The Ultimate Travel Guide To Patong Beach, Phuket – The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

Are you thinking about traveling to Patong Beach in Phuket? Then you have come to the right place! Here is a complete travel guide to Patong with everything you need to know about Patong beach – what to do, where to eat, and where to stay in Patong.  

Patong is Phuket’s most popular and famous beach holiday destination with its long white sandy beach lined with restaurants, cafes, and bars. Patong has a well-earned reputation as a party town with notorious nightlife. Here you will find hundreds of beer bars, go-go bars, strip- and dance clubs, massage places, discotheques, nightclubs, and cabaret shows.

It seems that almost anything can be bought for the right price in Patong. And while it is not for everyone, Patong has a certain honesty about it. It does not try to hide its sleazy side. It is all out there in the open, and you can either join in and party from dusk till dawn or avoid this side of Patong Beach altogether.

Patong is where the tourism boom in Phuket started, and it is easy to see why. The beautiful long white sandy beach is still quite stunning. However, its popularity is also its biggest problem. Packed with charter tourists, jetskis, and big parasailing balloons, it has lost much of the charm that once attracted visitors.

I must admit that Patong is not our favorite place to stay in Phuket. Read our recommendations and top beaches to stay at in Phuket here.

The Ultimate Patong Travel Guide

This Patong travel guide gives you the best things to do and see in Patong, as well as the best places to stay and eat. Patong’s top attractions, beaches, sights, and activities are listed and highlighted on a map. Have a great time exploring Patong! ♥

A Brief History Of Patong

Once upon a time, Patong was just a small fishing village filled with traditional Thai houses and huts.

Backpackers first discovered this sleepy village with a stunning beach in the 60s and 70s, but it wasn’t really until a decade later that the government decided to transform Patong into a tourist destination. Patong became a massive hit among Europeans, and especially Scandinavians. Phuket became so popular among the Swedes that for a while Phuket was referred to as “Little Sweden.”

Things have changed a lot since then. While it is still possible to fill a sudden craving for some Swedish meatballs, Russians and Chinese charter tourists have discovered Patong in a big way. Most restaurants and cafes even have separate menus available in Russian and Mandarin.

Patong was one of the areas of Phuket that were most affected by the tsunami on the 26th of December 2004, although far from as severely as Khao Lak north of Phuket. The hotels and restaurants along the beach were severely damaged, but Patong has fully recovered, and today you can hardly see a trace of the tsunami.

Patong Beach Today

Today, Patong Beach (or Hat Patong as it is called in Thai) is famous for its wide 2,85 km long stretch of white soft sand and its bustling nightlife.

Patong Beach is the most popular, busiest, and most crowded beach in Phuket. So don’t expect to have this wide white-sandy beach to yourself. It gets particularly crowded around sunset. You can rent beach chairs and umbrellas, get a tan, go for a swim in the sea, do water sports, or enjoy some people-watching.

The southern part of Patong Beach is quieter and more laidback and is our favorite part of the beach.

Parasailing & Jet Skiing

Water sports are a big thing at Patong Beach, with the two most popular being Parasailing and jet skiing. The parasailing and jet skis operators are all over the beach so you will easily spot them. A parasailing trip or thirty minutes on a jet ski typically costs 1500 Baht = US$ 50 per person.

A little heads up, not all the jet ski and parasailing companies have insurance. There have been several incidents where tourists have been accused of having caused damages to the water scooter and been presented with an inflated bill. So look out for these sorts of scams. Also, accidents are pretty common on both jet skis and parasailing, so be careful.

Beach Massage

There are plenty of beach massage spots on the beach, and female massagers will regularly come and ask you if you are interested. You can choose between foot massage, head massage, full body massage with oil or aloe vera, or a traditional Thai massage.

There are also plenty of indoor massage centers on the other side of the road that runs parallel to Patong beach. Getting a massage here is usually a little more expensive than on the beach.

Top 6 Things To Do In Patong

1. Patong Nightlife

There is plenty of things to do in Patong at night, in fact, it is the place to head to if you want to go partying and clubbing in Phuket. Patong is the party capital of Phuket, and here you can party from dusk till dawn! Almost anything is available for the right price, and they don’t try to hide it either.

The nightlife in Patong is world-famous and notorious and is quite the experience.

But that doesn’t mean that you have to party hard in Patong if it’s not your thing. Most of the go-go bars, discos, and strip clubs are located in one street in Patong – the famous Bangla Walking Street (Soi Bangla). So you can easily avoid the party side of Patong if you like.

Bangla Walking Street

Bangla Walking Street, or Soi Bangla which it is called in Thai, is the big party zone of Patong (and Phuket in general), and tourists from all over Phuket come here to party and have fun.

