Trifter

Easily the busiest beach in Phuket, Patong is also the most visited by tourists worldwide, but what is it about Patong that draws so many people? Thousands of visitors each and every year visit Patong to experience its spectacular beaches, colourful nightlife, amazing cuisine and rich culture. It only takes a look at some of the other beaches in Phuket to get an idea of what Patong used to be. Over the years it has developed from a quiet beach to a busy destination where the phrase ‘hustle and bustle’ is used quite regularly. Almost everything you need you will find in Patong from cheap street food vendors to fancy restaurants; hostels and backpackers accommodation to luxury 5 star resorts and cheap souvenirs to real gem stone pieces of jewellery. Patong definitely has something for every traveller on any budget.

The ‘hustle and bustle’ is one of the first things that grab the attention of tourists when they arrive in Patong. They find themselves weaving in and out of street vendors and locals day and night. The street vendors or ‘hawkers’ as some people call them are always looking for tourists to sell their ‘quality’ items for a ‘good price’.

Bangla Road is the place to visit for those really wanting to experience Patong, Phuket. It is where all of the action happens, especially of an evening. It is here tourists will find the colourful nightlife and adult entertainment. Vendor after vendor lines the sidewalks Bangla Road.

A day of shopping in Patong will see tourists bring home t-shirts, DVD’s, a new suit or three, swimwear, jewellery and of course, ‘designer’ bags. Bartering is expected by street vendors to buy any item in Patong. That being said, there are a select few vendors, generally within a permanent shop that have will have fixed prices. Usually though, the vendors expect people to barter to buy something. The rule of thumb with bartering is to halve the initial asking price and negotiate from there. The more tourists enjoy the bartering process and do it with a smile the better deal they will get.

It can sometimes be difficult to get rid of those hawkers who hassle people to buy something. If someone is not interested in buying something then they need to be friendly, but strong and stand firm with telling the hawker “no thank you”.

Arriving in Patong can be quite daunting for those who expect it to be a luscious looking island. There are places in Patong that are absolutely breathtaking. However, there are also places that are dirty and very rundown. Thailand is considered to be a ‘poor’ country and there is a lot of poverty. Amongst the poverty there is also luxury but it is that mix that shocks some people.

Beautiful beaches, crystal blue waters and lush scenery is what can be found in Patong. Swimming is generally good all year round and there are always sunlounges up for hire. Hire cost is less than $1US.

The cuisine in Patong is something that must be mentioned. There is an array of choices such as Thai, Indian, Italian, Mexican and Turkish. A tourist will never struggle to find a good Western burger either. As with anywhere, some restaurants serve higher quality food and have better value for money than others.. Some of the street vendors serve up exquisite noodle dishes so it is worth giving some of these a go. As well as sit down restaurants, there are also fast food places such as McDonalds, Subway and Pizza Hut.

Patong is definitely a place worth visiting. It really does have something for almost everyone and it not a hard place to enjoy.