Patong is perhaps the most famous and most visited resort part of the island of Phuket. In addition, Patong, it is also the most partying place in Phuket, it is on Patong is the legendary street Bangla road, which is almost around the clock full of life. It is on Patong that the bulk of package tourists come.
Currently, Patong is the largest resort in Phuket, it is a city. It is called the capital of the tourist life of the island, there is a beach, as well as a lot of various cafes, restaurants, bars and nightclubs.
Patong Beach
Patong beach is quite long and wide. The length of the beach is 4 kilometers, here is where to relax, walk and play sports.
The beach is always crowded. The coastline is sandy, sand of pleasant white color, iridescent under the sun. But, despite this, we cannot call the sand “gentle” and pleasant, it is dense.
The beach itself is dirty, there is small household garbage, as well as cigarette butts.
The beach has almost everything you need for a beach holiday, sunshades and loungers, toilets and showers and small kiosks which sell drinks and snacks.
Two mats or deckchairs + a parasol can be rented for a day for 200 baht. The toilet can be used for 5 baht, the shower for 20. You can also relax and book a massage right on the beach.
If you have no desire to pay for sun loungers and parasols, you can find a natural shadow under the crowns of trees.
The water in the sea
Patong Beach is washed by the Andaman Sea of the Indian Ocean. The entrance to the sea is flat, the bottom is sandy. There are dedicated bathing areas that are separated from the technical areas.
The sea water is dirty, the shore of a muddy color. In Patong you will not find the turquoise sea, which draw in the brochures, even the smell of the sea itself is missing. Because of the large concentration of water equipment (boats, boats, jet ski), sea water acquires a specific smell.
Personally, we swim at Patong did not. In our opinion, this is the worst beach of Phuket and we would not be able to recommend for a beach holiday, especially with children.
In addition, Patong is very noisy and crowded. This beach is great for parties, but not for a beach holiday. All we could advise is to choose another Phuket beach for relaxation, and you can come to Patong for a day or two to see, take a walk and hang out.
Beach activities
On the beach you can rent a jet ski, ride a banana, play beach volleyball, or fly over the sea surface by parachute.
A few words about parasailing on Patong beach. If you want to fly on such and enjoy the views of Phuket from the height of bird flight, then Patong is not the best choice. As we could notice, on the parachute ride very little, just took off and a minute later landed, the parachute makes a very small circle. On other beaches in Phuket, take, for example, neighboring Karon, the duration of the flight was much longer.
The Promenade Of Patong
Beach strip is a shaded area, a Park for walking and recreation
Behind the park there is an automobile road, on the opposite side of which are concentrated cafes, restaurants, exchangers, tour agencies, massage parlors, shops and other retail outlets.
Bangla Road
The legendary Bangla Road originates from Patong promenade and goes deep into the city. This is a small street, on both sides of which are concentrated cafes, bars and discos. Bangla Road Street with all confidence can be called the partying heart of Phuket.
With sunset, the street is blocked by traffic, and it becomes completely pedestrian. At this time, entertainment and drinking establishments began to work with all their might: nightclubs and bars, cabarets and go-go dance, tranny shows, strip shows and discos.
Here, ladies and ladyboys will meet you with a smile and spend at the tables, after which they will offer alcoholic and soft drinks, as well as entertainment and much more, enough for your imagination and money.
Whole branches of side streets with discos and bars originate from Bangla road
On the street you can not only have a drink and have fun, but also eat cheaply. Small lanes depart from Bangla Road, where various food service points are concentrated. It all looks unpresentable, but many like it and have plenty of inexpensive food.
Say what you will, but with the onset of evening, the whole of Patong, including Bangla road, the promenade and other streets turns into a noisy party. Eat, drink, dance, and, as they say, do not deny yourself anything.
Streets and sights of Patong
Street Ruamjai Road, connecting the promenade with the street Thanon Ratuthit Rd Songroipi
Thanon Ratuthit Rd Songroipi, one of the Central streets of Patong
Among other things, you can visit Loma Park, located along the beach, boxing stadium "Patong Boxing Stadium", transvestite show cabaret "Simon Cabaret", Buddhist temple "Wat Suwan KririWong" and the mosque "Masjid Nurul Islamiyah".
Temple Suwan Khiri Wong is on the outskirts of Patong, close to the main road PhraBarami Road. Therefore, in order to visit this temple, have a little walk, or ride a public bus to Phuket Town, past the temple will not pass. It will be visible from the road, on the right side.
