THAILAND: Patong Beach & Town, Phuket – Exit Cold, Enter Sunshine

By On April 25, 2012 · 34 Comments · In Thailand, Travel

With the cold weather fast approaching and with the Melbourne weather on another bend of fickle, “Is it summer? Is it autumn? Is it winter?”, I would like to bring you with me, my dear readers, to a land of happy smiles, sunshine and the sound of waves rolling on the beach.

I often dream of flying on my Unicorn.

It’s not Pegasus, because Pegasus is a horse, and he’s mythical. Therefore, not real :P

My Unicorn (named Magnamus Aurok [geddit!], because I’m highly creative and great with names), will whisk me away to any lands I wish to visit and because he is mine, he exists.

Sadly, that will just have to stay as a dream for now, until I find some magic dust.

What I can do, for you however, is take you with me for a brief visit to the famed Patong Beach and town of Phuket :)

Yes, that’s right! We are going to travel to Thailand today!

On our recent holiday, the Boy and I decided that we’d give ourselves a little treat and have a mini holiday, our first to be exact! First vacation, alone together as a couple :) It was fantastic and just the prescribed medication we both needed.

A little sun, Vitamin D and the gentle sea breeze.

Then, we stepped on Patong Beach. I can hear gasp of dismay and shouts of, “Oh no! Not Patong!”

Yes, we did. To be honest with you, we only strolled onto the beach in the morning (around 7.30am before the hordes of tourists arrived) and in the evening (when the hordes of tourists departed back to their hotels).

If you have never been to Patong Beach before, and you’re wondering why people would be uttering dismays, it’s because Patong is often described as the commercialised part of Phuket. It is also well-known for its hordes of tourists and nightlife centred around the infamous transvestites or lady boys.

The beach itself is nothing remarkable. It is filled with tourists. Deck chairs and vibrant flags and umbrellas are the only things that can be seen in the middle of the day. Everyone is busy tanning themselves in the sun or having a good splash in the ocean.

It is a place to be seen and to show off your goods. Despite the common misgivings, we found ourselves strolling along the beach during the peaceful hours of sunrise and sunset and took quite a few shots :)

The Boy calls the above shot his, “James Bond” shot. I can’t help but agree!

Once the sun goes down, a whole other side of Patong town comes alive. We did the touristy thing and strolled down to Bangla Road (Soi Bangla), infamous for its nightlife and bars.

On the night that we were there, it happened to be Australia Day and the streets were packed with Aussies on holiday out for a good time. There were about 5-6 bars catered to Australian tourists alone. So if you’re feeling a little homesick, not to worry, just stroll down to the nearest Aussie bar and you’ll feel right at home!

The Boy and I however were wandering around looking for some good eats. Unfortunately, our nerves got the better of us and we ended up heading back to the main street and lining up where all the locals seemed to be dining (but that’s for another post :P ).

If, judging by the pictures, you’re thinking, “The beach ain’t all that bad, what is she on about?”, all I can say is, “Trust me”.

What we ended up doing instead was to go on an Island hopping tour during the day! You’d be amazed at how much better a beach can get! It was amazing and I can’t wait to share those pictures with you!

Despite all the tourists hogging up the beauty and serenity of Patong Beach, we did find ourselves enjoying everything we encountered.

We were on holiday after all :)

We consumed lots of coconuts, som tums and pad thais. One of my best som tum encounters was actually in Phuket.

So thank you Patong, for giving us a lovely break from our usual hectic pace and run-around in our daily lives.

Where have you been lately, that you were grateful for the time spent there?

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34 Responses to THAILAND: Patong Beach & Town, Phuket – Exit Cold, Enter Sunshine

  1. Chopinand @ ChopinandMysaucepan says:
    April 25, 2012 at 10:46 AM

    Dear Ms I-Hua,

    I totally agree with the boy that shot of you in that svelte bikini is absolutely James Bond and gives Ursula Andress a real run for her money.

    Reply
  2. Michelle says:
    April 25, 2012 at 11:01 AM

    so many beach chairs!

