Amsterdam’s De Wallen attracts the lion’s share of European red light districts, but Reeperbahn in Hamburg is just as famous. The area is full of nightclubs and bars, making it a must-see for travelers and locals looking to unwind on weekends. It is also home to Herbertstrasse, where women and people under 18 are strictly prohibited. In fact, the street itself is closed to help enforce this policy. Otherwise, the neighborhood is a mix of sex shops, porn stores and the like, all mixed with people looking for a good time.
Sex work is legal in Germany, so there are regulations surrounding the endeavor which, at least on the surface, makes things feel a little less abrupt than in other parts of the world. Even so, don’t come here expecting the hot and fuzzies.
World sex trip destinations
It is important to keep in mind that many of those involved in the sex trade do not do so consensually. There is also the issue of legality: while cities like Amsterdam have notoriously liberal laws that ostensibly make sex work a regulated (and thus sanitized and destigmatized) choice, in other parts of the world it is an outright crime. This is to say nothing of the implication of sex work in exacerbating already existing cycles of poverty and violence in regions where tourism has already contributed to single-sector economies.
Find more informations with our page Top Europe sex trip.
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