Patong Beach Travel Guide
From Wikitravel
Patong Beach (หาดป่าตอง Haad Patong) is the largest beach resort on the island of Phuket.
Contents |
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 Rd, 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.
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, if one wants unspoiled and natural then Patong is not your kind of place, there are many beaches like that though elsehwere on this beautiful island. No, 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. Taxi's or tuk tuks on the other hand are an utter rip off and it is something that local politicians have failed to tackle for years. Hire a car and see the place properly. True there is a sex industry but it easily avoided if you stay off the main drag of Soi Bangla. If you do go there, please try not judge, it is more complicated than you think. For an excellent objective description of this scene see www.funkyguide.com/bars/asisterhood.htm
Do
Dive shops abound in Patong and touts on the beach try to hustle up customers for jet-skiing, parasailing and other watersports.
Scuba diving, get a suit or dress made, see the world famous ladyboy show at Simon Cabaret take a river cruise with River Rovers, have a massage, rent a car, boogie or buy fake goods.
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.
- Jungceylon, Thanon Rat-U-Thit 200P (end of Thanon Bangla), [1]. Patong's first full-fledged modern air-con shopping mall, complete with 200 shops, integrated hotel, etc. Still under construction and the opening has been postponed several times, but will probably launch some time in 2006.
- Patong OTOP Shopping Paradise, Thanon Rat-U-Thit 200P (south end). You might be excused for thinking that this has something to do with Thai PM Thaksin's "One Tambon, One Product" scheme to promote local industry, but no, turns out this market sells exactly the same copies of branded clothes and mass-produced handicrafts as everybody else. At least there's a fairly wide selection to choose from.
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).
- Sam's Steak House, Holiday Inn Resort,52 Thaweewong Road.Rated number 3 most popular resturant in Phuket,they serve the finest Steaks only from top quality US or Aussie beef and as a bonus come with a free salad bar with all steak orders.Moderate to high price depending on the kind of food ordered but the money is worth it.Opening Hours nightly 18.00 to 22.15.The website can be found here
- Ali Baba, 2 Thanon Ruamchai, and Ali Baba 2, 206/17 Thanon Rat-U-Thit 200P, [2]. Two separate menus for two separate cuisines, namely Indian and Arabic, but both are pretty good. At both locations you have the choice between air-con inside and smoking waterpipes outside. Appetizers 60-100 baht, mains around 200 baht.
- Green House and Balcony Restaurant, Soi Bangla. Extensive menu covering Thai and Western food, plus pastries and snacks from the in-house bakery. Terrace seating outside and air-con restaurant inside. A bit pricy though with most everything over 100 baht.
- Lim's Restaurant & Bar, Kalim Beach (follow beach road out of Patong, turn right at Soi 7 after Kalim Beach, on your right 500m into the soi), [3]. A nice hide-away from the busy streets of Patong, with modern Thai cuisine served daily from 18.30 - 22.30h. LIM's also has an adjacent art gallery of modern style.
- The Roma Great Italian Restraunt in Patong, good for imported Italian pastas and pizzas. Seating inside or outside. This restraunt is done one of the little streets along patong but easy to see you do go pass macdonalds though.
- The Yorkshire Inn on Soi Sansabai opposite the traffic light end of Soi Bangla. Fabulous European and British food and an amazing Sunday Lunch which is repeated on Wednesday, Sure you want to eat Thai food, but not every day right?
- The Old Fisherman's,Novotel Phuket Resort Kalim Beach,Thai and International food are served in this rated number 4 most popular resturants,fresh seafoods are laid on fresh ice for u to select.Resonable prices for a hotel outlet.Opening Hours 18,30-22.30
- Karlsson's resturant & Steak House,108/16 Taweewong Rd, Soi Patong Tower, Patong Beach.your best choice for imported steaks and Scandinavian specialities.Opening Hours 15.00-24.00.Website of the resturant is here
- Baan Yin Dee Resturant, 7/5 Muen Ngen Road,Patong Beach.Warm and relaxed atmosphere,with a discreet ambience and outstanding service.Offers a fusion of European and Thai food to please your palate.Website here
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.
- Molly Malone's is a nice place to sit down and have a decent pint or two.The prices are a bit high, but if you need some good pub food and want to sit back and watch the human traffic plus the great music band, this is a good enough pub.
- Irish Bar Is another nice and less expensive place also on Beach Road, though not with a view of the beach. One of the only places in Patong to sell Guinness, it also has a Celtic cross made with Guinness cans.
Nightclubs
- Banana Disco, Thanon Thawiwong (50 m south of Thanon Bangla). Entry 100 baht, including one drink.
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
- Add Mansion - Cheap & clean rooms in the town centre.
Mid-range
The Yorkshire Inn great rooms and suites from B1,200, central location, nice people. KOMMA BAR and guesthouse right across the road from the beach ,a fantastic location on the south end of the main patong strip this place offers good food, warm vibes and hotel quality rooms (1400 baht)
Splurge
- Burasari, 32/1 Ruamjai Road, tel. +66-76292929 [4]. Lovely boutique resort in a quiet soi on the south side of Patong, just 100 meters off the beach. Hit by the tsunami but quickly and competently restored, excellent swimming pool with direct access from the aptly named "Deluxe Pool Access" rooms. Regular room rates from 2700/4000 baht in the low/high season.
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.
U.S. Navy
Phuket Island in general and Patong Beach in particular are a popular destination for ships of the United States Navy. Navy sailors are generally well behaved and are policed by their own Shore Patrol. Also, Phuket is not generally visited by large ships, as the island is not considered big enough. Large ships usually visit Pattya Beach near Sattahip.
Get out
- The shopping centers and temples of Phuket Town are just across the hill (45 minutes by bus, less by taxi). Be aware of the Tuck Tuck Mafia, better take a regular bus or metered taxi.
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