    Reply
  3. Cara @ Gourmet Chick says:
    April 25, 2012 at 11:48 AM

    I have always stayed clear of Phuket in Thailand as I thought it was too touristy but I have to say this does not look too bad.
    Cara @ Gourmet Chick recently posted..Firechief Pizzeria

    Reply
  4. Hannah says:
    April 25, 2012 at 2:34 PM

    Your talk of flying unicorns makes me think of the scene in Fantasia with the flying horses :)

    Gorgeous shots! I desperately want the warmth back. Canberra thinks it’s winter, boo.
    Hannah recently posted..Easter Grazing at Gundaroo, Part One, aka New-Relative-Dinosaur-Head-Drunkypants

    Reply
  5. leaf (the indolent cook) says:
    April 25, 2012 at 3:15 PM

    Holidays are always good! I also found when I went to Thailand that island-hopping opens up a whole new world of beautifully different beaches. And the food… yum. Want to go back!
    leaf (the indolent cook) recently posted..jiro dreams of sushi

    Reply
  6. FiSh says:
    April 25, 2012 at 4:31 PM

    is that patong night market? refering to the picture that the lady sells fried foodstuff.. looks like very happening there :)

    Latest: Freshest Sashimi Ever
    FiSh recently posted..Eyuzu Japanese Cuisine @ Eastin PJ

    Reply
  7. Vien @ We Dare Food says:
    April 25, 2012 at 6:13 PM

    Beautiful pictures! I love the street food in Thailand!! sooooo endless so I get to eat and eat and eat!
    Sounds like a wonderfully relaxing holiday! :D
    Vien @ We Dare Food recently posted..Momofuku’s Crack Pie

    Reply
  8. CheezyK says:
    April 26, 2012 at 9:32 AM

    Oh I love photos of the ocean, they’re instantly calming (and I needed that this morning so thank you!) :)
    CheezyK recently posted..Travelday – we’re not finished yet …

    Reply
  9. lIBBY says:
    April 26, 2012 at 7:43 PM

    I think first holidays with your other half are always wonderful, no matter where you go! Patong Beach did sound like a wonderful setting for you and The Boy to spend your first holiday alone together – beautiful pics!
    lIBBY recently posted..Oh Waterbar, Oh Waterbar… (NOT written by Libishski)

    Reply
  10. Kat (Spatula, Spoon and Saturday) says:
    April 26, 2012 at 9:02 PM

    Don’t be silly I Hua, unicorns don’t exist.

    Magic dust, on the other hand, I can sell you cheap ;)
    Kat (Spatula, Spoon and Saturday) recently posted..Bistro Vue – Melbourne Food and Wine Festival 2012 Restaurant Express

    Reply
  11. Yasmeen @ Wandering Spice says:
    April 26, 2012 at 10:18 PM

    How wonderful that it’s your first holiday away together!

    You know, my philosophy is generally to travel off the beaten track, but I don’t believe in totally avoiding places because they are notoriously touristy. For example we are going to Bali for our honeymoon. Many have said – oh, touristy! – but we’ve chosen one location which is low on tourists and a few others that may have them, but are still worth seeing.

    Who cares! Vacations are about having fun, eating (of course) and escaping the day-to-day caring about those little things. Your trip sounds like just that :)
    Yasmeen @ Wandering Spice recently posted..Hummus with Spiced Meat (Hummus bil Lahme)

    Reply
  12. penny aka jeroxie says:
    April 26, 2012 at 10:43 PM

    I love beach holidays. just doing nothing and nothing and just drinking ;)
    penny aka jeroxie recently posted..Marrickville Pork Roll

    Reply
  13. Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella says:
    April 27, 2012 at 12:20 AM

    That looks like paradise! :o It has been way too many years since I visited Thailand!
    Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella recently posted..Red Lantern, Surry Hills

    Reply
  14. Winston says:
    April 27, 2012 at 2:20 AM

    NICE!!! Awesome photos and recap of your holiday, I-Hua. I feel sad now that I still haven’t been to Thailand, it seems beautiful =(. But then again, it looks like such a honeymoon/couples kind of place to visit so maybe I’ll just wait haha!! Glad you had a good one! Mmmm… Hard to answer your last question because I’m always grateful for the chance to go anywhere (boy, I sound so easily pleased). So, I guess that’s my answer!

    Thanks,
    Mr. Low-standard-easy-to-please

    Reply
  15. Heidi - Apples Under My Bed says:
    April 28, 2012 at 4:36 PM

    *sigh* I miss Thailand. I’m planning my honeymoon to europe right now! so that’s where I’ll be soon :) great pics, love that last one of the wave…
    Heidi xo
    Heidi – Apples Under My Bed recently posted..Family Holidays. Memories. Crêpes.

    Reply
  16. April says:
    May 1, 2012 at 10:56 AM

    Such gorgeous photos. It makes me feel like I’m a on beach holiday… until I look down and see my keyboard :(

    Reply
  17. Antony Kutch says:
    May 5, 2012 at 4:11 AM

    Thailand is a great country, with beautiful ever smiling people. I will love to visit it one day to view the amazing tourist spots and just have a feel of their culture. Your photos are amazing I must say. Thanks for sharing them.
    Antony Kutch recently posted..maxworkoutsreview.net

    Reply

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