Patong Beach and Phuket Old Town are some of the most popular places to stay in Phuket. Patong is a famous beach town with wild nightlife and lots of shopping and dining opportunities. Phuket Old Town is a historic town with colorful ancient buildings, authentic food, and lots of shopping options.
In this article, I will outline the similarities and differences between Patong Beach and Phuket Old Towns. These include aspects such as location, nightlife, shopping, food, accommodation, cultural attractions, and hiking opportunities.
I’ve been all over Thailand, including Phuket, so I hope to offer you the most helpful advice. If you are searching for “Which is better, Patong or Phuket Old Town”, keep reading.
Is it better to stay in Patong Beach or Phuket Old Town?
I stayed in both Patong and Phuket Old Town. I love both areas. I rented a scooter to explore the island. I used Phuket Old Town as the base to explore the south east coast of Phuket, and Patong as the base to explore the west coast of the island.
Generally speaking, if you are into beaches and parties, Patong is the better option. You can easily walk to the beach and all restaurants and bars from your hotel. Even if you are not into the party, Patong still offers a pretty good central location to explore all the attractions on Phuket.
Phuket is notorious for its traffic jams and expensive taxi rides. Staying in the central area of the island, like Patong, will help to reduce travel time and cut the cost of transportation.
Many people choose to stay in the beach town like Patong, then take a day trip to the old town. If you have time, it is worth staying in the old town for at least a couple of nights to fully experience what the area has to offer.
The Old Town is better than Patong if you are into local authentic food, historical charms, good night markets, and trendy cafes. What matters most is that you don’t mind the extra distance from the beach. The nearest beaches to the old town are around 20-30 minutes drive on a scooter or Grab taxi.
Phuket Old Town is also an excellent base if you want to stay near the piers for boat trips to nearby islands like Koh Phi Phi, Koh Yao Yai, James Bond Island, Ao Nang/ Railay. Most piers are located on the east coast close to the old town.
If you have enough time, I recommend splitting your stay into these two areas. You can stay in Patong for the beaches and all attractions on the west coast, then move to the old town for food, historical charm, and some attractions on the east.
Patong is located around 14km from Phuket Old Town. The travel between the two towns is around 30 minutes depending on traffic. I took the InDrive taxi (similar to Grab taxi but cheaper) from the old town to Patong and it cost me 420 baht.
Top recommended stays in Patong:
- luxury: Four Points by Sheraton
- Mid-range: Phuket Graceland
- budget: Silver Resortel
My recommended hotels in Phuket Old Town:
- mid-range: The Memory at On On Hotel
- mid-range: Casa Blanca Boutique Hotel
- budget: Capsule Bed Phuket
Location
Patong is located on the central west coast of Phuket, between Karon and Kamala. It is around 36 km south of Phuket International Airport.
Phuket Old Town is located on the central east coast of Phuket, 14km east of Patong. It is around 33 km south east of Phuket International airport.
The location of Patong is ideal for exploring beaches on the west coast. You can easily get to Kata, Karon, Kamala, as well as some cultural attractions like the Big Buddha.
The location of Phuket Old Town is ideal to visit attractions on the south east coast of the island like the Big Buddha, Wat Chalong, Promthep Cape Viewpoint, Monkey Hill Viewpoint. The old town is also close to the piers, where you can take island hopping to Koh Phi Phi island, or James Bond island.
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Accommodations
Accommodations in Patong are usually more expensive in Phuket Old Town. You can find all accommodations for all budgets in Patong, including 5-star beachfront resorts, mid range hotels, and backpacker hostels.
Accommodations in Phuket Old Town are mostly small mid-range and budget, family run guest houses and hostels. Many accommodations are housed in historic buildings, offering a sense of history.
If you stay in Patong, make sure to book well in advance especially in the high season to secure the best spots. Patong is the most popular stay in Phuket and accommodation is often sold out in the peak period from November to May.
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Beach
One of the biggest differences between Phuket Old Town and Patong is the beaches. Patong is home to a long beautiful beach while Phuket Old Town is around 20-30 minutes drive to nearby swimmable beaches like Patong, Ao Yon, or Khao Khad Beach.
If you’re looking for a beach holiday, staying in Patong is the obvious choice. You can easily walk to Patong Beach for swimming, sunbathing, walking, and enjoy watersport activities like jet skiing, or banana boat.
From Patong, you can easily visit nearby beaches within a short scooter/ Grab taxi drive. I recommend having a look at Tri Trang Beach, Freedom Beach, Karon, Kata, or Kamala.
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Nightlife
Patong is the nightlife hub of Phuket, so if you are coming to Phuket to party, Patong is the place to go. The nightlife in Phuket old Town is more relaxing than Patong. It is all about exploring the night markets, and finding a nice restaurant to eat.
