Question for World Travelers

sugeknight

sugeknight

I'm on a ROLL
Silver Member
Sup azers,
I tried to search for this. no such luck.

Before I settle down with a family and put my career on lock, its my goal to see as much of the world as possible.
I know there are a lot of international travelers here, so tell me guys... what are some of the top/nicest/most lavish/most exotic/craziest/most private pool halls or places you have played pool around the world?

I'm picturing some small pool hall on the beach in FIJI with a few immaculate gold crowns, a full bar and a stipper pole
or.... a third story hall with floor to ceiling windows overlooking the Eiffel tower.

and by "picturing" I mean "dreaming of"

If "it" or something like "it" is out there and you've been there or heard of it I would like to know..

suge
 
sugeknight said:
Sup azers,
I tried to search for this. no such luck.

Before I settle down with a family and put my career on lock, its my goal to see as much of the world as possible.
I know there are a lot of international travelers here, so tell me guys... what are some of the top/nicest/most lavish/most exotic/craziest/most private pool halls or places you have played pool around the world?

I'm picturing some small pool hall on the beach in FIJI with a few immaculate gold crowns, a full bar and a stipper pole
or.... a third story hall with floor to ceiling windows overlooking the Eiffel tower.

and by "picturing" I mean "dreaming of"

If "it" or something like "it" is out there and you've been there or heard of it I would like to know..

suge
Click to expand...

I've been blessed to have traveled to just about everywhere except Africa (which isn't necessarily know for pool anyways). No matter where I go, I always look for the poolhall...always.

Here's my break-down based on location:

China:

TONS of poolhalls. Super-popular just about any metropolitan area you go. All of the tables are either snooker tables or 9' tables with snooker cut pockets. Snooker and 8-ball are pretty much the only games they play. The snooker tables just about everywhere are kept in really nice condition, the 9'ers vary in condition. My perception is the lesser players (bangers) are forced onto the smaller, crappier tables to make way for the more respected players who take up the snooker tables. If you can play at a level where the better snooker players respect you somewhat, you have 50 new friends in any city you go to. China is one of my favorite "pool" countries. SOOO many STROOONG players! Pool rating: 10/10

Japan:

I think the nicest pool hall I've ever been to in my entire life was in Japan (I think it was the blue-street in Yokosuka). Gold Crown IIIs with perfect simonis, about 10 hi-def flat screen tvs hanging up on the walls, each tv playing a different pro-tour match. Waitresses in kimonos come up to you REPEATEDLY to ensure you're "ok" with your drink. The service was so uncanny, I tried to tip the girl the equivalent of $20 and she refused to take it. Being a moron, I forced it on her (trying to be nice) as I walked out. I was later told you do not tip in Japan (same as China as well). I probably insulted her. Pool is very popular in Japan and I think this country has the best equipment of anywhere I've played in my life. They take the equipment REALLY seriously. Everything is polished to the point of ridiculousness. Pool rating: 10/10

Caribbean:

Although it's nice to play pool while drinking a rum and coke and watching half-naked women run around - the felt is always slow and the tables crooked anywhere you go. I'm SURE there's good equipment somewhere in the Caribbean, I just haven't found it yet. Pool rating 2/10

Iceland:

Reykavik has a cute little pool hall - 9 foot tables, american-cut pockets, with slow nap felt. The towns-folk are really nice here. Everyone kept coming up to me asking to play (no one could, really). I kept waiting for someone good to walk in, but I never found that person. Reykavik is a BEAUTIFUL sea-side town and is the capital of the country. There's a lot of sight-seeing here and some of the best sea food on planet earth. I'll definitely make it back there. Go here if you want to check out GORGEOUS scenery and want ok pool. Pool rating here: 5/10

Ireland:

Dublin, Athlone, etc. all have pretty good equipment. Expect to find snooker tables and 7' bar tables pretty much everywhere you go. The 7' bar tables have SMALL balls with snooker-cut pockets. I was a moron and mouthed off to a friend about how I was never gonna miss a ball with their little "toy" table. HAA! Good luck making ANYTHING. When you think you hit a good shot and it grazes the snooker-cut pockets, they FLY out. The SLIGHTEST amount of english sends the OB and CB flying off into nowhere. REALLY tough! I must say.... the equipment is typically in good shape, although this isn't the pool many of you are used to playing. If you can play well here, you can play well anywhere. If you add that to a room full of the nicest people in the galaxy - this is a GREAT place to play pool. As soon as the locals in the bar found out I was American, I had like 6 pints of Guiness in front of me. "WELCOME TO IRELAND" everyone screamed. I couldn't believe it (I thought EVERYONE hates Americans!). If you think playing pool here is tough because of the equipment, wait till you drink a gallon of Guinness! Pool Rating: 8/10
 
