Patong is located on the western coast of Phuket, Thailand’s largest island. It is the main tourist centre on the island and is noted for its beach, its shopping and its wild nightlife. Patong’s golden beach is a veritable hive of activity where undisturbed relaxation is rare. The beach can be compared to a market place with a constant stream of people selling their wares or their services. The golden sand slopes gently into the sea which is generally calm and ideal for bathing and water sports. Patong has a huge variety of hotels from five star spa complexes to cheap rooms which cater for all budgets. An immense number of restaurants serve everything from traditional Thai cuisine to McDonalds, thereby keeping everyone happy. Patong is a mecca for shoppers with its shops, markets and roadside stalls. Nightlife is exuberant, to say the very least though it can be a touch seedy. There are bars, discos and clubs where partying continues until dawn and there is a very lively gay scene.
A Patong holiday offers lively days and even livelier nights. It is not for those seeking total relaxation in a romantic hideaway.
Patong offers an amazing variety of activities by day followed by party nights. Great weather and scenery, a soft sandy beach lapped by azure water, superb food, the liveliest of nightlife and warm welcoming locals, are just a few of the reasons for booking a Patong holiday.
A Patong holiday appeals mainly to the young looking for a break by the sea where the atmosphere is vibrant and fun loving. It is very popular with gays as there is a lively gay scene.
Boasting a tropical climate that has consistent high temperatures year round, Patong weather falls into three main seasons; a hot and dry springtime, a wet season from June to October and dry cooler weather which lasts from November to February. Daytime temperatures rarely drop below 30c at any time of the year and can reach highs of 35c during spring.
Patong is the liveliest resort on the island of Phuket and is its principle tourist area. Lying on its western coast it has a two kilometre sandy beach that bustles with life throughout the day. There are boatmen waiting to be hired, water sport providers, ambulatory vendors selling food or goods and masseurs offering their services.
The beach slopes gently into the waters which for the most part are calm and offer safe conditions for children and less confident swimmers. Take note, and obey the warning flags when the seas are heavy. A variety of water sports are available from the beach. These include sailing, para-sailing, fishing, diving and snorkelling, surfing and jet skiing.
Patong’s hotels, apartments and bungalows provide accommodation to suit every pocket. There are five star spa hotels for those looking for luxury and there are low cost rooms for backpackers on a tight budget. Likewise, restaurants cater for every palate and wallet. The range of cuisine is remarkable. Patong’s nightlife is legendary with hundreds of bars, discos and clubs rocking through the night. There is also a very pleasant and vibrant gay scene. As with all large resorts in Thailand, there is an unsavoury aspect of nightlife where prostitution is openly practised.
If you can take the pace, a Patong holiday offers twenty-four-seven entertainment, great weather and many sightseeing opportunities.
Patong nightlife is the liveliest on Phuket with hundreds of bars, pubs, discos and clubs offering dusk to dawn entertainment to all orientations. For those seeking quieter evenings the edges of the resort and the large hotel complexes offer tranquil venues for dining under the stars.
Patong has the best shopping on Phuket with numerous shops, boutiques, markets and pavement stalls. The markets offer the opportunity to haggle over prices which are usually highly inflated. Expect to pay no more than half the original asking price. Thai cotton and silk, gem stones and hand crafted jewellery, wooden carvings and Buddha figures make popular gifts and souvenirs.
Patong restaurants, cafes and street vendors serve a variety of food from traditional Thai dishes to international cuisine. There is even a McDonalds. Thai food has been influenced by its neighbours China, India and Malaysia and is a delicious blend of herbs and spices. Some dishes can be very hot but on the whole Thai food is deliciously aromatic.
