Despite its small size, Patong is a common landing zone for visitors to Thailand’s most famous southern island, Phuket. Any stay here should be complimented by plenty of adventures around the island—we’ve got some recommendations below—but there are plenty of things to do in the tiny town that don’t involve a wallet-gouging taxi on a windy road. While Patong will never fully escape the loud, bashful reputation of Bangla Road and its famous go-go bars, there is plenty to eat, see, and do that doesn’t involve blaring electronic music and screaming girls. 

Where to Eat

Photo: Acqua is just a short drive away and is one of the island’s most famous restaurants / Acqua

There was a time when the only worthwhile dining experiences in Phuket happened in the Old Town. A day trip to Phuket Town is still a must for any visit to the island, but when you find yourself in Patong looking for food a visit to Go Lek Restaurant on the town’s eastern rim does justice to Southern Thailand’s notoriously fiery food. Not far from Go Lek is the Banzaan Fresh Market, and while mainly filled with stalls peddling fresh produce there are plenty of food options for those who don’t like to cook—buffets, canteens, and a night market with all kinds of cooked-to-order snacks and sweets. A little close to the beach, 89 Thai Seafood is a mainstay for many locals and one of the best places to get your hands on a nice steamed Phuket lobster or steaming bowl of tom yum goong bursting with giant shrimp. On the fancier side, one of Phuket’s most famous restaurants, Acqua, is just a few minutes drive up the bay and offers a rare Sardinian take on Italian fine-dining that is so popular chef Alessandro Frau opened a sister venue in Bangkok a few years ago (in 2023 it ranked No. 10 overall in Bangkok on our annual Top Tables dining guide). 

Where to Stay

Photo: Pool with submerged lounge beds at DoubleTree by Hilton Phuket Banthai Resort / Facebook

It’s all about location when staying in Phuket, and by that we mean the closer to the beach the better. If you like your hotels with plenty of swim-up bars and breezy places to relax, DoubleTree by Hilton Phuket Banthai Resort fits that bill to a tee and comes with the requisite beach less than a minute’s walk away. There is a lot of flexibility room-wise, starting with twin and king rooms all the way up to a massive 350-sqm, three-bedroom pool villa that sleeps nine people. Drop your bags and pull up to one of the hotel’s three swim-up pool bars to grab a cocktail and soak in a submerged seat. At night, Beer Bar fills out with friendly travelers snacking on light bites and knocking back some ice cold beers. The daily breakfast buffet at The Shore will get you energized for day trips out of town with an array of Asian and continental options—there’s alfresco seating here, which is a plus. If you are here in the evenings and want to munch on fresh-caught seafood without mulling around town, The Port offers just that on top of other international options. When you do decide to venture outside, the resort’s location in the near-center of the town makes it an ideal launching point for day-trips further inland, shopping excursions in town, or quick runs to the beach for a swim or nap on a lounge bed. 

Day Trips to the Old Town

Photo: Phuket Old Town mural by Alex Face / BK Magazine

Any stay in Phuket, no matter where you are, will include some mandatory trips around the island. If your idea of a good getaway involves hopping from hip-cafe to hip-cafe, devouring street food, and snapping street art, then Old Town Phuket is your stop. Some of the country’s biggest names have commissioned street work here, mostly in the form of gargantuan colorful wall murals plastered on the sides of the area’s famous Sino-Portuguese architecture. As you walk down the streets, you’ll notice how cafe culture has hit the town hard, specifically Soi Romanee, Thalang Road and Krabi Road, which form a seemingly endless row of old buildings mixed with sweets and drinks—and grab an eggs Benedict at Bookhemian while you are in the hood. It’s also where you will find some of the country’s very best street food, from the kanom jeen at 80-year-old Mae Ting Kanom Jeen—where a plate of fermented rice noodles with unctuous self-serve curry costs almost nothing—to the flaky roti and massaman curry at the super low-key, 70-year-old Roti Taew Nam.

Things to do in Town

Photo: Patong Muay Thai stadium can be a tight squeeze, but offers comfy seats to watch Thailand’s national sport / Patong Muay Thai Stadium

Skip Bangla Road and catch some of Phuket’s Muay Thai fighters in action at the Patong Muay Thai Stadium a few minutes away from the Banzaan Fresh Market—you’ll get a taste of “small room” Muay Thai here in an intimate arena that seats no more than a hundred in a tight squeeze. If shopping in (mostly) air conditioned comfort is more your vibe, Jungceylon Shopping Mall just off the main road is one of the island’s largest shopping centers and an easy way to kill a few hours perusing both street-style stalls and sleek boutiques. 

Patong might be tiny, but it packs a punch if you are looking for things to do and know where to look. Whether it’s lounging by the beach, beating the heat with a smoothie at a cafe, or pulling up to a beach bar to meet other travelers, the area definitely has more to it than what some jaded expats might say online.  

With easy access to the rest of the island, it’s also a great spot to stay away from the hectic crowds in the main city and enjoy a slower slice of the island while not staying too far away from the action. 

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Thinking of booking a getaway in Phuket? Get the most out of Patong’s crisp beaches and laid back vibe by grabbing a room or suite at DoubleTree by Hilton Phuket Banthai Resort right in the heart of the action.