Bangla Street is a 400-meter long street that is closed off for cars and motorbikes. Instead of cars, Bangla is packed with partying people, but also families and couples going for a stroll to watch the madness. Both sides of the street are lined with pubs, clubs, discos, go-go bars, and strip clubs.

From the moment you step into Bangla Street, you hear the music blasting, see the neon lights flashing, and the girls holding up posters for sex shows, strip shows, and ping-pong shows. Bangla street is also a popular venue for street performers and dancers doing their show on the street in between the crowds.

Although some of the bars in Bangla Walking Street look a bit shady, there are some cozy bars here as well, and also some nice rooftop bars. Some of the most popular and famous bars, discos, and nightclubs in Phuket are located in Patong:

• Seduction Complex – The biggest party complex in Phuket, which contains five different restaurants, bars, and discos. Start your evening with dinner at the Higher Restaurant & Lounge located on the rooftop, followed by a long drink at the Terrace bar on the second floor. Dance your feet off at the colossal Seduction Nightclub, and end your evening in one of the two stylish and more relaxed lounge clubs Blow or La Shisha (third and fourth floor).
• Tiger Disco – A huge disco over three floors. You can’t miss it as it has gigantic concrete tigers on the roof above the entrance. You find bars on the ground floor while there are nightclubs on the second and third floors.
• Illuzion – Located on the second floor above Ocean Plaza Patong, the Illuzion is a huge discotheque with house music, live artists, and DJs. They also have dance shows on the stage.
• White Room Nightclub – A hip party place with a modern minimalistic all-white decor.
• Hollywood Phuket – An old but still going strong nightclub.
• Monsoon – Music bar with live music
• New York Live Music – Also a cool bar with artists performing live
• Moulin Rouge – Cabaret shows

To sum it all up – you will never be bored in Bangla Street as there is plenty to look at!

If you want to have a fun night out and meet new friends, why not join a pub crawl tour of Bangla Road with a party guide!

• Where to find Bangla Walking Street: You will easily see and hear it. It is located near the Jungceylon Shopping Mall, between Rat-U-Thit Road and Beach Road, Patong
• Opening hours: Most pubs, and bars open around 18:00 (6 pm)/ 19:00 (7 pm). The nightclubs and discotheques open as late as 22:00 (10 pm) and keep the party running until the early morning; usually around 4 am.
• Book your ticket to Bar Crawl Tour in Bangla Street, Patong here

2. Shopping & Night Markets

Patong is one of the best places to go shopping in Phuket, with bustling markets and night markets, as well as Phuket’s biggest shopping mall, the Jungceylon.

Jungceylon Shopping Mall

The Jungceylon shopping mall is the biggest in Phuket, located just opposite Bangla Walking street in the center of Patong and is easy to spot. The mall is quite big with a huge department store called Robinson, a well-stocked Big C supermarket, as well as over 200 other shops with both large international brands as well as smaller local Thai brands.

You will find everything you need at the Jungceylon shopping mall, like clothes, shoes, sunglasses, cosmetics, toys, mobile phones, sports clothes and equipment (at SuperSports and Sports World), and electronics of all kinds.

And do not worry if you get hungry, with more than 20 restaurants serving everything from Thai, European, Korean, Chinese, and Japanese cuisine, there is something here for any taste.  Most of the restaurants, pubs, and cafes are in the Port Square, Silang Boulevard, and Sino Phuket Zone of the mall. The Sino Phuket Zone is particularly lovely with its open-air area (it has a roof, but it is high up, so you hardly notice it). The food court is also very popular.

If you are looking for a unique shop, you should check out the Shell World Museum & Shop. This museum is full of different shells and information about the shells — a great place to shops for unique souvenirs and gifts to bring back home.

Jungceylon also has an SF Cinema with five screens (on the 3rd floor), and a 16-lane bowling alley which is great fun if it’s raining or you want a break from the sun. At the Strike Bowl, there are games and snooker tables. If gaming is your thing, or you have kids who love it, you should head to the Mario Land Games Zone (2nd floor). Here you can play lots of fun games like Guitar Hero, as well as snooker. There is also Kidzoona Phuket located at Jungceylon shopping mall, a great indoor play area for kids.

On the 3rd floor, you will also find XD Theatre where you can enjoy 4D rides. The seats move, water splashes, you feel the wind in your hair, it truly is a real 4D experience. You can choose between different movies like Canyon Coaster, Journey to the center of the earth, Cosmic Race, Snow Ride, and several others.

And if you are not tired of entertainment, you should check out Mega Force (3rd floor), a laser shooting range where you shoot at different targets. Do not worry; there is no real ammo here, only laser guns.

