Patong Beach, Phuket Overview

Often called the party capital of Asia, Patong Beach is the most popular beach in Phuket. Known for its clean sandy shores, bold nightlife and colourful attractions, Patong Beach accommodates swimming, parasailing and other water sports during the day. At night you can check out its fantastic nightlife. This beach may be crowded, but it has lots of food and shopping options.

Although not a secluded exotic beach like many other Thai beaches, it is quite picturesque with its crystal clear waters and lush forests all around. Its lively atmosphere and beautiful vistas make up for the lack of peace and privacy. This beach may be crowded, but it has lots of food and shopping options and is ideal for those who love a vibrant place and the busy hustle and bustle of life. If you go during the off-season, you may even find a quiet corner on the beach to rest in peace.

Nightlife in Patong Beach

With over 1000 restaurants, bars, nightclubs and discotheques on or around Patong beach, the beach is a busy beach at night.

Soi Bangla
The centre of all the action around Patong is Bangla Road, which is also called Soi Bangla in Thai. Other off-streets like – Soi, Easy, Soi Freedom and Soi Gonzo are also full of life all night.

Performances and Events
There are live performances, cabaret shows with both women & Ladyboys and live music at many bars and pubs around Patong beach. The famous cabaret with Ladyboys by 'Simon Cabaret' is quite expensive, while you can see other Ladyboy performances at many bars in Paradise Complex for merely the drink.

Beer Bars
Not just regular bars, there are many Beer Bars around Patong beach as well, particularly on Soi Sea Dragon road nearby. It doesn't matter if you are a beer enthusiast or not, you could always drop by to check out their beer-creativity
Many bars have games. These range from simple games like Jenga and Connect Four, to such bizarre games as the one often seen in Beer bars on Soi Sea Dragon, where customers try to compete with each other to hammer a nail into a massive chunk of wood while drunk! Not only is it a great way to test one's hand-eye coordination, but it's also the perfect way to check how drunk you are.

Ladyboy Junctions
There are many beautiful Ladyboys or Kathoeys on the streets around Patong beach at night. Look all you want, but if you click a picture, they will expect a tip. You can also pose with them and get a free photo.

Irish Bars
There are also Irish Bars near Patong beach, where you can enjoy some good music and whiskey, and spend a more tempered evening.

Beachside Nightout
If you want to party with a view, there are some fantastic beachside clubs like the Paradise Beach Club where you can party till late, with a lovely view of Patong beach.

Things To Do in Patong Beach

The clear Patong waters are perfect for a swim. You could also indulge in the variety of water sports offered here, such as parasailing, jetskiing and motorboat racing. Patong Beach also offers massage and salon facilities as well. You could drop by for a soothing self-pampering time during your time at Patong. Patong also offers discotheques open till late at night. Plan up a disco-trip for a fun night. The beach streets facilitate performances and animal shows sometimes. You could be a part of these events by following up on the local calendar.

Patong Beach is a shopping haven as well. You could go around beach-street-shopping for the best souvenirs at the best deals. The beach is great with its regional street food as well. Relax by the beach if you wish, with your favourite book. The beach facilitates privacy that way. Remember to snap a few memories as well!

Highlights
Some of the touristy highlights of Patong include hair-braiding, henna tattoos and permanent tattoos. Visit one of the shops close to Patong beach for this memorable experience. Patong beach hosts many local bands in the bars and restaurants in and around the vicinity. The Irish Bars tend to have some good bands and performers, and if loud music or extravagance is not your thing, this is the perfect way to spend your evening here.

Food and Restaurants

On the beach itself, you can get some awesome pancakes for just THB 89. These can be found on carts all along Patong Beach.
Head to Bangla Street Food, which is a new addition to the already bustling Bangla Road near Patong beach. It is an open space with covered stalls in the centre and chairs and tables all around. These sell a variety of local street food ranging from Pad Thai's and Satay's to Grilled Chicken and Ribs & Rice. The seafood here is particularly amazing. Fish, Prawns, Shells, Crabs, Lobster, name it, and you will get your choice of seafood here. Beers and Cocktails are also sold here. If it's not raining, it's the perfect place to sit outside and enjoy an authentic Thai meal.
If you want to eat at a slightly more upmarket place, many good restaurants around Patong beach serve delicious Thai food.
Pan Yaah is a wonderful restaurant by the sea, with affordable seafood. Kaab Gluay is a modern restaurant that serves authentic Thai food while Sea Hag Restaurant is another excellent place, which is known for its delectable steamed lemon fish.
If you want something simple, or need a break from the local cuisine, there are many cafés and restaurants with other cuisines around Patong beach. You can check out places like – Louis' Café, Zurich Bread Factory & Café, The Zula Phuket Turkish Restaurant & Cafè Patong and Tony Restaurant, for the same.