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SpiderWebComm said:
Japan:

I think the nicest pool hall I've ever been to in my entire life was in Japan (I think it was the blue-street in Yokosuka). Gold Crown IIIs with perfect simonis, about 10 hi-def flat screen tvs hanging up on the walls, each tv playing a different pro-tour match. Waitresses in kimonos come up to you REPEATEDLY to ensure you're "ok" with your drink. The service was so uncanny, I tried to tip the girl the equivalent of $20 and she refused to take it. Being a moron, I forced it on her (trying to be nice) as I walked out. I was later told you do not tip in Japan (same as China as well). I probably insulted her. Pool is very popular in Japan and I think this country has the best equipment of anywhere I've played in my life. They take the equipment REALLY seriously. Everything is polished to the point of ridiculousness. Pool rating: 10/10
Click to expand...

i also think japan has the nicest pool halls. my favorite was Sometime in kabukicho
 
SRI LANKA
There's an old snooker table in a hotel in Kandy (forgot the name), I beleive a butler/hotel concierge still racks the balls for you and sometimes shouts out "good shot sir" if you hit a nice one!

I also played snooker with the best player in Sri Lanka in some local club but no idea where it was, he wasn't that good!

SINGAPORE
I guess you have to go to raffles hotel even if you don't like Snooker, this was where the Singapore Sling was invented! Also a tiger was apparently shot in the Snooker room!

There are many pool club down stairs along orchard road here, I played lots of cheap sets here, a few decent players but long time ago. I did see a gorgeous clubs website in Singapore but forgot the name!

THAILAND
Great club in Pattaye called megabreak with couple of top players. English Jon who went to the states and robbed a few guys lives there. Bangkok has several clubs adn players that play on the Asian Tour, sports accademy is new nice place on Sukumvit Road. (near Soi Cowboy and all the ladies!)

PHUKET used to have a few tables in bars, I got threated to be shot there once lol. Koh Samui, a stunning island has a large pool club.

PHI PHI Island made famous by the movie "The Beach" used to have a Snooker Club! I was walked around and heard a noise of balls hitting each other! I though I know that sound ans sure enough there was a room with about 4-5 Snooker tables in it on this tiny spot in paradise! Not sure if still there after the Tsunami?

MANILA
Well documented, LA Cafe lots of local hustlers, I almost got a cue wrapped around my head here for spoiling there hustlers but got saved by a few of the girls I'd befriended hehe. ALso the filling station is a great late night setup. American Diner type place above a gogo bar, with a hotel above the bar/club! the girls work their way up the floors as the night goes on! Go about 2-3am after the girls finish work and it gets busy.

JAMAICA
Some local hustlers and a small pool club in Negril. CHeck out strip club "Freaky Friday" on a Friday, pool table in one room with lots of hustlers, can play for what you want.

HEDONISM II Has outdoor pool tables, with several in swimming pools! Not the best equipment lol ;)

AUSTRALIA
Not so many pool clubs, but lots of RSL clubs and pool tournaments in pubs. Coogee, Bondi, and city have a few places. Melbourne best place for traditional pool halls. Snooker still popular and very cheap in the clubs (as low as 10c for 20minutes!)

CHINA
Colin took me to a few nice clubs in Shanghi but I couldn't tell you where they where if my life depended on it! You need a local to show you around in China for sure. Hong Kong has many snooker and pool clubs Im sure.

CENTRAL AMERICA
I struggled to find anything in Guetemala, Belize, or Mexico of note. Although I think Guetemala city might have something if I recall they held the regional championships last year. Just make sure you take lots of guns!

Hope this helps for now...
 
Thanks!

Thanks Spider and theone for the great responses! I will make it a goal to check out all those places in this life!

Really appreciate it!

Cheers to traveling the world and playing pool!
 
always questions

Get this bk 1,000 places to see before you die by Patrick Schultz. It goes not just by location it goes by interest as well. the whole object of travel is not to set foot on foreign land: it is to set foot on one's own country as a forieign land. Alaska, Hawaiian islands, and europe in the top ten. I wouldn't spoil it for you get the bk please and read the pages don't eat .them mark I have the best of it I am my girlfriends registered travel Companion I have gone everywhere for next to nothing. Hook up with an airline industry girl and reap the benefits. mark
 
To add a few countries to the list:

FIJI - Since you mentioned it, I was there 3 years ago on 4 of the 333 islands, and never found a pool table (but didn't try too hard). I would guess Snooker is the game of choice and probably only can be found in Suva.

