In my first trip to Phuket, I merely stood at Patong beach for a whole 5 minutes and waked away. I was not impressed as it did not have the pristine white sands or crystal clear waters to captivate me. All I saw were endless rows of deck chairs. It was just too commercialized.
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| Patong beach - cramped with deck chairs! |
In my next trip back to Phuket, I decided to brave the commercialization, and to do what all tourists would do - to spend a day at the world famous Patong beach. I did not expect a quiet afternoon with the constant buzz peddlers, countless tourists strolling by, parachute flyers, banana boaters, cruise liners in a far off distance, and the constant crashing of the waves onto the sands – yet it all merged together into a quiet relaxing calm. Yes, indeed it is certainly enjoyable spending a day at Patong beach, lazing on the deck chairs just watching the world go by.
What is important when visiting Patong beach is to first walk the stretch of beach to decide which section you wish to spend the day. It would be best to select a spot near an eatery you prefer in the event that you are hungry, all you need to do is to dash across the road for a takeout meal. Once you have decided on the spot, check with the owners of the section on cost. I paid 100B for a full day of deck chair rental. You will need to pay more if there are additional services, e.g. drinks, manicure, hair beading, or massage. Some of the essential items to bring with you would be your beach towel, sunglasses, hat, a book/music player, sunblock/suntan lotion, and definitely bottled water to stay hydrated.
