Pros and cons of Patong Beach in Phuket. Why are the reviews of tourists so different and should they be trusted? We share our experience, talk about the beach and give advice. Find out if Patong is right for your holiday.
Patong Beach - the most popular and crowded in Phuket. The attitude towards him is ambiguous - tourists in their reviews were divided into two irreconcilable camps. Some people stigmatize the beach for noise, dirt and crowds, while others consider it quite clean and no different from Karon or Kata. Where is the truth and who to believe?
We decided to create our own ratings of Phuket beaches and evaluate each according to the criteria: infrastructure, cleanliness, entertainment, and more. Grades are given on a 10-point scale and comment on each item. Our assessments, photos and descriptions of the beach will help you create a whole picture and choose the best beach in Phuket for your vacation.
Patong beach rating
| Criterion | Evaluation |
| Privacy | 2 |
| Silence on the beach | 5 |
| Nature | 8 |
| Purity of water | 8 |
| The cleanliness of the beach | 7 |
| Entering the water | 10 |
| Sand | 10 |
| Shadow | 7 |
| Beach infrastructure | 5 |
| Resort infrastructure | 10 |
| final grade | 7,2 |
Atmosphere
Privacy (2 out of 10). There are many people in Patong - both at the resort and on the beach. What would you like to see when going to the most popular resort in Phuket? Most tourists are concentrated in the center of the beach. Do as we do - go to the park with casuarin trees in the northern part. There are much fewer people and cleaner! And there are always free places in the shade.
Silence on the beach (5 out of 10). Again, a popular resort. The center of Patong Beach is noisy and lively: the beach adjoins the road, there are cafes on it. But after about Sawatdirak Street, a large park begins, which separates it from the noisy road. We rested only there: there is a lot of shade from the trees, it is quiet, not crowded, there are no beach cafes.
Nature (8 out of 10). Patong is beautiful! On both sides, the beach is closed by capes. In the northern part of the beach near Kalim there are picturesque cliffs. But it is better not to go to the southern end of the beach - there is a sewage system and a pier. There are many boats, no one is swimming.
Beach quality
Water purity (8 out of 10). How lucky with that! We saw the sea in different ways: at the beginning of December the water was cloudy, by the middle of the month it became clearer; in January and February, the water was amazingly clear and calm; in April and May - the opposite, as the rainy season was approaching.
Beach cleanliness (7 out of 10). Patong Beach is not dirty. However, there is natural debris under the trees: leaves, cones, twigs. Sometimes the sea takes garbage ashore. There is small rubbish such as cigarette butts - although smoking is now prohibited, special places have been set aside for this. The beach is cleaned daily!
Entering the water (10 out of 10). At low tide, the sunset is gentle - ideal for families with children. At high tide, the entry is a little steeper - more comfortable for adults. There are no rocks or reefs. You can swim without slippers.
Sand (10 out of 10). We have never seen such a powdery and delicate sand with silver splashes anywhere else.
Shadow (7 out of 10). In the northern part of the beach, especially in the park area, there is a lot of natural shade. However, you can always rent an umbrella and sunbed (200 baht for two per day).
Beach infrastructure
Rating: 5 out of 10. Bold minus: only 1 toilet, no shower, changing cabins too. There are several cafes and one Family Mart adjacent to the beach. The rest of the cafes and shops are across the street. Bathing areas and a technical area for jet skis and boats are fenced with buoys. There are lifeguards. Flags are posted if swimming is dangerous.
On the beach - water activities: parasailing, jet skis, banana rides. There is beach volleyball.
Compare Phuket and Pattaya: prices, beaches, sea.
Resort infrastructure
Rating: 10 out of 10. Restaurants of various cuisines, bakeware, bars, shopping center and shops, bazaars, banks, bike rentals, hospitals, laundries, an endless variety of hotels ... There is everything for a comfortable life and relaxation!
Entertainment at the resort. Patong has a huge selection of excursions, evening and night shows, massage parlors at every corner, a string of discos, clubs and bars.
Night life. Patong is famous for never sleeping. Some tourists come here precisely for the vibrant nightlife, which dies down only by 5 in the morning.
Shopping. There are thousands of brand stores and a Big C Extra supermarket in the huge Jangceylon shopping center, and markets and small shops with clothes, cosmetics and souvenirs are scattered throughout the resort. Tourists are delighted with shopping at Patong Beach.
Food in Patong
Patong is considered to be the cheapest of Phuket's resorts. Here is the largest selection of hotels, restaurants, massage parlors, excursion agencies. Competition is substantial! But compared to Pattaya and Bangkok, the prices are higher. However, if you know the places, you can eat on a budget and variety.
Hotels in Patong Beach
Patong Beach breaks records for the number of hotels in Phuket. Here you can definitely find the best hotel! Prices are not high, see for yourself:
| Hotel type | High season prices 2021 | Low season prices 2021 |
| Guesthouses away from the sea | from 15 $ | from $ 9 |
| Guesthouses closer to the sea | from 10 $ | from $ 9 |
| 1 star hotels | from 10 $ | from 10 $ |
| 2 star hotels | from 17 $ | from $ 9 |
| 3 star hotels | from 18 $ | from $ 9 |
| 4 star hotels | from 37 $ | from 26 $ |
| 5 star hotels | from 103 $ | from 80 $ |
Hotel booking tips:
- Look for the best prices... The competition on Patong Beach is high, and this favorably affects the cost of living. During low season, 2- and 3-star hotels are dumped and may cost no more than a guesthouse. Even in high season, many hotels have good promotions and price reductions. You can book a good hotel at a discount on the search engines Roomguru and Hotellook.
- Read reviews tourists when choosing a hotel in Patong. So you will learn about the nuances: about the construction site in the neighborhood, the quality of the Internet and other important details. Take a walk around the area using Google Street View: are there street cafes, is it a busy road, etc.
- Relax in silence... We advise you to settle further from the sea and noisy bars, karaoke and clubs: it is quieter and cheaper. You can walk to the entertainment, but you will have a healthy sleep.
Map of Patong hotels
Tours to Patong
Tours to Patong Beach cost from 55,000 rubles in high season (7-10 nights for two in a 2-3 * hotel, departure from Moscow). Last minute tours can be found for 36,000 rubles. We advise you to search on the services of Travelata and Level.Travel - they compare prices of all popular tour operators. Find out also how to buy tours cheaper >>
Should you rest: our review and advice
Who should go? So, is it worth vacationing in Patong? Definitely yes - at least once. Especially if you are young, energized and hungry for fun. Couples with children will feel good here too: quality hotels, restaurants, soft sand and comfortable entry into the sea. Even we, introverted recluses, are comfortable in Patong thanks to the developed infrastructure.
When to go? We advise you to come to Phuket for holidays in both high and low seasons. In high season, perfect weather and calm, clear sea. There are also disadvantages: a lot of tourists, high housing prices. In the low season, tourists are attracted by cheap accommodation, lack of tourists and the fruit season. Cons: Sometimes heavy showers, high humidity, rough seas. We lived and rested in Patong in December, February, April and May - each month was beautiful in its own way.
Patong Photos
