| Originally a
fishing village, currently Patong is Phuket's most
developed beach offering virtually every kind of
entertainment imaginable.
Exuberant nightlife and
numerous leisure, sporting, shopping, and recreational
options flourish along its three kms of beach.
 The
beer bars cater to every interest and nationality with
charming hostesses to entertain, and all play video
movies and music so loud that when several are
clustered together it can be deafening. There are also
massage parlors, travel agencies, car and motorcycle
rental agencies, coffee shops, discos, nightclubs,
cocktail bars, and virtually every other form of
enterprise designed to separate tourists from their
baht. For those determined to party until the water
buffalo come home there are few better spots than
Patong Beach.
Haphazard modern development doesn't take anything
away from Patong's delightful natural setting. The
beach is lovely and excellent for watersports
including sailboarding, parasailing and snorkeling
(best at the south end) as well as for relaxation,
sunbathing and strolling. Fine accommodation abounds
in all categories, from the most exclusive and
luxurious hotels to bungalows and guesthouses offering
simple facilities.
Eating out in Patong can be a truly international
experience. Scandinavian, Italian, German, Swiss,
Mexican and French restaurants compete with the usual
array of fast food joints. Thai cuisine concentrates
on seafood cooked Thai-style, which means very spicy
with lots of garlic, lemon grass, chilies, shrimp
paste and herbs.
Shopping opportunities appear to be endless. Fine
modern jewelry can be found at shops in Patong
offering rubies, sapphires, pearls, emeralds and gold
pieces. Other shops sell silk, bronze ware, porcelain,
ceramics and benjarong pottery.
Patong has a full range of outdoor activities such
as yachting, deep-sea fishing, snorkeling, windsurfing
and water skiing, horseback and elephant riding,
mountain biking, sea canoeing and more.
|
