Island stop number one – Phuket, the largest of all the Thai islands (that large – 25 miles long – that it dropped the ‘koh’ from its name). I was going to give Phuket a wide berth, it’s one of those places whose reputation proceeds it, but Jo spent some time south of Patong and said it was worth a visit, so I booked a £30 flight (beats the night bus!) and within a hour we had touch down.
I’d decided it was wise to join hostel life so I could get the low down on the islands, so I booked into. ‘Lupta’, a very trendy hostel, by all accounts, for the pricely sum of about £10 a night for a four bed female dorm. On arrival, I was given a map and went out searching for some dinner.
The location of the hostel is just terrific – about three mins and you are on the main drag ‘Bang-La’ road, likewise and you’re on the beach front. So it wasn’t long until I experienced my first Patong moment.
Well, hello there Patong! Bang-la road is everything I thought it would be and yet more. It’s basically a pedestrianised street crammed with bars, flashing lights, loud music and lots of scantily clad ladies dancing on bars – a bit like the Bigg Market on acid! To add to this you have the obligatory touts, hassling every tourist within an inch of their life. This pix sums it up…
But, despite all the chaos and overt sexuality, as a female solo traveller, I felt the safest I’d ever been anywhere on my travels and completely invisible – less than an hour here and, I must admit, I’m getting a soft spot for Patong 🙂
I digress – my mission was food and I was en route to BaanZaan – a local market. To access it I went via JungCeylon. If Bang-la road was the Bigg Market, this was the MetroCentre – a shinny, westernised and huge shopping complex complete with smiley happy families. This did not fit my preconceived idea of down and dirty Patong.
I reached what seemed the remnants of the market, the store holders were getting packed up but there was a few food stalls. I took my seat in a tent and ordered some fish and an obligatory large Chang.
Oh mamma mia, or the Thai equivalent, that was one tasty piece of fish! I later realised, that what I should have done was select my fish myself – hey, they choose well on my behalf 😉
I couldn’t fail to notice swarms of Chinese tourists coming in by the bus load and queuing for a club opposite – mmmm, it was only 8pm; I thought it was a little early to party, maybe a karaoke club? I asked my friendly Thai waiter… ‘sexy show – ping pong’… Aha, the penny dropped!
But, again, the demographics weren’t what I had quite imagined – just seemed like the last stop on a day trip of the Island.
Next morning, I headed for Patong beach. Surely this was going to be under par – we are in Patong! I’ll let the photos talk for themselves.
Yes, cheeky little Phuket, you have hidden charms – I may need to add a few extra days onto my vist x
House of Wendy travels... 