Patong Beach

What makes it special

Patong is about three kilometres of sand running the whole west side of the town, with the Andaman Sea in front and hotels and bars behind it. It has a name as the noisy, neon-lit corner of Phuket, mostly for the bars of Bangla Road.

By day the same sand is a working beach. Water sports run off the shore, and masseuses work on bamboo mats laid out on the sand.

The two ends of the bay feel different. Kalim, at the northern end, is the quiet one: surfers paddle out there from April to September, and it is the best spot on the bay for the sunset. The stretch by Bangla Road is the loudest, and the centre sits between the two.

Visiting

The first hour of daylight is the time to walk the sand end to end and pick your stretch: the northern end and the centre are quieter than the sand by Bangla Road. Through the middle of the day, choose between the water sports off the shore, a massage on the sand and one of the daily dive trips to the reefs around Phuket.

Come back to Kalim for the sunset. In the evening the markets get busy, so browse them between the sunset and dinner. After dark, Bangla Road becomes a pedestrian street of bars, food carts and live music.

Tips

Between May and October the southwest monsoon drives high waves onto this coast and builds rip currents. Swim only where lifeguards are on duty, and stay out of the water when the flags tell you to. Kalim's surf season falls in those same months, so surf only with a lifeguard in sight.

Take care before you hire a jet ski: deal only with an operator you can identify, and agree the terms before you ride.