Patong beach of Phuket, Thailand, is a magnet for tourists from all over the world. The hyperactive and crowded atmosphere that rules the day is continued on into the night. That is when Bangla Street and the surroundings turn into one big no-restrictions party.
When the sun goes down, the neon lights of Patong come up. As the heart of the activity, Bangla Road is closed to traffic to provide ample room to eat, drink and roam around the area. Street hawker stalls appear out of now here selling favourite Thai food cool beverages and inexpensive trinkets and souvenirs. For the first timers, the eclectic happenings can seem rather wild, but that is one reason why it’s a ‘must -see’ location on anyone’s travel itinerary to Phuket.
Side roads or ‘Soi’ house varieties of bars and restaurants, each Soi with its distinct qualities. Soi Eric is one large dance floor as a single DJ provides music to all venues. The famous Soi Tiger is unique as a cave – with three enormous tiger statues on top- ushers the visitors into dozens place to eat and drink. The high ceiling and bright lights are rather overwhelming but great fun. The Tiger Entertainment Discotheque is a popular bar there. Relatively quiet than the others is Soi Gonzo, a smaller but friendlier environment that’s home to the Aussie Bar, a favourite with tourists. It’s known as good place to grab a bite and a drink with your friends and also doubles up as a sports bar. If you want to escape the hot, sweaty atmosphere that prevails in most clubs, try the Ice Bar at Soi Vegas – always at a chilling -15 Celsius. For the tourist curious about Thailand’s accepted transvestite industry, Soi Crocodile is the destination, where even a picture with one such ‘kathoey’ will cost you money.
The best way to take all this strangeness in is to catch a good seat at a roadside bar or restaurant and watch the night go by. The music only stops at sunrise and even then the blue waters and white beaches of Phuket await, keeping the island abuzz for almost all of 24 hours. Choose a Patong beach resort to get easy access to all the events and locations in the city. Situated in the fashionable Jungceylon shopping center the Millenium Resort Patong Phuket is an ideal place to rest your feet after a night out, an evening shopping or a day at the beach. Style and comfort combine to create this Phuket resort that is perfect for a traveller who is out and about.
