Patong Travel & City Guide

Phuket’s most popular and fastest growing beach area with an abundance of shopping and nightlife.

Patong is Phuket’s party town and a whole lot more. With its idyllic location on the west coast of the island, it is an ever expanding beach town that continuously adds to its extensive range of bars, cafés, nightclubs, restaurants and shopping facilities. Patong has garnered a world-wide reputation for its vibrant nightlife and energetic atmosphere that can be found nowhere else on the isle.

One of Patong’s big draws is its beach. This long stretch of white sand extends three kilometres and attracts tons of tourists to it shores. The town is also renowned for its unrivalled shopping opportunities with big malls, boutique-style stores, side street stalls and vendors selling all things imaginable.

Traffic jams occur in the early evenings when office workers leave Patong and the night time workers and party goers start arriving.

Patong is also the location of one of Phuket’s main hospitals – Patong Hospital, which can be found along Sainamyen Road.

WHERE TO STAY

There is an abundance of options when choosing where to stay which includes rooms, guesthouses, bungalows, hotels, resorts, villas and serviced apartments.

WHAT TO DO

Patong’s beach proves very popular with most visitors as a result of its long stretch of sandy shore. It gets particularly busy in its centre, so if you’re after a quieter atmosphere head to its north end. There are literally loads of activities to get stuck into, such as taking a ride on a banana boat, going parasailing or simply sunbathing and hanging out, which seems to be one of the most favoured options. You could also book a dive trip with any number of dive shops that can be found around Patong if you fancy getting out on and under the waves.

If you want to escape the chaos of the busy crowds, head over to Paradise Beach situated south of Patong and a short distance away either by road or longtail boat. This small and peaceful paradise boasts perfect conditions for swimming throughout the year and is a fantastic place for snorkelling with kayaks available for hire as well.

You could always entertain yourself with a variety of air-conditioned activities within Jungceylon shopping mall where you’ll find a bowling alley, as well as a shooting range.

There is also a zorbing park in Kalim, north of Patong, if you fancy a fun-filled adrenalin rush, or venture over to one of the many elephant trekking safaris in the hills around Patong.

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WHERE TO EAT

When it comes to eating and drinking in Patong, you won’t be short on options. Cuisines from across the globe are available, including Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Mexican, Russian, and of course Thai, among many others. From fast food outlets to high-end restaurants, the wide variety suits all types of tastes and budgets.

Patong has several award-winning restaurants, many of which are situated on the beach road heading towards Kalim. The views across the sea that some of these establishments have are quite literally breath-taking. Together with menus full of creative cocktails and mouth-watering morsels, these are often venues that are frequented for special treats and occasions.

Jungceylon has a large amount of restaurants that provide covered seating areas and a massive choice of menus. It houses fast-food joints, bars, cafés and coffee shops which are also dotted all over the town. The streets of Patong are packed full of places to eat, so quite literally wherever you are, day or night, you’ll be able to seek out something to please your palate.

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NIGHTLIFE

Bangla Road is the centre of Patong’s nightlife and where every good night out begins. Here you’ll find a pedestrianised street by night that is lined with bars, as well as small side streets (sois) packed full of yet more brightly lit bars offering all types of entertainment. Banging beats come from each bar and make a continuous sound that often morphs into one big noise.

Rat-U-Thit 200 Pee Road is a long thoroughfare and another area boasting bars, bars, and yet more bars. Paradise Complex can be found along it, a popular gay street with a buzzing atmosphere from where you can enjoy drinks in a range of venues and even catch a cabaret show. There are also several nightclubs in Patong where you can dance to the thumping sounds of live DJ’s.

If you feel like doing something a bit different, why not stop into one of the many boxing stadiums in Patong? In these sporting venues you can watch live fights from competitors who hail from the various Muay Thai boxing camps around the island who come to meet their match on fight night. Guaranteed entertainment and a must-see for anyone visiting the island.

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SHOPPING

Patong can be considered a bit of a shopper’s paradise with all sorts of opportunities available to the retail junkie. Jungceylon, one of Phuket’s major malls, can be found here, which is jam-packed full of shops selling clothing, electronics, household goods, shoes, sportswear, watches, and the list goes on. There are quite a few boutique stores within this complex, as well as Thai souvenir shops selling a variety of furnishings and artworks.

Banzaan Market, located behind Jungceylon is an indoor fresh market that sells all sorts of produce with the bonus of being housed under a protective roof, perfect for when it rains. Banana Walk can be found on the Beach Road within a modern structure that sells well-known brands and has a multitude of dining options, as well as a beauty centre, hair salon and spa.

If you’re after a bargain, Royal Paradise Night Market sells a whole host of goods, while OTOP Market promotes the sale of locally crafted goods, such as accessories, cotton and silk garments, as well as souvenirs.