Masjid Nurul Islamiyah
Jungceylon shopping centre
Jungceylon shopping centre is located in the heart of Patong. In this big Mall you can buy almost everything you need, ranging from Thai Souvenirs, finishing clothing and suitcases.
To find the Mall is quite easy, it is on the street Thanon Ratuthit Rd Songroipi near Bangla road. Besides the Mall itself is pretty nicely decorated.
Here, several floors of different shops, as well as areas of catering, one of which is located in the fresh air, and the other Food Bazaar on the ground floor.
Currency exchange
With the exchange of currency in Patong will not have any problems, you can find exchangers almost everywhere: on the waterfront, Bangla road and other streets of Patong.
The course is always different, for a more favorable exchange better walk through several exchange offices and compare rates.
As you can see from the pictures, the best rate on 50 and $ 100. The dollars the smaller denomination are exchanged at a lower rate. There is no Commission, they issue a check during the exchange.
Lodging in Patong
We will not recommend anything, impose these or those hotels. As the saying goes: "taste and color ...". In the choice of housing, everything is very individual, for someone there is enough bed for the night, and someone wants to spend their vacation in comfort and relax in a chic five-star hotel with a pool and a fitness room.
All we can say, in Patong there is accommodation for every taste and budget. Here is how the budget accommodation, luxury villas and apartments as well as hotels.
Find housing on the site the search of hotels by clicking on this link.
How to get
To get from Phuket airport to Patong you'll need the local currency is the Thai baht. To exchange dollars or euros into baht at the airport, but the rates are not favorable. Therefore, I advise you to exchange at the airport only $ 50 - $ 100, only needed to get to Patong, and the place to look for a more favorable exchange rate.
From Phuket airport to Patong
The easiest way to get there is by minibus, which you will find at the exit of the airport. The fare to Patong is 180 baht. A minibus will take you straight to your hotel.
It is better to buy a ticket for a minibus in the airport building on the counters. Tickets are sold on the street, but there are usually queues, but there are no queues in the airport building. Same price.
After buying the ticket in the airport building, turn left, exit the building and we are facing a minibus, sit down and go to the hotel.
Or, by air-conditioned bus Phuket Airport Bus Express, the fare is 120 baht.
You can also get there by bus, but with transfers. The Airport bus will take you to the island's capital, Phuket town. In Phuket Town you must take a bus (songteo), which for 30 baht can take you to Patong. The main bus stop in Phuket Town is located on Ranong road. Buses from Phuket Town run in the morning and, approximately, until 18:00 hours, sometimes the buses finish running at 5 PM, and sometimes at the beginning of the seventh you can still leave. What it depends on, we do not know, apparently as well as everything else in Thailand, as the soul fell.
From the beaches of Karon and Kata
From the beaches of Karon and Kata you can also get to Patong by public bus. With transfers. First you need to get on a bus to Phuket Town, the fare is 40 baht. And there take the bus to Patong.
To get from Karon and Kata to Phuket Town, or even faster, before reaching Phuket Town, get off the ring near the shopping center Central Festival Phuket, cross the road and take a bus to Patong.
From other beaches of the island
With other beaches of Phuket to reach Patong can also be through Phuket Town.
Also you can always reach the beach by taxi and tuk-tuks, the fare is around 800-1000 baht. To rent a motorbike or car.
Well, that's easier, you can book a private transfer in advance. At any time of the day, at the airport, you will meet your driver with a sign, which will be written your name and surname. To order a taxi is enough to inform your flight details.
Stop and bus route to Patong
Public buses have Phuket no stops per se. You just stand at the road in the direction of the bus and, having seen that, you will wave to it a hand, it will stop and will pick up you in any place. If it is necessary to leave just you will press a call in inside of the bus, and the driver will stop in any place.
A bus from Phuket Town to Patong passes along PhraBarami Road past Suwan Khiri Wong Temple, then turns onto Thanon Ratuthit Songroipi Rd, passes by Jungceylon shopping center, then goes onto Prachanukhro Rd and stops at the end stop, at the roundabout near the beach and Absolute Sea Pearl Beach Resort.
In the opposite direction, c of Patong in Phuket Town, the bus departs from the same Terminus, follows along the waterfront and goes on PhraBarami Road.