• Opening hours Jungceylon Shopping Mall: 11:00 (11 am) – 22:00 (10 pm)
• Where to find Jungceylon: Opposite Bangla Street, in the heart of Patong
• Jungceylon’s Webpage

Banana Walk Shopping Mall

Banana Walk is a fairly new shopping mall in Patong. It has a very cool, airy, and modern eco-kind of design and is located along the Beach Road which runs along Patong Beach. Banana Walk is a great place to head to for a break from the beach.

At Banana Walk, you will find three floors of shops, restaurants, bars, spas, and a mini-golf course on the roof. There is a Starbucks and The Coffee Club among restaurants such as Wine Connection and Sizzler (steak house). Wine Connection is on the 2nd floor with great views of Patong Beach and serves international and Thai dishes and has a great selection of wines on the menu.  Banana Walk, has food from all over the world, like American, Japanese, Korean, and of course, Thai.

The beer garden in the middle of the mall has live music almost every night, at least during high season. And there is a Villa Market (a well-stocked Thai supermarket chain) on the second floor, with a fantastic selection of Thai and imported international food. Boots is also located here (on the ground floor) if you need to stock up on some sunscreen 🙂

• Opening hours Banana Walk Shopping Mall: 11:00 (11 am) – 23:00 (11 pm)
• Where to find Banana Walk: On the road along the Patong beach
• Banana Walk’s Webpage

Banzaan Market

Banzaan Market in Patong is a typical Thai fresh market, yet it is nicer, more organized, and inside a well-maintained building. The building even has escalators so you can quickly get to the upper floor of the market.

At the Banzaan market, you will find everything from fresh vegetables, tropical fruits, flowers, meat and seafood, clothes, toys, shoes, to all sorts of knick-knacks at reasonable prices. All goods are well organized, and everything is clean and nicely displayed.

Upstairs is a lovely food court with delicious Thai food and drinks at a low price. Highly recommended!

• Opening hours Banzaan Market: 07:00 (7 am) – 17:00 (5 pm)
• Where to find Banzaan Market: Banzaan Market is located right behind the Jungceylong mall in Patong, on Sai Kor Road.

Malin Plaza Patong Night Market

Malin Plaza Patong is a friendly and popular night market where you can find typical market things like t-shirts, handbags, mobile phone accessories, beachwear, and souvenirs. The market is a great place to eat some delicious Thai street food at a low price.

The market is partly under a roof, and many of the stalls are in shipping containers, and some shops even have air-con. There is also a Malin Plaza market at two other cities in Thailand – Chiang Mai and Mahasarakham.

• Opening hours Malin Plaza Patong: 14:00 (2 pm) – midnight
• Where to find Malin Plaza Patong: Prachanukhro Road (look for the glowing blue sign Malin Plaza)
• Malin Plaza Patong’s Facebook site

OTOP Night Market

OTOP stands for “One Tambon One Product,” where Tambon means subdistrict. The idea of the OTOP Shopping Paradise Market was for local village communities to produce and sell locally made handicrafts and food distinct for each subdistrict of Thailand. When this market opened, you could find traditional crafts from all over Thailand, like Thai silk clothes and products, pottery, wood carvings, things made of bamboo, household items, and traditional Thai food.

Although the idea of OTOP is excellent, it did unfortunately not last very long before the market became flooded with the typical cheap clothes and fake copies of designer handbags.

Even though you will not find quality hand-made handicrafts at OTOP Market anymore, it is a vibrant and fun market to visit, and the Thai food, drinks, and snacks are excellent. Come here to eat cheap and delicious street Thai food like fried chicken, Pad Thai, fried rice, curry dishes, and grilled seafood. There is also a row of small beer bars at the market where you can wind down and chill while watching a football match and look at the people walking by.

• Opening hours OTOP Market: 10:00 – midnight
• Where to find OTOP Market in Patong: Rat-u-Thit Road, opposite Hard Rock Cafe Phuket and Dusit D2 Hotel Patong. Only 700 m from Jungceylon shopping mall.

3. Watch Thai Boxing/ Muay Thai Fights

Being the national sport of Thailand, watching a Thai Boxing or Muay Thai fight is a big part of experiencing the Thai culture. The art of Muay Thai dates back hundreds of years. In the early kingdom of Sukhothai (1238-1583), Muay Thai is said to have been one of eight disciplines that the men of the country needed to master.

Muay Thai/ Thai Boxing is called “The art of the eight limbs,” where the fighters use their hands, shins, elbows, and knees.

