Patong Beach (หาดป่าตอง Haad Patong) is the largest beach resort on the island of Phuket.
Understand
Patong is the party capital of Phuket, with a sex-drugs-booze-saturated nightlife and a great beach. Mostly made up of hotels, restaurants, nightclubs and various tourist attractions, there's a thriving nightlife, with numerous "entertainment complexes" and countless bars clustered together in and around Bangla Road, and female, transgender and male prostitutes to cater to every taste. Massage parlors of the erotic as well the therapeutic (Thai Nuad) genre provide less alcohol/drug infested venues for punters and wellness seekers. One can even find masseuses practicing this medical art atop bamboo mats on the beach sands (100 baht and up).
Prices are higher than in Phuket Town, but there's more budget accommodation here than at the more southerly beaches. This may not be a good destination for the average backpacker, except in the rainy season when prices are far lower. Rooming houses ('Mansions') a few blocks inland provide nice, clean a/c rooms and suites as cheaply as 300 baht/day (less without a/c), or 3,000-10,000 baht/month.
2004 tsunami
Beach Road and the immediate surrounding areas were hit hard by the December 2004 tsunami, however the only signs now remaining are the "Tsunami" titles on sale at the VCD/DVD vendors.
U.S. Navy
Phuket Island in general and Patong Beach in particular are popular destinations for ships of the United States Navy. The navy sailors are generally well behaved and are policed by their own Shore Patrol. As Phuket is not considered big enough, very large navy ships usually visit Pattaya instead.
Orientation
Patong's two main axes are the aptly named Beach Road (Thanon Thawiwong) and Thanon Rat-U-Thit 200 Pi (the last bit means "200 years" and is pronounced song roi pee) running parallel a few hundred meters inland. A handful of streets and sois (alleys) connect the two, the largest and most central of which is Bangla Road (Thanon Bangla).
Get in
By plane
Phuket International Airport is 35 km to the north of Patong. "Limousine" taxis from the airport to Patong are a steep 500 baht (45 minutes); meter-taxis 300+ baht (if coming from the airport, from outside the car park gates); shared minibuses limit the damage to 150 baht (but 180 baht in the Patong to airport direction, presuming you book through an agency). Cheapest way of all (however also the most time consuming) is to take the airport shuttle bus to Phuket Town, and switch there to a local bus to Patong.
By bus
Regular buses connect to Phuket Town (20 baht, 45 minutes) every 30 minutes or so between 07:00 and 18:00. The route starts from the southern end of the beach, after which the bus crawls through town (via Bangla Road), stopping to pick up passengers, before finally heading off across the hills.
Get around
Patong can (just about) be covered on foot, but there are plenty of taxis and motorbikes to get you around.
Phuket has two types of taxi - millions (or so it seems) of small songthaew-style minivans (usually bright red, occasionally bright yellow), and a much smaller number of conventional sedan-style taxis (yellow and red, with a "TAXI-METER" sign on top).
The minivans have no meter, and their drivers are notoriously mercenary, so always agree a price beforehand and do bargain hard. Short hops around town shouldn't cost more than 100 baht these days, but you'll have to bargain hard.
For longer distances the metered taxis are generally a better bet, so do your bit to break the iron grip of the minitaxi mafia and patronize them if you can. You can hail one by telephone on 076-232157.
Motorbike taxi rides within Patong start around 20 baht.
See
There are many sorts of beaches on Phuket, if one wants unspoiled and natural then Patong is not your kind of place, there are many unspoiled beaches in the north and south of this beautiful island.
Patong is for those of you who like a developed resort with a wonderful nightlife.
The beach is both stunning and busy. One of the finest developed beaches in Asia.
If one goes out in Patong with head full of prejudices and a determination to see the seedier side of Thailand, then this is what you will see. If on the other hand you go with an open mind and a willingness to understand rather than judge, you will find a highly sophisticated holiday resort with dozens of world class restaurants and entertainment opportunities.
There is a sex industry, but it easily avoided if you stay off the main drag of Bangla Road. If you do go there, please try not to judge what you see there, it is more complicated than you think.
Amongst the non sex related bars we can recommend are 'Erotica' off Soi Bangla, on Soi Seadragon - its aimed fairly and squarely at couples and is a sexy, smart, fantasy cabaret bar. Professional dancers perform a unique and highly entertaining series of original dance routines to some of the best tunes from the last 40 years.
