Despite the devastation incurred by the tsunami on the day after Christmas 2004, the rebuilt Patong Beach is still as popular and pumping as ever. The placid one-and-one-quarter-mile white-sand beach that fronts Patong town is justifiably attractive

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Despite the devastation incurred by the tsunami on the day after Christmas 2004, the rebuilt Patong Beach is still as popular and pumping as ever. The placid one-and-one-quarter-mile white-sand beach that fronts Patong town is justifiably attractive to travelers, dotted with umbrellas, chaise longues, and elderly Thai ladies offering traditional massages right on the sand. But the real draw for most people is Patong's fun and anything-goes nightlife, centered on two main areas: Bangla Road (predominantly straight) and Paradise Complex (predominantly gay). With unabashed prostitutes and transvestites galore, it's not a place to bring your kids, but it's fun and gaudy nonetheless. Even if bars and clubs aren't your thing, most tourists to Phuket end up spending time in Patong simply because it has the greatest concentration of tour providers, dive operators, good shopping, and budget guesthouses in the region. Just don't expect much peace or quiet at night.

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