Patong

Patong stretches for about 3 kilometers along the Andaman Sea, offering a wide strip of sand edged by palms and low trees. The water shifts from pale turquoise to deep blue depending on depth, while the coastline curves gently north and south.

A small fishing village shaped this coastline until the 1980s, when travelers began discovering the quiet bay. Hotels and shops rose quickly, and within a few years the settlement shifted into a popular travel destination.

The name derives from the Patani tree, whose shade fishermen once sought, and which still lines parts of the shore today. Local vendors offer fruit and grilled seafood directly on the sand, spreading their goods on colorful cloths and chatting with visitors.

Most activities take place in the morning or afternoon, when light is softer and heat becomes more manageable. Shade can be found under trees at the southern end or in the small restaurants that lie behind the shore.

Loungers often bear numbered towels that help mobile masseuses find their clients again after a swim. At some spots children build small sand castles early in the morning, then guard them throughout the day for donations.