Phuket Part III

Patong Beach

Phuket's busiest resort area, Patong has the greatest concentration of bars, restaurants and shops on the island.

Patong has suffered a lot of negative publicity in recent years to be over-developed and its hedonistic party scene. However, most visitors to Phuket still choose to spend their time in Patong and for good reason. Patong has much to offer and despite its reputation for naughty nightlife, Patong is also very popular with families.The 3 km long beach still has the beautiful white sand and clear water, which is now visibly clearer after the tsunami. The chairs and umbrellas are now back in full force, providing an ideal place to relax and enjoy the sun with all the amenities you could want nearby. You'll find everything you need for your vacation. There are many shops and stalls, and other leisure and recreational activities. However, if you are looking for a retreat at the beach, you probably will not find it in Patong.

Patong is where you will find the most varied choice of hotels in Phuket. Somewhere out there for every budget. Guesthouses cheap and easy to style complex of four and five stars, and everything else. There are even a few hotels on the beach. You can choose to stay near the nightlife or stay later. The beauty of staying in Patong, is that everything is just a short walk or tuk-tuk ride away.Patong is the busiest beach of the island and you will never be short of something to do here. If you like water sports, then this is the place. There are jet skiing, water skiing, windsurfing, sailing, parasailing.You can snorkel on the reef at the southern end of the bay or take a ride to the beach long tail boat to freedom best coral viewing. Further inland, you can try bungee jumping, go bowling or go through the hills in Kathu for a spot of carting. If you feel calmer, rent a beach for the day, slap on plenty of sunscreen and watch the show while you enjoy the rays. The sea is generally calm throughout the year and the deep seabed shelves gently makingit quite safe to swim in. For even more relaxation, there are usually many close masseuses who give massages on the beach (it quite good for me and you ^^). Patong is undoubtedly the center of the island's night scene. Bars in Patong can be roughly divided into beer bars, go-go bars and regular (ones that have not to go). The scene is centered around Patong Bangla Road and its many ramifications. The road is perpendicular to the beach road towards the northern end of Patong. Bangla is only about half a kilometer and is pedestrian in the evening making it easy to walk around and bar hop.

to be continue...