| Love it or hate it – Patong is Phuket’s | | | | With regards to the beach in Patong, it may have |
| playground. People flock to Patong for a variety of | | | | been a scenic area before, but it’s now full of |
| reasons. For some, it’s the beach – although the | | | | parasols and sun loungers and people trying to get you |
| beach in Patong is definitely nothing to get excited | | | | to rent jet-skis. Other annoyances include people selling |
| about. For others, it’s the nightlife, which is definitely | | | | ice creams, people offering massages and people |
| something worth getting excited about. Patong is | | | | trying to draw henna tattoos while you’re |
| overdeveloped, it’s noisy and it’s full of people, | | | | sunbathing. |
| but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a great | | | | If you’re a foodie then Patong will provide you with |
| time there. | | | | a few surprises. Although the food can be expensive, |
| Without wanting to make too many sweeping | | | | just take a walk along the street and you’ll see just |
| generalizations, Patong is the favored destination of | | | | how many great restaurants there are in the area. All |
| single, Western males. Some travel alone while others | | | | tastes are catered to, although there are perhaps a |
| might go with friends. Remember: Patong is a | | | | few too many Italian restaurants. |
| playground. The nightlife in Patong is about as | | | | One gripe about Patong is the tuk-tuk drivers. Half of |
| interesting as you will find on the island. However, the | | | | them are honest folk just trying to make a living, but |
| scene is developing. | | | | the other half are scoundrels who should be given a |
| For a long time, if you mentioned nightlife in Patong to | | | | wide berth. There have been numerous cases of |
| most people, they’d have immediately thought of | | | | tuk-tuk drivers becoming very aggressive with people |
| go-go bars and bar girls. All of that still exists, but the | | | | who park in “tuk-tuk zones”, which really |
| nightlife scene in Patong is now a lot more diverse | | | | don’t exist. The tuk-tuk drivers in Patong have a |
| than it used to be. | | | | monopoly over public transport because every time |
| Patong now has dance clubs and salsa bars, jazz | | | | the authorities try and do something about the situation, |
| clubs and trendy hangouts. There is, though, still no | | | | the tuk-tuk drivers block the streets with their vehicles. |
| escaping the fact that Patong has far too many beer | | | | Overall, Patong is a great party destination with an |
| bars. If having Thai bar girls flaunt themselves in front | | | | average beach and lots of beautiful Thai women. |
| of you is what you’re after then Soi Bangla will be | | | | Heaven or hell? You decide. |
| like a little slice of heaven. | | | | |