SOUTH KOREA - Their game of choice in 1999 was 3-cushion, and I felt like I had never picked up a cue before when I played. It's probably changed now, with the popularity of pool across Asia.

PUERTO RICO and DOMINICAN REPUBLIC - Last pocket 8 ball seems to be the game of choice and there are lots of small pool halls around. Nothing fancy though.

BOLIVIA and BRAZIL - The nicest hotels have pool tables. In Bolivia there are small poolrooms all over the country, even in the most remote places you can imagine. I didn't find that many in Brazil but I suspect they?re fairly common, maybe not in Rio though.

NICARAGUA, PANAMA, COSTA RICA - Pool is very popular and small pool halls are ubiquitous, as in Bolivia and Dominican Republic.

NEPAL - I never found a pool hall, but didn't try too hard. I would suspect the Snooker is the game of choice.

RUSSIA and ARMENIA - Pyramid pool is popular there. However, my colleagues wouldn't let me go to a pool hall since they said I would get robbed and probably also a broken nose, just because I was an American! I guess pool halls there have an even worse reputation than in the US.
 
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Yeah, I'll verfy Japan for ya. Pool halls here always have top notch equipment and great service, and as Spider said, there is no need for tipping.
MULLY
 
I hope some other travelers post in this thread. I'm really interested in reading about places I've never been to.

Anyone else have any reports?
 
i would recommend anyone, almost, to travel post soviet states like poland, czech rep, slovakia, hungary, romania, moldavia. you'll get a fairly close personal experience of what resembled american poolhalls 30-60 years ago. of course, these countries develop fast and also have fully modern rooms, but there are still a lot of old gems there. i would stay away from ukraine, estonia and probably also lithuania. the russian mob is scattered and it's wings uncontrolled.
 
Montreal has the best pool in Canada and is a great city for touring, still not a world class pool scene imo

London, who wouldn't want to take a trip there (eat at the local curry houses and you'll never want anything but Indian food ever again), world class snooker, absolute best in the world, plus lots of UK 8 ball, more action than you can ever want, take in a soccer match, too much to do there, plus relatively safe and they speak English

Manilla, best pool scene in the world right now imo, lots of action, lots of women, lots of action, lots of women, you can easily want to end up staying for an extended period
 
the 3 cities I mentioned are also pretty affordable from the US, however accomodations in London can be scary expensive if you want central and decent
 
I've never been to any of the Euro carom hot spots but i've heard those guys are pretty wimpy when it comes to action

perhaps someone else can chime in on that scene

I'm sure a russian billiards trip to the former Soviet union would be a blast too
 
HollyWood said:
Get this bk 1,000 places to see before you die by Patrick Schultz. It goes not just by location it goes by interest as well. the whole object of travel is not to set foot on foreign land: it is to set foot on one's own country as a forieign land. Alaska, Hawaiian islands, and europe in the top ten. I wouldn't spoil it for you get the bk please and read the pages don't eat .them mark I have the best of it I am my girlfriends registered travel Companion I have gone everywhere for next to nothing. Hook up with an airline industry girl and reap the benefits. mark
Click to expand...

Mark do you mean that you receive lower costing flight tickets as a travel companion to an airline employee/retiree?
Thanks,
JoeyA
 
Hi Spider,

My father went to work in Iceland for several years, my mother also for a while. It's a large fishing port like my home town is in the UK.

There is a Pro snooker player from Iceland and an old friend of mine called Gary Vincent also moved there. He played very well too. I suspect the Snooker player is based in the UK now but not sure if he's still on tour. I flew there from NY once on a promised stop over but they wouldn't let me off the plane, I was scammed lol! :(


If you ever come to London, Rileys in victoria is the best place to play, Raj, Drago, Imran, Knight, and several other top players. Nice match table but $15 an hour. Lots of hotels close bye, best deal in London is EasyHotel from $50 a night for private room with ensuite and flat screen tv!

Vietnam​
 was pretty cool, was only in Saigon for a few days but lots of sleezy girlie bar/pool halls. The craziest place though was the Apocolypse Now disco, a decent pool table in there with the usual local hustlers robbing the tourists! I wasn't there long enough to find the real places with Vietnams new world class talent.

Bali had a smallish pool hall in the main town, forgot the name but didn't find one in the main resort. I was there a week after the bomb (my trip got delayed a week thank god!). The Asian tour used to stop there and I'm sure it was in the club mentioned above. It was very sad to see the aftermath of the bomb, I saw the FBI stood in the crater which was almost half a mans height! Lots of signs asking for blood and many many horror stories. One poor bugger was unlucky enough to stick his head out of his truck while stuck in traffic when the bomb went off, they found it futher down the street! :o

The EuroTour has stops in Spain, Czech, Italy, Holland, Switzerland, and Austria.