Patong has two Thai boxing stadiums – Patong Boxing Stadium and Bangla Boxing Stadium:

Patong Boxing Stadium

You can watch Muay Thai boxing fights at Patong Boxing Stadium every Monday, Thursday, and Saturday from 21:00 until 23:00. They start with youth fighters, aged around ten years old, and continues with professional fighters as the evening goes on.

Patong Boxing Stadium is a professional boxing stadium that seats 350 people. It also has a bar where you can quench your thirst, buy some popcorn, french fries, and other light snacks.

You can choose from three seating options (including VIP seats where you will be sitting ringside right by the boxing ring) and can select hotel transfer or not with the ticket.

• When: Every Monday, Tuesday, and Saturday. The fights start at 21:00 (9 pm), and lasts until around 23:00/ midnight
• Where is Patong Boxing Stadium: 59 Sainamyen Road, Patong

Bangla Boxing Stadium

You can watch Thai boxing fights at Bangla Boxing Stadium three nights a week – Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays, from 21:00 until midnight.

Bangla Boxing Stadium is a vast modern two-story stadium with an amphitheater surrounding the ring so that all spectators have a good view of the stage. There are four bars selling beer on the ground floor.  Here you can see real Muay Thai fights (no tourist shows), with both foreigners and local fighters.

The fight evenings start with young fighters around 10-14 years old, and the quality of the matches increases throughout the evening. The last fight of the evening is usually national or international champion Thai fighters.

The best and most expensive seats are the VIP seats (THB 2500 = US$ 82) where you sit in the first row next to the ring. The next level of tickets is ringside seats (THB 2000 = US$ 66) while the cheapest are stadiums where you sit up in the amphitheater (THB 1700 = US$ 56).

• When: Every Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday. The fights start at 21:00 (9 pm) and last until around midnight
• Where is Bangla Boxing Stadium: On Sai Kor Road, opposite Banzaan Market, Patong

4. Jungle Canopy Walkway & Zipline Fun

A unique way to experience Phuket’s rainforest is ziplining among the treetops at Flying Hanuman in Patong. Hanging in a zip line 40 meters above the jungle treetops is sure to get your heart pumping.

The Flying Hanuman camp is located in Patong’s jungle. The ziplines are attached between wooden platforms up in the treetops, and you will be zipping between the treetops and platforms and walking across cool canopy walkways. A great way to experience the nature of Phuket! Remember to put on plenty of mosquito repellent before heading into the wild.

Safety and security are something that they take seriously. You will have two safety guides with you at all times while on the zipline and canopy walkway.

• Where to find Flying Hanuman: On the road to Kathu Waterfall
• Book your Flying Hanuman Zipline Adventure here

5. Learn To Cook Traditional Thai Food

On this half-day Thai cooking course, you learn to cook different traditional Thai dishes, like Tom Yam Kung, Phad Thai, Green Curry, Mango Sticky Rice, Chicken Satay, Tom Kha Kai, spring rolls, and a lot more. The menu changes each day, and each course starts with a visit to a local market to buy ingredients.

Since food is a massive part of the Thai culture, you will also learn about the essential flavors of Thai food, some basic Thai words and phrases, and a little about the culture of Thailand in general. Make sure to come here on an empty stomach as you will get to eat the yummy Thai food that you have cooked.

This cooking class takes place in Phuket Town, and you are picked up at your hotel in Patong.

6. Diving & Snorkelling

There are several diving companies in and close to Patong, which run diving and snorkeling tours to reefs, caves, wrecks, and islands in the Phuket area. You can choose between day trips or longer liveaboard trips lasting several days.

Day trips typically take you diving outside the islands Racha Noi & Racha Yai famous for their clear water, Ko Phi Phi where you can see sharks and sea turtles, King Cruiser Wreck, Shark Point, Anemone Reef, and Koh Dok Mai. Liveaboard trips usually take you diving around the stunning Similan Islands where at Richelieu Rock, Koh Bon, and Tachai you can see and swim with whale sharks and manta rays.

At many of the diving centers, you can take the PADI Open Water Diving course/ certificate or a Discover Scuba Diving course. The Discover Scuba Diving is a fun and short course where you get to learn more about diving and get to do an actual dive with an instructor.

If you’re more into snorkeling than diving, a fantastic area to go snorkeling is Maiton Island on the southeast coast of Phuket. If you are lucky, you get to swim with dolphins.

Why Stay In Patong – The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

One question we get a lot is; Is Patong Beach nice?

Well, if you want a short and honest answer, Patong is my least favorite beach in Phuket. That does not mean that it is all bad and below we will try to break down the pros and cons of choosing Patong for your holiday.