Patong has a wide selection of bars and night clubs. The nightlife center of the town is Bangla Walking Street. This 350 long street is the red light district that is home to dozens of bars, clubs, adult entertainment options, and a night market.
There are also many bars scattered around the neighborhoods. It is also home to several night markets where you can try street foods and browse souvenirs. I recommend checking out Banzaan Night Market, OTOP Market, or Malin Plaza.
In addition to the night markets, and walking streets, you can spend the night watching the Muay Thai match or a ladyboy show at the Simon Cabaret Phuket.
In Phuket Old Town, you can walk around different streets in central Phuket like Thalang Road, Phangnga Road, or Dibuk Road. These roads are packed with restaurants, trendy cafes, and boutiques where you can shop and eat.
The old town is also home to several nice night markets like the Sunday Night Market on Thalang Road, The Indy Night Market on Dibuk Road, as well as Chillva Night Market. I really like the atmosphere of the Chillva Market, and I highly recommend checking this place while in the old town.
Shopping
Both Patong and Phuket Old Town are excellent places to shop. Both towns have modern shopping malls, night markets, and lots of independent shops for shopping enthusiasts.
While Patong is home to Jungcelon Mall, the town is home to Central Phuket. Both malls have a wide range of both luxury international and Thai goods.
For local souvenirs and handicrafts, you can find it at the night markets. In Phuket Old town, you can find them at Sunday Night Market, Indy Night market, or Chillva Market. In Patong, have a look at OTOP, Banzaan, or Malin Night Markets.
The old town has many trendy boutiques and shops where you can find some nice gifts and clothes. The shops here are often nicely decorated, creating a more charming atmosphere.
Food
Phuket Old Town is, in my opinion, the winner if you are a foodie. The old town is known for its wide range of authentic and cheap local dishes. You can find many Thai and Chinese foods in the old town. From fancy Michelin star restaurants to street food stalls, the old town has it all.
Patong also has a good selection of restaurants and night markets. But I prefer the vibe in the old town more. It has a more local vibe and is often cheaper than in Patong.
Cultural Attractions
Phuket Old town is full of cultural and historical attractions. You just simply walk around the center area around Thalang, Phangngana, and Dibuk road to admire colorful ancient buildings in Sino-European style, Chinese Shrine, Buddhist temples, and museums.
Some famous places to look at in the old town include the Museum Phuket, Golden Dragon Monument, Phuket Thai Hua Museum, or Chinpracha House.
There are no significant cultural attractions in Patong but you can find some local temples near the hillside area. Both Phuket Old Town and Patong are relatively close to the famous Big Buddha and Wat Chalong. These are the top cultural attractions on the island.
Hiking Opportunities
Phuket has mountainous terrain, so there are good hiking opportunities in both Phuket Old Town and Patong. If you are into nature or just like to hike, you can check out several trails in these towns.
In Phuket Town, you can hike to Monkey Hill Viewpoint. This is a challenging hike with steep parts and can be more difficult under the hot and humid weather of the island. You can encounter many monkeys on the upper parts of the trail.
In Patong, you can check out the trail to Kalim Viewpoint and Kamala Waterfall (aka Bang Wan Waterfall). There are also trails on the hill behind Patong to Wat Doi Thepnimit direction.
Viewpoints
In Phuket Town, you can visit the Monkey Hill Viewpoint and the Khao Rang Viewpoint. These places have beautiful views of Phuket City and the sea.
In Patong, you can check the viewpoint on a hill behind the town like the area around Wat Doi Thepnimit. These places offer nice views of Patong town and its sea.
Getting to and Getting Around
Both Patong and Phuket Old Town are very well-connected to other parts of the islands by road. You can easily get to these towns by all kinds of transportations. There are riding share services like Grab, InDrive, and Bolt as well as local songthaews, and buses.
It takes around 700-1000baht for a private taxi from Phuket Airport to Patong and a little bit cheaper to get from the airport to Phuket Old Town. They have similar distance to the airport, Patong is 36km away, while the old town is 33km away.
Within each area, you can easily get around on foot. Phuket Old Town is more compact than Patong, so you can easily explore most parts of the historic center on foot. In Patong, you can use the combination of walking, local tuk tuk, or even Grab Bike.
See more:
- How I Spend 5-7 Days In Phuket
- Ultimate guide to where to stay in Phuket
- 50 Best Things to Do in Phuket
So there you have it, my short guide on which is better to stay, Patong or Phuket Old Town. One is a famous beach town, while the other is a famous historic town. If you want the beach holiday and vibrant nightlife, it is best to stay in Patong. If you are into foot, more local life, and you don’t mind being further away from the beaches, Phuket Old Town is better than Patong.