Saxophone - on the beach road is the little brother of Bangkok's most famous live music venue. They have top quality Jazz, Blues, funk and soul outfits there each night and the place is very well designed. Can be hit and miss with the bands but usually very good quality.
Rock City - for those about rock - just down the beach road from Saxophone this place is easily spotted due to a giant, neon guitar outside. Live, hard rock and tribute bands perfromed by excellent musicians in a great atmosphere. Don't miss it.
Do
Jet-skiing, parasailing and other watersports.
Most of the big Scuba diving companies have offices here too.
Get a designer suit or dress made for peanuts. Jaspalas Tailor off Soi bangla is a good place to start.
Pay to see the world famous ladyboy show at Simon Cabaret or see one for free at Katoueys R Us, off Bangla road.
Pay to see Muay Thai - Thai Boxing at the Bangla Stadium, or see it for free further down the road at the Simon complex, next door to katoueys R Us.
Take a river cruise with River Rovers.
Have a massage, we recommend Bali Hai on 200 Years Road.
Boogie at either Tai Pan, Banana, Tiger, D Club or Seduction discos.
Buy fake goods off the many stalls all over the place.
See the cabaret Show at Erotica - Soi Seadragon, off Soi Bangla.
Buy
One of Patong's main attractions, besides the nightlife, is shopping. Many small stalls and markets line the streets offering everything from t-shirts and clothing, silk, carvings, souvenirs, shoes, CDs and DVDs. Bargain hard for anything you buy from these stalls, as everything is negotiable in Patong and starting prices are often ridiculously high. Get a local to help you haggle rather than complain about it.
Eat
Patong offers an amazingly cosmopolitan array of eating options, including Arabic, French, German, Indian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Russian, Scandinavian and pretty much any country that sends tourists here. Prices are, however, generally inflated (at least by Thai standards).
Drink
Patong's nightlife spills out in all directions but the center of the maelstrom is Thanon Bang La and its four sois - Crocodile, Eric, Gonzo and Seadragon, packed with a frenetic mix of pubs, beer bars, and go-go bars. Soi Crocodile is also known as Soi Katoey, a reference to its many transvestites. While many of Patong's establishments are little more than fronts for prostitution, there are also a couple of good nightclubs with dance floors - an unusual sight in Thailand otherwise.
Nightclubs
Sleep
Accommodation is rather expensive during the peak season with simple air-con rooms ranging from 500-1500 baht; fan rooms start around 300 baht but availability is limited. In the low season, air-con rooms are easily found from around 300 baht and up. You can usually get at better deal for the more expensive rooms by using one of the local travel shops. It pays to haggle with them.
Budget
Mid-range
Splurge
Stay safe
Sections of the beach are not suitable for swimming due to strong currents, especially in the rainy season, and the entire area is at danger from idiots on jetskis. Heed warning flags and be careful. They installed a huge Tsunami Warning Tower to warn Patong people in case of another Tsunami.
Beware of dogs! If you travel along the winding cliff roads leading away from Patong on foot please be aware of dogs near houses and hiding in the jungle flanking the road. They seem to be very territorial; if you walk away slowly and don't get to close you should stay safe.
Get out
Patong Beach (Thai หาดป่าตอง) is a beach on Phuket's west coast, and to the town adjoining it. It is the main tourist resort in Phuket. It also contains an important centre of Phuket's nightlife and is the centre of cheap shopping on the island. The beach became popular with western tourists, especially Europeans, in the late 1980s. Numerous large hotels and chain hotels are located in Patong.
Patong Beach is more famous for its nightlife than the 2-kilometer beach that runs the entire length of Patong Town’s western side. Nightlife is centered on two main areas Bangla Road and Paradise Complex, with Bangla Road being predominantly straight and Paradise Complex being predominantly gay. Much mixing of the two scenes occurs due to Phuket Island’s tolerant nature, with Kathoey present on Bangla Road.
On December 26, 2004, Patong Beach along with many other areas along the western coast of Phuket and Thailand were struck by a tsunami caused by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. The wave caused a great deal of destruction to the waterfront of the beach and immediately inland, and many people were killed there. Patong was one of the worst affected areas of Phuket, although the destruction was not nearly as bad as nearby in Khao Lak.