The Good – Plenty Of Things To Do And Places To Stay & Eat

As the most popular beach town in Phuket, Patong has more restaurants, shopping centers, bars, shows, and entertainment than all the others combined. It is the only beach to have a cinema complex and there is a wide variety of accommodation options available at any budget. From cool boutique hotels to hideaway luxury hotels and hip hostels, the options are virtually endless.

Patong is also more than ready to entertain you, whether you enjoy Thai Boxing, zorbing, escape room, surfing, wakeboarding, diving and snorkeling, go-kart, bungee jumping, parasailing, jet ski, and jungle hiking on a canopy walkway. It is all here.

It is a convenient place to stay if you need to for instance renew your visa since Government offices often have a branch in Patong. We used the Patong immigration office to extend our visa and it was a quick and efficient procedure that was completed in about 10 minutes.

If you love water sports and don’t mind the crowds then Patong beach might be just what you are looking for. And even if you, like us, find it too busy there are some really beautiful beaches close by.

The Bad – Overcrowded & Lacking Charm

While Patong Beach itself is a long curvy stretch of fine white sand with warm, beautiful azure blue water, it is far from the most beautiful beach in Phuket, and when it comes to everything else including the all-important atmosphere, it falls a bit short.

You can hardly put down your towel anywhere without the fear of being stepped on by a tour group walking along the beach shouting and posing for each other to get the perfect selfie. And don’t forget to keep a constant lookout, and be ready to duck, when the parasailers come in for a landing.

Lighty red sunburned eastern Europeans in their white fake Armani t-shirts, tour groups running around with their cellphones and cameras, and western men working through their mid-life crisis with a beautiful young Thai girl for a few days, makes for quite the absurd comedy at times.

The Ugly – Sleazy & Exhausting

Although Patong has some excellent upscale restaurants and some cozy cafes and bars, the notorious nightlife and sex industry is not my thing at all. When walking on the streets of Patong, especially around the famous Bangla walking street, you constantly get posters offering various kinds of sex shows shoved in your face.

If you want to experience the crazy party side of Phuket, or you’ve come to Thailand for the nightlife then Patong is where you want to be.

But if you are looking for a relaxing holiday or a traveling with your family, I would not base myself here when there are so many better places to stay in Phuket, like for instance our favorite, the beautiful Bang Tao Beach.

The 4 Best Beaches Near Patong

Thankfully there are some quieter and more secluded beaches close to Patong where you can escape the crowds, jet skis, and parasailing.

These are all within walking distance from Patong Beach, although taking a taxi will save you a lot of time and energy:

1. Freedom Beach – A stunning beach and our favorite beach in Patong
2. Kalim Beach – Located just north of Patong Beach, great for surfing
3. Paradise Beach – A small, beautiful 150-meter long beach that belongs to the Paradise Beach Club
4. Tri Trang Beach – A 500 meter long beautiful white sandy beach just south of Patong Beach

There are a total of five beaches in and around Patong: Kalim Beach, Patong Beach, Tri Trang Beach, Paradise Beach, and Freedom Beach

1. Freedom Beach

Freedom Beach is our favorite beach in the Patong area. It is a secluded, and peaceful beach with soft, fine-grained white sand and azure blue sea set against a backdrop of palm trees. This is Phuket at its most beautiful, picturesque dream of a tropical beach like those you see on postcards.

There are no jet skis, parasailing, massage ladies, sunbeds, or even parasols here. The only thing you can do at this beach is to relax on the beach and get a tan, swim in the sea, and go snorkeling.

The beach is stunning, and the water crystal clear, but the waves hit the beach pretty hard, and the current is strong. So be careful when swimming.

Be sure to bring water and food with you as there are no cafes, bars, or restaurants at Freedom Beach. The day we visited there was a local Thai woman on the beach selling water, soft drinks, and beers, but she quickly ran out.

How to get to Freedom Beach in Patong:
It is a bit challenging to get to Freedom Beach and takes some effort, but it is worth it!

By boat:
Hire a long-tail boat at the southern end of Patong Beach to take you to Freedom Beach. It is a short boat ride around the cliff which only takes about 10 minutes, and it will cost you around 1500 Baht = US$ 50 for the round-trip. Pretty expensive so if you are not a group of many people or a big family, try to hire a long-tail both with others to same some bucks. Also be aware that Freedom Beach does not have a pier, and the longtail boats can not go onto the sand due to big waves, so you have to swim the last part and also swim out to the ship when it picks you up in the afternoon.

