Patong: Beach History, City Life and Nature

Patong brings together different points of interest for travel planning: the history of the beach, the day and nightlife of Bangla Walking Street, the valley setting of Wat Suwan Khiri Wong and the course of Wang Khian On Waterfall. They range from a historical event to urban atmosphere and landscape.

Beach history and street life

Patong Beach was severely affected by the tsunami on December 26, 2004. The date places the event in a specific historical context. When exploring Patong, you can distinguish this historical perspective from descriptions of street life and landscape; they are different ways of looking at the same destination.

Bangla Walking Street in Patong is lined with shops, restaurants and nightlife venues. Music and large numbers of visitors are present there both during the day and at night. The day is therefore as much a part of the street’s character as the night; it cannot be reduced to an exclusively evening setting. Individual shops, restaurants and nightlife venues, as well as activity levels, may change.

Valley and watercourse

Wat Suwan Khiri Wong is located in Patong in a valley surrounded by hills on three sides. The hills make the valley setting a distinctive topographical feature. This sets the temple’s surroundings apart from Bangla Walking Street, whose atmosphere is shaped by shops, restaurants, nightlife venues, music and visitors.

At Wang Khian On Waterfall, small springs at the mountain summit join to form a stream that flows over terrain of varying heights into a lower-lying pool. The waterfall is thus described as a course from its source to the pool: the steps connect the stream and the lower terrain, rather than focusing on a single point. Both the flow of the water and the changes in elevation shape the landscape. At the temple, the valley setting, surrounded on three sides, defines the area; at the waterfall, the focus is on the water’s path from the summit to the pool.

Getting there and finding a hotel

According to a government description published in 2024, one Phuket Smart Bus route runs from Phuket Bus Terminal 1 via several stops to Patong Beach. The description names the Sea Pearl Hotel roundabout in Patong as the final stop. If you plan to use this route to get there, check the current service before travelling.

This keeps the choice of destination separate from the selection of an individual property. Check the details provided by the property if you are considering a particular hotel.

Discover more destinations: Mai Khao, Wichit, Bang Tao Beach, Karon, Surin Beach, Thalang District, Rawai, Phuket

Go to the main travel overview: Phuket.