I also played at decent clubs in Slovenia and Leichtenstien (driven there by a top Azer - cheers mate! ;).

Let me know if you want any further details about any of these places.

PS
I think its fabulous you are going to get out and see the world! It's no coincidence that some of the most respected posters on this board have actually seen a bit of the world. It's very educational and sure does change your views on life.
Cheers
 
TheOne said:
Hi Spider,

My father went to work in Iceland for several years, my mother also for a while. It's a large fishing port like my home town is in the UK.

There is a Pro snooker player from Iceland and an old friend of mine called Gary Vincent also moved there. He played very well too. I suspect the Snooker player is based in the UK now but not sure if he's still on tour. I flew there from NY once on a promised stop over but they wouldn't let me off the plane, I was scammed lol! :(


If you ever come to London, Rileys in victoria is the best place to play, Raj, Drago, Imran, Knight, and several other top players. Nice match table but $15 an hour. Lots of hotels close bye, best deal in London is EasyHotel from $50 a night for private room with ensuite and flat screen tv!

Vietnam​
 was pretty cool, was only in Saigon for a few days but lots of sleezy girlie bar/pool halls. The craziest place though was the Apocolypse Now disco, a decent pool table in there with the usual local hustlers robbing the tourists! I wasn't there long enough to find the real places with Vietnams new world class talent.

Bali had a smallish pool hall in the main town, forgot the name but didn't find one in the main resort. I was there a week after the bomb (my trip got delayed a week thank god!). The Asian tour used to stop there and I'm sure it was in the club mentioned above. It was very sad to see the aftermath of the bomb, I saw the FBI stood in the crater which was almost half a mans height! Lots of signs asking for blood and many many horror stories. One poor bugger was unlucky enough to stick his head out of his truck while stuck in traffic when the bomb went off, they found it futher down the street! :o

The EuroTour has stops in Spain, Czech, Italy, Holland, Switzerland, and Austria.

I also played at decent clubs in Slovenia and Leichtenstien (driven there by a top Azer - cheers mate! ;).

Let me know if you want any further details about any of these places.

PS
I think its fabulous you are going to get out and see the world! It's no coincidence that some of the most respected posters on this board have actually seen a bit of the world. It's very educational and sure does change your views on life.
Cheers
Click to expand...

Thanks for the heads-up! I'd love to play in London - seems like the spot! If I'm gonna spend the cash to get there, I'm not gonna nit over $15/hr table time. When I decide to head out there, I'll PM you to get the specifics. It looks as though I'll be back to China before London, however. LOVE the snooker scene there.
 
SpiderWebComm said:
Thanks for the heads-up! I'd love to play in London - seems like the spot! If I'm gonna spend the cash to get there, I'm not gonna nit over $15/hr table time. When I decide to head out there, I'll PM you to get the specifics. It looks as though I'll be back to China before London, however. LOVE the snooker scene there.
Click to expand...

No worries, I haven't played a game of Snooker in two years now!!! But I should have London sussed out by then as I'm going to start playing it again as I think it will help my pool more than just playing pool.

the $15 is def worth it as it's a nice table (its the pro table the above players practice on I believe) and the others aren't that great.

Give me a shout if you ever come over for sure.
 
TheOne said:
No worries, I haven't played a game of Snooker in two years now!!! But I should have London sussed out by then as I'm going to start playing it again as I think it will help my pool more than just playing pool.

the $15 is def worth it as it's a nice table (its the pro table the above players practice on I believe) and the others aren't that great.

Give me a shout if you ever come over for sure.
Click to expand...

Def. I'm interested in cheap snooker games since I'm just learning. I'm a total novice at snooker and would love to have someone show me some moves. I'm hooked on it.
 
SpiderWebComm said:
Def. I'm interested in cheap snooker games since I'm just learning. I'm a total novice at snooker and would love to have someone show me some moves. I'm hooked on it.
Click to expand...

I think Ronnie plays in Walthamstow, I could watch him all day, you never know we might get lucky. To be honest there's a good chance of seeing a pro in most UK Snooker halls but I'd love to play you no worries. Victoria also has 3-4 Snooker tables and you might even catch Drago there.

Watching Steve Davis online live now. He was 8:3 down and its now 8:7, great match. If you get the chance you should come at the end of April and go to watch the finals at the crucible in Sheffield, great atmosphere if you cna get tickets! I forgot how many it holds but I think the masters in London holds a couple of thousand paying spectators, I've never seen that though.
 
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