By tuk-tuk, motorbike, taxi, walking: 
Get to the Freedom Beach parking lot (about 200 m above the Freedom Beach Bay) either by tuk-tuk, taxi, or by walking.
If you decide to walk as we did, then there are two routes to choose among (see a map of the two walking paths here on Google Maps):

• Route 1 (which we walked): Walk south along Patong Beach towards Amari Hotel. Take a left at the entrance to Amari Phuket Hotel and follow the curvy road up Patong Hill past 99 Restaurant, Shine Pizza N Bar, all the way past Avista Hideaway Resort. Follow the path until it ends in a small parking lot called Freedom Beach Parking Lot.
• Route 2 (the main road to Karon Beach): Walk past Malin Plaza and follow the main road (4030) that goes towards Karon Beach. You will walk past lost of bars, restaurants, and hotels. Take a right at the intersection next to Balcony Hostel on Sirirat Road. Follow Sirirat Road past Art Bar and Kohn Liang Chang Congee Bistro where you take a right. Follow the narrow road that leads to Freedom Beach Parking Lot.
• Walking Path Downhill Through The Forest: 
  From Freedom Beach Parking Lot, walk the 200 m long path downhill (partly with concrete stairs) down to Freedom Beach. The path is, however, blocked by a fence. There is a warning sign on the fence that says: “Private Land, No Entry!” but ignore the sign, you can easily get under the fence. It is relatively easy to walk down to the beach, but a bit more challenging to walk up the stairs, especially in the heat. Expect to sweat a lot! 🙂 The walk from Patong Beach to Freedom Beach takes about one hour each way depending on your level of fitness.

2. Kalim Beach

Kalim Beach is just north of Patong Beach (I thought it was a part of Patong Beach, that’s how close it is). The beach is more relaxed with more of a local vibe compared to Patong Beach. At the southern end of Kalim Beach, next to the parking lot and the school, is a small market selling Thai street food like noodles, curry, roti, ice cream, and soft drinks.

Kalim Beach itself is a bit rocky and not great for swimming, especially at low tide. At high tide, you can go swimming and snorkeling in some places along the beach. The busy main road runs just next to Kalim Beach, making it a bit noisy.

Surfing is the big thing here, and Kalim is considered to be one of the best surfing spots in Phuket. In 2012, the Quiksilver Thailand Competition was held at Kalim Beach.

You can find some excellent up-scale restaurants at Kalim Beach. Some of the best restaurants in the whole of Phuket and maybe even Thailand, like the White Box (Thai and French specialties) and Acqua (western food, Italian chef), is here. Both restaurants are set in beautiful buildings with chic and classic decor and with spectacular sea views.

How to get to Kalim Beach in Patong:
You can easily walk from Patong Beach to Kalim Beach (a 15 min walk or so from the northern end of Patong Beach), or you can take a taxi.

3. Paradise Beach

Paradise Beach, located four km south of Patong Beach, belongs to the Paradise Beach Club. It is a small beach, only about 150 meters long but quite beautiful.

From Paradise Beach, you have a great view of the longer Patong Beach. Paradise Beach has a laidback vibe with soft white sand and big palm trees giving shade to the sunbathers. There is a coral reef only 100 meters out from the beach, great for snorkeling with lots of colorful fish. Dive centers in Patong often come to this reef with their dive students.

The Paradise Beach Club runs the beach, and you have to pay a ticket (200 Baht = US$ 7 per person) to use the beach. Included in the ticket is a free shuttle bus from/ to Jungceylon Shopping Mall in Patong (it runs every 30 minutes), locker room, showers, DJ, free use of the toilets, a lifeguard on duty, parking, beach volleyball. It cost extra for sunbeds, rental of diving equipment, snorkeling equipment, paddleboards, and kayaks.

The Paradise Beach Club has a bar, dance floor, and several restaurants serving Italian, Chinese, and Thai food. It also has several souvenir shops, ATMs, massage, and a kid’s play area.

Every month there is a very popular Full Moon Party at Paradise Beach with live international DJs, beach BBQ, fire shows, and dance shows. The Full Moon Party is kind of like an outdoor festival, except that it is on the beach, and everybody dances all night long covered in neon lights. It is very popular and there is room for up to 4000 dancing party-people on the beach.

How to get to Paradise Beach in Patong:

• On your own by walking/ motorbike/ bicycle/ taxi:
  To get to Paradise Beach, go south along Patong Beach towards Amari Phuket Hotel. Take a left at the entrance to Amari Hotel (after the bridge). Follow the curvy road until you get to Phuket Marriott Resort & Spa, Merlin Beach on your left and Tri Trang Beach on your right. There is a sign “Paradise Beach” at the bottom of the hill. Follow the sign for 2-3 more km. The road is a bit narrow but easy to walk on as it is paved. You will eventually get to a big parking lot, where there is a free shuttle that will take you to the beach. See the walking route from Patong Beach to Paradise Beach here (Google Maps). On the map, you also see a path through some of the resorts (Amari), but they will not allow you to walk past their resorts as it is private property. At least we were not allowed to walk there so you will have to go the other route.
• Free Shuttle Bus:
  There is a free shuttle bus (yellow) leaving from Jungceylon Shopping Mall in the center of Patong to Paradise Beach. The bus also stops at the Police Box in Patong. The shuttle bus leaves every 30 minutes, from 09:00 (9 am) until 21:00 (9 pm) every day. On Full Moon Party nights, the free shuttle bus runs 09:00 (9 am) – 04:00 (4 am).

