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The Agate used to attract large numbers of very short-stay Chinese visitors before Covid. They'd arrive in coaches in the evening and then depart after breakfast. You may have missed them if you a were a late riser or favoured late nights! Perhaps they were on their way to other destinations or perhaps the nearby airport? I remember staying in a hotel in Seminyak, Bali, which seemed to serve the same or similar function.    

Interesting report . Thanks. I usually manage at least one visit to Koh Larn during my 3 week stays in the Jomtien Complex, sometimes alone and sometimes with a pal. I often invite overnight boys to accompany me but usually they decline. A motor bike taxi takes me to Nual Beach (monkey beach) furthest south of the island, which years ago used to be very quiet, but not in high season. The beach is comprised partly of sharp coral so wearing some form of footwear is advisable. Londoner mentions the Agate Hotel which is my residence of choice in the Complex. It’s close to the bars but not much affected by overnight noise. I don’t recall experiencing Chinese tour groups there. Mostly the guests are other gay Western men, like myself, plus occasional families. I don’t usually eat breakfast there rather a snack in the room, although if I have an overnight “boyfriend” I like to take them elsewhere, particularly if they can converse in English.  

Visiting country yearly. HeeSay, rest apps all together can't compete with it in VN. In cities like Saigon you'll see about 50-100 members within 1km radius. Typically I receive 30-50 offers from local boys within first hour after landing (I'm 60+, top), 70-80% are commercial (massage and "massage"), rest are for free. Evening "rush hour":   In central districts of Saigon density of gay population is even more high: sometimes 15-20 boys within 100m (distance shown near nickname at left bottom corner of each avatar; pay attention to nicknames - guys in VN are very straightforward: mb = moneyboy, XXcm is sign of commercial, "body" means masseur, also "MSM"). Saigon, February'26, filter "from 21 yo and up to 28 years old" applied:

The same endless ads and visible distance of the guys is true for Grindr. I just buy a 1 year subscription for both Hornet (not popular in Vietnam) and HeeSay (popular in Vietnam). The combined fee for the 1 year Premium subscription plans for Hornet + HeeSay is 30% cheaper than what I would pay for a single Grindr Xtra subscription plan (which is still 1 level lower than the Grindr Unlimited Premium plan). I asked Grok to analyze the value for money for the 3 different apps - see below:   Grindr is significantly more expensive than Hornet and HeeSay (formerly Blued) for full/premium access, especially at the top tier. Pricing varies by region, platform (iOS/Android), promotions, and user (it can be personalized), and it changes over time—always check in-app for your exact rates. Here's a comparison based on recent US/typical pricing data (as of 2026).   app.sensortower.com Grindr (XTRA and Unlimited tiers for "full access") XTRA (solid premium tier: no ads, more profiles, read receipts, etc.): Monthly: ~$19.99–$22.99 Annual: ~$99.99–$149.99 (often ~$8–$12.50/month effective)   mashable.com Unlimited (top "full" tier: everything in XTRA + incognito, unlimited profiles/views, more advanced features): Monthly: ~$28–$45 (App Store lists ~$44.99) Annual: Often $300+ (can approach $500+ in some cases; users have complained about high effective yearly costs)   app.sensortower.com Grindr also tests ultra-premium AI tiers (e.g., "Edge") at $350–$500/month for select users, but that's not standard "full access."Hornet (Premium / Plus for full features) Monthly: ~$14.99–$19.99 3 months: ~$9.99/month ($29.97 total) Annual: ~$3.74/month effective ($44.88/year) — one of the best value options among the three.   datingscout.com Hornet has multiple plans (Premium, Plus, Max), but the core paid experience unlocks no ads, unlimited grid, advanced filters, who viewed you, etc.HeeSay (Premium / SVIP for full access) Monthly: ~$9.99 (US Google Play) 3 months: ~$19.99 (~$6.66/month) Annual: ~$59.99 (~$5/month effective)   play.google.com Other regions/currencies show similar low-to-mid pricing (e.g., equivalent of ~$10–$40/month depending on tier like VIP vs. SVIP). It's generally the most affordable. Best value: Hornet annual or HeeSay — both much cheaper for similar core features (unlimited browsing, no ads, advanced filters, privacy tools). Grindr offers a larger/more active user base in many areas, which can justify the premium for some, but it's the least economical unless you need its specific extras (like Incognito or web access). Prices fluctuate and are often discounted for new users or bundles. In-app purchases and one-time boosts are extra across all. For the most accurate/current pricing, open each app and check the subscription screen in your region.  

What I have noticed is that there is a transition going on in Pattaya / Jomtien as part of the traditional reoccurring 5 months of low season - but for this low season with the additional challenges of higher jet fuel prices and recent changes with the VFE (Visa Free Entry) and VOA (Visa on Arrival) rules. Consequently, the dominant groups remain to be for anyone who can still get here on the cheap; Malaysians, Chinese, Taiwanese, and Indians - but for the Indians, I foresee a dramatic fall in their numbers, as they were specifically targeted and removed from the VFE list and instead inserted on the VOA list for entry, for only a 15 day stay visa for a fee of 2,000 baht - whereas, previously it was free for them to enter and they could stay for 60 days.  I fear that this will have a negative economic impact on the South Pattaya environs of the city (which are predominately populated with Indian tourists and related Indian run businesses).  Also, who will the ladyboys of the night over on Pattaya City Beach Road target for easy gold removal after the Indians stop coming?  Will their business model have to change out of necessity and they will instead target the rest of us? Yesterday, we went over to Koh Larn - via the ferry and it was full on both the outgoing and return trips - however, the beach that we went to, Tien Beach - was fairly devoid of people and when we took the motorbikes over to the hill that overlooks the Tawaen Beach to look down onto what is usually the most popular beach of Koh Larn - it was mostly empty.  Of the people that we did see on the beaches, the vast majority were Asian, with some Russians and Indians still in the mix.