Patong Beach refers to a beach on Phuket's west coast, and to the town adjoining it. It is the main tourist resort in Phuket. It also contains an important center of Phuket's nightlife and is the center of inexpensive shopping on the island. The beach became popular with Western tourists, especially Europeans, in the late 1980s. Numerous large hotels and chain hotels are located there.
Patong Beach is as equally famous for its nightlife as also the 3.5-kilometer beach that runs the entire length of Patong’s western side.
On December 26, 2004, Patong Beach along with many other areas along the western coast of Phuket and Thailand were struck by a tsunami caused by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. The wave caused a great deal of destruction to the waterfront of the beach and immediately inland, and many people were killed there. Patong was one of the worst affected areas of Phuket, although the destruction was not nearly as bad as nearby in Khao Lak.
Patong is a party capital of Asia, with a world famous nightlife and a great beach. Mostly made up of hotels, world class restaurants, nightclubs and various tourist attractions, this is a hedonists' heaven of nightlife, with numerous entertainment complexes and countless bars clustered together in and around Bangla Road and the beach road. The town has a very obvious female, transgender and male sex industry to cater to every taste, however to only view it as this is a mistake, it offers so much more, for families and couples too.
Massage parlors of the erotic as well the therapeutic (Nuad Thai) genre provide less alcohol/drug infested venues for punters and wellness seekers. One can even find masseuses practicing this medical art atop bamboo mats on the beach sands (100 baht and up).
Prices are higher than in Phuket Town, but there's more budget accommodation here than at the more southerly beaches. This may not be a good destination for the average backpacker, except in the rainy season when prices are far lower. However this is not Patong's stated market, it is fairly and squarely aimed at holidaymakers and does it rather well.
No comments:
Post a Comment