4. Tri Trang Beach/ Emerald Beach

Tri Trang Beach, or Emerald Beach/ Hat Tri Tra, is a 500 meters long white sandy beach located just south of Patong Beach. It is especially popular among the guests of Mariott Merlin Beach Resort, as this is the closest beach to the resort.

The beach has no palm trees or other trees giving shade, so be sure to bring your sunscreen. The beach itself is a bit rocky, so swimming is difficult at low tide as you might cut your feet. There are fewer rocks at the northern end of the beach closest to Patong.

Tri Trang Beach is a reasonably peaceful beach, although a few jet skis and parasailing operators can be found here, as well as beach massage, and places that rent out snorkel sets and kayaks. You can have something to eat at the Windsurf Restaurant serving Thai and European food, and Tri Trang Resort.

How to get to Tri Trang Beach in Patong:

You can get to Tri Trang Beach by taxi (to Tri Trang Resort) or walking. If you choose to walk, walk south along Patong Beach towards Amari Phuket Hotel. Take a left at the entrance to Amari Hotel, go uphill along the road past Baan Ying Dee Resort, and turn towards Tri Trang Resort and you will be right at Tri Trang Beach. It takes about one hour to get from Patong Beach to Tri Trang Beach. You can see a map of how to get to Tri Trang Beach from Patong Beach here (Google Maps).

Where To Eat In Patong

There are a ton of restaurants in Patong, and you will find food from all corners of the world. It can be a bit difficult finding a good Thai restaurant serving authentic and real Thai food as there are so many western restaurants in Patong. Patong has several night markets (see the list above under the headline Shopping In Patong) which are great places to eat delicious Thai street food.

The two shopping malls, Jungecylong and Banana Walk, are also great places to head to for something to eat, especially if you want to combine dining with some shopping. They both have lots of excellent restaurants and cafes.

If you want to go dining with a great view, you should head to La Gritta, an Italian restaurant with stunning views over the sea and Patong beach. The restaurant is located at Amari Hotel Patong. We only went there for drinks, and the views are spectacular! Their pizzas look delicious!

Where To Stay In Patong

Top End

Amari Phuket Hotel Patong
The location of the Amari hotel is breathtaking, located at the foot of Patong Hill with amazing views of the Andaman Sea and Patong Beach. Nothing beats dipping in the infinity swimming pool while enjoying the bright red and orange sunset with a cocktail in your hand. And if you prefer the beach, Amari Phuket has its private beach, or you can easily walk down to Patong Beach (a 5-min walk or so).

What I like the most about Amari Hotel is that it is located a bit outside of Patong itself, but within easy walking distance of Patong Beach, Bangla Road, and Jyngceylon Mall. So you have a bit of everything, peace, and quiet at the hotel, and shopping and nightlife nearby. The rooms are stunning and modern with excellent sea views. We didn’t get to stay here ourselves, but we visited the in-house Italian restaurant, La Gritta, which is excellent. Amari is also famous for its Breeze Spa.
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Avista Hideaway Phuket Patong – MGallery Hotel Collection
As the name implies, the Avista Hideaway is a real hideaway high up in the green and lush Patong Hilltop with fantastic sea views of both Patong Beach and Tri-Trang Beach. The modern and elegant hotel has a traditional Thai style design on vast grounds, beautifully tucked away in the tropical forest. It is a five-star luxury hotel with three (!) big outdoor swimming pools, two restaurants, and a rooftop bar.

If you want a unique, luxurious, and relaxing stay in Phuket away from the stress and chaos in Patong, but still close enough to walk down the hill and take part in the shopping and nightlife, then Avista Hideaway is it. Some of the rooms even have an outdoor jacuzzi. The property of the hotel is so big that it never feels crowded and you hardly notice the other guests until you go to the Vista Restaurant for breakfast.

It takes about 20 min to walk down the scenic Patong Hill to Patong center, but the hotel has free shuttle buses to Jungceylon shopping mall in the center of Patong and a return every 2 hours. Freedom Beach, our favorite beach in this area, is only a 10-15 walk away from the hotel.
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BYD Loft Boutique Apartments Hotel 
We stayed two nights at the BYD Loft Boutique Hotel in the central of Patong Beach. It is ranked #1 on TripAdvisor over hotels in Patong.