Shopping at Patong Beach

Street shops and hawkers are the cheapest places to shop at Patong beach. Because this is a tourist place, most shops ask for a slightly higher price for their wares. But you can always haggle and drive down the price.
Malin Plaza is an open-air market near South Patong Beach that offers quite fair prices and an impressive range of things. It is the ideal place to pick some reasonably priced souvenirs.
OTOP Market on Rat-U-Thit Road is a market dedicated solely to locally made products. You can buy things like pottery, traditional handicrafts, silk and cotton clothes, household items, food items and condiments at this market.
If you want to buy local Thai products, but in a sanitized environment, Banzaan Market on Sai Kor Road near Patong beach is the place for you.
Checking out a night market is a quintessential Thai experience. Paradise Night Market opposite the Royal Paradise Hotel in Patong will give you a slice of that.
Bangla Mall in the middle of Bangla Road is not just great for shopping but is also a place for entertainment and relaxing. Laser Battle is a store in this mall, where you can have a laser fight with your friends, while the luxurious Pimnara Spa on its upper floor is a great place to rewind.
China Town Plaza is an area in downtown Patong where a bunch of stands and stalls have been renovated, but which still has the old quaint Chinatown feel. Visit it if you like scrounging for good deals.
Banana Walk is Patong's latest shopping centre and is located on the Beach Road just 100 metres south of Bangla Road. This three-level mall has a modern, minimal look and is ideal for those looking for something from one of their trusted brands.
Patong's biggest shopping mall, Jungceylon Shopping Complex, is also not far from Patong beach. Diagonally opposite Bangla Road, Jungceylon Shopping Complex is less for tourists and more for your regular needs, with a sturdy department store (Robinson) and a well-stocked supermarket.

Visitor Tips

Nighttime revellers can sometimes be too loud and overwhelming. Try and travel with someone to keep such people at bay.
Always bargain for anything you want to buy. Being a tourist-filled location almost all hawkers and shopkeepers overprice their wares. Buying in bulk from one place will always get you a better deal.
Small shops or open markets have better local stuff and souvenirs than malls. Avoid malls, unless you need some specific things that are only available there.
In case you can't handle all the spicy local food, and fall sick, try buying some Charcoal tablets from a local chemist or mix salt with lemonade and have it. It's a domestic Thai remedy that works wonders.
Don't argue with Tuk-Tuk drivers. If someone does not agree to a reasonable fare, take some other form of transport.
If people with cards to events or hawkers hassle you on Patong beach look for the police. Many of these are scammers.
If clicking a pic of or with a Ladyboy, always tip them.
Enjoy your evening, but drink responsibly.

How to Reach Patong Beach

Walk
Most of the hotels and resorts are near the beaches. Thus, if your hotel or resort is close by, you can walk to Patong beach.

Tuk-Tuk
Thailand's favourite mode of transport, Tuk-Tuk is available in Phuket as well. It's ideal for short distances that can be covered in less than 30 mins, and economical at 100 Baht is a cheap way to reach Patong beach.

Songthaews
Songthaews are another economical way to reach Patong beach from Phuket town at just THB 15 to THB 20. Unlike other places in Thailand, where Songthaews are converted into pick-up trucks, Phuket had Songsters are blue coloured open-air buses.

Micro Buses
If you can't stand the heat, you can also take an air-conditioned 'Micro Bus' from Phuket town to Patong beach.

Bike
You can rent a bike for the day, and head to Patong Beach and other places.
Two kinds of bikes are available for hire - Small 50cc Hondas and 'Big Bikes'. But this option is only for experienced bikers who can handle the Thai terrain.

Motorbike Taxis
Motorbike Taxis are available at almost all hours of the night and day and are an excellent option for short distances. They are easy to spot at busy places on street corners, outside department stores etc.

Taxis
Private cabs or taxis are the most comfortable way to travel. But they are also the most expensive way to reach Patong beach. This option is best for those whose resort is too far away, or who have small children with them.

GRAB
If you must take a taxi, try using the GRAB app, which is similar to UBER and offers a lot of discounts and offers.