BYD Loft is not located right on the beach, but you can easily walk to the beach in five minutes. We had to renew our Thai visas in Patong, and it was an easy 10-min walk from BYD Loft to the immigration office. BYD Loft is located in the middle of everything, with easy walking distance to Bangla Street, Jungceylon shopping mall, Thai boxing stadium, and everything else Patong has to offer.

The large serviced apartments are spotlessly clean and beautiful with a stylish and modern design with a bit of Scandinavian vibe, which I love. The well-equipped kitchen (European style) has everything you need to do a bit of cooking.

The living room is big, with a 46-inch flat-screen TV. We had an apartment with one bedroom, but they also have two-bedroom apartments perfect for families with kids. Their restaurant Bistro and Bar @ BYD Lofts serve excellent food, although we only tried their breakfast which was great. They also have a Wine Connection Deli Shop with a big selection of wines, cold cuts, and cheese. The rooftop swimming pool was excellent; we had it all to ourselves as it seems like all the other guests had gone to the beach.
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Mid-Range

Searocco Phuket Apartment Hotel 
With only six apartments, this is a quite small but new hotel (opened November 2017) located up on the hillside above Patong. The apartments are modern and stylish, and each has a kitchen, seating area, one or two bedrooms, a balcony with fantastic views over Patong and the sea, and some apartments even have a private pool.

The view from the outdoor swimming pool is one of the best in Phuket. You cannot, however, walk to the beach (or you can, but it takes about 30 min one way), but you can quickly get down to the beach and the center of Patong by taxi (a 5 min taxi ride).
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Burasari Phuket Resort & Spa
We stayed for two nights at the Burasari Resort & Spa. It is a big and popular resort with two big outdoor swimming pools and a great and central location in the middle of everything that Patong has to offer. It only takes 3 minutes to walk to Patong Beach, 10 min to walk to the party street Bangla Walking Street and Phuket’s biggest shopping mall Jungceylon, and Hard Rock Cafe is just next door.

We had a standard premium double room with one king bed, and although the room was not the biggest, it was clean and had everything we needed and a little balcony. The breakfast buffet was excellent with a huge variety of food, both Thai and western. I particularly loved their big selection of fresh tropical fruits. The hotel was a bit busy and crowded when we stayed there with several Chinese tour groups staying at the hotel. We couldn’t even get a sunbed by the swimming pools as they were all taken. So a little too big, busy, and crowded for our taste.
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Budget

La Piccola Patong
Right in the center of Patong lays this small but cozy hotel in a quiet street. The big Jungceylong Shopping Mall and Banzaan Fresh Market is just a short walk away, and you can walk to Patong Beach in 10 min. The hotel has a small restaurant on the ground floor serving Thai and Italian food. This hotel is a good value for your money, and everything is clean, and the owner and his staff is amiable and helpsome.
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Lub d Phuket Patong Hostel
Lub d is a stylish and modern hostel located right in the center of Patong with Patong Beach only a 5-min walk away. The hostel is pretty new and opened in March 2016. You can choose between a private room with private bathrooms or dormitory rooms (bunk beds) with shared bathrooms. It is a social hostel with co-working space, game rooms, a large swimming pool, and a Muay Thai boxing ring in the lobby! The hostel also has self-service laundry facilities.
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How Do I Get From Phuket Airport To Patong Beach?

The easiest way to get from Phuket Airport to Patong Beach is to take a taxi or Grab car to Patong Beach. The Phuket Airport is located 40 km from Patong Beach. It takes about  50 minutes to drive from Phuket Airport to Patong Beach.

After a long flight, nothing is better and more convenient than to have a private driver with a comfortable air-con car waiting for you at Phuket Airport and drive you to your hotel.

It takes about 20 minutes to drive from Patong to Phuket Town.

There you have it, our ultimate travel guide to Patong Beach in Phuket packed with everything you need to know when visiting Patong.

Patong has so much to offer its visitors! I hope you liked this overview of Patong activities, nightlife, beaches, hotels, shopping, and what to do in Patong, Phuket.

Read next – our other articles about Phuket: 

• Where To Stay In Phuket – Our 10 Favorite Beaches & Hotels
• Tropical Beach Bliss – Bang Tao Beach, Phuket
• Travel Guide To Karon Beach, Phuket
• Phuket Town Travel Guide

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Have you been to Phuket and Patong? Did you like it or did you think it was too busy and crowded? What is your favorite beach in Phuket? We would love to hear from you in the comment area below! Thank you! 🙂